pen hookers

[Calhoun Farm]

Hauled off my baldy steer last night, didn't really think much about pen hookers before we got there. So we pull up and two guys come flying over to my trailer. This steer was nice, big head, wide butt, very healthy. His winter coat had started and he was kinda bushy looking. I was guessing he was in the 625lb range and was figuring on him bringing around $1.35lb. So this guy comes up and the first words outta his mouth was about how nice my truck was, then ask me to price the steer. I went high and said $850. He ask why I thought it would bring that and I said I believe he will weigh around 625lbs. Then the other guy butted in and said they won't pay you for all that hair, he will weigh 500lbs. So me and the first guy start going back and forth on price, during this time a line was backing up behind me of other farmers bringing cattle. So like an idiot I sold him to the pen hooker for $700. I honestly don't know what the steer weighed and have no way of finding out now. All night last night I was pi$$ed off because I think I got rooked. Looking back I think those guys wanted to *appear* to be competitors trying to buy the steer but in reality were working togather. Kinda good cop bad cop. I can say I will probably never sale to a pen hooker again, I'll just take my chance on the barn. So, did I get taken?

 

[slick4591]

Hindsight is everything. Next time tell him to buy him out of the ring and you won't be upset with yourself.

 

[Calhoun Farm]

Hindsight is everything. Next time tell him to buy him out of the ring and you won't be upset with yourself.

I'm going to do just that, the only person to blame here is ME. I just can't believe I let myself get pressured into selling him in the trailer. The only positive I can think of is I sold him for cash outside the market so uncle sam has no idea. I don't file my taxes as a farmer (although I plan to start keeping reciepts etc Jan '14).

 

[M.Magis]

I don't think you got took, since you agreed to the price. But I think you'd have done better in the ring if it weighed what you thought. If nothing else, you wouldn't have any question.

 

[Calhoun Farm]

I just wish we had scales, there would have been no question what it weighed then.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

I know your market is not as good as it is here, but still 700$ for a good 625lb steer was cheap. if he really weighed 500lbs that's still cheap. What's your commision there?

 

[Calhoun Farm]

I know your market is not as good as it is here, but still 700$ for a good 625lb steer was cheap. if he really weighed 500lbs that's still cheap. What's your commision there?

I haven't sold at this barn in years and don't know honestly. Like I said, I know I got screwed over but the blame falls on me. I let the old guy pressure me and I fell for it. The main reason I sold outside the ring was because I had a pen hooker offer me 1200 for a bred cow last spring, I said no. The cow brought 1000 before commission. This was at another barn.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

We don't have pen hookers around here. But I figure 95% of the time they wouldn't be trying to buy them outside if they could buy them cheaper in the ring.

 

[machslammer]

Here The 500# Yesterday Were 1.50_ 1.65.But Commission Is 20_30 Dollars A piece.

 

[highgrit]

Did this happen at the sale barn?? I don't think Alan or Willis would let someone buy cows in the parking lot at the sale barn. I've seen some shady stuff happen in the ring, but not in the parking lot.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

Did this happen at the sale barn?? I don't think Alan or Willis would let someone buy cows in the parking lot at the sale barn. I've seen some shady stuff happen in the ring, but not in the parking lot.

Kinda a funny thought to me to, I know it happens some other places, but I can't picture such a thing in the parking lot of any sale around here.

 

[kenny thomas]

Did this happen at the sale barn?? I don't think Alan or Willis would let someone buy cows in the parking lot at the sale barn. I've seen some shady stuff happen in the ring, but not in the parking lot.

Kinda a funny thought to me to, I know it happens some other places, but I can't picture such a thing in the parking lot of any sale around here.

It once was a common practice but not as much anymore. I do know of several in eastern TN that still allow it but none in VA. Or at least none near me in VA.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

Did this happen at the sale barn?? I don't think Alan or Willis would let someone buy cows in the parking lot at the sale barn. I've seen some shady stuff happen in the ring, but not in the parking lot.

Kinda a funny thought to me to, I know it happens some other places, but I can't picture such a thing in the parking lot of any sale around here.

It once was a common practice but not as much anymore. I do know of several in eastern TN that still allow it but none in VA. Or at least none near me in VA.

Why would any barn owner let that happen? The only way I could see anything like that would be if the owner of a sale was trying to buy cattle before the sale from someone.

 

[kenny thomas]

Denver, it is just an old tradition that has not died everywhere yet. We do not allow it but just 45 miles away in TN is one that does. At 50 miles is another, and 80 miles is another. Many of the penhookers also have a partner inside buying on order so they can make sure they make money. They might give you almost what its worth in the ring minus the sale bill and still make money becaue of this partner.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

It just wouldn't set well with me if I owned a sale and had guys outside on my property stealing my business.

 

[kenny thomas]

Well the penhookers still send the cattle through the sale so the barn owner still gets his commission. I have known of a couple that got part of the profits also. One I know got 1/4 of the penhooking profits. Again we stopped it years ago. Seemed people appreciate not being bothered by them.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

Ok, for some reason I took it that they were buyers trying to buy what the could outside the sale. I'm pretty dim on the subject, like I said it hasn't gone on here in my short life.

 

[Calhoun Farm]

We take some of our cattle to sweetwater and they don't have pen hookers, at least I've never seen them. This time I took my steer to Athens and their were two standing where you unload at. They bothered every farmer that went thru. Like I said this is a lesson learned for me. I'll never sale to one again, even if I loose money in the ring.

 

[js1234]

I don't think I would care to have them around my yard if I were in the auction business.

 

[Bigfoot]

Common place here. I ran the gauntlet of hookers this morning unloading.