Do you plan to attend a livestock show or cattle auction this year? Planning is vital whether it’ll be your first time or you’re a seasoned pro. Check out some tips that’ll help you prepare for this season’s livestock shows.
Set a Goal Ahead of Time
It’s easy to get caught up in the moment and bid on livestock that you don’t need when attending an auction. Fortunately, you can avoid this problem by setting a goal ahead of time. First, consider your farm’s specific needs. For instance, you might need a starter herd for your farm. If that’s the case, you also need to think about the breed. After thinking about your specific needs, set your budget. Then create a strategy to help you fill your needs without going over your budget.
Have Everything Set up to Care for the Livestock
Some livestock shows will house the cattle overnight and let you pick them up the next day. However, you’ll likely take the livestock home on the day of the auction, so set everything up ahead of time. You need to keep them away from other animals for the first two weeks, so keep that in mind when getting your farm ready.
Find Out the Billing Policy
You want to make sure you can complete the transaction on the day of the sale, so find out the auction’s billing policy before you go. In most instances, you’ll have to pay with cash or a credit card. However, there are some shows and auctions that still take checks. By finding out ahead of time, you won’t have to worry about losing out on a purchase.
Bring the Right Gear to the Auction
You’ll need to bring more than money with you when you visit an auction or livestock show. Throw some water buckets, hay, and a pitchfork into your trailer. Finally, put on your work clothes before going since it can get messy at a livestock show.
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Bring a Friend to Help You Buy Healthy Livestock
Livestock shows and auctions are full of animals to purchase. While most cattle will be healthy, that’s not always the case. If you’re new to buying livestock, ask a friend to come along with you. Choose someone with experience to help you purchase healthy livestock. You’ll learn quite a bit, so you’ll be ready to go solo next time.
Keep these tips in mind as you prepare for the next livestock show or cattle auction. Then you can find what you need, and you’ll go home with healthy livestock. Once you arrive home, you can put them in a sectioned-off area of your farm and monitor them for illness before introducing them to the rest of your herd.
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