1. Feeder Cattle Market Outlets Lisa Kriese-Anderson Extension Animal Scientist Auburn University

2. Marketing Feeder Cattle Options will depend on the number of feeder calves you have to market at a given time Options will also depend on the amount of effort you are willing to put into marketing

3. Local Auction Market Local Auction Markets are how the majority of cattle are marketed in Alabama 27 stockyards currently operating in AL Open almost every week of the year Can market 1 calf to 100’s of calves for you at a given time

4. Local Auction Market Auction markets are run by professionals – Licensed – Bonded Commission to sell cattle at the market, plus Beef Checkoff – Can be paid that day as soon as your calves sell

5. Local Auction Market Marketing Options – Weekly regular sale – Special sales Get to know your local auction market owner/manager If you want top market value – Bring to the auction cattle the buyers want Large and Medium 1’s and 2’s Healthy Mainstream breed/breed combinations Dehorned and castrated would be good!

6. Order Buyers Order buyers are licensed cattle buyers that can come to your farm and purchase calves – Will want a group of uniform calves Age and/or weight There are local order buyers as well as regional or national order buyers – Orders buyers may/may not collect Beef Checkoff – If not, you are responsible for sending in Beef Checkoff money

7. Tele-auctions or Board Sales Organized sales of feeder calves where: – Calves stay on farm until sold and ready for pickup – Calves are pre-conditioned – including proper vaccinations and boosters, dehorned and castrated – Feeder calves or stocker cattle Most successful if in truck load lots and at least 1,000 cattle in sale – Cattle need to weigh 500 lb + at pick up – Want to attract out of state buyers

8. Tele-auctions or Board Sales Many times producer organized and run – May or may not have a licensed selling agent involved Payment is made when cattle change hands – Usually bank transfer Load lots of cattle can also be sold at any time through your local auction market – Sometimes sold same day as regular sale

9. Market to Feedlot Cattle can be marketed directly to/through a feedlot Feedlot will want to partner with you – Especially if 1 st time feeding your cattle – Especially if you have no previous carcass/post- weaning data to share Cattle will need to be 500 lbs + unless feedyard has a stockering program

10. Market to Feedlot Cattle need to be marketed to the correct feedlot – In general, AL cattle are have favorable USDA Yield Grades and either grade Select or Choice+ High Plains feedyards – Favorable Yield Grades – Select Cattle Midwest – High USDA grades West – High Brahman influence

11. Freezer Beef Retain feeder cattle and market as freezer meat Market the live animal – Whole animal – Half animal – Quarter animal Market Individual pieces – Require either AL State Meat Inspection Federal Meat Inspection

12. Feeder Calf Market Options Summary Auction Market Order Buyers Tele-auctions or Board Sales To/Through a Feedlot Freezer Beef