sale barn cows

[backhoeboogie]

Boogie....good post. I do the same thing. Can't remember ever buying a cow from a sale barn that had any problems AND, my cows aren't all that fancy but folks do know when I haul and they know too that they are not buying a problem.

Thanks.

I have made some bad buys - and some excellent ones.

[donnaIL]

I've bought cows,hefiers and feeders from the sale barn and never had a problem. I have seen some sickly older looking cows, they usually come out last and are always kill cows. I've also seen some folks buy those cows, because I don't think they know what is going on.

[Angus Cowman]

I agree with ya Boogie it just takes knowledge to buy at the sale barns and alot of that comes from mistakes I have bought cattle at the barns for yrs and I still buy about 75-100 a yr just to winter and fatten them up and then sell in the spring and they go back to the barns then usually

[TexasBred]

I've bought cows,hefiers and feeders from the sale barn and never had a problem. I have seen some sickly older looking cows, they usually come out last and are always kill cows. I've also seen some folks buy those cows, because I don't think they know what is going on.

I guess we just have to remember that we don't know what those folk's plan is for any particular cow.

[daniel.carver]

Just wanted to let everyone know that the calf is doing fine. she's drinking a 1 1/2 gallons milk a day and eating calf starter. So far so good. in a couple months I'll take her to the vet for her shots.

Thanks Dan

[Nesikep]

I think something to look at in sale barns is the size of the lots, if you get a lot of 100 head coming through, that may have been a liquidation sale, and you pick and choose from those, you might come up with some really good animals, but buying from a lot of under 10 animals I'd say you have a pretty good chance of them being culls.

Weaned calves are another story, I've seen a lot of them go through which were gorgeous animals, and in all likelyhood with no problems

[texanstraders]

Glad to hear the calf is doing good.

I buy at a private treaty Cagwin run auction every year. We're small and trying to get a high quality small herd.

I try to sell anything we have private treaty as well. I have used Craigslist with moderate success. I just prefer people to see the quality of what we have to offer. They get a record of the vaccinations and papers if they desire. And there is a reduced stress in the sale. The animal doesn't have to go sit in the sale lot overnight getting exposed to who knows what. I took 2 strong bull calves to the sale barn a few weeks back and got hardly anything for them. They were 540 and 590 lb well built well cared for calves. Had all their shots and had been eating $10 a bag developer for weeks. Someone did well on their purchase and got quality genetics as well, but they will never know the background. Unfortunately, there's a bunch of not so nice stuff there as well.
Seems there's a market for a Craigslist type operation for cattle sales. Someone just has to start it.

[Caustic Burno]

Call me an idiot then. My heifers go to the sale barn to preclude inbreeding, unless I change bulls. They are not junk and they are not problems. All have been innoculated and I have the records if anyone asks for them.

Sometimes I trade hay or other commodities for cattle to help folks out. Other than that, I pretty much buy at auction.

I do know a few horse traders out there that would love to sell cattle private treaty. Some of them advertise in the papers.

You can buy registered animals at the sale barn. Estates are liquidated there and you see nice animals come through at times.

You do see a lot of animals that are destined for slaughter. You should not buy those for commercial cattle.

Anyway, I know a lot of good folks who buy and sale at the local sale barns.

I also know some very good vets who work sale barns. Some of those folks are old school. If they give you their word, it is more valuable than a signed contract.

You can get bad animals from breedes who don't sale at the sale barn. The larger operations have their own private sales pretty regular. They are big enough to do that.

Good post it always amazes me at the people that cuss the evil sale barn that supports our business. Buying at the sale barn is not for rookies it takes a discerning eye to buy at the barn. People forget that the barn buys everything from cat food to rib eyes, this is a great system for disposing of culls to prime cattle.
There are good buys at the sale barn currently due to hay shortage in our area and low prices, a cattleman can make some froghides right now if he has extra hay and pasture to hold them till spring/summer.

[donnaIL]

I've bought cows,hefiers and feeders from the sale barn and never had a problem. I have seen some sickly older looking cows, they usually come out last and are always kill cows. I've also seen some folks buy those cows, because I don't think they know what is going on.

I guess we just have to remember that we don't know what those folk's plan is for any particular cow.

Your right, maybe they think the cow has one more calf in her and thats all they can afford...I will say I saw a buyer suprised when the auctioneer tell him he just bought him an "old cow". Our sale barn is small compared to the big barns you have in TX. They don't tell you anything about the cows, only very rarely do they announce "this one is for slaughter only". Ofcourse most (I'd guess 90% or more) of the animals sold there are bought by the meat buyers (there are 3-4 regulars), one also buys bred animals & pairs.

[JLHBP542]

I have purchased cattle here in Texas from a web site called Cattlerange.com. I have been very happy with the cattle I have purchased from there. I also take my hefer calves to the auction at about six months. Purchasers of these calves are getting quality cattle at the sale barn. I think you just have to know what your buying.

[cypressfarms]

Good post it always amazes me at the people that cuss the evil sale barn that supports our business. Buying at the sale barn is not for rookies it takes a discerning eye to buy at the barn. People forget that the barn buys everything from cat food to rib eyes, this is a great system for disposing of culls to prime cattle.
There are good buys at the sale barn currently due to hay shortage in our area and low prices, a cattleman can make some froghides right now if he has extra hay and pasture to hold them till spring/summer.

Put me in the crowd with Backhoe, Dun and Caustic. Sale barns are a very valuable part of the cattle business. Perhaps sale barns in other parts of the country are different, but I sell most of my calves every year in a sale barn. I also buy calves (depending on need) from sale barns as well. Always buyer beware, ofcourse, but to condemn sale barns is like shooting yourself in the foot. If you aren't good enough to buy cattle at the sale barn, have someone buy them for you. Anytime I'm buying, I always arrive very early, and write down the #'s of the one's I like. I will not bid on a calf that's not on my list, because that means that I haven't seen it. I will stand above the calves on the cat walk hours at a time to watch (calves especially) their behavior before the sale. You can pick up a lot by watching...

[cowsrus]

I don't know where we would be without these local sale barns. even if you don't buy from them, they are still where the bulk of cattle and calves are sold. Anytime you're livestock (or you) are ready to sell, there are buyers with cash money ready to buy at the current market price. Like i've heard before, if you want to know what something is worth, see what it brings at auction.
Just my 2 cents

[hopalong]

Once again it is the salebarns fault!

They didn't tell me anything about the cow.
They didn't provide me with a clean bill of health!
They didn't tell me who the original owner was!
They didn't tell me the age of the cow!
They provided me with a bid number!
They let me bid on that cow!
They didn't provide me with the knowledge to purchase the cow!

The list goes on and on,
Yes there are people who get burnt at the sale barn, those people are usually those without the skills to buy in a fast paced environment, these are also the very people who give the salebarn industry a bad name.
It is not always the SALEBARN that is at fault, instead the purchaser who is in over his/her head that cause the problem.
While I feel sorry for those who have had problems at the local barn, it still remains BUYER BEWARE!

[xbred]

our local sale barn owner will usually tell you where the cattle came from if you ask and usually when "farm fresh" cattle come through the ring they will get a brief description, ie. "bob jones' cattle two rounds of shots, been on feed two weeks"...like dun said, if it's kill cattle stay away...i have been burnt, but looking back it was my fault...my friend and vet will not buy anything that has even passed thru the barn...

[grannysoo]

Call me an idiot then. My heifers go to the sale barn to preclude inbreeding, unless I change bulls. They are not junk and they are not problems. All have been innoculated and I have the records if anyone asks for them.

You're definately not an idiot. If people would take care of their animals like you and I do, the sale barn could be an excellent place to buy.

The sale barn does have a purpose. It is a valuable part of our industry.

I have sold a few good cattle at the sale barn as have others.

I would be very careful however, about buying at the sale barn. Everyone does not take care of their cattle like you...