Sale reports / South Carolina / Darlington Livestock Auction / 2026-05-26

Darlington Livestock Auction

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Darlington, South Carolina · Tue, May 26
● Final57 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1956
Feeder Cattle receipts
82 head
72 vs last sale 154 56 vs year ago 138 · 40.6%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
13 head
38 vs last sale 51 17 vs year ago 30 · 56.7%
Replacement Cattle receipts
8 head
2 vs last sale 6 21 vs year ago 29 · 72.4%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

No comparisons made due to limited comparable sales. Active buyer participation on a light to moderate offering of average quality cattle.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $352.69/cwt on 13 head, down $8.23 from the prior sale. That ranks 10 of 18 comparable sales and sits +1.06 against this barn's trailing median of $351.63.
Average price
$352.69
8.23 vs prior sale
13 head · 549 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,935
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$782
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 3
$133.50/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+16.30
vs SC average
54.75 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1551378.502,08610thin
Medium and Large 2555310.001,7211thin
Medium and Large 3533245.001,3052thin
One grade step is worth $133.50/cwt here — about $782 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 500–600 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

18 sales
396372348324median 351.6301/0602/2404/1405/2608/04
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 sale13 hd
352.69
SC average4 barns · 34 hd
336.39
+16.30
National average128 barns · 4,974 hd
407.44
−54.75
This barn, trailing median18 sales
351.63
+1.06
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
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,445178.992,5862thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average930176.911,6456thin
CowsLean 85-90%Average895150.001,3431thin

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 Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)928$2,1712thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)885$3,3002thin
Stock CowsOpenYoung (2-4 yrs)1,300$2,4701thin
Stock CowsOpenYoung/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)960$1,5443thin

Every lot, as filed

57 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
HeifersMedium and Large 1500–550500370.00/cwt370.00–370.001,8501
SteersMedium and Large 1250–300275520.00/cwt520.00–520.001,4301
BullsMedium and Large 1700–750730345.00/cwt345.00–345.002,5191
BullsMedium and Large 2Fleshy600–650625270.00/cwt270.00–270.001,6881
HeifersMedium and Large 1300–350318439.76/cwt410.00–470.001,3982
HeifersMedium and Large 1650–700680300.00/cwt300.00–300.002,0401
BullsMedium and Large 1450–500465443.75/cwt440.00–447.502,0632
BullsMedium and Large 1250–300267590.66/cwt575.00–620.001,5773
Stock CowsMedium and Large 21,0481,786.11/head1,770.00–1,800.001,7862
SteersMedium and Large 1Value Added550–600560405.00/cwt405.00–405.002,2685
BullsMedium and Large 1300–350312536.95/cwt510.00–550.001,6753
BullsMedium and Large 1500–550502435.00/cwt435.00–435.002,1842
BullsMedium and Large 1350–400383449.61/cwt430.00–470.001,7222
HeifersMedium and Large 1250–300272501.69/cwt495.00–510.001,3653
HeifersMedium and Large 1Value Added500–550525395.00/cwt395.00–395.002,0742
SteersMedium and Large 1300–350335495.00/cwt495.00–495.001,6581
BullsMedium and Large 1950–1000970235.00/cwt235.00–235.002,2801
HeifersMedium and Large 1400–450425390.00/cwt390.00–390.001,6582
BullsMedium and Large 1200–250215630.00/cwt630.00–630.001,3551
CowsLean 85-90%895150.00/cwt150.00–150.001,3431
BullsMedium and Large 3500–550523180.00/cwt180.00–180.009412
HeifersMedium and Large 1600–650605317.50/cwt317.50–317.501,9211
SteersMedium and Large 1400–450424420.19/cwt410.00–435.001,7824
BullsMedium and Large 2450–500470374.89/cwt370.00–380.001,7622
HeifersMedium and Large 1450–500480380.00/cwt380.00–380.001,8241
HeifersMedium and Large 1Value Added400–450425400.00/cwt400.00–400.001,7001
SteersMedium and Large 1200–250245600.00/cwt600.00–600.001,4701
SteersMedium and Large 1Value Added450–500475445.00/cwt445.00–445.002,1143
HeifersMedium and Large 1350–400390400.13/cwt390.00–410.001,5612
SteersMedium and Large 2500–550505360.00/cwt360.00–360.001,8181
HeifersMedium and Large 1Value Added550–600566375.00/cwt375.00–375.002,1237
HeifersMedium and Large 2Fleshy350–400370350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,2951
BullsMedium and Large 2400–450445400.00/cwt400.00–400.001,7801
BullsMedium and Large 2550–600580350.00/cwt350.00–350.002,0301
HeifersMedium and Large 2300–350315390.00/cwt390.00–390.001,2291
HeifersMedium and Large 3500–550510270.00/cwt270.00–270.001,3771
SteersMedium and Large 1350–400370427.91/cwt420.00–435.001,5832
HeifersMedium and Large 2400–450400380.00/cwt380.00–380.001,5201
BullsMedium and Large 2500–550520355.00/cwt350.00–360.001,8462
HeifersMedium and Large 2250–300295440.00/cwt440.00–440.001,2981
HeifersMedium and Large 2600–650633274.90/cwt270.00–280.001,7402
HeifersMedium and Large 2Fleshy250–300295385.00/cwt385.00–385.001,1361
Bred CowsMedium and Large 29102,093.00/head2,093.00–2,093.002,0931
HeifersMedium and Large 2550–600555310.00/cwt310.00–310.001,7211
BullsMedium and Large 2600–650615324.96/cwt320.00–330.001,9992
BullsMedium and Large 3400–450410300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,2301
HeifersMedium and Large 3550–600555220.00/cwt220.00–220.001,2211
BullsMedium and Large 2700–750745280.00/cwt280.00–280.002,0861
Dairy HeifersLarge 3800–850835175.00/cwt175.00–175.001,4611
Stock CowsMedium and Large 37851,060.00/head1,060.00–1,060.001,0601
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 18303,200.00/head3,200.00–3,200.003,2001
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 19403,400.00/head3,400.00–3,400.003,4001
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,3002,470.00/head2,470.00–2,470.002,4701
Bred CowsMedium and Large 19452,249.00/head2,249.00–2,249.002,2491
CowsBoner 80-85%918184.49/cwt168.00–193.001,6944
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,445178.99/cwt171.00–186.002,5862
CowsBoner 80-85%953161.76/cwt160.00–164.001,5422

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.