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Just a scoop full(July 8)--The sale barn business is very interesting to say the least. For the most part, I am not that available unless they call me on the phone for complaints or comments. On days before the sale, I am out in the pens sorting cattle. On sale days, I work in the ring. Some will walk up to the ring but will have to talk fast as we are always in a hurry. It has also been said for years that the wheel that squeaks the loudest gets the grease. Several years ago, one woman brought in a load of cattle to sell. We sorted her cattle but sorted off one steer that had a little hump in his back and sold that steer by himself. I could add the fact that this woman is very strong-willed. That would be a nice way of putting it. When she got her check, she noticed that we wrote humpback beside the one and it brought 20 cents a pound less. Well, needless to say, I got a phone call from her. She informed me that she did not have a humpbacked steer. She has never had a humpbacked steer. And I was also informed that I better not ever think again that she had a humpbacked steer. She did not seem to notice the other 100 head that sold very well. And I must say that every time since then she has never had a humpbacked steer. Or at least, we have never again written humpback on her ticket. Dealing with the public can be challenging but, for the most part, we do not get many complaints. The feeder cattle market is very good. I am surprised that we stay that optimistic with fat cattle losing what they have for a long time. I am hoping that these cattle finally make good money. A few months ago when we had a large amount of snow, several of us learned a lesson about insurance. I supposedly had insurance on a steel building that collapsed from the snow. Actually, I had wind damage; but they said they would not pay for it even though the wind put the snow on one side and made it collapse. You may want to check if you see the word collapse. I feel my insurance agent did not do the job in letting me know what I had or did not have. I will soon be insured by someone else. Editor's Note: Jerry Nine, Woodward, Okla., is a lifetime cattleman who grew up on his family's ranch near Laverne, Okla.
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