I was asked to write an article for the NADEFA magazine on the benefits of deer auctions. I will share the article I submitted below. It would be interesting to hear what other people's thoughts are as well.
Benefits of selling at auction versus off farm.
An animal sold at auction will be seen by thousands of people while a deer sold off farm gets zero exposure. Actually going to an auction and setting up a booth and making personal contact with potential customers is by far the best way to market your animals.
The high bid at an auction is probably the most accurate appraisal out there for an animal.
In all reality selling at an auction is probably the most practical option for the average deer farmer. Many deer farmers simply do not have the time and connections needed to properly market their animals directly off the farm.
How to sell your animals at auction.
Submit animals that represent your farm for what it really is. A top selling lot at an auction is one of the best ways to promote your farm while a poor quality lot will quickly degrade your farm.
Get your lots submitted well before the consignment deadline. If you submit lots the week after the deadline they may still be accepted but may not receive the individual attention they would have earlier.
Fill in pedigree to the best of your knowledge. Any blank spaces will result in less money for your lot. Make comments short and to the point. 3 lines of good information are much more likely to be read than those 3 lines plus 6 more lines that are not very important.
Use good quality pictures. A grainy picture with a poor background will not make your buck look good. If you are promoting a special buck it will be well worth the money to hire a professional photographer rather than your neighbor with a cheap camera.
Benefits of buying at auction versus off farm.
At an auction you will have a very broad selection to choose from versus 2 or 3 choices that the average farm has to offer.
Most of the animals sold at auctions come from very reputable farms.
If you are a new deer farmer and have no idea where to start an auction is a great way to get to know some of the people associated with deer farming and to learn the market value of different bloodlines.
Benefits of selling at auction versus off farm.
An animal sold at auction will be seen by thousands of people while a deer sold off farm gets zero exposure. Actually going to an auction and setting up a booth and making personal contact with potential customers is by far the best way to market your animals.
The high bid at an auction is probably the most accurate appraisal out there for an animal.
In all reality selling at an auction is probably the most practical option for the average deer farmer. Many deer farmers simply do not have the time and connections needed to properly market their animals directly off the farm.
How to sell your animals at auction.
Submit animals that represent your farm for what it really is. A top selling lot at an auction is one of the best ways to promote your farm while a poor quality lot will quickly degrade your farm.
Get your lots submitted well before the consignment deadline. If you submit lots the week after the deadline they may still be accepted but may not receive the individual attention they would have earlier.
Fill in pedigree to the best of your knowledge. Any blank spaces will result in less money for your lot. Make comments short and to the point. 3 lines of good information are much more likely to be read than those 3 lines plus 6 more lines that are not very important.
Use good quality pictures. A grainy picture with a poor background will not make your buck look good. If you are promoting a special buck it will be well worth the money to hire a professional photographer rather than your neighbor with a cheap camera.
Benefits of buying at auction versus off farm.
At an auction you will have a very broad selection to choose from versus 2 or 3 choices that the average farm has to offer.
Most of the animals sold at auctions come from very reputable farms.
If you are a new deer farmer and have no idea where to start an auction is a great way to get to know some of the people associated with deer farming and to learn the market value of different bloodlines.