Small Cows, Big News: Highlights from Six Recent Auctions

Hey everyone, it’s been a while!

Before we dive into this week's auction roundup, I've got some exciting news to share. We’re really starting to get some traction on my new platform at Creatures.com, with over 100,000 visitors to the site in October. 100,000 people who are looking for animals like yours!

Last week, we finally launched the core marketplace functionality, which was the initial idea for the whole thing. As I began buying and selling highland cattle and miniature donkeys three years ago, I couldn’t believe that there wasn’t a smooth modern platform to help facilitate transactions in a transparent and secure way. More on that at the end, but here's a sneak peek of the small group of listings we have so far: Creatures Marketplace.

This week was absolutely wild for fall auctions. Six big sales, some surprising trends, and honestly, some pretty encouraging signs for where this market is headed. Let's dig in.

Southeast Highland Auction - Nov 1, 2025

The Numbers:

• Total sales: $799,300

• Lots sold: 78

• Overall average: $10,198

• Division averages: Open Females $12,130; Bred Cows $11,500; Exposed Females $10,500; Cow/Calf Pairs $17,875; Bulls $7,333; Embryos $3,475; Semen $3,377; Steers $2,000

Top Animals:

• ARY Ruffian (mature yellow cow) with her September bull calf by Hickory - $30,000. This pair had everything: halter broke mama with show history, fresh fall calf, the works.

• Silver open heifer (AHCA 71862) - $26,500. Donor quality genetics that had everyone's attention.

• Another silver show heifer - $25,000. Sister to the above.

• Mellow Moon, a dun heifer - $23,000. Daily handled and show ready.

What caught my eye:

• Cow/calf pairs absolutely crushed it. That average tells you everything.

• Silver and dun animals? Still printing money. Yellow too.

• The hybrid format (live crowd plus online) created that perfect competitive energy without the last-second sniping chaos of pure online sales.

What this means for you: If you have a standout cow, pairing her with a quality fall calf is still your best bet for breaking through price ceilings. The color premium is real - those silver and dun heifers dominated the top spots - but honestly? The difference maker was in the details. The listings that spelled out halter training, show records, even udder quality . . . those are the ones that got the big numbers.

We're looking at maybe 100 active bidders total in this auction, with the serious money fights happening more in the barn than online. That's the sweet spot for a regional sale. Get your local crowd excited, keep your webcast clean, and make sure those online folks have enough info to bid confidently from their couch.

Pandarosa Ranch - Nov 1, 2025

The Numbers:

• 47 of 47 sold (no reserve pricing)

• Gross: ~$820,000

• Average: ~$17,450

• Median: ~$18,000

• High: $26,500 (Sally); Low: $5,000 (Spike)

What caught my eye:

• Heifers averaged $18,700 versus bulls/steers at $12,400. That gap is getting wider.

• Blue and silver roans and chondro-positive kept their premium.

• That charity steer "Doc" at $22,000? Brilliant marketing move, and great to see a nice donation to the Children’s Miracle Network.

• Zero buyer's premium plus that live auction energy equals total clearance.

What this means for you: Pandarosa has this down to a science. Every calf has a name, a story, and professional photos that make them look like teddy bears. Those bottle babies? They're not just selling calves; they're selling the experience. The choice lots (where buyers could double up on paired heifers) added some fun drama without getting gimmicky.

I estimated around 80-90 active bidders, split pretty evenly between the barn and online. That's all you need when you've built trust with your brand. Simple terms, no fee nonsense, and consistency across the catalog.

Webb Cattle Company - Too Cute to Spook (Oct 25, 2025)

The Numbers:

• 31 lots offered

• ~15 sold (~52% clearance)

• Gross (sold listings): $73,000

• Average (sold): ~$7,850

• Median (sold): ~$7,500

• Top: $27,250 (WCC Zweetheart's Rendevous, an AHCA black heifer)

What caught my eye:

• AHCA registered females went huge. Everything else . . . struggled.

• Entry steers parked at $1,500 and stayed there.

• Reserves killed this sale. Half the catalog never cleared.

What this means for you: Here's the thing about reserves - they're a dial, not a switch. Webb had great animals and solid interest, but those reserve prices assumed a hotter market than showed up. The documented, registered, show-quality stuff found its buyers. Everything else needed more realistic expectations.

There didn’t seem to be as many active bidders in this auction. But you know what? You only need two or three people who really want each animal. Just make sure they can find you, understand what you're selling, and don't hit a reserve wall that makes them walk away.

Cyrus Ridge Farm - Fall Mini Highland Calves (Oct 23, 2025)

The Numbers:

• 12 of 12 sold (another perfect clearance!)

• Average: ~$10,100

• Median: ~$8,850

• Gross: $117,350

• Top: $16,000 (both Farrah and Fawn)

What caught my eye:

• Heifers averaged $12,100 versus bulls/steers at $6,300. That's a 92% premium!

• One bull (Fitz) broke $14,000, proving there's still room at the top for the right package.

• DNA verified, IMCBR registered, everything documented. Trust sells.

What this means for you: This is how you run an online sale. Every question a buyer might have? Answered upfront. DNA status, temperament notes, exact delivery costs - it's all there before anyone has to ask. That soft-close format (where similar lots close together) concentrated the competition exactly where it needed to be.

Only about 30-40 active bidders here, but when every lot has two or three people who genuinely want it? That's plenty.

Willoughby Livestock - Fall Highland & Mini Consignment (Oct 12-13, 2025)

The Numbers:

• 30 lots offered

• ~20 got bids

• ~10 actually sold

• Top bid: $5,750 (dun chondro+ heifer, but reserve not met!)

• Sold average: ~$2,800-3,000

• Median: ~$1,900

What caught my eye:

• So many reserves not met. Even on animals with strong interest.

• Wisely, Porter, and Boyster dominated the top end with quality photos and clear genetics.

What this means for you: Timed sales are unforgiving when your reserves are too high. Set them where the market actually is for your animals in this type of sale, not where you wish it was. Or better yet, throw one standout animal in at no reserve just to get the room engaged and establish a baseline.

The standardization matters too. When buyers have to decode different formats and terms for every consignor, they get tired and move on. Pick a template and stick to it.

Pandarosa Ranch - Falling for Minis (Sept 28, 2025)

The Numbers:

• 19 lots (17 animals + 2 swag bundles)

• 100% sold

• Average (animals): ~$6,700

• Median: ~$7,250

• Top: $10,500

What caught my eye:

• No reserves = no stress = everyone goes home happy

• Bottle baby positioning worked perfectly for the entry-level buyer crowd

• Heifers beat bulls/steers by about 48%

What this means for you: Sometimes simple is better. This was a starter sale - approachable prices, clear terms, cute calves. If you're new to selling or working with a smaller group, this is your template. Short catalog, consistent photos, concrete details. You don't need hundreds of bidders when a few dozen motivated people show up ready to buy.

The Big Picture (What These Six Sales Tell Us)

Let's address the elephant in the barn: this isn't looking like a bubble.

I know some of you are worried we're heading for an alpaca-style crash. Here's why I don't think so. First, there's always a beef floor under these animals. Even your cull steers have value. Second, the buyer base is completely different - we're talking family farms, agritourism operations, and people who genuinely want these animals for what they are, not just as investment vehicles.

But here's what we need to talk about: that massive price spread. Willoughby averaged under $3,000 for sold lots while Pandarosa's live sale averaged $17,450. Same weekend, same breeds, but a 5X difference? That's not random.

Here's what separates a Willoughby result from a Pandarosa result:

• Reserve strategy: Willoughby had 40% clearance; Pandarosa had 100%. Those unsold lots at Willoughby actually had strong bids ($5,750 on Lavender!) but reserves killed the deals.

• Format matters: Multi-consignor timed sales fragment attention. Single-seller live events concentrate it.

• Brand trust: Pandarosa buyers know exactly what they're getting. Willoughby buyers are comparing 8 different farms with 8 different photo styles and description formats.

• Handling verification: "On bottle" or "halter broke" isn't just words - it's a $5,000 difference when buyers believe it.

Your action plan to avoid the Willoughby trap:

1. If you're in a multi-consignor sale, work twice as hard on your individual brand. Professional photos, consistent format, video proof of handling.

2. Set reserves at 85% of your target, not 115%. You can always negotiate up post-sale, but you can't negotiate with no bidders.

3. Time it right. October multi-consignor sales are competing with everyone trying to move animals before winter. September or November might give you cleaner air.

The patterns are remarkably consistent:

• Heifers are carrying 50-100% premiums over males across every single sale

• Color matters (silver, dun, yellow, blue roan) but handling matters more

• Documentation (DNA, registration, health) removes friction

• Hybrid formats beat pure online for energy and price

About those bidder counts: You might be surprised how few people it actually takes. Southeast Highland? Maybe 100 active bidders total. Pandarosa's live sale? 80-90. Cyrus Ridge worked perfectly with just 30-40. You don't need thousands of people. You need the right people, and you need to make it easy for them to trust you.

The warning signs to watch: Mid-tier bulls priced like superstars. Catalogs that make buyers guess basic information. Reserve prices from 2021. These are all fixable problems, not structural cracks.

What's New on Creatures

Remember that transparency thing I mentioned? We're building something that I hope will change how online animal auctions work. Every bid shows up in a timeline with the actual farm name attached (verified, of course). No more mystery bidders. No more wondering if those bids are real. Potential buyers can comment and ask questions right on the auction page.

Check it out on the Creatures Marketplace.

We just launched a very robust auction feature for individual animals. You can learn more about how to list one of yours in this short tutorial video and article here. Coming soon will be more of a typical “auction event” feature, but in a self-serve way. You’ll be able to set up your own auction event for just your animals, with a group of trusted breeders, regionally, or however you like.

The current fixed price listings in the Creatures marketplace are right in line with what we're seeing at auction: highland heifers from $7,000 to $12,500 and quality bulls in the $3,500-6,000 range. No reserve surprises, just straight-up transparent pricing. If you're planning to sell and want to try this format, or if you just want to poke around and tell me everything that is wrong with it, please do! The whole point is to help animal people like us.

Until next time

Thanks so much for reading to the end! I hope you learned something useful.

Elliott