"KEEP IN MIND THAT BUYERS DO WANT TO EVALUATE FEET AND LEGS, SO DON'T GO OVERBOARD ON THE BEDDING."
LIMOUSIN VOICE / WINTER 2020
46 The ‘traditional’ live auction sale, where sale animals are put through a sales ring, either individually or in pairs, is ideal in many ways. Buyers see the animal first-hand. In the heat of the moment it is easier to get caught up in buying when the live animal is right there in front of you to admire. It is also easier for buyers to make a last-minute decision to purchase an animal they had not looked closely at, that is selling for a deal. On the flip-side, the stress of noise, strange people, a small space, and being singled out on their own can sometimes be all too much for even typically docile cattle. Additionally, significantly more helpers are needed to efficiently move the sale cattle to and from the ring. Some operations hosting on-farm sales simply do not have the necessary space or infrastructure to have a sale ring and instead opt for playing a looped video of the animal on offer on multiple large screens. In either case, your sale cattle should be penned nearby to where the bidding will take place to allow prospective buyers to evaluate them prior to the sale. Clearly label your pens and consider posting a pen diagram or printing off copies so buyers can easily find the cattle they are most interested in. Clean bedding such as straw is the norm for many winter sales – but keep in mind that buyers do want to evaluate feet and legs so don’t go overboard on the bedding. For warmer weather sales, grass pens are always preferable over bare dirt or concrete. If you feel it will be advantageous, consider having reference sires and dams on display as well. If the live animals are unable to be brought out, it may be worthwhile to have photographs on display of significant reference animals. The following suggestions and timeline are perhaps second nature to those who are old hands at hosting their own sales. Hopefully you glean some piece of helpful information – or at the very least a reference you can argue with your spouse about when the job doesn’t get done in time – regardless of your sale planning prowess.
Photo: Tessa Verbeek
Photo: Barn Girls