Selling heifers at Bull sales

[JD4ME]

I have a question,
we have ran a closed herd of pretty nice hereford based cows here for all my life we crossed them up back a number of years ago, now we are running both black and red angus bulls on them and geting baldie and brockle faced calves. We retain the top red heifers into our herd and have been approached by the people we buy the black bulls from about putting the Black baldies,brockles and pure blacks in behind their bulls at thier sale.

My question is, Is this a good way to market these girls or is it a mistake? What have you seen?

[cowman]

A limo sale held yesterday in Sask. saw commercial yearling heifers sell for $860 average which is about market price I would suspect, so you would have to weigh the added cost of advertising and getting the heifers ready for the sale etc., plus the commission will likely be higher than at a regular auction sale.

[PureCountry]

I think it's less risk than selling the bulls, myself. Buying bulls is just a different ball game altogether, and so is the crowd it draws in. Most people I know that do it, are happy with the outcome. We're certainly looking to try it in the future, if all the cards fall right.

[PureCountry]

I said alot there w/o saying anything. I wanted to add that if THEY are approaching YOU, ask why. If they want your heifers there, obviously it's to promote their own program, by showcasing what their bulls do. You can sell them anywhere, so there should be some benefit to you, like lower commission or some promotion of your own program.

[PureCountry]

good advice. I would suggest that if there is any advertising associated with the sale, should you decide to go that route, the seller of the bulls should pick up the tab. After all, it his bulls he is advertising.

Depending on the numbers you have it may be worth your while to arrange to have a private sale in conjunction with the regular sale at your local auction market.

I have been to a few of those in the past, and they seemed to bring a premium if they were from a reputation herd.

[Willowcreek]

This happens down here with bull sales quite often...It is usually a win-win situation for both...Bull sellers can showcase some good heifers out of their bulls and possibly draw more buyers to the sale...Heifer seller gets a crowd that is there looking for that breed, type and bloodlines seedstock already...

Usually the heifers selling with the bull sales top the market...In fact many times its the heifer sellers that are asking the bull seller if they can tag onto his sale...

Locally these commercial heifers are usually sold in large lots with a gate cut sort of 5 or more- and they are charged no more than normal commission charges...

Sounds to me you must have some nice heifers and may have just found a good marketing tool for them......

[JD4ME]

Thanks for the replies, I believe I'll give it a whirl perhaps not with the whole group but maybe 20ish and see how it goes. I'd be alittle more settled if this market wasn't so jittery. As well the time frame is short and I don't know if these guys are out for my best interests or theirs. I'll let you know how it goes.

[JD4ME]

Good luck JD4ME, hope you top the sale with them !!

[cswilson]

Some eight weight horned hereford heifers brought 950 in Brooks on Monday-they might of brought more but the runner up bidder-me- weakened lol.

[Willowcreek]

cswilson
"Some eight weight horned hereford heifers brought 950 in Brooks on Monday-they might of brought more but the runner up bidder-me- weakened lol."

Cheapskate!!!

[cswilson]

Why ty Willowcreek-that's one of the nicest things I've ev er been called lol.

[Willowcreek]

I figured you'd enjoy it-- At least your staying away from that northern ranchers wife when you're buying heifers...LOL

[Willowcreek]

Too much information Willowcreek !!!!!!

[cswilson]

Ohh Northern Rancher's lady makes the homecoming worthwhile-he's a lucky man.

[cswilson]

Attended the sale today at Nilsson's in Clyde, there was a heifer show and sale, where the heifers were sold in lots of 10.

There were Chars., Blacks. Red Angusx etc., and they averaged around $950.00.