livestock auctions

bluefish · #1 05/29/14, 04:35 PM

Can somebody walk me through livestock auctions? I realize they probably differ a bit from state to state but they can't be all that different. I have never had anything to do with one. Is the best thing to just go watch a few? Will I be able to learn from that the procedure for how to sell an animal? Are minors generally allowed to sell? Anything at all that you think I should know or specific questions I should ask?

Thanks!

grandma12703 · #2 05/29/14, 04:38 PM

I like going. Just go watch and you will have it figured out quickly.

MDKatie · #3 05/29/14, 04:57 PM

Selling is easy. Go to the animal drop off, drop off said animal and give your name and address, done. You don't have to stay for the auction.

SouthGAMan · #4 05/29/14, 05:24 PM

As MDKatie said the selling part is the easy part. As for buying it can be more difficult. One of the local auctions around here is billed as a small animal auction and many like goats, sheep, rabbits, chickens, ducks etc sell by the head...EXCEPT when they don't. LOL. Sometimes they group a few little ones together and you bid and highest bidder gets his choice of them or ALL of them at that price (but not all auctions necessarily work that way) and sometimes things get sold as the pair. You need to read the auctions rules if you can find where they are posted and at all times listen to the auctioneer. Pigs and cows around here sometimes sell by the pound (in terms of cents) but I have seen a few of them sold by the head as well. Most auctions I know will give you a bidder's number (and I tried for a long time to keep mine hidden from my wife)...I have seen a few times husband and wife bid AGAINST each other (as well as husband saying no and wife keep bidding lol). If you do decide to buy something before you go set yourself a budget of absolutely what you want to buy and don't go over that amount. If I think there is any chance whatsoever that I will bid on something then I normally get there early and look around really good (even making notes on what looks good, by lot number, and I sometimes jot down what I think is a good price on that particular animal).

Good luck and prepare to see plenty you'd like to buy.

ErinP · #5 05/29/14, 11:14 PM

I work in the office at our local salebarn.
Yes, minors are allowed to sell. I think you're in a brand-inspection area, so the brand inspector will probably make sure that the minor has the same name as the brand owner (kids selling a few, or just getting the money for them, out of Mom and Dad's herd is VERY common)

No, you don't have to stay and watch, though I've never understood how people can't.

Check into what fees are charged--typical is commission (the barn's actual cut), vet bills (cows are usually mouthed for age, sometimes pregged, etc.), yardage (even if you've only been there a few hours, they'll probably charge you for feed and water), Beef Checkoff, and so on.
Some will also refund certain fees. For example, our barn refunds brand inspection fees because neighboring states require inspection to leave the state and that is how our barn convinces people to sell across the state line.

haypoint · #6 05/30/14, 05:19 AM

Cattle sometimes sold by the head (each), some times by the hundredweight, sometimes a group of four will sell at four times the bit amount. Sometimes a group will sell with the high bidder having the choice to buy one, two or the whole group for their bid price times the number they want.
If you can't tell good from bad, quiet from sick, expect trouble.

bluefish · #7 05/30/14, 07:52 AM

Thanks all. I don't intend to buy, I was looking at selling extra goats. DD has a couple of boers and it would be nice if she could sell babies to pay back the purchase price. I should probably go and watch a couple, but it doesn't sound all that appealing with a hyperactive 3 yr old in tow.

sammyd · #8 05/30/14, 02:00 PM

oops wasn't paying attention.

ErinP · #9 05/30/14, 08:30 PM

I spent MANY hours in the salebarn when my kids were younger.
It's probably one of the better places to haul a hyperactive three year old, IMO...

Awnry Abe · #10 05/30/14, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ErinP

No, you don't have to stay and watch, though I've never understood how people can't.

.

I drop mine off on a Sunday afternoon for the Tuesday sale. I'm not sticking around to watch something that is over in the blink of an eye. The check shows up in the mailbox by Friday. Soon enough for me, and the amount is the same whether I am there or not.

But I do very much enjoy going.

Therm, you can watch live feeds of livestock auctions right on the comfort of your home computer. It is a good way to learn the jargon, which is pretty universal as far as I can tell. Just google it.

plowjockey · #11 05/31/14, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thermopkt

Thanks all. I don't intend to buy, I was looking at selling extra goats. DD has a couple of boers and it would be nice if she could sell babies to pay back the purchase price. I should probably go and watch a couple, but it doesn't sound all that appealing with a hyperactive 3 yr old in tow.

IME, by the time I took off work, spent the gas and time, to take my sheep to the sale barn, 45 miles away, it would have been cheaper to just give them away. There are usually two buyers from packing houses, that take turns buying, and an odd looking guy, that takes them somewhere to be butchered.

Baby goats were selling there for $8 each and still charged the seller commission, yardage etc. IN reguires animal ID to sell. The sale barn will tag them - for $3 ea.

It's fun to go there and Topeka IN, has a large Amish attendance, but eh check at the end of the sale, minus fees, was not that impressive, at least for me.

Check it out it is interesting.

CountryWannabe · #12 06/04/14, 11:11 AM

You probably need to call the sale barn and ask them whatever you are confused about - they all seem to have similarities but also they can vary in detail.

Our local sale barn (sheep, goats, llamas mostly) has you bring them in either the day before (Friday) or the day of the sale (Saturday). If they are not scrapie tagged they do that for $2 (mandatory). If you have several animals they sort them into groups however they think will sell best, put sticky numbers on each animal and color-code them with crayon-like markers for male, female, neutered, young. They take your name and address, say "Thank you, checks go out Monday" and you are free to leave and wait till the post comes Tuesday to see what you got.

Mary

grandma12703 · #13 06/09/14, 04:43 PM

I think I am just weird but I love going to the sales. I would rather sit all day Sat. watching a sale than do anything else. I find it interesting and usually find something I can use.

collegeboundgal · #14 06/10/14, 01:50 AM

Best time to sell goats is the last sale before Easter. Kids in the 50-60lb weight bring the best price, but all classes will bring a decent amt. (as long as it looks like it would survive the time to get it sold)

ErinP · #15 06/10/14, 11:45 AM

If you have an established Hispanic population in the area, they'll sell well in early summer, too. Graduation season through weddings and the 4th of July.

haypoint · #16 06/11/14, 04:55 PM

Various Middle Eastern cultures eat a lot of goats and have festivals with mass goat butchering. If you have a large Muslim population, it might be worth checking out when those holidays are.

mrs whodunit · #17 06/11/14, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plowjockey

IME, by the time I took off work, spent the gas and time, to take my sheep to the sale barn, 45 miles away, it would have been cheaper to just give them away. There are usually two buyers from packing houses, that take turns buying, and an odd looking guy, that takes them somewhere to be butchered.

Baby goats were selling there for $8 each and still charged the seller commission, yardage etc. IN reguires animal ID to sell. The sale barn will tag them - for $3 ea.

It's fun to go there and Topeka IN, has a large Amish attendance, but eh check at the end of the sale, minus fees, was not that impressive, at least for me.

Check it out it is interesting.

I haul 60 miles one way and do very well. Lots of buyers

3 baby goat= $150+ on my last trip

I tag the animals myself.... the state gives away the tagging stuffs

PNP Katahdins · #18 06/12/14, 03:08 PM

We make sure everyone has a scrapie tag when loading up our sheep going to market. Also our usual sale barn in Fennimore, WI requires a statement "Continuous Country of Origin Affidavit/Declaration" be kept on file with them for each seller. When we took a neighbor's cull ewe along with ours, I made sure to get that taken care of since he had never sold there before. The sale barn appreciated my effort. They have the form available online.

Peg