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what makes a good sale barn

S

scout

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 16, 2007
Messages
273
Location
southeast Iowa
Just curious what everybody looks for in a good sale barn. I know for me has been #1 honesty and a sale barn owner that will talk to you about your cattle and help with marketing decisions. Just wondered what other people looked for and what do you think makes cattle bring more at one barn then a other usally in 100 mile spread it is the same order buyers.
 
Agree with the honesty/integrity part (there are a few out there). The other things I would add...
Treats buyers and customers well. Quiet crew in the back that is good at sorting cattle. Clean facility. Provides sales options such as pencil shrink/pre-weigh, video sales, internet sales, etc.
 
I have been to quite a few in South Dakota and the surrounding states. Some are horrible at marketing and let the buyers come in and pick and choose what they want. Alot of the time I can't really see what they are sorting for except just to get them cheaper. That in my book is a big NO. The barns have sorters out back that already do this. Now if something slips by and is obvious, then sort her off, but to just get them cheaper burns my ?!@. A good barn works for the seller and works with the buyer. A good barn should be marketing your cattle no matter what color or breed. I have seen some barns flat tell the seller, no matter how good the calves are, that they need to use a black bull. That sets me off as well. Their are buyers for every color, they just need to work and find them. Then a good barn needs to have their shirt in order. I was at one a few weeks ago, and they never had the count right. The had to constantly recount the cattle. Then they had them sorted by color, which isn't the end of the world, but on the calves I went their for, thier was about 40,000 lbs of red calves in one cut and then about 75,000 lbs of black calves in another cut. They were ruffly the same weight per calf. I asked them, if I got the reds, if I could fill out my load with the blacks, since they had more than a load in the other group. I needed about 15,000 lbs more for my load. They would not let me! So in turn, it made the reds sell for a little less because their were guys their that wanted a full load.
 
Our local sale barn presorts the cattle into tri loads as much as they can-if they are one iron so much the better. It takes a couple days to grade and sort 2500-3000 calves-they are weighed asap then a pencil shrink is taken and they are put on feed and water.It normally takes less than two hours to get them sold to live buyers and satellite. The brothers that took over the yard have increased volumes five times over what used to go through there. A salebarn that thrives brings alot of money to town and keeps alot of money in town. The odds and sods are grouped in a bunch and sold at the end for the most part-there are sales where only two or three tags(singles) are sold. Good calves of every colour bring good money.
 
good salebarns have changed across southern iowa in 30 years along with its farming.
as i like to hang out at salebarns,i have found alot of difference in them as i moved south.good people and good livestock definately make a good salebarn.
i've been from minnesota to southern texas, but nothin beats a good ol'
'hillbilly' auction' like here in the ozarks. :)
 
SOLICITATION

Bring me some cold beers on a hot day, tell me my cattle are great, give me a few dates when the buyers will be in the seats, give me an expected price and their yours.





Helps if your last name starts with U! :lol:
 
A good auctioneer will make or brake a salebarn. You have to be able to hear the guy and he has to take bids. I have been on both ends, buyind and selling. I never realized until I started buying how many missed bids there are and how many times an auctioneer won't break down his bid increments. I tried to buy some odd lots last month and didn't get much bought because the auctioneer wouldn't take a bid in a $10 increment, when he did take my bid he jumped it and I ended up paying $40 more than I wanted to. It really irritated me and had I been selling those cattle and realized that I may have gotten 10-20 bucks more per head I would have been mad (it would have paid a good share of the commission). Organization, nothing more irritating than taking all day because the barn doesn't have their poop in a group. Buyers generally seek out good cattle, it doesn't hurt to have a barn that promotes them.
 
What gets me ripped is when buying bulls and they try the $500 a bid runaways-there are alot of ways to deal with ringworms who try and bid you against the lightbulbs-bidding with an extended middle finger works for some-if I catch an outfit trying it that sale never sees my order again.
 
You just aren't a part of the groupies there, so they likely are only taking your obvious bids. They don't want you bidding up the cronies there and making them pay more. For all the crowds that gather at sells, I'd be willing to bet 5% or less are bidding and writing checks at the end of the sale. A good auction barn creates lots of commotion and hype and gets everyone excited with a few top selling pens, then everyone wants to be a part of the action and hauls their cattle in and wonders why they can't top the market.


flyingS said:
A good auctioneer will make or brake a salebarn. You have to be able to hear the guy and he has to take bids. I have been on both ends, buyind and selling. I never realized until I started buying how many missed bids there are and how many times an auctioneer won't break down his bid increments. I tried to buy some odd lots last month and didn't get much bought because the auctioneer wouldn't take a bid in a $10 increment, when he did take my bid he jumped it and I ended up paying $40 more than I wanted to. It really irritated me and had I been selling those cattle and realized that I may have gotten 10-20 bucks more per head I would have been mad (it would have paid a good share of the commission). Organization, nothing more irritating than taking all day because the barn doesn't have their poop in a group. Buyers generally seek out good cattle, it doesn't hurt to have a barn that promotes them.
Click to expand...
 
1. Good clear auctioneer that is fast and clear.
2. Good group of calf and cow buyer's.
3. Good staff that knows how to move cattle with little the use hotshot's.
4. Good place to get a hot meal and coffee.
5. Sale barn owners that works in the best interest of care for the cattle.
6. Sale barn owner that works with the sellers and buyers interest.
7. A good staff that works the front office.
8. A good computer system.
9. A DTN that buyers and sellers can use.
10. A good contract with cattle hauler's in the area.

These are the one that I have seen over the years that people like to have.
 

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