Ron Hays is talking with Superior Livestock President Danny Jones, who says that 2024 has been a tremendous year for both Superior and for the cattle industry.
“We’ve had near record volumes of people to use us and trust us to continue marketing their cattle,” Jones said. “We certainly appreciate that. We are humbled by the opportunity, but we see that it is providing a tremendous value in the industry as well as to our customers – both buyers and sellers alike. There are a lot of inefficiencies in the way cattle get marketed in the United States, and we believe that we have a system where everyone who participates wins.”
Superior Livestock is the largest cattle marketing entity by a large margin, including in online sales. The key to its success is direct marketing of load lots directly from the ranch to the end user, which Jones says requires significant volumes of cattle; however, it reduces stress on the cattle to lessen shrinkage and health problems for them.
“At National and Superior, we are involved in everything from the sale barns to private treaty, and of course, our video auctions,” Jones said. “It takes all methods to make it work, but for those with load lots of cattle direct from the country and marketing to a large buyer base – bringing buyer and seller together with that robust price discovery – is where the huge advantages come in.”
In addition to the improved health of the cattle upon arrival, buyers feel better about the vaccination protocols of large producers. Sellers can build reputations and enjoy repeat buyers who are happy with the cattle they have previously received from them.
Value-added vaccination programs have been a game changer. Jones said, “Everything from the baseline of doing vaccination programs on unweaned cattle, weaned cattle, purchased cattle that are straightened out… all of those things are really important and you can add the additional programs like natural NHTC, G.A.P. and Beef CARE, and all those things that can add value. The buyers of those cattle need a place where they can go and find the volume that they need to meet their needs and their commitments, and we can bring that to them nationwide.”
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