EXPERT ADVICE
by Managing Editor Stevie Ipsen
THE BENEFIT OF UTILIZING MARKETING STAFF BEFORE AND ON SALE DAY
When it comes time to buy bulls, the catalogs, the data, the individuals programs and incentives of each can be overwhelming. Recognizing the genetic influence the bulls you select will have on your next calf crop shows why bull-buying decisions should not be made lightly. Selecting and purchasing a bull for your beef herd is one of the most important decisions for your operation. Fortunately the tools to assist cattle producers are better than ever, giving you some reassurance to validate your decisions. In a market like we are seeing today, the upfront cost of recharging your bull battery is also something to consider, but the aged-old phrase “you get what you pay for,” may ring true. Another layer of confidence that comes with your decision to bid on a bull and take him home is that virtually all sellers deliver bulls to you with a satisfaction guaranteed promise that you will be pleased with your purchase. For longtime purebred cattle auctioneer Col. Rick Machado, representing seed stock and commercial producers across the country is one of his greatest privileges. “I get to work for the kind of people you can trust every single day,” Machado said. “ Not just on purebred operations but also on commercial ones as well.” For those who make a stop or two along the fall bull sale trail up and down the West Coast, it is commonly noticed that Machado is the first of the crew to arrive. As the person responsible for selling the cattle, he makes it a priority to scour sale catalogs and data before the sale and visually appraise each bull so he can translate to the buying audience what every lot has to offer. “The difference betwen a good auctioneer and a great one is product knowledge. I need to know 32 California Cattleman August 2024
what I am selling and I make a point of knowing the promising attributes as well as any downfalls that a particular individual might carry,” Machado said. “I probably do way more homework than necessary sometimes but I would rather be on the block and have too much information to share with buyers than not enough.” Scientific data available to buyers is constantly evolving and seedstock producers and the marketing crew have to understand what those numbers mean and how they apply to a set of cattle or individual sale lots. Machado said in the time he has been merchandising purebred cattle, the data available to buyers has increased exponentially. “Maybe even more significant than that are the tools and tests breeders have at their disposal to bring the data to potential buyers,” Machado said. “The breeders that utilize their tools and constantly make improvements are the ones that get return buyers year after year.” Of course, tools and tests come with a price tag but the reassurance to both buyer and seller can be priceless. While auctioneers like Machado may be among the first of the sale crew to arrive, the publication and breed representatives are never far behind. Machado says those professionals are typically called field staff because they’re the ones out “in the field.” It’s their responsiblity to translate to both purebred and commercial ranchers the programs, data and trends in the current marketing and breeding climate that will assist in breeding and marketing decisions. “I field a lot of calls from buyers about what might be available at upcoming production or ...CONTINUED ON PAGE 34