Sale reports / South Carolina / Darlington Livestock Auction / 2023-12-19

Darlington Livestock Auction

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Darlington, South Carolina · Tue, Dec 19
● Final47 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1956
Feeder Cattle receipts
111 head
133 vs last sale 244 92 vs year ago 203 · 45.3%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
55 head
12 vs last sale 67 0 vs year ago 55 · +0.0%
Replacement Cattle receipts
22 head
15 vs last sale 7 9 vs year ago 13 · +69.2%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

No comparisons made this week on all classes of feeder cattle due to limited comparable sales.

Slaughter cows were 3.00 lower, slaughter bulls were steady. There was an average offering of average to

plain quality cattle with active buyer participation.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $193.51/cwt on 42 head.
Average price
$193.51
42 head · 439 lb average
Value per head Derived
$849
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$107
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 3
$19.04/cwt at this weight
vs the market
3.81
vs SC average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1457201.9992215thin
Medium and Large 2405197.2979811thin
Medium and Large 3446182.9581616thin
One grade step is worth $19.04/cwt here — about $107 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 0–100 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 0–100 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale42 hd
193.51
SC average5 barns · 340 hd
197.32
−3.81
A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
BullsLow1,537117.911,8137thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,39994.231,3184thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,21192.311,11827
CowsLean 85-90%Average87581.547149thin

Replacement cattle Per head

By class, stage and age
Bred stock and pairs are reported per head, not per hundredweight — these prices are never mixed with the $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,142$1,1436
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,001$1,0229
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)810$7301thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,013$1,1923thin
Stock CowsOpenYoung (2-4 yrs)737$7333thin

Every lot, as filed

47 lots · USDA AMS · Low Country Livestock Exchange - Darlington, SC
Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
CowsLean 85-90%88888.52/cwt87.00–90.007864
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,39994.23/cwt93.00–97.001,3184
Bulls1,260110.60/cwt109.00–112.001,3942
Stock CowsSmall 1737732.64/head600.00–875.007333
Bred CowsSmall 1810730.00/head730.00–730.007301
Bred CowsMedium and Large 21,2431,204.93/head1,050.00–1,410.001,2053
Bred CowsSmall 1942938.47/head820.00–1,005.009383
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 21,0051,300.00/head1,300.00–1,300.001,3001
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 21,3151,400.00/head1,400.00–1,400.001,4001
Bred CowsSmall 1880930.04/head770.00–1,075.009306
Bred CowsMedium and Large 21,3421,348.23/head1,130.00–1,550.001,3483
Cow-Calf PairsSmall 2720875.00/head875.00–875.008751
HeifersMedium and Large 3363187.44/cwt185.00–190.006803
HeifersMedium and Large 3530177.50/cwt175.00–180.009412
BullsMedium and Large 3533177.39/cwt170.00–185.009452
BullsMedium and Large 1460252.50/cwt252.50–252.501,1621
BullsMedium and Large 2560187.46/cwt185.00–190.001,0502
BullsMedium and Large 2495220.00/cwt220.00–220.001,0891
HeifersMedium and Large 2285200.00/cwt200.00–200.005701
HeifersMedium and Large 1420204.08/cwt200.00–210.008575
HeifersMedium and Large 3595180.00/cwt180.00–180.001,0711
HeifersMedium and Large 2338200.00/cwt200.00–200.006763
BullsMedium and Large 2390220.00/cwt220.00–220.008581
BullsMedium and Large 2275225.00/cwt225.00–225.006191
HeifersMedium and Large 3605170.00/cwt170.00–170.001,0291
HeifersMedium and Large 1475200.95/cwt200.00–207.5095510
HeifersMedium and Large 2483192.54/cwt190.00–195.009302
SteersMedium and Large 3782160.00/cwt160.00–160.001,2512
SteersMedium and Large 2765180.00/cwt180.00–180.001,3772
HeifersMedium and Large 3315187.54/cwt185.00–190.005912
SteersMedium and Large 2575220.12/cwt215.00–225.001,2663
SteersMedium and Large 1480250.00/cwt250.00–250.001,2001
HeifersMedium and Large 2383200.04/cwt197.50–202.507663
HeifersMedium and Large 2518192.51/cwt190.00–195.009972
HeifersMedium and Large 3425186.67/cwt185.00–190.007933
HeifersMedium and Large 3470181.20/cwt175.00–185.008524
Dairy SteersMedium and Large 3325123.00/cwt123.00–123.004001
BullsMedium and Large 3582174.96/cwt170.00–180.001,0183
BullsMedium and Large 3363205.10/cwt200.00–210.007452
BullsMedium and Large 3265205.09/cwt200.00–210.005432
BullsMedium and Large 1410250.00/cwt250.00–250.001,0251
BullsMedium and Large 1560220.00/cwt220.00–220.001,2321
BullsMedium and Large 1538232.47/cwt230.00–235.001,2512
CowsLean 85-90%86575.96/cwt74.00–80.006575
CowsBoner 80-85%1,23594.63/cwt90.00–106.001,16922
CowsBoner 80-85%1,10582.12/cwt77.00–86.009075
Bulls1,648120.84/cwt117.00–123.001,9915

How this sale compares

South Carolina weighted averages
One sale is one barn on one day. The state ladder is every South Carolina auction USDA reported that week, weighted by head — the fairer test of whether a lot sold well.