Name: Darlington Livestock Auction livestock auction prices — 2026-05-12
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-05-12

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

No comparisons made this week due to limited comparable sales. Moderate offering of plain to average quality cattle with active buyer participation.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $360.92/cwt on 20 head, up $19.36 from the prior sale (only 14 head in that comparison). That ranks 13 of 18 comparable sales and sits +9.29 against this barn's trailing median of $351.63.

Average price

$360.92

▲ 19.36 vs prior sale

20 head · 563 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,031

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$186

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 3

$57.47/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−0.36

vs SC average

−56.19 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	515	395.00	2,034	1thin
Medium and Large 2	570	364.89	2,080	15thin
Medium and Large 3	548	337.53	1,848	4thin

One grade step is worth $57.47/cwt here — about $186 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 400–500 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

18 sales

Heifers 500–600 lb: high $381.92, low $338.37, median $351.63 across 18 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale20 hd

360.92

—

SC average5 barns · 97 hd

361.28

−0.36

National average171 barns · 11,385 hd

417.11

−56.19

This barn, trailing median18 sales

351.63

+9.29

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.

Class	Grade	Dressing	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Bulls	—	Low	1,333	202.88	2,704	5thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,372	177.49	2,436	9thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,100	168.65	1,854	7thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,001	157.17	1,573	5thin

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.

Class	Stage	Age	Avg wt	$/head	Head
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,005	$2,450	1thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	850	$2,350	1thin
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	770	$1,513	2thin
Bulls	N/A	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,535	$3,300	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,025	$3,150	2thin
Stock Cows	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	800	$1,700	1thin

Every lot, as filed

78 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.

Class	Grade / description	Weight	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	315	460.00/cwt	460.00–460.00	1,449	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	705	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	2,362	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	443	430.00/cwt	430.00–430.00	1,905	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	385	455.00/cwt	455.00–455.00	1,752	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	560	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,960	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Fleshy	700–750	725	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,668	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Fleshy	550–600	568	327.40/cwt	320.00–335.00	1,860	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Fleshy	600–650	640	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,792	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 3	550–600	570	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	1,910	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	400–450	417	491.62/cwt	480.00–525.00	2,050	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	300–350	335	566.64/cwt	565.00–570.00	1,898	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Fleshy	400–450	445	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	1,647	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	250–300	278	514.82/cwt	500.00–545.00	1,431	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	950–1000	950	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	2,280	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	350–400	388	414.97/cwt	410.00–420.00	1,610	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	200–250	225	550.00/cwt	550.00–550.00	1,238	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	800–850	805	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	2,254	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	500–550	525	444.81/cwt	440.00–450.00	2,335	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	450–500	472	470.04/cwt	450.00–480.00	2,219	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	650–700	676	341.26/cwt	320.00–350.00	2,307	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	350–400	388	500.00/cwt	500.00–500.00	1,940	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	300–350	300	460.00/cwt	460.00–460.00	1,380	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	500–550	519	400.05/cwt	380.00–410.00	2,076	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	750–800	750	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	2,588	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	250–300	263	545.05/cwt	540.00–550.00	1,433	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	550–600	583	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	2,041	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	650–700	675	395.00/cwt	395.00–395.00	2,666	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	515	395.00/cwt	395.00–395.00	2,034	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	419	455.00/cwt	455.00–455.00	1,906	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 3	600–650	600	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	1,740	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Value Added	500–550	535	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	2,033	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 3	650–700	670	252.50/cwt	225.00–280.00	1,692	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	800–850	803	275.02/cwt	270.00–280.00	2,208	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	700–750	728	294.91/cwt	270.00–320.00	2,147	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	650–700	655	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	2,031	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 3	500–550	540	338.38/cwt	325.00–350.00	1,827	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	510	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	1,836	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	375	445.00/cwt	445.00–445.00	1,669	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	540	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	1,944	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	478	392.43/cwt	380.00–405.00	1,876	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 3	450–500	470	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	1,786	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Value Added	600–650	641	341.40/cwt	315.00–350.00	2,188	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Value Added	850–900	870	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	2,436	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Value Added	450–500	463	405.00/cwt	405.00–405.00	1,875	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 3	400–450	430	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	1,548	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	950–1000	970	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	2,037	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	750–800	755	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,888	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	380	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	1,786	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	480	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	1,920	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	765	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	2,410	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	490	460.00/cwt	460.00–460.00	2,254	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	413	497.45/cwt	495.00–500.00	2,054	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Value Added	550–600	588	373.56/cwt	340.00–385.00	2,197	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Value Added	700–750	715	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	2,002	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	325	489.69/cwt	480.00–500.00	1,591	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	955	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	2,674	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	400–450	425	430.65/cwt	410.00–455.00	1,830	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 3	550–600	595	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,785	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	450–500	460	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	1,886	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	250–300	260	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	1,222	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 3	450–500	475	366.60/cwt	350.00–380.00	1,741	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 3	400–450	430	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	1,656	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,238	166.58/cwt	164.00–169.00	2,062	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,480	186.22/cwt	181.00–191.00	2,756	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,235	184.00/cwt	184.00–184.00	2,272	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,077	166.09/cwt	160.00–175.00	1,789	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,001	157.17/cwt	148.00–164.00	1,573	5
Bulls	—	—	970	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	1,746	1
Bulls	—	—	1,795	231.00/cwt	231.00–231.00	4,146	1
Bulls	—	—	1,300	201.13/cwt	194.00–207.50	2,615	3
Stock Cows	Small 3	—	800	1,700.00/head	1,700.00–1,700.00	1,700	1
Bred Cows	Small 1	—	850	2,350.00/head	2,350.00–2,350.00	2,350	1
Bred Cows	Small 2	—	825	1,700.00/head	1,700.00–1,700.00	1,700	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 2	—	1,005	2,450.00/head	2,450.00–2,450.00	2,450	1
Bred Cows	Small 3	—	715	1,325.00/head	1,325.00–1,325.00	1,325	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 2	—	900	2,900.00/head	2,900.00–2,900.00	2,900	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,150	3,400.00/head	3,400.00–3,400.00	3,400	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	1,535	3,300.00/head	3,300.00–3,300.00	3,300	1

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.

South Carolina feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →

Low Country Livestock Exchange - Darlington, SC

Tue May 12, 2026

USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Columbia, SC (LS-CO)

Feeder CattleReceipts 143Last week 177Year ago 126

Slaughter CattleReceipts 30Last week 65Year ago 38

Replacement CattleReceipts 8Last week 15Year ago 18

No comparisons made this week due to limited comparable sales. Moderate offering of plain to average quality cattle with active buyer participation.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	250–300	278	500.00–545.00	514.82
1	300–350	315	460.00	460.00
1	350–400	385	455.00	455.00
6	400–450	419	455.00	455.00
1	500–550	515	395.00	395.00
1	700–750	705	335.00	335.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	350–400	375	445.00	445.00
2	400–450	443	430.00	430.00
2	450–500	478	380.00–405.00	392.43
2	500–550	540	360.00	360.00
1	550–600	560	350.00	350.00
1	650–700	655	310.00	310.00
2	700–750	728	270.00–320.00	294.91
1	750–800	755	250.00	250.00
2	800–850	803	270.00–280.00	275.02
1	950–1000	970	210.00	210.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	445	370.00	370.00
2	550–600	568	320.00–335.00	327.40
1	600–650	640	280.00	280.00
1	700–750	725	230.00	230.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	430	360.00	360.00
2	450–500	470	380.00	380.00
3	500–550	540	325.00–350.00	338.38
1	550–600	570	335.00	335.00
1	600–650	600	290.00	290.00
2	650–700	670	225.00–280.00	252.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
4	450–500	463	405.00	405.00
2	500–550	535	380.00	380.00
8	550–600	588	340.00–385.00	373.56
4	600–650	641	315.00–350.00	341.40
1	700–750	715	280.00	280.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	225	550.00	550.00
2	250–300	263	540.00–550.00	545.05
3	300–350	335	565.00–570.00	566.64
2	350–400	388	500.00	500.00
5	400–450	417	480.00–525.00	491.62
3	450–500	472	450.00–480.00	470.04
2	500–550	525	440.00–450.00	444.81
1	650–700	675	395.00	395.00
1	750–800	750	345.00	345.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	260	470.00	470.00
1	300–350	300	460.00	460.00
2	350–400	388	410.00–420.00	414.97
3	400–450	425	410.00–455.00	430.65
1	450–500	460	410.00	410.00
4	500–550	519	380.00–410.00	400.05
2	550–600	583	350.00	350.00
4	650–700	676	320.00–350.00	341.26
1	800–850	805	280.00	280.00
1	950–1000	950	240.00	240.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	430	385.00	385.00
3	450–500	475	350.00–380.00	366.60
1	550–600	595	300.00	300.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	450–500	480	400.00	400.00
1	500–550	510	360.00	360.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
1	850–900	870	280.00	280.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	300–350	325	480.00–500.00	489.69
1	350–400	380	470.00	470.00
2	400–450	413	495.00–500.00	497.45
1	450–500	490	460.00	460.00
1	750–800	765	315.00	315.00
1	950–1000	955	280.00	280.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,238	164.00–169.00	166.58
5	—	1,480	181.00–191.00	186.22
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,235	184.00	184.00
6	—	1,077	160.00–175.00	166.09
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,001	148.00–164.00	157.17
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	970	180.00	180.00
1	—	1,795	231.00	231.00
3	—	1,300	194.00–207.50	201.13

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Small 3$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	800	1,700.00	1,700.00
Bred Cows — Small 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	—	850	2,350.00	2,350.00
Bred Cows — Small 2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	1	—	825	1,700.00	1,700.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	1,005	2,450.00	2,450.00
Bred Cows — Small 3$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	1	—	715	1,325.00	1,325.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	900	2,900.00	2,900.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,150	3,400.00	3,400.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	N/A	1	—	1,535	3,300.00	3,300.00

Head, weight ranges, average weights and price ranges are exactly as USDA AMS filed them — nothing recomputed, nothing rounded — in USDA's own reporting structure. This is RaisedBeef's rendering of that data, not a copy of USDA's document.

Feeder Cattle — prices, barns, and planning

Fed Cattle — the cash market and what quality pays

Beef & Retail — from the box to the grocery shelf

Feed & Hay — the cost side, cash not futures

Cows & Bred Stock — the rebuild market

More

Darlington Livestock Auction

Reporter comment USDA

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

What quality paid 500–600 lb

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

How it compared 500–600 lb

Slaughter cattle

Replacement cattle Per head

Every lot, as filed

How this sale compares

Low Country Livestock Exchange - Darlington, SC

Feeder Cattle

Slaughter Cattle

Replacement Cattle