How to Run an Online Livestock Auction
From a pen of pullets to a line of in-calf heifers, animals sell well online when buyers know exactly what they are bidding on and how it will reach them. This guide is for breeders, breed clubs and auctioneers setting up a timed online livestock sale.
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Know the rules that apply to your animals
Selling animals is regulated almost everywhere, and the rules depend on the species and the country: identification and tagging, movement reporting, health certificates, testing and welfare in transport. These duties stay with the seller whether the sale is in a ring or online. Check with your national or state authority, or your breed society, before the sale, and prepare the paperwork for each lot in advance.
Describe each lot the way a buyer judges it
- Breed, age, sex and the number of animals in the lot.
- Registration or pedigree details, where relevant.
- Health status, testing dates and vaccinations.
- For breeding stock: in-calf or in-lamb status, and to which sire where known.
- The paperwork that travels with the animals.
Keep the same order of facts on every lot so buyers can compare them quickly.
Photographs and video
Photograph animals in good light against a plain background, standing square, from the side and the front. A short video of an animal walking shows movement and temperament better than any photograph; host it on a video site and link it from the lot.
Time the sale
Keep the bidding period long enough for buyers to study the catalogue and arrange transport, but not so long that you hold animals longer than planned. Close lots in staggered batches at a time your buyers can watch, use soft close so late bids extend the clock, and let buyers leave a maximum bid in advance if they cannot be online at the end.
Reserves and who can bid
Put a reserve on animals with a clear value, especially breeding stock. Require bidders to register and accept your terms before bidding, so you know who is buying and where the animals are going — information you may need for your movement records anyway.
Payment and collection
Take payment online before collection, so the handover is only about the animals and their paperwork. State on every lot where the animals are, the collection window, whether delivery can be arranged and who is responsible for transport. Buyers price transport into their bid, so clear arrangements mean better bids.
When an animal does not sell
An animal that misses its reserve does not have to travel home. You can offer it to the underbidder at their own bid, enter it in the next sale, or sell it privately to a bidder who showed interest.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell livestock in an online auction?
In most countries, yes, provided you meet the same identification, movement, health and welfare rules that apply to any sale of animals. Check the rules for your species and country before the sale.
What should a livestock lot description include?
Breed, age, sex, number of animals, registration details, health status, testing dates and vaccinations, breeding status where relevant, and the paperwork that goes with the animals.
How long should an online livestock sale run?
Long enough for buyers to review the catalogue and arrange transport, but not so long that you hold animals longer than planned. Close lots in staggered batches when buyers can watch.
Who is responsible for movement paperwork after an online sale?
The same people as after a sale in the ring. The seller normally prepares what travels with the animals, and buyer and seller each have reporting duties that depend on the country — check with your national or state authority.