Sale Question

[Mongoose]

My local Sale Barn has a Heifer Replacement Sale. I was wondering what this was. I have heard of Replacement Cattle...What are they? I have a couple heifers I want to sell and I was just wondering if they have to be a certain age or what to sell them in this sale, Otherwise I was just going to send them through the reg. sale.

P.S. It says Consignments Only! What is this? I looked it up but didnt quite understand what it was saying.

 

[jcarkie]

usually they have to meet certain age,vac,breeding criteria. you can call and get a list of what needs to be done.
we have some cow sales and they can be bred or calved, not as strict, like show-me-select they are pretty strict. if i was buying i would rather have them be strict.

 

[auctionboy]

I would guess consignments only would meen they don't want anyone trying to private treaty sell there cattle at the auction? You should just call and ask them what the qualifications for the sale are, but any heifer or young cow should qualify.

 

[Mongoose]

Thanks alot, I understand now. TNbeef when you said the names of the owners I was like O_O how does he know that, then I looked at your name and your location and I was like ok...

It kinda freaked me out. :lol:

 

[Mongoose]

I live in philadelphia tn. That aint far from you. Perhaps Ive run a few head through Athens and Sweetwater before. Perhaps enough to know Dean and Jimmy by first names.

I live 2 1/2 miles from Athens StockBarn. Its just at the end of my road. Anyway, I dont think the pasture is going to hold up until Nov. 9th, when the next replacement is going to be. If it dont then I will probably take them off earlier than I wanted to. I might even sell them in the Trader, probably get more for them, becuase last week I talked to this old farmer I know and he said they were running through bout .50 a pound. I will loose money at that price.

 

[Mongoose]

These are 4-5 months old about 325-350 guessing. One of them is kinda fat. :(

Sir Loin said he might have a buyer for me. I am asking 350 a piece for them. Think I could get that via private treaty?

 

[CUZ]

Mongoose - Here are the heifer sales at the Athens salebarn last week - August 7.

Feeder Heifers Medium and Large 1 - 2
Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price
4 250-290 260 121.00-131.00 128.21
18 300-345 315 115.00-127.00 122.85
13 350-395 366 114.00-123.00 118.27

So let's see. You are asking roughly $1.00 a pound. They're selling at the barn for anywhere between $1.15 and $1.27 a pound. Hmmmmmmm.

Cuz

 

[BC]

Why do people have such a distrust or maybe lack of confidence in selling at at sale barn. A previous poster was way under pricing their calves in trying to sell direct. When I sell at the sale barn, I know that my calves (or cull cows or bulls) brought all they were worth that day as there was competitive bidding. I am fortunate to have a competitive market in my county and several others within 90 miles.

 

[MikeC]

Why do people have such a distrust or maybe lack of confidence in selling at at sale barn. A previous poster was way under pricing their calves in trying to sell direct. When I sell at the sale barn, I know that my calves (or cull cows or bulls) brought all they were worth that day as there was competitive bidding. I am fortunate to have a competitive market in my county and several others within 90 miles.

The sale barn itself is not the perceived problem, but sometimes the "Order" buyers can be.

If there are more cattle at a sale than there are orders for, buyers will be spending their own money. By having done some order buying, I know for fact that some give each other breaks by bowing out of the bid when the price starts up beyond what they want to pay.

Next time the other guy will bow out a little early and pay the other one back.

Order buyers are taking a risk in buying cows for a commission too. If he pays too much for a load, or buys an inferior bunch, the person that placed the order may not call him back next time.

Generally, the more buyers that are at an auction barn, the more the sale will be above board.

A sale barn that has only 2-3 buyers scares the heck out of me.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Why do people have such a distrust or maybe lack of confidence in selling at at sale barn. A previous poster was way under pricing their calves in trying to sell direct.

It has been discussed forever in this forum and I don't understand it either. Someone comes on crying about a bad buy (probably bought a canner or cutter) and folks jump in and tell them to never go to the sale barn. Then folks say never sell there either.

I got a call from a friend to go look at some cows that were being bought private treaty. There were about 2 dozen head of old cows and all had loose udders. They were penned in a high fence two acre patch and when you tried to look at them they were constantly bursting from one end to the other. I told him not to buy them. So now my name is mud with the seller.

This friend is insisting on "private treaty" buying. He is getting culled junk and animals not suited for this climate, plus paying over market value.

 

[Joy in Texas]

These are 4-5 months old about 325-350 guessing. One of them is kinda fat. :(

Sir Loin said he might have a buyer for me. I am asking 350 a piece for them. Think I could get that via private treaty?

I guess the market is different there. Here calves that size are costing 1.30-1.40 a lb. One of the heifers I bought the other day weighed 350 lbs. I paid 1.30 a lb...total 455.00.
It seems to me you would be losing money.

 

[Joy in Texas]

Learning the sale barn tactics is an art in a sense. No place for a beginner,unless he has help.
I've been going to these sale barns for years. I know most of the buyers and they know me. They know well enough if there is something I want I will buy it. I have run up prices for them to eat it too. But thats part of it.
Not all cattle that goes thru sale barns are trash. A couple of years ago when the drought hit. People were selling registered stock. And they went cheap. But unless a person was rich who could buy them. There was no grass and hay was sky high.
When I go to the sale barns. I walk the cat walk first. Just to see whats there. I look for heifers mostly and I try to see if they have a bangs tag. That tells me that more than likely that animal has had shots. Even though I will vaccinate them again.
The next thing I look for is brands. Some of the locals that I do know. I know how they take care of their animals and what breed they have.
I take an over all look at the animal. What condition she is in,guess her weight and go inside and wait. I see how she does in the ring. If she's not climbing the walls and blowing snot . I'll bid on her.

 

[bigbull338]

Learning the sale barn tactics is an art in a sense. No place for a beginner,unless he has help.
I've been going to these sale barns for years. I know most of the buyers and they know me. They know well enough if there is something I want I will buy it. I have run up prices for them to eat it too. But thats part of it.
Not all cattle that goes thru sale barns are trash. A couple of years ago when the drought hit. People were selling registered stock. And they went cheap. But unless a person was rich who could buy them. There was no grass and hay was sky high.
When I go to the sale barns. I walk the cat walk first. Just to see whats there. I look for heifers mostly and I try to see if they have a bangs tag. That tells me that more than likely that animal has had shots. Even though I will vaccinate them again.
The next thing I look for is brands. Some of the locals that I do know. I know how they take care of their animals and what breed they have.
I take an over all look at the animal. What condition she is in,guess her weight and go inside and wait. I see how she does in the ring. If she's not climbing the walls and blowing snot . I'll bid on her.

ive seen them walk in the ring nice an calm.an then become snott blowers when you get them home.an ive seen wild cows do just fine when you get them home.ive bought cows that was calm that where wild when you got emm home.

 

[Mongoose]

As far as Athens Sale Barn, you can never tell. You say they are were going for 1.15 - 1.27 a pound right? Next sale could be the COMPLETE opposite. I was just saying that 1.00 a pound is the ABSOLUTE BOTTOM price. I am going to go to the sale this Tues. and see whats up.

 

[Joy in Texas]

Learning the sale barn tactics is an art in a sense. No place for a beginner,unless he has help.
I've been going to these sale barns for years. I know most of the buyers and they know me. They know well enough if there is something I want I will buy it. I have run up prices for them to eat it too. But thats part of it.
Not all cattle that goes thru sale barns are trash. A couple of years ago when the drought hit. People were selling registered stock. And they went cheap. But unless a person was rich who could buy them. There was no grass and hay was sky high.
When I go to the sale barns. I walk the cat walk first. Just to see whats there. I look for heifers mostly and I try to see if they have a bangs tag. That tells me that more than likely that animal has had shots. Even though I will vaccinate them again.
The next thing I look for is brands. Some of the locals that I do know. I know how they take care of their animals and what breed they have.
I take an over all look at the animal. What condition she is in,guess her weight and go inside and wait. I see how she does in the ring. If she's not climbing the walls and blowing snot . I'll bid on her.

ive seen them walk in the ring nice an calm.an then become snott blowers when you get them home.an ive seen wild cows do just fine when you get them home.ive bought cows that was calm that where wild when you got emm home.

:D Oh I have too. But thats a chance you take sometimes. Thats where being prepared with a good pen comes in handy. Hold them till the next sale.

 

[gberry]

Mongoose - Here are the heifer sales at the Athens salebarn last week - August 7.

Feeder Heifers Medium and Large 1 - 2
Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price
4 250-290 260 121.00-131.00 128.21
18 300-345 315 115.00-127.00 122.85
13 350-395 366 114.00-123.00 118.27

So let's see. You are asking roughly $1.00 a pound. They're selling at the barn for anywhere between $1.15 and $1.27 a pound. Hmmmmmmm.

Cuz

I'm not sure the $350 price is as bad as it looks based on the above numbers.

350# - 5% shrink = 332#
332# at 1.20 = $398
$398 -4% commision = $382/head

I think $350 is a little low, but if you could get $385 a head you would be money ahead and you wouldn't have to haul them to the barn.

Lots of folks think they would get $420 for those 350# calves (350# at 1.20), but they won't.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Learning the sale barn tactics is an art in a sense. No place for a beginner,unless he has help.
I've been going to these sale barns for years. I know most of the buyers and they know me. They know well enough if there is something I want I will buy it. I have run up prices for them to eat it too. But thats part of it.
Not all cattle that goes thru sale barns are trash. A couple of years ago when the drought hit. People were selling registered stock. And they went cheap. But unless a person was rich who could buy them. There was no grass and hay was sky high.
When I go to the sale barns. I walk the cat walk first. Just to see whats there. I look for heifers mostly and I try to see if they have a bangs tag. That tells me that more than likely that animal has had shots. Even though I will vaccinate them again.
The next thing I look for is brands. Some of the locals that I do know. I know how they take care of their animals and what breed they have.
I take an over all look at the animal. What condition she is in,guess her weight and go inside and wait. I see how she does in the ring. If she's not climbing the walls and blowing snot . I'll bid on her.

ive seen them walk in the ring nice an calm.an then become snott blowers when you get them home.an ive seen wild cows do just fine when you get them home.ive bought cows that was calm that where wild when you got emm home.

:D Oh I have too. But thats a chance you take sometimes. Thats where being prepared with a good pen comes in handy. Hold them till the next sale.

I have had one that went back, once I caught her. She wanted to run with my neighbor's cows. A five foot corral wouldn't hold her.

But, in all fairness, if I take a load of my own heifers or cows to my little pasture at the house, they ball and try to get out. They just want to get "home" and these are calm cows. It wouldn't be any different if they came from the sale barn or from a pasture down the road. It takes a few days for them to settle in.

 

[TheBullLady]

I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing to buy at the auction barn, let's face it, unless you're buying registered cattle, it's getting harder and harder to find "private treaty" commercial sellers. A lot of commercial guys I know will keep their best heifers penned and consign them to a replacement sale.

I just think you should know what you're doing at the auction barn, and be prepared to buy someone else's problem. It doesn't mean they are all that way, it just means you run the risk. With a registered breeder, they will most likely stand behind anything they sell.

 

[backhoeboogie]

I just think you should know what you're doing at the auction barn, and be prepared to buy someone else's problem.

That is exactly what I hope to find. Good cattle that have a problem I know how to cure or fix.