Getting less at the sale barn

[blackladies]

Everyone always wants more so maybe I am out of line, but the past few times I have brought steers to the sale barn the prices I have got are significantly lower and they sell mine at the end of the day even when dropped off early morning. Can see what's there when I drop off and it's not much. The auctioneer also has not mentioned that they are weaned and had vaccinations and they do on other peoples cattle.No point in going through the trouble to vaccinate and wean if they don't even mention it. Maybe i need to find a sales rep or something. Just frustrated sorry for venting.

 

[Logan52]

This is unfortunately becoming more common. Our local stockyards is dominated by backgrounders selling in large truck load lots. The smaller producer with 10 or 15 calves is pushed aside on sale day. Not only that but the commission is higher for the smaller lots which adds insult to injury.

 

[aprille218]

Do you call in to consign your animals? My sales barn will only state vaccines if proof of given by a vet ( invoice) is provided.

 

[Brute 23]

Have you asked some one at the sale barn what is going on?

 

[Ky hills]

We've seen some of that, it helps if you can be there and speak up when they come in the ring that have been worked weaned if heifers guaranteed open. It's made atleast another .10 a pound for us.
We stopped selling at the stockyards closest to us because we were taking them and dropping them off, then getting far less for them than we should have.
We went to another yards owned by a different company and had the calves their the evening before and were the second load brought in. The next morning we rushed to get to sale, and they sold other cattle for over an hour before they sold ours, but they still sold fairly early in the sale so it wasn't a big problem. There were no real large large groups mostly singles and small groups before ours. I've always heard that they sell the trader cattle first. Used to be a thing and still probably is that people would slip the yard workers $20 or so and they'd run their cattle on through.

 

[Travlr]

Everyone always wants more so maybe I am out of line, but the past few times I have brought steers to the sale barn the prices I have got are significantly lower and they sell mine at the end of the day even when dropped off early morning. Can see what's there when I drop off and it's not much. The auctioneer also has not mentioned that they are weaned and had vaccinations and they do on other peoples cattle.No point in going through the trouble to vaccinate and wean if they don't even mention it. Maybe i need to find a sales rep or something. Just frustrated sorry for venting.

It's an advantage to get to know the people that run the sale barn. Some of them play all kinds of games to give the good deals to their established customers, friends, and traders.

That said... Can you entertain the idea that your prices reflect the quality of your cattle? I haven't seen them and don't know what they look like... and there is a "type" that sells for more and others that sell for less. If you are new you may need to refine your "eye" for cattle and what sells best.

I've had some great results from some sale barns and with a couple I could never break into the "good ol' boy" network. Some are entirely professional and others are looking for ways to bend you over. Some respect sellers and some look for benefits to buyers that spend money. They play the game because it's necessary to stay afloat and some do it well and others don't. I've noticed that the more successful auctions tend to be more professional appearing and I attribute their size to how they are perceived as being more honest. respectful, and less slimy.

We're here to help if we can. Post some good pics of your animals from the side if you can take the heat in honest criticism.

 

[Logan52]

The stockyards (at least around here) is sort of a free market on steroids. Money talks and buyer beware rules the day.

It does help to know the buyers and managers. There is a sense of honor among those who are on the inside and it helps to have a good reputation.
There is a fascination and attraction associated with the stockyard world for some people that is hard to describe, even in the most professionally run stockyard operations.

 

[kenny thomas]

Everyone always wants more so maybe I am out of line, but the past few times I have brought steers to the sale barn the prices I have got are significantly lower and they sell mine at the end of the day even when dropped off early morning. Can see what's there when I drop off and it's not much. The auctioneer also has not mentioned that they are weaned and had vaccinations and they do on other peoples cattle.No point in going through the trouble to vaccinate and wean if they don't even mention it. Maybe i need to find a sales rep or something. Just frustrated sorry for venting.

Please add your location. And either have a long discussion with the market manager or find another sale to go to. Being weaned makes a big difference and it should.

 

[HatCreekCattleco]

Everyone always wants more so maybe I am out of line, but the past few times I have brought steers to the sale barn the prices I have got are significantly lower and they sell mine at the end of the day even when dropped off early morning. Can see what's there when I drop off and it's not much. The auctioneer also has not mentioned that they are weaned and had vaccinations and they do on other peoples cattle.No point in going through the trouble to vaccinate and wean if they don't even mention it. Maybe i need to find a sales rep or something. Just frustrated sorry for venting.

I had a set last year all with a month of each other in age, really nice black baldy set, weaned them 45 days, vaccinations, steered. Dude ask me when I drop them off if they were weaned I said yes told him all the info and asked if they'd sell as a lot. They sold with the bawlers as singles. Never again

 

[tex452]

We deal with several sale barns in our area, buying and selling, we have done good and bad at all of them.
If we have weaned calves they will announce that, if we sell bred heifers they will announce what their bred to.
If what they are doing to you is deliberate, that's not good, I don't believe we have ever been docked when we had good cattle to sell.

 

[Hpacres440p]

Is this one of those "don't leave until they sell" lessons that we all dread?

 

[kenny thomas]

Is this one of those "don't leave until they sell" lessons that we all dread?

If you spend all year growing a calf why not see it through the sale. Im normally at a sale 1 or 2 times a week but im always there when my calves sell.

 

[bird dog]

A lot of barns have special sales for weaned animals where you have to follow their vaccination protocol. Sulphur Springs has a huge one. If you are going to do the work and want to get paid for it, find one of these even if you have to travel further.

I give at least one round of vacs when the calves are young just to keep them healthier. They also get a implant at that time. Even if going to a sale barn I want my calves weaned at least a couple weeks to reduce the shrink. A set of scales will school you on how much money you are giving away taking in trailer weaned balling calves. The shrink loss is horrible for un-weaned calves that are taken in the night before.

 

[moses388]

...they sell mine at the end of the day even when dropped off early morning.

At my local sale barns, anything dropped off the day before will sell before anything dropped off the day of the sale. Drop offs can be made the day before 3PM - 7PM or something like that. Ask at your sale barn.

The auctioneer also has not mentioned that they are weaned and had vaccinations and they do on other peoples cattle.

When I drop off cattle, it's my responsibility to provide paperwork. The sale barn calls it a "shot sheet." Without paperwork my cattle will be sold as-is or unknown. As mentioned, the sale barn would like you to call and consign your cattle several days before the sale.

We deal with several sale barns in our area, buying and selling, we have done good and bad at all of them.

Same here...

 

[Travlr]

they sell mine at the end of the day even when dropped off early morning.

I don't see this as an issue. I've seen good/bad prices early as well as late. Sometimes buyers get very competitive if they want to leave early, and sometimes if the sale is getting finished and they need to finish a load.

The auctioneer also has not mentioned that they are weaned and had vaccinations and they do on other peoples cattle.

This is definitely a problem. Ask if you can add a note to the drop off receipt, either written on it or stapled to it. Watch the guy write it on the receipt and be sure it shows on yours. At least that way you can prove you have a legitimate complaint.

 

[blackladies]

Do you call in to consign your animals? My sales barn will only state vaccines if proof of given by a vet ( invoice) is provided.

They ask when you drop them off and you get a copy of the paper they hand the auctioneer, mark how many days weaned, bunk broke, shots etc….

 

[blackladies]

Have you asked some one at the sale barn what is going on?

Need to instead of just being frustrated. My next move I guess.

 

[blackladies]

It's an advantage to get to know the people that run the sale barn. Some of them play all kinds of games to give the good deals to their established customers, friends, and traders.

That said... Can you entertain the idea that your prices reflect the quality of your cattle? I haven't seen them and don't know what they look like... and there is a "type" that sells for more and others that sell for less. If you are new you may need to refine your "eye" for cattle and what sells best.

I've had some great results from some sale barns and with a couple I could never break into the "good ol' boy" network. Some are entirely professional and others are looking for ways to bend you over. Some respect sellers and some look for benefits to buyers that spend money. They play the game because it's necessary to stay afloat and some do it well and others don't. I've noticed that the more successful auctions tend to be more professional appearing and I attribute their size to how they are perceived as being more honest. respectful, and less slimy.

We're here to help if we can. Post some good pics of your animals from the side if you can take the heat in honest criticism.

You could be right on the quality and not having my eye in yet. Don't have any steers the same age I sold this week but have some heifers from the same batch will post some pics of them when I get back out to the farm tomorrow.

 

[M.Magis]

At the very least, if they ask you about weaned and vac status, and you tell them, they should at least note it when they're in the ring. It costs you time and money to do that.

 

[Travlr]

You could be right on the quality and not having my eye in yet. Don't have any steers the same age I sold this week but have some heifers from the same batch will post some pics of them when I get back out to the farm tomorrow.

Be sure you get pics from the side. It makes a big difference looking at animals from the side, especially if they are black.