Research Findings:
- Social Relationships Strengthen the Culture of Place
- Social Relationships Enhance Personal Well-Being
- Social Relationships Bolster Knowledge and Trust (this page)
- Social Value Extends Beyond the Sale Barn
- Additional Social Value Subthemes
Social Relationships Bolster Knowledge and Trust
Social relationships bring value to the businesses that sales barn attendees represent – both financially and operationally. Participants noted that social connections formed at the sale barns play a significant role in enhancing their farm and ranch marketing skills, as well as their knowledge of livestock production. The knowledge is gained through numerous interactions and mentoring between producers, buyers, sale barn staff, and owners. These conversations cover topics such as assessing livestock quality, market pricing, and timing for optimum sales. The knowledge enhances confidence that extends beyond the sales ring, impacting dayto- day decision-making, expanding producer and buyer networks, and creating new business opportunities.
During in-depth interviews, many emphasized the importance of fair and transparent transactions. The sale barn auctions fulfill this marketplace need, as one interviewee stated, “it’s price discovery in its purest form.” To support market transactions, various social relationships underlie the trust among parties. This includes sharing knowledge that supports the buying and selling process and daily business operations, thereby building confidence in decision-making.
Note: To ensure anonymity, the names of the participant quotes have been altered.
Sharing Knowledge
Observers noted multiple acknowledgements and conversations in and outside of the sale barn. There were tips of hats, slaps on the back, and hand gestures. Attendees talked shop, commenting on the green cattle or the “roughlooking stuff” on some animals in the ring. Other conversations focused on bulls, grass conditions, and who was selling calves that day. Researchers observed young adults being mentored by older family members and reaching an agreement about the livestock in the ring. Attendees also had one-on-one conversations in the hallways and throughout the sale barns. After selling, one couple was observed conversing with their banker and sharing the results.
Buyer/Seller Relationships
The relationship between buyers and sellers can be somewhat contentious due to the nature of the auction/bidding process. The buyer is seeking the best quality at the lowest cost, while the seller is aiming for the highest price for their livestock, which may represent a year’s worth of income. An observer noticed a seller who was disappointed in the sale results, saying quietly to himself, “Couldn’t you get a little higher price?” Conversely, another rancher was overheard expressing how pleased he was with the price he received for his cattle. Although the buyers and sellers have different objectives, individuals felt it was important to maintain a positive relationship between the groups. A buyer was observed complimenting a seller on the quality of their livestock and genetics.
Relationships with Owner/Auctioneers
The sale barn owner and auctioneer’s relationship with the buyers and sellers is essential not only to their business but also to the individuals attending the auction. It can be one of the primary reasons individuals bring their cattle to the sale barn. The interactions can be personal, such as when an auctioneer was observed saying, “I haven’t seen you in forever. How are you doing? Feeling good?” In the sale ring, auctioneers often commented on the quality of the livestock and would thank the rancher for bringing in the cattle that day. The observer felt the comments were heartfelt in their appreciation for the business.
Quotes About Sharing Knowledge
The livestock auction market is, I hate to say, it's a gathering place, but essentially it becomes that for local producers to share ideas. […] We can gather with a common interest, which is the livestock, and discuss those kinds of ideas.
-Vincent, Producer/Buyer
I think that there's a lot of value in [building relationships] that I think some of us in the industry have lacked […] You know, you need those relationships in order to thrive on both ends.
-Ron, Producer
Well, when you attend in person, you get to meet all the different people that are there. You understand, it’s not just the sales, but you understand the reasoning. What are the people doing? Why are they there? You gain an understanding of the situation and why the animals are being sold. And you can also get a lot of friendships as well.
-William, Producer
By sitting there and listening to some of them old guys that have been through the same deals that you're going through, and you know there's a reason why they're as successful as they are, because they position themselves to make money. And you know, just hearing those experiences, it just relays everything back to you and what your operation is doing, and how you can better yourself. I'm 33 years old, I still got quite a few years in me yet. And so anything you can pick up that's worthwhile is always important to me.
- George, Buyer
A couple of years ago, I'd gone to a bred cow sale, and a guy helped me understand the bred heifer market a little bit. […] He was able to show me something that I didn't understand, and now I do. And I remember there was a group of heifers that didn't sell as well as I thought they would. And I'm like, why is this? He says, well, look at the bulls they're using, you know, there's a reputation behind these bulls. […] It was an interesting education on how the market works. I learned something that was well, it's pretty valuable, it comes in handy, you know.
-Ron, Producer
Quotes About Buyer/Seller Relationships
When people buy my cattle, I thank them for it. But when I'm buying cattle, I just like to find out the history of their cattle, what they've went through, where they're located, and everything.
-Richard, Producer
It's really, I think, important if you can get there in person and people can see you and talk to you because a lot of times I'll see people in the lobby talking; a buyer will be talking to a seller and asking them questions about their cattle.
-Judy, Producer/Employee
My grandfather used to buy a lot of dinners for buyers; that was just the way business was conducted. Nowadays, we don't see so much of that. But you still have that rapport of male fellowship within the auction itself while you're there. […] It's always nice to see the seller in the barn representing their cattle. Then, if you do have questions, you can get the right answers. So, yeah, there are some benefits to being there in person.
-Vincent, Producer/Buyer
And like I said, I'm dang sure grateful. But it's also a sense of, hey, I must be at least heading in the right direction. I might not be doing everything perfectly. I might not be doing everything ideal, but you know, I'm raising good enough cattle that these people want to buy because there's enough quality cattle out there that people don't have to buy, if they don't want to.
-Sam, Producer
Quotes About Relationships with Owner/Auctioneers
They're for the customer, and I've really gotten to know them. They would come up, they would give us advice, look at our cattle and advise us when to sell, tell us how they think that we're doing, they are really good about that.
-Judy, Producer/Employee
Figure 6: Besides Buying and Selling, Why Individuals Attend Livestock Auctions (Internal Impacts)
Figure 7: Interest in Types of Services Available at the Sale Barns
