Our experience selling at stockyards...

[kenny thomas]

I buy and sell weekly also work at the local stockyard. Insurance is charged as part of the sale bill and any calf, cow, bull that is injured is turned in to the insurance. Thats what its for. Sounds like the Joplin yard done the right thing.
But good for you for asking the question. Sounds like it made a lasting impression. A good impression.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Could have been the calf wasn't much pumkin.

 

[SANDTRAP]

Fire Sweep Ranch » Fri Oct 26, 2012 2:51
Now this is just rude! Your an idiot for flying off the handle and making that kind of statement. Maybe they do things different out here in Missouri (for the better, obviously!) but as I stated earlier I DID NOT COMPLAIN! I just wanted to know why the calf was .35 cents lower than everything else (over 4000 head) that sold that day and how to improve my odds when I brought more cattle (since the calf I sold earlier in the year was on the low side of prices also). I have a job, so there was no way to stay and watch the calf sell when they are selling over 4000 in a day and I have no clue when my calf was selling. Joplin is a huge stockyard, and they sell thousands of cattle in a day. They know their business, and that is to get the best price for cattle. Out here, people are courteous to others and will spend hours just talking about cattle. This nice guy even went into great detail about making sure my calves were not overly fat next time because the buyers shy away from that, and was just trying to give good solid advice for us.
Oh, and the buyer was THERE that day, buying more cattle. So he called him over the MIC to get him to come to the office, and I could hear the conversation in the room while I was on the phone on the other end. He asked him if he remembered WHY the calf was priced at the bottom, not how much he paid. Anyone who knows anything about big stockyards know there is buyers there buying all the time for different clients!
So just go climb back into your hole and complain about something else; it is not wanted in this thread!

my mistake i can clearly see i was wrong about what i said :lol:

 

[Caustic Burno]

Probably just sold for what it was worth. I buy and sell at the stockyard quite often, and I would be all over something selling below market value. That's just good business on the buyers side. But for the stockyard to just give you more money than what your calf brought just makes no sense.

You are right on selling for what it was worth.
I am at the barn most every Sat buying and selling and if you watch the sale the quality of the bovine selling will be the same price as it's peer's. The one's that bring top dollar are top quality and the barn is not flooded with them. Pasture blindness has caused many a fellow to have a case of the red ass.

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

Probably just sold for what it was worth. I buy and sell at the stockyard quite often, and I would be all over something selling below market value. That's just good business on the buyers side. But for the stockyard to just give you more money than what your calf brought just makes no sense.

You are right on selling for what it was worth.
I am at the barn most every Sat buying and selling and if you watch the sale the quality of the bovine selling will be the same price as it's peer's. The one's that bring top dollar are top quality and the barn is not flooded with them. Pasture blindness has caused many a fellow to have a case of the red ass.

You call this pasture blindness?

This calf was not a bad calf, just not near good enough to make a bull here (BTW, the picture was taken a few weeks ago). We recognized his faults, and that is why he was cut. He would have been kept and fed out here but we already are raising a steer for the freezer and grain is high so off he went. His price was low because he injured himself while there at the stockyards, not because of his quality when he left my trailer, so on that day what they thought he was worth. That is all I needed to know.
The only sales I hang out at sell better quality cattle on average than your stockyard cows. But thanks for your input. You guys are just brutal! :tiphat:

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

Ive sold in most of the barns east of joplin if you get to know the reps or owners or even the guys unloading you can get a spot or time reserved, the time the animale sells effects price in the bigger sales. 50lbs shrink on a 5 weight animale is common. Good luck next time.

Thanks, that is what the rep told me on the phone. I learned a lot by listening to him give me tips and pointers. My rep is there to represent me so I do not have to be there if I don't want to or can't make it. I did not realize they shrink so much, but that part of the conversation did not happen. I just figured my scale might be off compared to their scale. I would like to spend a day at that big stockyard, I am sure it is an experience! That many cattle on a daily basis!

I buy and sell weekly also work at the local stockyard. Insurance is charged as part of the sale bill and any calf, cow, bull that is injured is turned in to the insurance. Thats what its for. Sounds like the Joplin yard done the right thing.
But good for you for asking the question. Sounds like it made a lasting impression. A good impression.

Thanks for the helpful information. That is what I was seeking when I started this thread. I am even more pleased with Joplin now that I know I have someone I can call specifically (my rep) when I need to sell a calf through that avenue. Not everyone in the cattle business raises commercial cattle destined to the stockyards. I thank the Lord every day for giving me the knowledge to market our cattle at higher prices, our state sales and private sales are sure a lot friendlier than the stockyard group!

 

[cross_7]

You call this pasture blindness?

This calf was not a bad calf, just not good enough to make a bull here (BTW, the picture was taken a few weeks ago). His price was low because he injured himself while there at the stockyards, not because of his quality when he left my trailer, so on that day what they thought he was worth. That is all I needed to know.
The only sales I hang out at sell better quality cattle on average than your stockyard cows. But thanks for your input. You guys are just brutal! :tiphat:

good looking cows and grass.
i know you didn't ask but i'll give you it to you anyway.
if i saw that calf come through the ring
i see the white and doesn't seem to have the frame or potential for growth
almost like a diary cross.
i know thats not the case with the calf from your post but that would my evaluation made in 30 seconds in the ring.

 

[snake67]

OK, so most of our stock is sold privately or at state breed sales. Every once in awhile we take something to the stockyards (like, once a year!). Earlier this year, we took a freemartin heifer and felt like we got bottom dollar for her. We sent her records with her as far as vaccinations and such, and still got lower than most. So, we had one extra steer I needed to get rid of before winter. I tried selling him on Craigslist or trading him for hay, but got no serious bites. So I took him to Joplin stockyard, WITH all of his weaning and vaccinating records. They advised not to commingle, since he had been weaned for 30 days and was on feed. OK, so sell him as a single. I checked the website to see how the prices were on Monday, and felt good about the bottom end bringing $1.45. I figured I would get at least that much. Well, imagine my surprise when my 510 pound steer (which was about 50 pounds less than what I had him at) went for $1.10! I was ticked off to say the least. So I called today, and after several minutes on hold to a very nice man, I was informed that when he came into the ring he was lame and could not walk well, so the auctioneer set his floor and took the first bidder. They guy I talked on the phone to called the bidder, and the bidder said that calf, other than the lameness, was every bit of a healthy good flesh calf. So the stockyard is going to pay the difference is what he brought and the bottom for that day ($1.35). So I feel a little better. But what if I did not call and ask why he brought so little? Anyone else ever have this happen? I am glad I called, and will use them again knowing they will work with you, but the best they could figure is he got bumped around and hurt there somehow because he walked off the trailer as sound as a cat!

Buyers will buy at the lowest price and quality sells

Millions of cattle go through sale barns and they are in business because for the most part people realize it is the buyer that spends the money

I would have to see your animal before I passed judgement (pics are not a good way to display an animal) on weight and price - folks always talk about how good their animals are - but the proof is in the bidding for that animal as compared to the others that go through that day

Sale barn scales are legal tender - they keep them pretty accurate - talk is cheap - doubt their scale - then make them prove it.

Might have been your scale was off as well.

As for being lame at the sale barn - schitte happens

Be happy they ponied up - if they had wanted to they could have told you to get stuffed.

Their reaction makes me think they are a decent operation - you would be right to use them again.

Good luck on your next sale.

Best to all

Bez

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

You responded before I could fix my error. I copied the wrong photo, the one in my message is the one that we sold. The one you captured is actually a bull we sold at Farm Fest, he has white rings on his back feet, and is a purebred simm (that is now 11 months old weighing 1050 when I dropped him off at his new home the 7th). The one in my picture is a sim angus cross, and was actually an embryo calf that did not turn out to our liking. Broken behind his shoulder and lacked muscle for me.
But thank you for your input. I appreciate it. And I agree with you.

Bez
What I think people fail to see that it was not about me getting paid the difference (that was a plus, but not expected) but WHY the steer was so low and WHAT can I do different in the future. If I have to sell cattle this way, then I want to know what I need to do to get the best price that day! I agree with everything you said. When I go to a sale, I look for the best bang for my buck. It is the nature of any business.
Ugh, I feel like I am NOT getting through :deadhorse:

 

[Bigfoot]

I don't have an opinion either way on the calf. I'm shocked you were able to get $ out of them. Around here that would just never happen. A limping calf here would sell as single. You could bid it back in if you were there. Take it home till it gets better, and bring it back. Other that you would be on your own.

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

I don't have an opinion either way on the calf. I'm shocked you were able to get $ out of them. Around here that would just never happen. A limping calf here would sell as single. You could bid it back in if you were there. Take it home till it gets better, and bring it back. Other that you would be on your own.

So what I am learning by this thread is that not all stockyards carry insurance? Not that I knew they did, but it sure was a nice plus, and I just thought that everyone did since I found out about it. So, they lose an animal from the time the animal is dropped off until it is sold, it is your loss? Even if it is an accident (say a calf gets stuck in between fence bars and chokes to death - just for an example), you lose everything? Never thought of that before.

 

[Bigfoot]

No I would think all yards carry insurance. I would have to read all three pages of the thread again to sort it out in my head, but I thought the calf was limping, and they paid you the difference. I wouldn't think they turned that in on insurance. Just paid it out of pocket. That surprises me that they would make up the difference. That's all. Could be a host of things that caused the limp. It didn't drop dead in the sale ring. It just came through with a limp. That's a big gray area to me that's all. I'm glad the yard you use will do that. Here that would absolutely never happen. As many calves as I have sold over the years I have never had one develope a limp while at the yard. I have had a bunch not bring what I thought they were worth. I have bought groups that had a calf in them that when I got them home probably should have sold as a single. I have never called the yard, or questioned it. Sales are buyer be ware. To me they are the same for the seller. Who's to say the calf didn't have a piece of cartlidge loose in his knee. Walking fine at home, and got irratated later. Probably not the case, but about 20 other explanations come to mind that would not make it the stockyards fault. I know your in a ruffle over this so don't get madder. I'm just saying I'm surprised they gave you any $.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

All stock yards do carry insurance. They by law they have to. If your calf limps into the barn your problem. If its healthy when it unloaded and is limping when it comes threw the ring its the barns problem.

 

[kenny thomas]

All stock yards do carry insurance. They by law they have to. If your calf limps into the barn your problem. If its healthy when it unloaded and is limping when it comes threw the ring its the barns problem.

We show on the sale bill exactually what the insurance cost is. The seller pays for it. It is a very small cost and very worthwhile if needed. It is not every week but calves do get hurt at the stockyard sometimes. Just like putting a few hundred kids together, somethimes things happen.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

That it Kt. I have been breeding Registered stock for a while. When a registered calf culls alot of times it culls big time. I think thats what happened here, but i never saw the calf so i don't know.

 

[Caustic Burno]

That it Kt. I have been breeding Registered stock for a while. When a registered calf culls alot of times it culls big time. I think thats what happened here, but i never saw the calf so i don't know.

Most registered calf's don't compete well with their crossbred peer group . The buyer's know that calf is not going to put on the pounds of the crossbred in the same anount of time. That cause's the price to get docked as well.

 

[stocky]

FSR, Glad you were able to get some help.
A couple of things:
First, the seller buys insurance. To say the barn carries it, makes it sound like they are doing something. The seller is charged an insurance premium for every animal. It covers the animal from the time it is loaded at the farm until it is loaded onto the truck to leave the sale barn after it is sold. The charge for insurance is listed on your check stub under the deductions.
Second, if your animal had been crippled when you unloaded it, they would have noted it on your check-in receipt. When it came in the ring crippled, it had been injured and they should have sold it "as is" and the buyer gets it for that price. Then, they should have taken that day's typical price for that calf, and add insurance money to make up the difference and you get your full amount. Many of the barns will not do this unless the seller is there to bring it to their attention.
The barns do not like to use the insurance unless they are forced into it. One reason, they don't want to look like they are not taking care of the animals. If they use insurance an unusual amount of times, there can be suspicion or some investigation. So, they try to save the "insurance cases" for their own cattle or those of their special customers.
I have written some long posts on buying and selling cattle at a sales barn, so I won't bore you with that. However, I am very happy you were able to get the information and the help from this barn that satisfied you.
I would only give you the advice that at this particular barn, make sure you get very clear what will happen from the rep you deal with in the future. That way there will be no confusion in the argument later if it does not happen that way. I can give you countless stories of why no one in my area will take any cattle to that barn again.
My only two experiences each involved selling over 100 head each time. Things like "get them there by 11am and they will sell by 1pm", then they sell at 10pm, and the owner saying what price he will set them in at on Sunday and on Monday they bring from 15-25 dollars per hundred less caused me to say I would never set foot in that barn again. Also, several thousand head each year left that barn to go to another barn when mine did, so the arrogance and misleading and mishandling has been a very expensive loss for that barn when you figure the total number of head lost to another barn over the years.
Several years ago, the owner from that barn, sent the "rep" for my area to me and he begged me for another chance at my cattle. I reminded him what the owner had done the last time and I told him I now sold through honest people and was not interested. He began to tell me how much they wanted me back, so I showed him a group of calves that were standing across the fence that were second quality calves. I asked him how much behind my other calves would those calves sell? He said they would run those calves in together and get the same as my top end calves. I told him that he and I both knew that was not true. I told him those calves were going to be 15 dollars per hundred behind my top calves and he argued they would not be.
I told him to get the owner on the phone, right now, and ask him what the price would be. He got him on the phone, and asked him what they would bring and the owner told him they would be 15 dollars under my top calves. After he hung up, I shook my head and told him do not ever come asking to look at my calves again and tell the owner not to send anyone else begging for my cattle. Shortly after that, he was moved to a paperwork position and was no longer a rep.
I apologize for getting into a small part of my experience with that barn, but even, after so many years, I still get very angry when I think of it, as do most of my neighbors with their experiences, there.