Getting less at the sale barn

[Brute 23]

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

Give it a shot. A lot of time the AB's attitude will tell you all you need to know.

I had good luck just showing up and mingling with the buyers years ago. Growing up we never went to the AB. After reading on here I was encouraged to watch and talk with buyers. They know my son and I now and I think it has helped with selling calves.

 

[TCRanch]

I have a different situation because the same buyer buys all my calves, but still through the sale barn. I provide the sale barn a spreadsheet with all the info on the calves, including birth dates, vaccinations, how long weaned (45 - 60 days), heifers guaranteed open, etc. Same info is provided to the buyer prior to the sale. Sale barn markets them as early consignments; a little competition from other potential buyers never hurts! And I'm sitting there, right in front, during the entire sale. Auctioneer announces my calves, including our ranch, and reads off their history.

It helps to have a uniform group of calves.

I would suggest spending time at the sale, getting to know the owners/operators, and pay attention to the buyers as well as the other calves that are being sold. What makes them different from yours?

 

[kenny thomas]

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….

No matter what the quality or the price the sale manager isnt doing their job. If you supply the info and they dont announce it i would have a discussion about it with them. And also the fact that the calves aren't sold somewhat in the order they arrive.

 

[Lucky]

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

Talk to the guys at the salebarn but try not to be on the attack. It be a quality issue or they could be stealing them, you just never know. Selling at the end has advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is when someone needs a few extras to make a load they'll pay more. The disadvantage is when everyone is full. Remeber sale barns operate on commission so it's always better for them if the animal brings more.

 

[Lucky_P]

"Remember sale barns operate on commission so it's always better for them if the animal brings more."

You'd think that, wouldn't you? I quit our local barn on at least two occasions... then gave them 'second chances'... but when you TELL them, at the time you drop the calves, that they are castrated, open, weaned (45-60 days), bunk-broke, have had all Clostridial and viral respiratory vaccines... and they still don't announce those details when they come into the ring - or they mingle them in with other producers 'weaned on the trailer' calves...
And, when I confront the barn owner/operator about not announcing their wean/vaccination status, and all they can say is, "Golly gee, I'm sorry." It doesn't cut it. I don't understand why the wouldn't do anything/everything to make sure those calves bring the most $$$ they can.

If I were to get back into cattle (I'm not), I'm not sure I'd bother with weaning and vaccinating beyond the Clostridials. Yeah... I know it's better for the calves - and the next fellow in the chain of custody - but it's more than a little work and expense setting those calves up for success, and if you're not gonna be paid any more than the guy pulling 'em right off the cows... why would I put myself out? A star in my crown doesn't pay the bills.

 

[kenny thomas]

Sometimes i think when the manager says, My Bad, i think the reply to them should be that they just admitted to costing the producer money so they are responsible for paying the producer for the loss.
And a couple have mentioned that the stockyards work on commission but there are still some that charge a flat fee no matter what the calf brings.

 

[Lucky]

Another thing to keep in mind is that most Salebarn owners are in the cattle biz too. They might loose $5-10 on commission but make $100 by stealing a smaller producers calf to keep for themselves. In a perfect world all business owners would be straight up guys, but we all know that isn't the case most of the time.

 

[M.Magis]

The manager of our largest local barn is also an "order buyer" for several feeders or backgrounders. He also buys a lot for himself. He buys calves while he's in the ring. Its a balancing act of keeping customers thinking they get the occasional good deal while keeping the larger cosigners happy with the price they get. More often than not, the calves going cheap are those from us small timers that he doesn't know and have never asked any questions.

 

[blackladies]

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

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

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.

 

[farmerjan]

As has been stated a few times... I will NOT sell cattle if I am not going to be there... either myself or my son or occasionally a friend that is a buyer... They get it written on the paper their status... vac, weaned, whatever... and they had better announce it or I will stop the sale right then, with my big mouth..... and say what ever it is they were supposed to announce. There is one barn that we sold through for years and years... it is turning into a "buyers station" where they need to have cattle with a "valid sale barn charge out"... and if you are not there, they will not hesitate to "steal" the small lots of cattle. We are getting very disillusioned with them and will be selling there less and less... groups of steers with all the bells and whistles will sell good... but even the heifers will get slid through if not paid careful attention to. Shame since we had finally gotten a reputation for some good stock... not top notch, but healthy animals that would do good for people, and now there are alot fewer of the "old regular buyers" there....

Cattle here get sold mostly by "size"... smallest selling first... steers always get sold first, and bull feeders.... then heifers get sold after all the "males".... cull cows get sold last and there are buyers that mostly only deal with cull cows so they come later; so if you take 3 wt steers in at 3 p.m. the day before or at 5 minutes before sale time, they will still get sold early. The 3 wt heifers will get sold early in the heifer groups. It helps some of the buyers so that if they are only dealing in 4-6 wt steers, they need to be there sooner...

In this area, black brings more.... period.... go to a sale an hour north and the "colored calves " will do better... and if they co-mingle in the "graded pen" then they usually do much better...

Dairy cross calves do much better at that sale also since there are more dairies up that way and there are buyers that deal mostly with dairy and dairy cross calves.

The guys that bought out the closer sale are a real "closed group" and their cohorts are doing much better... the small guy doesn't have a chance there anymore. When the former owner finally passes away (in his 90's and just sold the sale barn 2-3 years ago and still buys there) it will get even worse... Since the former owner still buys there, they show some deference to all the sellers that sold there for years. Don't want to piss off too many people... but it is getting alot worse....

The guys that bought out the sale barn an hour away I have known for many years... and they are decent people and pretty fair. Sale has gotten some real boosts from special sales and they treat the small guy decent. A big dairy about 1/2 hour south takes all their bull calves all the way up there because of the better prices and more fair treatment. We go often to the once a month bred cow sale... and sell ours there most all the time now.

 

[farmerjan]

Just saw the pics of your cattle... we all have some real good ones and some kinda dumpy ones... but your cattle look pretty nice and seem to be in good flesh. I would be royally pissed off too... I suggest you find another sale barn especially if you do not get any satisfaction talking to the owners... AND stay at the sale when they are being sold. If you do not like the price... bid them back in.....and take them elsewhere or find someone to buy privately.

Another thing... timing is important. Buyers here are looking for weaned grass cattle in Feb-April... after that many are filled and prices will fall off for a couple months... farmers are busy in the fields and don't take on as many for feeding or grazing because they are too busy doing other things.
We sell in Jan sometimes... but usually Feb-Mar, but before April... and then again in August when things are looking ahead to how the crops are and what the weather has been like and what the future feed situation is looking like. Then there is the "fall rush" when people are pulling cattle off summer pasture and many are selling calves right off cows... By Oct... many order buyers have much of what they are pushing to buy.... and there is a problem with getting enough trucks for long haul and so the buyers have to hold the cattle and that is an invitation for sickness because of the comingling of cattle that will pass germs/bugs back and forth like kids in grammar school.... which can lead to losses and the buyers don't want to deal with that either...

Also here... Hunting season (mostly deer) in Nov is not a time to sell.... prices are ALWAYS off....
Just part of the game.

 

[blackladies]

Heifers from the same bull as the steers I sold have their winter coats. Threw a calf that is not almost a month old in there as well as the bull they all came from.

 

[farmerjan]

If may ask...what are you getting for these cattle and what weights are they? The winter coats will hurt them in May because it is often a sign of being wormy or lacking some vitamin or m inerals when they don't shed off.. but they are in good flesh.
Where are you located? Please put your general area or state in your profile... go to top of page right hand side click on your name, down to details, and down to location... eastern KY or NC or something to give us a general idea of where you are selling...

 

[Travlr]

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Heifers from the same bull as the steers I sold have their winter coats. Threw a calf that is not almost a month old in there as well as the bull they all came from.

Well I don't see anything in your animals that are terribly objectionable. Scale of one to ten I'd say they are right in the middle as far as appearance. They are black so should get the CAB "premium" at any auction.

They look lightly muscled but not like they are dairy influenced. The older female shows some rear muscle but light in the front. She needs a meaty bull to have great calves. Somebody mentioned worming and if you don't worn it might make your animals fill out and slick off better.

Overall I think you should be mid-market, not at the low end.

 

[blackladies]

As has been stated a few times... I will NOT sell cattle if I am not going to be there... either myself or my son or occasionally a friend that is a buyer... They get it written on the paper their status... vac, weaned, whatever... and they had better announce it or I will stop the sale right then, with my big mouth..... and say what ever it is they were supposed to announce. There is one barn that we sold through for years and years... it is turning into a "buyers station" where they need to have cattle with a "valid sale barn charge out"... and if you are not there, they will not hesitate to "steal" the small lots of cattle. We are getting very disillusioned with them and will be selling there less and less... groups of steers with all the bells and whistles will sell good... but even the heifers will get slid through if not paid careful attention to. Shame since we had finally gotten a reputation for some good stock... not top notch, but healthy animals that would do good for people, and now there are alot fewer of the "old regular buyers" there....

Cattle here get sold mostly by "size"... smallest selling first... steers always get sold first, and bull feeders.... then heifers get sold after all the "males".... cull cows get sold last and there are buyers that mostly only deal with cull cows so they come later; so if you take 3 wt steers in at 3 p.m. the day before or at 5 minutes before sale time, they will still get sold early. The 3 wt heifers will get sold early in the heifer groups. It helps some of the buyers so that if they are only dealing in 4-6 wt steers, they need to be there sooner...

In this area, black brings more.... period.... go to a sale an hour north and the "colored calves " will do better... and if they co-mingle in the "graded pen" then they usually do much better...

Dairy cross calves do much better at that sale also since there are more dairies up that way and there are buyers that deal mostly with dairy and dairy cross calves.

The guys that bought out the closer sale are a real "closed group" and their cohorts are doing much better... the small guy doesn't have a chance there anymore. When the former owner finally passes away (in his 90's and just sold the sale barn 2-3 years ago and still buys there) it will get even worse... Since the former owner still buys there, they show some deference to all the sellers that sold there for years. Don't want to piss off too many people... but it is getting alot worse....

The guys that bought out the sale barn an hour away I have known for many years... and they are decent people and pretty fair. Sale has gotten some real boosts from special sales and they treat the small guy decent. A big dairy about 1/2 hour south takes all their bull calves all the way up there because of the better prices and more fair treatment. We go often to the once a month bred cow sale... and sell ours there most all the time

If may ask...what are you getting for these cattle and what weights are they? The winter coats will hurt them in May because it is often a sign of being wormy or lacking some vitamin or m inerals when they don't shed off.. but they are in good flesh.
Where are you located? Please put your general area or state in your profile... go to top of page right hand side click on your name, down to details, and down to location... eastern KY or NC or something to give us a general idea of where you are selling...

Updated location, may work the whole group again. They have loose mineral available.

 

[blackladies]

Updated location, may work the whole group again. They have loose mineral available.

Worm not sure why it auto corrected, if 2 people are saying possible worm issues will take the advice and go ahead and hit them with it. Might be personal preference but have you had better luck with pour on or injection?

 

[TCRanch]

Am I correct that you only sold the 5 heifers this time? If so, with the variance in size, they would break them up. And yes, some sale barns comingle calves. I agree that the rough coat wasn't in their favor. I use Cydectin pour-on; my calves get wormed at appx 3-4 months and again at weaning. But I would suggest asking your vet what they recommend, based on your area. Were they fully vaccinated with 2 rounds and weaned? Backgrounding helps.

That said, if you do only have a handful of calves to sell, you may want to consider selling private treaty, Craigslist, and there are a number of cattle groups on Facebook. You can't actually sell on FB, but post a pic, stats, and state: Up for discussion.

 

[blackladies]

Am I correct that you only sold the 5 heifers this time? If so, with the variance in size, they would break them up. And yes, some sale barns comingle calves. I agree that the rough coat wasn't in their favor. I use Cydectin pour-on; my calves get wormed at appx 3-4 months and again at weaning. But I would suggest asking your vet what they recommend, based on your area. Were they fully vaccinated with 2 rounds and weaned? Backgrounding helps.

That said, if you do only have a handful of calves to sell, you may want to consider selling private treaty, Craigslist, and there are a number of cattle groups on Facebook. You can't actually sell on FB, but post a pic, stats, and state: Up for discussion.

Sold steers, Trvlr asked for pics didn't have any of the steers but took some of the heifers I kept back that were similar to age/weight of the steers I sold. The winter coat is an issue even without much experience it is not visually appealing will try worming more often. Also some of the other suggestions, be willing to speak up when I am there and don't hear them call out the info I gave about shots, weaning, etc. A little embarrassing but when there is money on the line need to just get over it.

 

[bird dog]

How much under priced do you think yours sold for?

 

[blackladies]

How much under priced do you think yours sold for?

.70 cents a lb difference between same weight classes for some of the ones I watched go through, so say mine are not as good and we will call it half that, they should have brought at least .35 lb more. Just them not saying they have had their shots and are weaned would have to make a difference. Those that were bringing more were in bigger groups though.