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.
Hale says cattle receipts were higher at the Oklahoma National Stockyards this week, with about 6,000 head compared to roughly 4,500 a year ago. Hale said some producers may have been looking to get cattle moved ahead of expected rain, but the market still had a solid run of cattle.
“We’ve got good receipts. I don’t know, some of it might have been trying to get ahead of this rain,” Hale said. He added that the cattle were generally good quality, while producers across Oklahoma are watching closely for moisture that could help improve pasture conditions and get wheat pasture established.
Hale said the feeder cattle market has been inconsistent, following a strong start to last week. “Last week we just had a fantastic feeder market on Monday, and then it kind of fell off the rest of the week,” he said. He described Tuesday’s market as relatively flat, with feeder steers steady, three-weight cattle lower and heifers also lower. Hale said buyers and sellers were able to get cattle moved, but “nobody seemed real excited.”
Looking ahead, Hale said seasonal conditions and potential wheat pasture could provide support for the market, although producers are still dealing with pasture challenges. Western Livestock is expecting about 2,800 head at Waurika, including 700 well-sorted calves from one operation, along with a decent run at Comanche. “Those calves are going to be bigger, but they’re awful good calves if somebody’s looking for a big wad of them,” Hale said.
Hale can be contacted at 940-631-2333. Check out more about the marketing options that Western offers by clicking here.
