Fallon is known for many things, one of those being the faint smell of manure in the air. Well, it’s not always faint. Some locals will tell you that is the smell of money. While that is also not always the case, a great deal of the stuff moved through the valley last week.
Feeder Sale: Nevada Livestock Marketing hosted its Special Feeder Sale cattle auction last Thursday, February 18. For those not in the cattle business, feeder cattle or “feeders” are calves generally less than 12 months. They are weaned steers (castrated males) and heifers that are large enough to go into feedlots, or out on grass.
According to Jack Payne, Nevada Livestock Marketing (NLM) owner, the Feeder Sale was a huge success. In fact, Corbitt Wall, who attended the event, included the highly anticipated sale in a recent Cattle Market Report. Wall noted that 8,000 head of cattle were run through the auction on Thursday and Friday, stating, “It was the biggest sale in the United States last week.” Some of the steers brought top-quota on prices at $195.75 per 100 pounds or in the range of $1,000 per head. “You won’t see prices like that anywhere,” said Wall, “but you don’t see cattle like that anywhere else either.” Wall also attested to the apparent health and robustness of the animals. “They come off that high desert range, are dried off, and you couldn’t kill one of them with a pick-ax,” Wall said.
In addition to the astounding volume of cattle that NLM moved through the auction ring, is the even more astounding $6.5 million that rolled through town as a result. Money exchanged hands over several fronts – buyers to sellers, to restaurants and hotels, and for supplies and feed. Not to mention, the hundreds of gallons of fuel that was purchased for the 200+ trucks and semi-trailers that transported the animals.
“The cattlemen’s gang says Nevada is an export-only state", said Payne, referring to local ranchers and the number of Nevada cattle that are sold by out-of-state entities. “I have always disagreed. Of the 8,000 head that were sold, only 2,000 were from Idaho, Oregon, California, Utah, and Wyoming. We are reviving the sale barn way of marketing cattle that the out-of-state video markets have taken away from Nevada, and we are bringing jobs and tax revenues back to Nevada! We have the momentum right now and have to keep it up.”
Bull Sale: The Nevada Cattlemen’s Association also held their 55th Annual Fallon All Breeds Bull Sale (FBS) last week. According to the Association, the bulls’ sifting and grading took place Friday morning while the dog trials got underway. Cattlemen from California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and Utah participated in the sale.
This year’s sale featured bulls ranging from 16-24 months of age. Sixty-four bulls were sold at an average of $4,245 each. Some breeds brought higher prices, with Angus at the top with an average sale price of $5,009 and Herefords bringing in much less at an average of $2,494. The Top Range Bull and the Angus Best of Breed were awarded to Hutchings Cattle Company, which proved to also be the top-selling bull at the sale. The Hereford Best of Breed was awarded to Hutchens Hereford. Steve Lucas of Lucas Livestock purchased the most volume at the sale, earning him the Volume Buyers Jacket.
The Nevada Cattlemen’s Association expressed their sincere appreciation to this year’s volume buyer and all of the buyers and consignors along with the many sponsors, including Snyder’s Pinenut Livestock Supply, Progressive Rancher and Nevada Rancher, and Somewhere Out West. Along with these dedicated sponsors, the Association thanks Marie Sherman, Demar Dahl, Stix Cattle Company, Robert DePaoli, and Woodie Bell for contributing a donation calf, Churchill County FFA, Churchill County Cowbelles, sale ringmen, Eric Duarte (auctioneer), Dr. Randy Wallstrum (sale veterinarian), Bea Lee (stock dog trial coordinator), the Grading and Sifting Committees, the Fallon Bull Sale Committee members, and Fallon Livestock LLC for helping with the sale.
While Texas froze over and Facebook was blocking Australia, Fallon was the livestock epicenter of the universe. It would seem that these ranchers didn’t just drive their cattle to town, but revenue as well.
Comment
Comments