More info needed at sales

[Rob R]

A thought provoking article in the Farmers Weekly this week, and one that I think more people, and particularly the rare breed auctions, should embrace. I've said it before but livestock markets are the ideal opportunity to weigh cattle and make this information available at the ringside to raise prices.

[jim riding]

would be good if you had the weight before buying steers or heifers for fattening but most modern auctions have a seperate sale ring for stores and fat cattle ,so the store cattle dont go through a weighscale. also think if you weigh them before sale you have to sell pence per kilo so unless you have some way of converting pence per kilo x weight as you are bidding you could end up with cattle that are to expensive to fatten good for seller not good for buyer

[Rob R]

also think if you weigh them before sale you have to sell pence per kilo

Interesting explantion, is that by law?

[jim riding]

not sure but the local auction mart (clitheroe) used to run store cattle over weighscales ,but they couldnt have the weight on display now they have a seperate entrance for store cattle . dont know if by law or it was due to a mlc levy

[Louisa Gidney]

Having looked at the article, I would have said that the fact the vendors were not in the ring with their stock sent a clear message to potential buyers that the animals were there to sell with no reserve. I have sent stock to ordinary marts with the local haulier on that understanding.
Having had umpty ump years of hiring out bulls on a farm to farm basis, I would hate to go down that route as a prime method of marketing animals.

[Boofarm]

All local auction marts in this area weigh stores and display the weight, age, breed and assurance status - and sell at price per head not per kilo

cheers
mac

[Rob R]

Well, I asked York if they would consider doing it this time, and this is the response that I received;

Sometimes we will weigh the cattle before going into the ring however this is not displayed to people buying the cattle.

Now, I knew that already, but I was trying to suggest that they should tell the buyers, so that we can work out the cull price and bid accordingly. It's probably just been ignored, but we'll see after the next sale...

[SteveM]

Would put a value on steers but not sure about cows with calves at foot and a handler leading them

[Rob R]

Would put a value on steers but not sure about cows with calves at foot and a handler leading them

I'm not so sure, but, liking the stats, I'm going to note down how many are being led and compare the prices in future, though.

However, based on last years catalogue, being in calf seems to make little difference whether they are killed or not. Of the pedigree stock entered and forward, 35% have now been slaughtered. Of the 8 described as being in calf, 3 were dead while in calf, within days and a further two after they calved.

[Rob R]

Average, cows and calves, 405gns, on halters and led 520gns
Heifers, 290 & 375
Bulls, 435 & 400

So, haltered and led appears to add about 28/9% to the value in most cases.