auction

I took my two younger boys to a livestock auction yesterday. I had been to a small animal auction some years ago (poultry, rabbits, and the like) but had never been to something like this.

The auction started at noon with the goats. For the most part, the goats looked pretty good. Several were sold with papers, but most not. Then came the hogs....

Most of the younger pigs (less than 100 lbs) were sold in lots ranging from 10-15 to 35 pigs. And these lots went for $17/head to $32/head. But these weren't good looking pigs for the most part. Some were obviously unhealthy, injured, and/or malnourished. And some of the larger hogs looked in pretty bad shape also. That's not to say that everything there was bad, but this was not a place I would buy a pig, either for my own consumption or my herd.

It got me to thinking: Who is buying these animals?

We didn't stay for the cattle auction.

I also learned we need to get a scale around here. A couple of weeks ago the gentlemen we bought our boar and gilts from surprised me with his weight estimate of our other pigs. Yesterday I was again surprised at the announced weights of the pigs entering the auction ring.

Well, I may be back later...I have animals to feed and Mass to attend.

Oremus pro invicem!