Livestock Auctions

Each time country fair comes around there's one thing in the back of my head: auction day. The day the steers, sheep, goats, rabbits, and other livestock would be sold. The day where the kids who had raised these animals from their first breath, would watch them loaded on a truck and hauled away.

It's always a hard day. I’ve avoided this day for years by always taking breeding stock or an equine. Yet, every year I go watch these kids market their sales, talk to potential buyers, and on auction day, walk their livestock into the pen. They smile walking the animal around so buyers can see it from all angles. They show the animal with more compassion than most and as they walk out they don’t even let a tear sneak out. Auction day is hard to watch, but like most have said, a big check can help clean up tears. Many that I have talked to say their checks go to college or next year’s show animal. Many of these kids pay back their parents/farm the cost the animal took up while living on the farm. This teaches them a very valuable lesson about the true cost of running a farm.

I've had a handful of good friends and people who have shown and sold steers through 4H, local clubs, and at local auction barns. Each person has expressed the amount of effort you have to put into training and showing beef cattle at all ages. These kids talk about raising their project animal from day one. Something I’ve heard a lot of kids in 4H and FFA (Future Farmers of America) talk about is the cost and breaking even after auctioning off a steer at the county fair. It is very important to know the cost of hay, sweet feed, minerals, vaccinations, and medical bills in order to be able to make profit off the animal.

Big auction barns have been placed all over America in every state. They are a place where large farms can bring well bred livestock to be auctioned off at the highest price and where the more poorly bred animals are sold for consumption.

“Rural America’s version of the stock market, auction barns, are where livestock producers and buyers gather to buy and sell animals ranging from cattle, swine, goats and sheep to horses and llamas. More than 1,000 livestock auction barns still operate across the country, according to the Livestock Marketing Association, and they’re a great place to learn the nuances of buying and selling livestock” (Schleicher, 2009).

The closest one in my area is Equity which has two locations here in Wisconsin. It is an auction house that sells the animals live and either ships them to be harvested or the buyer takes them home. Many animals that go to equity are “left overs” from large operations, livestock that don't have great conformation, or livestock that is older in age.

PC: jasmines_photos_

“Plan on arriving at the sale barn at least an hour before the auction begins and take a walking tour of the animal pens, so you can get a close look at the age, size, quality and health of the animals you expect to bid on.” (Schleicher, 2009)

The auction barn can be a stressful place for newcomers. The fast pace, quick sales, and packed environments can make a newcomer feel out of place. Auction houses are forever changing and are never a guarantee. One week they might have an amazing selection of calves to chose from and then next week they might not have any at all. It’s important to keep on schedule when planning to attend local and national auctions. It’s also important to come prepared. That means know the amount of cash you are willing to spend, how many animals you are about to go home with, and have the utilities to get these animals back to the farm. Even though it can be stressful it will also be worth it if the buyer is able to find quality livestock that they will be able to add to their existing herd.

Livestock can be sold for many different reasons, but what makes an animal perfect for the sale barn? Conformation is huge when it comes to selling breeding livestock at auction. Other things that are taken into account at auction is the behavior , age, gender, and height of the animal. Each buyer is looking for something different, but many want an animal ready to fit his/her needs and provide a steady income for the farm.

Livestock auctions can be a lively place for all. They allow young teens to be able to show and sell off livestock they have raised along with providing them with profit. An auction house can be a place for farms to buy new additions to the herd or get rid of ones they no longer need.

Let me know your thoughts,

-Jaksen Curtin

Resources:

Beef: Purchasing Cattle Through the Auction Barn. (2014, October 29). Retrieved September 08, 2017, from https://www.farmingmagazine.com/livestock/beef-purchasing-cattle-through-the-auction-barn/

Publications, I. O. (2008, December 11). How Not to Act in the Sale Barn. Retrieved September 08, 2017, from http://www.grit.com/animals/how-not-to-act-in-the-sale-barn

Equity Cooperative. (n.d.). Retrieved September 08, 2017, from http://www.equitycoop.com/

DALE HILDEBRANT, Farm & Ranch Guide. (2012, January 23). What's a cow worth? Determining the value of a cow important to success. Retrieved September 08, 2017, from http://www.farmandranchguide.com/news/livestock/what-s-a-cow-worth-determining-the-value-of-a/article_94e22c5a-4601-11e1-8214-0019bb2963f4.html