Strong cattle sale rounds out year

Cattlemen were hoping for a strong sale to close out 1998 at the Stratton sales yard, and it seems they got what they wanted.
More than 1,300 head of cattle, mostly calves, went through the auction ring there Saturday. Prices were strong, staying well over $1/lb. for the most part, with many lots selling between $1.10-$1.15/lb.
By 10:30 a.m., some cattle were being sold for $1.28/lb.
Peter Spuzak, president of the Rainy River Cattlemen’s Association, was very pleased with the sale. “In terms of calibre, this is one of the best sales as concerned to quality,” he said.
“You’ve got a nice package of even-size calves [in the lots],” he added. “Any of these cattle would do well for anybody.”
Replacement heifers seemed to be a big commodity Saturday, with many cattle destined to head west, Spuzak said. But while the buyers’ row had plenty of out-of-town interest, a good chunk of local ones also were placing bids.
“We lent out about half-a-million dollars to the Feeders Finance Co-op,” Spuzak said, with about 60 percent of that money being used to buy cattle from the sale.
“It’s a plus because prices shouldn’t peter out,” he added, noting a large number of local buyers helps keep the bidding active right until the end of the sale.
“There will be more of a fairness in buying and selling,” he stressed. “This way, there is better balance.”
Meanwhile, Spuzak said it’s been a good year for the local cattlemen’s association, with high numbers of livestock at all three sales in Stratton this year.
Now the cattlemen are looking at ways of improving the sales yard, such as putting a scale right in the auction ring.
“The weights will be right there for you, the buyer, in your face,” Spuzak said, noting it would mean an end to the continuous shuffle of paper from the scale room to the auctioneer’s stand.
Having the scale right in the ring also makes for a smoother sale and less stress on the cattle.
But the RRCA does not have much capital stored up for such a venture since the cost it passes on to producers are designed to just meet the expenses of the sale.
“Right now we’re applying for some heritage funding,” Spuzak said, with a tentative goal to install the device after the spring sale next year.
“There’s a lot of government money being thrown around out there,” he remarked. “We should be able to find some of it.”