Going to the Auction 4/10/04
Well, now you are in a fix. All your cows are bred, your bull has done his job and produced some good heifers that you want to keep. Must make a decision, either line breed (for you not so hep folks, that means to rebreed the bull to his offspring) or sell the bull and get another. Now one of the bigger ranchers is selling off all his registered Longhorn and he has some high dollar cows and bulls. Maybe I'll just go look. Now it stands to reason that if there are 50+ cows, you are going to like one. Bought it with a heifer at her side. Now you see a bull calf that is just the ticket. You and your partner decide that he should be the replacement for your older bull. Buy him, but will have to wait for him to grow a little. Well, now, since everything is bred, no need for a bull till the young one is ready, what will I do with this old bull. Try to sell him, lookers, but no buyers. Now this old bull can eat, and eat, and eat. Cost too much to keep him any longer, so decide to take him to the auction in West, Texas. Now that is a 14 hour drive from this old boy's home, must have a place to lay over one night. Talk to the rancher who sold you the new bull calf, he is going to the same auction and has family in Muleshoe, Texas. Great, they have pens and will let you overnight your cows with them along with his.
Now, the day has arrived to load out to go to the auction. Rained the day before, snowed that night, muddy, slick and cold. Somehow, you manage to get the cows (who are not interested one darn bit in taking a trip) and the bull loaded and with the help of 4 wheel drive, an answered prayer, and a little time, you manage to get to the highway. Now the cattle are inspected by the Brand Inspector, you meet up with the rancher, and off to Muleshoe you go. OK, so everything is not perfect. It has rained in Muleshoe, the pens are full of water, the loading area is all mud, and you are tired. 4 wheel drive again. You get unloaded, feed the cattle, agree that you should be loaded and on the road by 6am Texas time. Now you are off to Clovis to spend the night. Go to bed by 9pm and up at 3am. Start on the 450 mile trip to West. Stop for gas and keep going. Change two tires on one of the trailers, keep going. Roll into the auction barn at 3pm and unload. Find out that your cattle will be at the end of the auction, there goes the price. Hang around the pens, talk to buyers, try to promote your bull and hope it will up the anty. Noisy motel, motorcycle rally, don't sleep, up early and no coffee. Life is great.
Now you wait on the auction to start, might as well look at the cattle for sale, not going to buy this trip, just look and sale. Would you look at that little heifer, she is a beauty, probably go high. Your wife sees a heifer that she really likes, maybe you will try to buy it for her since she really would like to have it. Auction starts, and the cows are sold one at a time. The beauty you saw is not attracting any bidders, might as well bid. You"re raised once, you bid again, still a good price. Now you have bought a heifer, and still haven't got to the one your wife wanted. She says don't even think about buying another (women can sure get testy), so you don't bid on her's. It goes for a song, you kick yourself for not bidding. Cows are sure going cheap. Bulls are selling cheap, your bull comes up and you hope your P.R. did some good. He sells for just short of what you thought you would get. Probably should have put him in the freezer, would have been ahead. But life is great. You have a young heifer (that you didn't need), visited with friends and enjoyed the warm weather of east Texas.
Now you reflect on the wisdom of raising cattle. There is no money in it, matter of fact, it cost to feed, buy and sell (should be making money to sell, not giving it away). Strange what you do for hobbies. You pour some coffee, go sit on the porch and watch the cows in the pasture. Life is good and you still wouldn't trade it for living in the city.