On Tuesdays, Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays visits with Ben Hale of Western Livestock Auctions as he talks about the latest in the markets and more. Established in 1995, Western has grown into a multi-generational family-owned and operated business and stands as a symbol of tradition, excellence, and a deep-rooted passion for the cattle industry. Western Livestock Auctions operates the Western Livestock Commission Firm, which sells cattle on Mondays and Tuesdays. They also operate the livestock auction markets in Woodward, Comanche, Waurika, and Knoxville, Iowa.
As cattle markets opened the week, volatility and outside pressures created a tense atmosphere, but trade at the Oklahoma National Stockyards held up better than some expected. Hale said a mix of global news and industry developments has been weighing on the market, though overall performance remained steady.
Hale pointed to several factors influencing the early-week market activity, including geopolitical concerns and industry disruptions. “There’s just so much stuff being thrown into this cattle market, and it still holds pretty good,” Hale said. Despite the uncertainty, he noted that lighter tests on some calves and feeders didn’t show much weakness.
Buyer selectivity was noticeable in the market, with stronger demand for cattle that met certain quality standards. Hale said the condition of some cattle likely influenced pricing, explaining that many coming off wheat pasture were carrying extra condition. “The plainer calves and the plainer yearlings, and a lot of these cattle coming off wheat are extremely fleshy,” Hale said. “As good as this weather’s been I’m not sure some of it was some of that, but all in all… I thought we got along extremely well.”
Even with varied quality in the offering, strong demand appeared for the right kind of cattle. Hale noted that thinner, high-quality cattle brought impressive prices. “We had a lot of those thin, black-hided, good six-weight steers, and they bring way north of four bucks and lots of activity on them,” he said.
Looking ahead, Hale said producers remain cautiously optimistic as they weigh outside pressures against strong cattle fundamentals. “Despite everything… the fundamentals are still there” Hale said. “If we can just kind of get it to settle down, I think we still have some money to be made in these cattle.” He added that recent rains and improving wheat pasture conditions could keep sale runs lighter in the near term as producers hold cattle longer.
Hale can be contacted at 940-631-2333. Check out more about the marketing options that Western offers by clicking here.
