Top the Cattle Market
If your cattle look great, they will probably sell above the average price at any auction. But topping the sale takes a lot more information. Reputation cattle are no accident. Buyers today keep track of quality and performance because they lead to more profit potential.
To get your part of that profit potential, you’ll need the right cattle, the right information and the right communication:
- The Right Cattle
- The Right Information
- The Right Communication
The Right Cattle
Consider lot size, sex, color, vaccination history and natural eligibility if you’re looking to give your cattle an advantage the salebarn. A 2009 study from North Dakota State University* found the following three factors to impact sale prices most:
genetics were the top-value
category each year of the study
- Sex: Steers had the greatest premium, at $9.68 per hundredweight (cwt.) ahead of heifers in fall 2006-07.
- Lot size: Groups with more than 21 head sold at a $6.29/cwt. advantage to lots of 5 or fewer in the fall; $4.99/cwt. in the winter.
- Color: Black groups sold at the highest prices in both seasons, with $3.39/cwt. and $1.72/cwt. premiums, respectively. Black and black white faced mixed groups came in second, followed by straight black white faced and then mixed color groups.
A similar study focused on information from Superior Livestock Auction video sales.** It showed that while having a black hide helps, there has to be more behind it that color:
- Calves of primarily Angus genetics were the top-value category each year of the study; $7.64 over the base price of Brahman-influence “eared” cattle in 2008.
- Primarily Angus calves had to be described as at least 90% Angus by the seller. Brangus calves that were 90% or more black were not included in the analyses.
*2009 data from the sales of nearly 200,000 cattle in 18,178 lots by attending auctions in North Dakota, Montana and South Dakota
**From 2000-2008, data on more than 3.3 million head in 27,472 lots were collected from Superior Livestock Auction, analyzed by Pfizer Animal Health.
The Right Information
Astute auction managers recognize the demand for more detailed information flow. You have to share information to garner the proper attention for your cattle. Here’s how:
It’s a complete system, tracking
genetics, birth dates and
management practices.
- Write a half-page description of your cattle and provide copies of all supporting documents at sale time. A good place to start is building a calf resume.
- Use the AngusSource® program. It’s a complete system, tracking genetics, birth dates and management practices. Plus, it gives you the marketing benefit of sending potential buyers information about your calves.
The Right Communication
The key is to add value to your cattle, documenting everything and then communicating those details to the market representatives.
- Make sure the sale manager identifies your calves as Angus, not just “blacks.”
- Don’t be afraid to ask for more information on buyers. Some markets will share more than others, but that is just another point of differentiation.
- If you want that higher level of feedback, shop for the auction channel that best meets your needs.
You can work with your auction representative to help gather feedback on buyer acceptance of your cattle. To find a livestock auction that suits your needs, search the Livestock Marketing Association’s website.