Sample: E-Book – Casual Voice (excerpt)

Rancher's Guide to Registered Cattle Sales: How To Plan and Hold Your Own Auction

© 2003 – all rights reserved

Introduction

"Don't be afraid to take a big step. You can't cross a chasm in two small jumps."
-David Lloyd George

Even though I’ve been around cattle all my life, auctions have always seemed like mysterious ceremonies that could be performed only by specially annointed people (that is, the auctioneers). In fact, auctions were so shrouded in secrecy that it seemed arrogant for me to even think of holding an auction of my own. In 1984, though, I decided to do it anyway. It didn’t take long for me to find out just how little I knew about livestock sales. Even though I hired someone to manage the sale, I didn’t even know the right questions to ask.

I’ve held many sales since then, and each time I’ve learned a little more about how the process works. But I still remember how it felt, that first time around, to know almost nothing at all. Hopefully, this book will give you an advantage I didn’t have. In fact, I’m hoping that even if you’re a seasoned professional, you’ll find new information here.

I considered extending the scope of this book to include the sale of other livestock such as horses, sheep, goats, and pigs. In the end, I decided against it because my expertise is in cattle. Nevertheless, I suspect that no matter what kind of animal you raise, you’ll find this volume useful.

Thank you for taking the time to purchase and read this book. If you like what you read (or even if you don’t), please write and tell me. I look forward to hearing from you.

Chapter One: Why Hold an On-Farm Cattle Sale?

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible."
-Walt Disney

Many ranchers never consider holding an on-farm sale. After all, as this book makes clear, holding a cattle sale is a major undertaking, requiring you to manage many logistical details. Wouldn't it be easier just to sell by private treaty?

Sure, it might be easier in the short run. However, it is actually more expensive to sell by private treaty than by sale. Take advertising, for example. When you advertise for private treaty sales, your advertising dollars target individual ranchers looking to make small purchases of just a few head of cattle. This is particularly true where your advertisement features a few specific animals….