News
Two companies launch online livestock auction services
Online auction services continue to expand as two companies recently launched online platforms for livestock. BigIron Auctions and Sandhills Global both based in Nebraska now offer livestock sales services that have been years in the making.
Pat Kroese, Livestock Manager for BigIron tells Brownfield they facilitate the online auctions for producers by taking and sharing videos, pictures and producer interviews on the platform for a 21-day timed sale available to their 170,000 registered bidders.
“In the month of December out of all the bred heifers, second calf heifers that we sold, on average we were about $150 to $180 over the local current market.”
He says online auctions also help a producer’s pocketbook by saving them time, resources and supporting the health of their animals.
“Those animals are stressed the more times they are hauled. So, when they are hauled into a local auction, they are in a new environment, drinking different water and there is a lot of stress there. We can alleviate a lot of that through online auctions.”
He says for now BigIron is focusing on cattle with plans to expand offerings to online equine and sheep auctions in the future.
The platform offered by Sandhills, LivestockMarket.com, is an online marketplace for private treaty sales of all species of livestock, where sellers manage their own listings.
