How to Prepare for Your First Cattle Auction

There are a number of things you need to do before you go to your first cattle auction to buy livestock. It is easy to get caught up in the bidding with the auctioneer's sing-song of prices and people bidding on an animal. You can find yourself in trouble is you do not do your homework first.

Prepare for a Cattle Auction by Having a Place to take the Animals:

When you purchase an animal at a livestock auction, they expect you to pick animal up within 24 hours after the auction ends. With this in mind, you will need to have a place where you will take the animal you buy at a livestock auction. You will also need to have a state-issued brand card as it is illegal to own an animal without branding it within 30 days of the auction. Depending upon the type of livestock you are buying, you may need stronger pens for newly weaned calves compared to an older cow who is about to have a calf. Be sure you have all of the animal's needs including a source of water and any cattle feed in mind before you raise your hand to bid at a livestock auction.

Prepare for a Cattle Auction By Preplanning the Transportation.

People new to attending a livestock auction will sometimes buy a cow without thinking it through. You need to have some way to transport the cow to your home safely. There are many options here including hiring someone to transport the animal or having a pickup and livestock trailer available so that you can transport the cow yourself. If you find yourself in the predicament of buying an animal with no way to haul it, check with the livestock auction staff. They may know of someone locally who will transport the animal for you. You can also check the yellow pages to see if you can locate someone to haul your cow home for you.

Prepare for a Cattle Auction by Knowing the Purpose of the Animal You want to Buy:

There are many different classifications of livestock. Some are past their prime and are headed to a processing plant. Others will be used for breeding. Some breeds of cows are better for milk production but the bone structure makes them less than desirable for putting a beef in your freezer. If you are looking to increase your heard size, you will want to look for young heifers. If you want to raise a beef for your freezer, avoid the bulls as the testosterone from un-castrated bulls can make the meat taste nasty. Once you have decided what type of livestock you wish to purchase from the auction, educate yourself on how to tell if the animal is healthy.

Prepare for a Cattle Auction by Attending a Couple of Auctions Before You Go to Buy:

One of the best ways to educate yourself about livestock auctions is to attend one. Be sure to go up on the catwalk to check out all of the livestock that will be sold during the sell. Look for animals that fit your purposes then check their health. Do they have a straight back? Are the eyes clear? Are there any visible signs of illness? Is the animal to wild for you to handle? Once you have found a couple of animals you are interested in, go into the livestock auction ring and watch them sell. Keep an eye on the prices. Did the animal bring more or less than others in the same class? If it was less, ask someone the reason why it was marked down. It could be that it was a bull instead of a steer, or that it had horns or was missing part of its tail. There may have been a reason that a more seasoned cattleman will have spotted, such as the calf was limping which means it had problems with its hips.

Once you know what you want to buy, where it will live and how you will get it there, you are ready to bid at the livestock auction. By doing your homework, you will find the perfect animal to suit your purpose. One word of caution though, never take home just one. Cattle are a herd animal. One animal will bawl and moo forever if he does not have the company of a second hoofed animal.