Sale barn etiquette

[alrobinson]

I am wanting to purchase a steer or two to butcher down the road. What is the sale barn etiquette? Am I able to purchase one or two; or does it need to be the whole lot? Would it be best to find a lot with one or two? I know the market is favorable right no. (North Texas)

 

[Brute 23]

You can buy one or two.

Do you have any neighbors with cattle? You might be better off asking one of them if they would part with one or two before they are exposed to the AB.

 

[Ky hills]

I'm not in north Texas, but you wouldn't likely be able to purchase one or two out of a larger lot. That's not how it works here. You would need to purchase a single calf or maybe a lot of just 2.
Sometimes there are reasons why an order buyer will reject one or two from a large lot, due to a lot of things, maybe just color doesn't match with the rest of the group, maybe a calf is smaller, or could be that a calf doesn't look well or has sone sort of issue.
Generally speaking those calves cut out from a group will sell considerably cheaper than the group, and any single calves sold will bring less than a consistent group.

 

[alrobinson]

Thank you. I just don't want to look like an idiot when I go to the sale barn.

I'm not in north Texas, but you wouldn't likely be able to purchase one or two out of a larger lot. That's not how it works here. You would need to purchase a single calf or maybe a lot of just 2.
Sometimes there are reasons why an order buyer will reject one or two from a large lot, due to a lot of things, maybe just color doesn't match with the rest of the group, maybe a calf is smaller, or could be that a calf doesn't look well or has sone sort of issue.
Generally speaking those calves cut out from a group will sell considerably cheaper than the group, and any single calves sold will bring less than a consistent group.

 

[NIdahoShorthorns]

Go a couple times and feel it out. Talk to the people running the auction. I've heard horror stories about auctions, but that hasn't been my experience. I've found that there are usually people willing to help. Especially if you're looking for odd lots or kick outs. But as stated above, finding a neighbor with knowledge is probably even better, especially if you're knew to cattle.

 

[farmerjan]

Welcome to Cattle Today... first thing, please go to your name top right, down to account details, and down to location... put in state or something... you will see it on others avatars... that has a little to do with answers to some questions.
Every sale barn is different, but they have similarities...
If a group comes in, they are usually sold as that group... price per pound x total lbs... Unless it is a baby calf, the only other ones that get sold by the head are often bred cows, or cow/calf pairs... or breeding bulls. And the weight will be on the wall. That enables a person to get an idea of what the price per lb would be...
Occasionally they will bring in a group, say 20, and they will say Gate cut... so you say only want 3, if you are the top bidder, they will let 3 out... NOT your choice... but the first 3 out the gate...

With the high prices right now, it doesn't happen often.
Many sales will sell 1 or 2 or 3 at a time... for a bunch of different reasons... I brought in 6, 1 was a different size or color, so they will sell it separate.

My suggestions echo @Brute 23 ... find a neighbor... and get one or 2 that has not been hauled to town.. not exposed to the multitude of germs... ask if they have one that has a bad eye, say from pinkeye... it will hurt them a bit, at the sale, and the neighbor might take a bit less to sell them direct, to you. It won't hurt the meat at all...

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

Be careful not to scratch your head.

 

[farmerjan]

Totally agree with @NIdahoShorthorns ... go to the sale a few times and get a feel for things. See what brings high prices and what brings less. Watch and then talk to someone that is doing some buying... NOT when they are actually buying.... talk to the office people... they can help steer you in the right direction most times.
Some areas color is the deciding thing... and some breeds will just not bring much... In this area dairy crosses bring less... and they make great beef but take longer to gain... the "mini breeds" are discounted terribly most everywhere... but make good meat if you are just wanting it for yourself. Many times you can find some heifers that are big... non-breeders, that will make good beef faster because they are mostly grown already... We often will kill a heifer when someone wants a beef...one that did not breed, she is 800+ lbs.... doesn't take long to finish her for butcher. That type of thing.
You also should go to the office, and at least establish yourself... with prices today, they don't like to just take a check from someone they do not know as that could be a huge loss even on only 2 animals.
If you haven't been around cattle prices lately... just a fair warning... an average 500 lb steer is going to cost you over $3.00 PER LB.... you are looking at paying 1500-2000 for an animal that you are going to feed for another 6-12 months... We sold some 600 lb steers for 3.25 lb... around 1900 each.... nice for the seller right now... hard on the buyer especially a smaller buyer... If it is not weaned and eating good, that is alot of money to tie up if it gets sick or God Forbid, dies on you... That's another good reason to talk to a neighbor....

 

[Hpacres440p]

And as much as it is maligned, Craigslist or other Facebook sale groups can be a good place to find individual sales. I got 2 "off-brand" (Beltie and dairy x) steers for less than the price of a single weaning agent calf about a month ago. Had to drive a bit, met two nice families, and have calves not exposed to bugs from everything else at the sale barn. Win-win! (Also takes a lot of patience and looking)

 

[Dave]

Etiquette at the sale barn? I never knew there was such a thing. They say there are no friends at the auction. They generally wont split groups. If you want them to split a say a smaller group you need to ask that before they have bidders hooked up. Cut outs can be a good way to go. They are generally too big, too small, wrong color, or some issue which isn't going to hurt you. Don't buy a single calf because it is real cheap. That is where sale yards get a bad name. No one is bidding because the calf is sick. Someone who doesn't know cattle buys it because it is cheap. Gets it home and it gets real sick and maybe dies. Of course that is all the sale yard's fault. As has been said go to the barn several times before you intend to buy. Watch, listen, and learn.
Here there are very few cattle sold through Craigslist, Facebook etc. The ones that are sold that way are generally over priced. And some were bought at the sale to start with.

 

[Hpacres440p]

Etiquette at the sale barn? I never knew there was such a thing. They say there are no friends at the auction. They generally wont split groups. If you want them to split a say a smaller group you need to ask that before they have bidders hooked up. Cut outs can be a good way to go. They are generally too big, too small, wrong color, or some issue which isn't going to hurt you. Don't buy a single calf because it is real cheap. That is where sale yards get a bad name. No one is bidding because the calf is sick. Someone who doesn't know cattle buys it because it is cheap. Gets it home and it gets real sick and maybe dies. Of course that is all the sale yard's fault. As has been said go to the barn several times before you intend to buy. Watch, listen, and learn.
Here there are very few cattle sold through Craigslist, Facebook etc. The ones that are sold that way are generally over priced. And some were bought at the sale to start with.

Very true about the CL and FB sites-many are flippers. Gotta watch the patterns.

 

[bird dog]

Which barn do you plan on attending?

 

[Philip-TX]

1. Buy private
2. Talk to the sale barn owner and tell them what you are looking for and have them buy it for you.

 

[SBMF 2015]

I've heard horror stories about auctions, but that hasn't been my experience.

Talk to some local reputable people about the sale barn you plan to go to.

We used to have 3 sale barns within 30 minutes from home. If you asked the local vets 70% of the purchase feeder cattle they treated all traced back to one of of those barns. The other two were pretty good but that one is a $h!t hole. Somebody asked me about buying cattle there the other day. I told them not only would I not buy there, I wouldn't set foot in the place you'd probably bring the plague home on your boots.

Go to a sale watch, learn, and ask questions. Lots of hard lessons to be learned when you start nodding your head at a cattle sale.

 

[MACVSOG]

1. Buy private
2. Talk to the sale barn owner and tell them what you are looking for and have them buy it for you.

follow philip-tx and brute 23. good advice to start. by next year you may be an order buyer, if so inclined.

 

[StrojanHerefords]

Whenever you go to a sale take a clipboard and write down the prices and the description of the cattle sold. I prefer to sit in a back corner so I can see all the action. That way you get a sense of the auction and can also demonstrate to the auctioneer that you know what is going on and not to mess with you.

 

[Dave]

Go ahead and scratch your head or other moves. Just don't be looking directly at the auctioneer while doing it.

 

[Rafter S]

Go ahead and scratch your head or other moves. Just don't be looking directly at the auctioneer while doing it.

Many years ago I was watching the auction in Hockley, after two beers and a big chicken fried steak, and I dozed off. Apparently I nodded my head when I did that, because I woke up just in time to hear the auctioneer say "Never mind. He wasn't bidding. He was sleeping."

 

[crossbreed]

Don't know that it would work everywhere, a lot of times around our neck of the woods we buy and sell singles or several by private owners. We look at the last market report on 3 nearby barns, calculate the average of the three at midpoint of that week's sales and get the price. Weigh the calves and there's your price. works out well. For owner, you're not getting the top price but no hauling to sale, no sales commission, no shrink on calf. For buyer no sickness coming home from the barn and an average cost.