Decide Now. Act Now.

Good marketing starts with a good strategy and requires good execution. If you are selling cattle for summer or fall delivery, now is the time to be thinking about your marketing options.

For stocker cattle and calves, we consistently see good results selling in summer video sales such as those offered by Superior and Western video auctions. There are many other options for video sales throughout the country. These sales have a lot of advantages for sellers and buyers: forward contract pricing (sell in summer and deliver in fall), cattle selling without leaving home (less shrink and little cost if you decide not to accept the highest bid), and very large audiences.

When we sell or forward contract on a video auction from home, we have a good idea of what our year-end income will look like. When markets are high, forward contracting can serve as a type of risk management, where we can lock in prices months before delivery. On a year like this, that helps me sleep better at night.

To sell effectively on the biggest video markets, cattle need to be consigned in advance. While it can be hard to know what your cattle

will weigh at shipping time, your history and a good sales representative can help you decide on contract terms, etc.

When it comes to marketing, being proactive works best. Don’t sit back and hope that the market will work for you. Know your product and your customers to capture the most value from your hard work.