Stu Salkeld The Stettler Independent
The cattle business in the Stettler region seems to be clicking along nicely at this time of year, according to one of the owners of the local auction market.
Gary Rairdan, who co-owns Stettler Auction Mart along with his sister-in-law Darla, said the first cattle sale of 2018 was held Tuesday, Jan. 9 and went very well. “For as cold as it was, it was good,” said Rairdan in his office Jan. 12. Last week temperatures hovered at -20 degrees or colder.
Rairdan said the auction market saw 700 head of cattle move through that day.
He noted the regular sale saw feeder cattle arrive, and said it looks like lots of background cattle are getting ready to come to town too.
Rairdan and sister-in-law Darla took over Stettler Auction Mart in November, 2016 and he said things have looked very good. “We’ve been busy,” said Rairdan. “Then we started this store part too.”
The auction mart’s store, Central Alberta Ag, has supplies for livestock producers ranging from sileage wrap to swath grazing seed.
Rairdan said the store caught on very quickly with local producers and he said the personal touch probably has a lot to do with that. He noted both he and Darla like dealing personally with people, have been in the agriculture industry all of their lives and have farmed all of their lives.
“Now we’re on the other side,” said Rairdan.
The upcoming farm season hasn’t had any alarm bells go off noted Rairdan, but he said a lot of producers seem to be phoning around asking about feed. He noted the dry summer last year might have had an effect on the amount of hay producer in the region.
The Stettler Auction Mart has several sales coming up, including bulls, background/feeder cattle and butcher cow. Check online at www.stettlerauction.ab.ca or call 403-742-2368.