Association Sales

[Bestoutwest]

Why is it that association sales don't do as well as private sales? Lacking in number of consignors? Lower quality cattle? Is it that the advertisement campaign is lacking? Is there a fear that the consignor is going to not follow through on issues?

I'm not trying to reopen the America debate. I'm just using him as an example. As a refresher, here are his EPDs:
https://www.angus.org/Animal/EpdPedDtl.aspx?aid=FAAAABPQc%2bW90%2bKqNTOYFxREg1LK4TWk3LydN%2fiFbmtM3Okk&time=LAAAAEaZrPffjvJjWllrPIRpcUxtfOiY7%2fa51DBD9fkQVz5ja3Khvy7JUIPbcjGf4S59cA%3d%3d

Here's a bull that's pretty comparable (on paper at least) that sold at an association sale for $4,400. It's rather interesting to me that this bull sold for about .3% with very similar EPDs.
https://www.angus.org/Animal/EpdPedDtl.aspx?aid=FAAAAA4U04CbqmOhBAAChlD3FnlRIx%2bxtBhsRyEzKFtPtmsy&time=LAAAAEaZrPffjvJjWllrPIRpcUxpKTST7j0I6xPZ3V08LqjfhN7JNcT9bEkKmD%2bMFxl6Cg%3d%3d

 

[Bright Raven]

Value is arbitrary, in all things but especially in "one of a kind" things. Consider art. There are folks who pay 6 million dollars for a painting that 99.9999999999999 percent of the population would not give one dollar to own.

When you consider, the promotion, status and glamour that is afforded certain bulls, cows, and heifers, their value is only realized in a highly promoted sale. For example, SAV AMERICA 8018, If such a bull were offered in a sale comparable to say the "Bulls of the Bluegrass", he would sell for a fraction of what he sold for in the venue that SAV America 8018 was marketed.

You can criticize these "exorbitant" sale prices for certain bulls, cows and heifers but they deserve some level of credit for the marketing practices to get those prices. When I say exorbitant, I mean prices that exceed $20,000 per head.

 

[Bestoutwest]

When you consider, the promotion, status and glamour that is afforded certain bulls, cows, and heifers, their value is only realized in a highly promoted sale. For example, SAV AMERICA 8018, If such a bull were offered in a sale comparable to say the "Bulls of the Bluegrass", he would sell for a fraction of what he sold for in the venue that SAV America 8018 was marketed.

You can criticize these "exorbitant" sale prices for certain bulls, cows and heifers but they deserve some level of credit for the marketing practices to get those prices. When I say exorbitant, I mean prices that exceed $20,000 per head.

I think you hit the nail on the head. I can't tell you all the stuff I get from SAV every year. I usually get their catalog, semen catalog, and several other things throughout the year. I have even gotten a little not pad and pen from them. I can't imagine the money they're putting out. Then, they have a sale facility at their place, and do a big feed for folks before the big event. I know our state association does a feed, but the sale is in the middle of the state, at a college, and in February which doesn't help. There is little to no advertising. I believe the top bull this year was $5,700.

I've learned that you can have the best product in the world, but if no one knows about it, it doesn't matter.

 

[wbvs58]

I think a lot of buyers like to develop a relationship with the people they are buying from and in a multivendor sale they might be buying one from one seller and another from another etc. Also the principal of those successfull private sales will have great people skills and know the name of just about anyone who has bought from them. That is from my observations in Australia.

The only multivendor sale where small sellers do well here is a big Brahmin sale held every year in Nth Queensland (brahmin country)

Ken

 

[bse]

Best I can tell the genomic test really knocks the sale price down!!

 

[Stocker Steve]

I think a lot of buyers like to develop a relationship with the people they are buying from and in a multivendor sale they might be buying one from one seller and another from another etc. Also the principal of those successfull private sales will have great people skills and know the name of just about anyone who has bought from them. That is from my observations in Australia.

Great points.

How would you catagorize a large sale selling muliple breeds from multiple herds using the same "system" ?

 

[True Grit Farms]

There's plenty of good bulls being bred and sold every day. Doing a little research and looking around can really give a person a lot of bull for their money.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Associations doesn't seem to attract the same buyers a private party ranch sale will such as SAV or Wulf Cattle.