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.
Ben Hale reported strong market activity at the Oklahoma National Stockyards, with “5600 head yesterday.” Despite extremely hot weather on Sunday, conditions improved on Monday, and the market held up. “When we took that limit down nine bucks Friday, we thought it was going to be a disaster, but all in all, the cattle were really higher.” Hale stated.
Hale described a good tone in the market, similar to recent weeks. “Just a lot of upbeat in the market, still not a lot of true long yearlings around, a lot of shorter-weaned yearlings, but it is sure driving the demand.” He noted that calves, short weaned and even long weaned, were in high demand. “It doesn’t really matter the quality, people are still seeing lots of grazing out there. And we’ve got this rain, and that’s not going to do anything but keep that demand going.”
Recent sales of breeding stock have also been positive. “We’ve seen that last week selling those fancy pairs at Comanche, there is just a lot of demand on them.” While there were some value-added Angus cattle this week, Hale said the biggest runs come in November and December. “Some guys sold a little bit earlier this year, taking advantage of that market as good as it is.”
Looking at other market locations, Hale said, “Waurika’s going to have a couple thousand today ought to have a pretty decent run. This market is going to be outstanding.” He added that abundant grass and rain are fueling interest, and some producers are already thinking about wheat pasture planting. “We always start the first week of September,” Hale said, ” it’s right around the corner.”
Hale can be contacted at 940-631-2333. Check out more about the marketing options that Western offers by clicking here.
