Adding Value Where It Counts: How Producers Capture More at Sale Time
Cattle prices are strong, some of the best many producers have ever seen. But not every set of calves brings the same bid. Even in a high market, some cattle rise to the top. The difference usually comes down to the details health, genetics, management and how those calves are marketed.
For Nick Etcheverry, that mindset started early. “I remember in 4-H thinking it costs just as much to feed a good one as it does an average one,” he says. “So why not make the best better?”
Today, Nick and his father, Jim, run Eureka Livestock across California and Nevada, managing about 2,100 cows. That same philosophy still drives their operation, and it shows up in how they build value into every calf crop.
In today’s market, buyers are paying close attention. They want calves that are healthy, predictable, and backed by programs they trust. For the Etcheverry’s, that means focusing on the fundamentals: weaning and preconditioning calves, participating in verified programs, investing in genetics that perform and maintaining consistency year after year. None of it is complicated, but all of it matters.
Selling When their Ready
“My theory is to just stay the course and sell when the calves are ready,” Nick says. “We’ve built a reputation with buyers through Superior Livestock Auction, and they come back because those calves did well for them before.” That repeat demand is where long-term value is created.
Like most ranchers, the Etcheverry’s have adjusted their approach over time. From 2013 to 2019, they ran organic cattle, working through strict protocols and third- party audits to capture added value.
“In 2019 the drought hit us hard and we needed to find a way to survive. Bennett Beard (a rep for Superior Livestock) and I had been friends since our late teens, growing up in the Bakersfield area. I knew he was a Superior rep so I called him in 2019 and told him I was done with the organic program and asked how I could get these cattle sold. With the organic program we had to grow them to 1200 or 1300 pounds and by then they were two years old because we could only feed them grass and no grain. It takes longer to finish on grass,” Nick says.
“We started selling through Superior with Bennett in late 2019 and never looked back. I’ve done every program I thought would bring more value to our calves.” Instead of relying on a single premium, with the help of their local Superior rep Bennett Beard who understands both their cattle and their country they shifted to stacking value across multiple areas including health, programs, genetics, and marketing.
Health Still Pays
Even in a strong market, health remains one of the most reliable ways to add value. Calves that are weaned, preconditioned, and handled with low stress reduce risk for the buyer and that confidence shows up in the bid.
Selling calves right off the cow may be tempting when prices are high, but many buyers still reward cattle that have had more management behind them. For Eureka Livestock, weaning is simply part of the program now and part of building cattle that buyers want to come back for.
Programs That Fit the Operation
Verified programs have also become an important piece of the value equation. “The nice thing about Superior is they give us the tools to see these values and show us at the end of the year the programs that had the most value,” says Bennett Beard, Superior Livestock rep.
“For instance, last year the NHTC program carried a $3.43/cwt premium and GAP carried a $1.70/cwt premium throughout the year. They put all these things on a spread sheet so we can give it to our customers. We can sit down with them, lay it all out in front of them, and let them know that if they are willing to do such-and-such program or buy certain bulls, it will make them a little more money,” says Bennett.
Today, the Etcheverry’s market calves under a range of programs, including NHTC, GAP, age and source, and other verified claims that align with buyer demand. Bennett has seen that trend grow across the industry. “Each of those programs can add a few dollars,” he says. “But more importantly, they help match cattle to the right buyers.”
And when those program details are clearly presented to a wide group of buyers, they’re more likely to be recognized and rewarded.
Genetics Are Playing a Bigger Role
Genetics are another key piece of the puzzle. “During the past 7 or 8 years, genetics-based premiums have come into play. Angus folks have done a tremendous job at marketing Certified Angus Beef in grocery stores and restaurants, and many producers are getting in on that program,” Bennett says.
The Etcheverry’s have invested in bulls from proven programs like 44 Farms and
Riverbend Ranch known for cattle that perform and fit specific market targets. That kind of consistency matters.
“If buyers know the genetics behind those calves, it builds confidence,” Bennett says. “And sometimes it creates demand before the cattle are even sold.” In some cases, that demand is tied to buyback programs, if you buy bulls from certain seedstock producers, they will buy your calves on Superior, since they know how they will perform in the feedlot. In others, it simply comes from buyers tracking which cattle perform well over time. Either way, good genetics are becoming harder to ignore.
Marketing Makes the Difference
Even the best calves can fall short of their potential if they aren’t marketed well.
That’s why more producers are paying attention not just to how they raise cattle, but how they sell them. For Nick, flexibility is key. “We can put them on a Superior video auction where they will be in front of 5000 buyers in 25 sales each year, and can also sell them on Superior’s Country Page (online marketplace to buy and sell livestock), but we also like to sell some via private treaty with our Superior rep,” Nick says.
“If you like how the market looks that day, you can offer your cattle and don’t have to wait,” he says. “And if you don’t like the bid, you can pass and wait until the next sale. It gives you an option. At a sale yard you don’t have that option unless you want to haul those animals back home again,” he says.
That kind of control is a major advantage compared to traditional sale barns.
Video marketing through Superior Livestock Auction has changed how cattle are sold.
Calves can be marketed directly from the ranch, shown to buyers across the country, and delivered later under agreed terms reducing shrink, stress and unnecessary handling.
Just as important, it puts cattle in front of more buyers.
Competition Drives Value
Exposure matters. A good set of calves in front of a handful of buyers may sell well. The same set in front of a nationwide buyer base has a better chance of reaching its full value. That competition is a key part of price discovery.
When cattle are marketed through Superior, they’re seen by thousands of buyers across the country. For calves carrying added value whether through health, programs, or genetics that broader exposure helps ensure those details don’t go unnoticed.
Timing the Market
Timing is another piece producers are using to their advantage. Forward contracting allows calves to be sold months ahead of delivery, locking in favorable markets while cattle are still on the ranch. In some cases this year, calves were sold as early as March for fall delivery based on past performance, known genetics, and trust in the program behind them.
That kind of marketing flexibility gives producers more control and reduces risk, while still allowing buyers to secure the cattle they want. Through Superior Livestock Auction, producers have more opportunities than ever to time the market. Superior Livestock hosts bi-weekly video auctions throughout the year, along with its summer run of three week-long sales in July and August where a large share of fall price discovery takes place. For added flexibility, cattle can also be marketed any day of the week through the Superior Country Page, giving producers the ability to act when the market feels right.
It All Adds Up
There’s no single shortcut to adding value. It comes from stacking the right decisions including health, genetics, programs, consistency, and marketing into a complete package buyers can trust. For the Etcheverry’s, that approach has paid off over time.
“We’ve stayed consistent, and the buyers have stayed with us,” Nick says. Superior has been part of that process not as a replacement for good management, but as a way to provide guidance and resources to the Etcheverry’s, connect those cattle to the right buyers, and let the market do its job.
A good video auction has local reps who know the producers and the cattle. “Local reps play an important role in the process working closely with producers to represent their cattle and communicate their value to buyers. We’ve been serving the industry for four decades, working for producers and buyers alike. We consign cattle for people, market them, and accommodate the people who buy them. Both sides have to be served and taken care of—and satisfied with the outcome,” said Joe Lichtie, Vice President of Superior Livestock.
In a record market, that may be the biggest takeaway. Prices may be high but the producers who capture the most value are still the ones who do the little things right and make sure their cattle have every opportunity to be seen.
