Going to the regional stockyards or even to your local livestock auction can be very intimidating for a first timer. We all have fears of buying high and selling low, and when you couple that with the worry of saying or doing the wrong thing in a tight spot, the market might seem like a scary place.
Luckily, stockyards are usually filled with folks who are ready and willing to help you market your animals, or ready to help you purchase some animals that will fit your operation. To help ease anxiety, local livestock marketing professionals helped compile this list of terms to help you know exactly what is going on.
Cody Vaughn, who works at the Benton City, Ark., sale barn, reminded buyers to clarify the difference between price per pound and hundredweight, and then do the math accordingly. Sometimes, buyers fail to realize just how much that bid amounts to when you multiply by 600 or more. He also recommended that buyers who want to buy animals for their own use should find out the age of the animal they are buying instead of just the weight.
Depending on how the animal was raised, a 600 pound calf might be a yearling that has been on grass, or it might be freshly weaned, depending on how the previous owner cared for it. You should also have a plan about how you plan to care for the animal after you buy it. Cody pointed out that many people in the Ozarks technically are “backgrounding.” They buy “feeder steers” and take them home to put them on their pasture, then will haul them back to the stockyards when they weigh 800-900 pounds.
Though these are all important terms to know, you should also get familiar with the terms specific to your local auction barn and the people who work there. Getting acquainted with the friendly people at your local sale barn before sale day is a good idea. Do a little homework, make a few new friends and support your local or regional stockyards. Though a sale barn might be intimidating, it can also be a great place to get a deal on the animals you want.
