Public Livestock Auctions

Statistics shows that majority of sheep owners sell their livestock through sale barns or public auction markets. The same goes for goats that are mostly sold in public auctions, though a considerable number of goats are slaughtered on-farm.

Selling through stockyard, sale barn, or public auction is an easy and convent way to make profits from your goats or sheep. In most cases, it yields regular earnings every week. You get increased sales especially during religious holidays when there is a high demand for goats and sheep. Another advantage of selling through public auction is that you get the payments in an instant. You also get protection from the Packers and Stockyards law.

To get the most profits out of marketing your sheep or goats at a stockyard or public auction, here are the guidelines you must keep in mind:

• When breeding meat goats, consider getting colored goats because buyers prefer them over white goats.

• Sell your goats or sheep when the reported prices are low. It is because at the next sale, the prices may increase and fewer farm animals will be sold.

• Build a good reputation as a seller. Figure out what buyers are looking for in sheep and goats. Get feedback from your customers, too, so that you know what to offer them next time.

• When selling sheep or goats, consider the major religious holidays. Muslim holidays such as the Eid ul-Fidr (Festival of Fast-Breaking) and Eid ul-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice) are the ideal time to sell sheep and goats in public auctions. Moreover, when you aim for a certain holiday, place your sheep or goats in the market place at least one week in advance.

• Keep yourself updated on market reports, but do not rely on them heavily. Although they are a good indicator of market trends, market reports are not 100 percent accurate and objective.

• Make sure the hocks or buttocks of your sheep or goats are kept clean before selling them at public auctions. Buyers will never purchase any animal that looks dirty.

• Avoid placing your sheep or goats at the last minutes because they are likely to be marketed at lower prices, especially when it is near the end of the sale.

• Goats and sheep that are not too fat or thin may be sheared so that they will look better to the buyers.

• Ethnic buyers prefer non-neutered male sheep or goats since they grow fast. Thus, avoid castrating your animals if you are planning to market them at public auctions.

• After you drop off your sheep and goats at the stockyard, keep an eye on them to make sure they are fed sufficiently and are placed in a clean and large area. That way, you can rest assured that you will make sales and profits from your animals.

Follow these tips when marketing your sheep and goats in public livestock auctions, and you will be guaranteed consistent sales and large profits in the long run.