Mississipi Feeder Calf Board Sales

Since mid-July of 2007, beef cattle producers and commodity support groups have been working to provide a new marketing option for Mississippi feeder cattle. After many meetings and input from interested parties, the group developed the Mississippi Homeplace Producer Sale and the Cattlemen's Exchange Sales. These auctions are managed as board sales by marketing cattle while they are not on site. Each lot is represented by video or picture that is shown while that lot sales. The video or picture, along with a full description of each lot, are available to potential buyers and the general public prior to sale day.

The primary advantage of these sales is that they accommodate a large number of feeder calves that might not all be ready to ship on a certain day by giving the flexibility to arrange for future delivery. Another advantage is offering all cattle in load-lots made up of single or multiple consignments of uniform calves. These consignments are received from across the state and loads are assembled with regard to region and type of cattle. Pencil shrinks agreed to for these sales should prove to capture several dollars per head that would be lost in some other marketing scenarios. Other advantages include reduced handling and comingling prior to shipping and the ability to establish a reputation that could bring the same buyer year after year, willing to pay more for calves from producers whose cattle have performed well in the past.

Health management and preconditioning are always among the primary concerns with these types of sales. Consignors are encouraged to complete Mississippi Beef Quality Assurance training and to participate in the Mississippi Animal Disease and Disaster Preparedness Program. These sales do not require a single preconditioning and vaccination protocol. However, calves that have been managed similarly will be grouped in the same load. For example, consigners who have vaccinated with the same products and preconditioned their calves for a similar amount of time will be grouped together and represented as such in the sale. Furthermore, several facilities across the state have been identified to provide custom weaning services for producers who do not have adequate facilities or resources.

It is extremely important for the integrity of these sales that all cattle are represented truthfully and accurately. It is also essential that each consigner remains committed to the sale after completing a consignment form. This commitment is not only to the management and buyers but, more importantly, to the other beef cattle producers that will be marketing in this sale. Please contact a representative of the Mississippi Cattlemen's Association, Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation, Mississippi State University Extension Service, or Mississippi Beef Cattle Improvement Association to learn more about this marketing opportunity and to obtain a consignment form.

Cattlemen's Exchange Producer Sale - Terms and Conditions

Cattlemen's Exchange Producer Sale - Consignment Form

Homeplace Producers Sale - Terms and Conditions

Homeplace Producers Sale - Consignment Form

Table 1. Comparison of average weight and price statistics for load types in the 2009 Homplace Producers' Feeder Calf Board Sale.

* Average price per head without adjustment for commission, insurance and shrink.
** Heifers in split loads sold $6/cwt back from steers (steer price listed).
*** Not adjusted for reduced heifer values within load.

Table 2. Comparison of average weight and price statistics for all steers and heifers (in both straight and mixed loads) in the 2009 Homplace Producers' Feeder Calf Board Sale.

* Average price per head without adjustment for commission, insurance and shrink.
** Heifers in split loads sold $6/cwt back from steers (steer price listed).

Total sales = $1.9 million