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Just a scoop full(July 12)--The feeder cattle market is extremely good. The availability of feeders is very slim. However, this better market will pull some feeder cattle back to the auction sooner than planned simply because of higher prices. The cattle industry is very interesting. All of us think differently and that's not all bad. I would also say that no matter whether you are an order buyer or a sale barn owner or soliciting cattle for video or trying to trade for them in the country--each one of us must have a sales pitch to promote our segment of the industry. I can honestly tell you that I prefer the auction, whether I am buying or selling, to the others. I like to either be looking at the cattle myself or having someone I trust looking at them in the ring. You are not guessing how fleshy or gaunt they will be later. You are making a judgment call at that moment. Some cattlemen think if they sell in the country--they have saved commission and tracking. Others do not want any singles sold by themselves--thus feeling like they got top dollar for everything. Others simply put their faith in the marketing person to decide for them what is best. Some want to bring their cattle in the day of the sale so they do not have to see that word, feed, on their sales slip. When I bought the auction 7 years ago, I asked one large operator if he would consider selling some feeder cattle at my sale. He said, "You can't get them full enough to satisfy me." I said we could. I finally convinced him to give us a chance. Since then, he has sold over 40,000 cattle with us. Another consignor, the other day, had over 700 head that he sold with us. We gained 26 pounds over gross on the average. If he sold them in the country he would have shrunk them 2 percent or 14 pounds. So the difference was 40 pounds at $1.10 per hundredweight which equals $44 per head. The commission at the sale was $5.87 per head. The trucking was $4 per head and three days feed made a grand total of charges of $17.37. This put $26.63 per head back in the consignors pocket. On 700 head that totals $18,641. That money might as well be in the ranchers pocket. The cattle industry is very interesting. All of us think differently and that's not all bad. I would also say that no matter whether you are an order buyer or a sale barn owner or soliciting cattle for video or trying to trade for them in the country--each one of us must have a sales pitch to promote our segment of the industry. I can honestly tell you that I prefer the auction, whether I am buying or selling, to the others. I like to either be looking at the cattle myself or having someone I trust looking at them in the ring. You are not guessing how fleshy or gaunt they will be later. You are making a judgment call at that moment. Some cattlemen think if they sell in the country--they have saved commission and tracking. Others do not want any singles sold by themselves--thus feeling like they got top dollar for everything. Others simply put their faith in the marketing person to decide for them what is best. Some want to bring their cattle in the day of the sale so they do not have to see that word, feed, on their sales slip. When I bought the auction 7 years ago, I asked one large operator if he would consider selling some feeder cattle at my sale. He said, "You can't get them full enough to satisfy me." I said we could. I finally convinced him to give us a chance. Since then, he has sold over 40,000 cattle with us. Another consignor, the other day, had over 700 head that he sold with us. We gained 26 pounds over gross on the average. If he sold them in the country he would have shrunk them 2 percent or 14 pounds. So the difference was 40 pounds at $1.10 per hundredweight which equals $44 per head. The commission at the sale was $5.87 per head. The trucking was $4 per head and three days feed made a grand total of charges of $17.37. This put $26.63 per head back in the consignors pocket. On 700 head that totals $18,641. That money might as well be in the ranchers pocket. Study your lesson. Just because you do not see the word trucking or commission--doesn't mean that you made the most money possible. Editor's note: Jerry Nine, Woodward, Okla., is a lifetime cattleman who grew up on his family's ranch near Laverne, Okla. Date: 7/18/07
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