SALE BARN injury

[CJ John]

Recently I hauled a steer for my neighbor and a heifer for myself to the sale barn. We had a real easy load and the unload went well. After we were done, we went up on the catwalks to see what was there for sale. Ours were in a pen and there weren't too many there since we were the day before the sale. But ALL was well. I got my check mailed to me and it was about HALF of what it should been because it noted "Crippled heifer"! Well it wasn't crippled when I dropped it off--- and I have my neighbor as a witness. I have contacted the owner and left a voice mail.
Has anyone else had to deal with this?
I had one several years ago that was "WILD". She cleared out the walkways and they shot her through the ring pretty quickly! She brought HALF of what the others similar cattle did--- but I EXPECTED and ACCEPTED that!!
But I've not had one turn up "crippled" after I dropped it off!

 

[Lee VanRoss]

Should be a record of who bought it that will yield a name and contact information.
If you suspect malfeasance or animal cruelty notify appropriate agency.
It will be up to you to figure out what was so important that you could not be at the auction to represent your stock.

 

[Lucky]

I would contact the sslebarn first chance I got....if they have insurance

 

[Son of Butch]

If you suspect malfeasance or animal cruelty notify appropriate agency.

1st step contact sale barn, what happened and if covered by insurance.
Unless noted in the arrival paperwork, I'd assume it as proof of delivering an uninjured animal. If you remain unsatisfied, LVR suggestion of notifying appropriate agency would be a good 2nd step.

 

[wbvs58]

Crippled is strong words. I would have thought the appropriate action would have been for them to contact you and let you know that something was wrong and ask if you still wanted her to go through the sale ring. I know my agents would.

Ken

 

[sstterry]

1st step contact sale barn, what happened and if covered by insurance.
Unless noted in the arrival paperwork, I'd assume it as proof of delivering an uninjured animal.

Unless it is noted in the initial paperwork as SOB said, they should be responsible. It is called a "bailment" and they are liable for any damage to the animal. And, just an fyi, a sign hanging on the wall that says "not responsible" doesn't mean crap and it has no legal authority.

 

[jltrent]

The sale barn has insurance and most have a camera system. I unloaded a load and the guys packed them in the area were they are tagged/numbered. Well they just kelp packing them in and one of the larger calves started climbing the backs of the other calves and broke one of the calves legs. I had a talk with the sale barn manager before I left and he said the injured calf would be paid whatever the highest calf that sale brought per pound, which I got. The sale barn in closed now in Tazewell. I knew one of the employees well that worked there and he said he took the broken leg calf to the local processor.

 

[Ebenezer]

I had the same. I asked and they ran the video in the sales ring to get someone who said "hunchback". The steer was one of a set that were peas in a pod. The others sold well. So either they let it get hurt or someone in the back did a switch. There are always rumors of tag switching but I doubt that it happens. I have had sheep that never came through the ring and they had to pay me the average price. You have to pick your battles.

 

[CJ John]

The sale barn has insurance and most have a camera system. I unloaded a load and the guys packed them in the area were they are tagged/numbered. Well they just kelp packing them in and one of the larger calves started climbing the backs of the other calves and broke one of the calves legs. I had a talk with the sale barn manager before I left and he said the injured calf would be paid whatever the highest calf that sale brought per pound, which I got. The sale barn in closed now in Tazewell. I knew one of the employees well that worked there and he said he took the broken leg calf to the local processor.

Thanks for your comment. I went back and looked at the VOLUME for that day--- and they typically run about 300 to 400 head each sale day! Headage on the day mine was "crippled" was ALMOST 1000! I don't see where they'd even have ROOM in the place for a 1000 head!

 

[TexasRancher]

Has anyone got any real "proven evidence" that sales barn's cheat on the sales when you're not present and they mail you a check? How common is it and are their known corrupt sales barns and known responsible w/ integrity sales barns in your area? It would seem if a sales barn was doing even a little bit of shady operations they wouldn't be in business for very long.

 

[sunnyblueskies]

I would think any reputable auction would have insurance. At least if they want to stay in the business and be....well.....reputable.
Tell us how your story ended.

 

[chaded]

Has anyone got any real "proven evidence" that sales barn's cheat on the sales when you're not present and they mail you a check? How common is it and are their known corrupt sales barns and known responsible w/ integrity sales barns in your area? It would seem if a sales barn was doing even a little bit of shady operations they wouldn't be in business for very long.

I am very rarely at the one I drop mine off at but i do watch mine go through the ring online and I have never noticed anything amiss.

 

[Lee VanRoss]

Has anyone got any real "proven evidence" that sales barn's cheat on the sales when you're not present and they mail you a check? How common is it and are their known corrupt sales barns and known responsible w/ integrity sales barns in your area? It would seem if a sales barn was doing even a little bit of shady operations they wouldn't be in business for very long.

I suspect the problem lies with how they are handled in the sorting pens. All does not always go as expected back there when the sale is on.
The auctioneer may have had no information on the calf other than what he could see or what he was told. Not knowing if the problem is
on going there may be other solutions to the problem(s)

 

[SBMF 2015]

Has anyone got any real "proven evidence" that sales barn's cheat on the sales when you're not present and they mail you a check? How common is it and are their known corrupt sales barns and known responsible w/ integrity sales barns in your area? It would seem if a sales barn was doing even a little bit of shady operations they wouldn't be in business for very long.

It all depends on what your definition of a crook is. Every sale barn is in business to make money. They all run on the ethical edge, do things that some would deem as wrong, while other see as just part of day-to-day business.

The sale barn I worked for would set a floor on the cattle price for the day. The sellers loved it, some of the buyers not so much.

In a big sale is it wrong to buy single calves or small groups early in the sale when prices tend to be softer then midway through resell them?
Maybe, but it happens more than you think. That single blk str that brought 1.40/lb because he was a single now brought 1.48/lb simply because he is now part of a group.

Bred cows that are being sold to slaughter end up at bred cow sales every week all over the country.
Ever seen a group of blk cows at a sale that all have brand new clean matching ear tags? And they magically forget to announce the seller when they enter the ring? And they are not as even a group as you would expect from one farm?
SIT on your hands and let someone else deal with them.

The sale barns around here that are considered crooked just don't do a very good job of hiding what they do. Anyone can pick up on it if you watch long enough. The reputation barns just play the game on a much higher level.

I don't know of any barn that would intently injure an animal to financially hinder a seller. Thats just bad business. No matter how carful people are cattle get injuries. Strange place, loud strange noises, co-mingling. Can all lead to unforeseen circumstances.

 

[Ky hills]

I was at a sale one day, at a yards that I don't typically go to, but is owned by the same owners as some that I do business with. I was sitting at a vantage point where I could see the crew running cattle into the ring. Definitely the roughest and dumbest crew I've ever seen. I realize that they are expected to be proficient and keep cattle moving but multiple people with hot shots burning the cattle up right before they entered the ring is not necessary especially if they are moving fast already. I watched a calf get broke down and crippled that day because of that stupidity. A large group of around 100 head of 1000+ lbs steers were being ran into the ring and weighed about 20 at a time, then on the last draft with the final average weight, they would be auctioned. They were running all the cattle so hard all throughout the sale that nearly every one of them slipped and slid into the ring. The same with this big group of big steers. Calves were slipping and falling on top of each other, the idiots were burning the calves behind them up with hotshots and causing them to jump over the top of the ones that were slipping down. A big steer went down and several went over him. The calf was broke down and couldn't get up. They closed the door and probably drug him out of the way with a skid steer.
They no doubt should have paid the owner in full from insurance. No telling how many cattle are injured by the time they get into the sale ring in situations like that. A small percentage over time is to be expected, even with reasonable handling practices.
Have never been back to that yards again nor will I ever.

 

[Son of Butch]

Has anyone got any real "proven evidence" that sales barn's cheat on the sales when you're not present and they mail you a check? How common is it and are there known corrupt sales barns and known responsible w/ integrity sales barns in your area?

No, because nickel and dime cheating is rare, it's not worth it and most bellyaching is by sellers who don't know the difference between select from choice when they see it.

The real money crooks come from collusion by buyers or by a buyer defrauding those they sell to. Several years back there was reputable buyer here who either through mismanagement or greed turned crook. The fraud he committed was on the scale it bankrupted a company and sent him to jail when it came to light.
Currently I'd estimate here in Minnesota 94% of business is all on the up and up.

 

[Lee VanRoss]

I was at a sale one day, at a yards that I don't typically go to, but is owned by the same owners as some that I do business with. I was sitting at a vantage point where I could see the crew running cattle into the ring. Definitely the roughest and dumbest crew I've ever seen. I realize that they are expected to be proficient and keep cattle moving but multiple people with hot shots burning the cattle up right before they entered the ring is not necessary especially if they are moving fast already. I watched a calf get broke down and crippled that day because of that stupidity. A large group of around 100 head of 1000+ lbs steers were being ran into the ring and weighed about 20 at a time, then on the last draft with the final average weight, they would be auctioned. They were running all the cattle so hard all throughout the sale that nearly every one of them slipped and slid into the ring. The same with this big group of big steers. Calves were slipping and falling on top of each other, the idiots were burning the calves behind them up with hotshots and causing them to jump over the top of the ones that were slipping down. A big steer went down and several went over him. The calf was broke down and couldn't get up. They closed the door and probably drug him out of the way with a skid steer.
They no doubt should have paid the owner in full from insurance. No telling how many cattle are injured by the time they get into the sale ring in situations like that. A small percentage over time is to be expected, even with reasonable handling practices.
Have never been back to that yards again nor will I ever.

You are spot on KY. I wish more people on the forum had the opportunity to attend a few 5000 head a day auctions waiting for
their offering to go through the ring and or checking prices on the go and thinking about taking some home. Action is fast there but
what we talk about here is in a vacuum, big difference. Most auctions make enough on commission to cover incidentals.

 

[Ky hills]

You are spot on KY. I wish more people on the forum had the opportunity to attend a few 5000 head a day auctions waiting for
their offering to go through the ring and or checking prices on the go and thinking about taking some home. Action is fast there but
what we talk about here is in a vacuum, big difference. Most auctions make enough on commission to cover incidentals.

Yes, spending time around stockyards is a beneficial learning experience for anybody in the cattle business.

 

[SBMF 2015]

You are spot on KY. I wish more people on the forum had the opportunity to attend a few 5000 head a day auctions waiting for
their offering to go through the ring and or checking prices on the go and thinking about taking some home. Action is fast there but
what we talk about here is in a vacuum, big difference. Most auctions make enough on commission to cover incidentals.

When the barn I worked at closed I spent about a year going to sales at the sale barn I frequent now, before I bought anything. The new barn absorbed most of the old barns' buyers and sellers, but there were some new to me order buyers and a whole new set of repeat buyer numbers to learn. Otherwise, it's the same game just different players.

 

[tex452]

The only problem I had was from a guy that hauled my calves to the sale one time when I was working too much to do it myself.
My grandpa said when they loaded them the hauler was commenting on how pretty one of the heifers looked.
When I got the check we knew he probably switched out a lesser heifer for her.
She was the biggest in the bunch and the weights on the ticket didn't match up.