Serving the West: Ray Mader builds relationships, serves producers as notable livestock rep
Ray Mader of Buffalo went to work for Q Livestock under Owner Martin Sullivan in 1984. At the time, video auction marketing was still in its infancy.
“Four of us got together, including Martin, myself, Ralph Wade and Tony Shiffer, and we started Q Livestock Video Auction,” Ray shares. “We had it for three years.”
In 1987, Superior Livestock Video Auction was launched by Jim Odle, a cattleman and auction owner from Brush, Colo., and Buddy Jeffers, owner of Amarillo Livestock Auction in Amarillo, Texas. Together, the two envisioned a new way to market cattle using video technology.
“They wanted Wade, a world champion auctioneer, to join on,” Ray says. “So, the four of us met with them, and we all decided to go with Superior Livestock Auction.”
Ray has worked with Superior Livestock Auction ever since – a tenure now spanning over 38 years.
Emerging technology, industry growth
Ray notes, over the course of his long career, technology has changed and the market has grown, although the fundamentals of video auctioning have remained surprisingly consistent.
“The auction itself and the catalogs are basically the same as they were earlier, but now we have the internet,” he states.
In the early days, buyers and sellers needed access to a television channel broadcasting the auction, and they had to bid via telephone. Participation required being physically present at the sale or connected by phone.
“For a long time, you either had to be at the sale or on the phone,” Ray explains. “Now with the internet, buyers can sit at home or at their office and buy cattle. Everything is easier and sales have grown quite a bit.”
Despite these changes, Ray says his job as a Superior Livestock Auction representative has changed very little.
“I still have to go out and meet with ranchers, video their cattle and write up the contract,” he states.
Although filming equipment has evolved from large television cameras to smartphones, the process remains pretty much the same. Video footage is sent to Superior Livestock Auction for editing and posting and contracts are written up for each seller.
“We can either write up the contract with a pen like we always did, or a lot of guys today have a portal they do it on,” Ray says. “This works for the advanced technology guys, but I still do hard copies and send them in for the sales.”
Building relationships, serving producers
Ray notes when he first started, his territory included Montana, Wyoming, western South Dakota and western Nebraska. While he still travels throughout the West, his focus today is primarily in central and northeastern Wyoming, with some clients still located in Montana and Nebraska.
Over time, Ray built a solid base of repeat customers, and today he sells approximately 8,000 to 10,000 head of cattle annually through video auctions, along with a few private treaty deals.
“The producers I generally represent sell their cattle through me every year,” he says. “I have customers who have been selling on Superior Livestock Auction for all 38 of my years with the company.”
“Because of my age, however, I don’t try to go out and find new clients anymore,” he adds. “I have all I want to handle right now.”
Ray further mentions most of his clients are cow/calf producers, though some sell yearlings as well. Cattle are typically sold in load lots – either all steers or all heifers – though smaller operators may market mixed loads.
Ray shares one of the largest advantages of video sales is the continuity they provide between buyers and sellers.
“If they like the calves and they do well in the feedlot, buyers usually want to buy from the same rancher every year,” Ray says.
After nearly four decades in the cattle marketing business, Ray remains grateful for the people and relationships the industry has brought into his life.
“This is a great industry to be in,” he states. “I have met many wonderful people. The cattle business is a small world and a good one.”
Year-round marketing, top-notch cattle
According to Ray, Superior Livestock Auction hosts sales year-round, offering producers flexibility in marketing their cattle. The largest volume of sales takes place during summer months when cattle are sold on contract for later delivery.
“These sales include pairs, weaned calves or yearling feeder cattle,” Ray explains.
Superior Livestock Auction also hosts four major summer sales each year including one in South Sioux City, Neb.; one in Steamboat Springs, Colo.; one in Winnemucca, Nev. and one in Sheridan.
The Sheridan sale remains particularly important to Ray’s clients.
“It’s kind of a local sale featuring cattle from Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska and Colorado,” he says. “It brings cattle in from all over, but it really features the northern cattle.”
Ray credits much of the region’s success to strong genetics and quality management.
“We are in an area where cattle have good genetics and perform well,” he explains. “This area has top bull producers with top genetics, and their genetics just keep improving every year.”
Weather conditions can still impact performance, particularly in drought years, but genetic potential continues to show through.
“The market prices this year have been really good,” Ray says. “This past year has been unbelievable for prices. It’s about time cattle producers had some good years.”
He adds, “Everything else – all of the costs to produce cattle – kept going up. It was time to have cattle bring what they are actually worth.”
Ray says he also believes consumers sometimes overlook what goes into producing beef.
“It always amazes me people think beef is too high at the grocery store,” he says. “They should come to the ranch and see what goes into making their steak or hamburger.”
Despite the possibility of increased beef imports, Ray says U.S. quality remains unmatched.
“If people want top quality, they buy American beef,” he says.
Heather Smith Thomas is a corresponding writer for the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
