Informal alliances of producers are also increasing. A panel at the conference reported on an arrangement in Henry County, TN, where owners of small and large operations are grouping cattle in load lots for sale. By grading the cattle out and creating larger groups, usually 1,000 head or more, we put together a product that buyers are interested in and we get top dollar for them. We've been doing this for a number of years. Buyers now know the quality of cattle we've got, and we know what we've got to do, which is to produce the type cattle that people want.
Uniformity now is the big thing.
Through special sales scheduled two or three times a year with the Paris, Tenn., Livestock Sales, Brewer and other area producers find their cattle generally bring a nickel a pound over what a weekly auction would bring, along with greater efficiency in sales and less stress on animals. In Decatur County, Tenn., the UT Agricultural Extension Service aids producers in grouping calves for load lots and selling them on national satellite television, through the Superior Livestock video board. Our load lots sell on Friday, and we get all the market news throughout the week, so we know what our calves are worth before they even go to sale. Every load we've sold has brought more than the highest average, which shows us that buyers want load lots. The challenge is that our producers usually have only 25 to 30 calves, so it's critical that we work together.