Sunday, April 19, 1998

May will kick off with R.A. Brown and Pied Piper cattle sales

By J.T. Smith / Abilene Reporter-News

Folks from throughout the United States and foreign countries are expected to converge on Throckmorton on May 2 for the R.A. Brown Ranch "The Cowman's Sale."

A whopping 520 females will go on the auction block at this 12th annual spring sale at 11 a.m. sharp.

Ruben Reyes, internationally renowned auctioneer of San Antonio, along with auctioneers Greg Clifton of Fort Worth and James M. Birdwell of Fletcher, Okla., with sell the cattle.

The offering will be comprised of 150 Hotlander females, 101 Angus, 96 SimAngus, 75 commercial Angus and Black Baldies, 53 Simmentals, 23 Simbrah, 17 Senegus and seven Red Angus.

Animals will be sold in catalog order.

Because this is such a huge sale, people tend to come and go with their interest in a particular breed of cattle. No problem -- the Throckmorton County 4-H Club will have concessions available throughout the day. And the 4-H'ers and their adult leaders do a great job with the food and refreshmets.

Obviously, you don't get multitudes of people through Throckmorton on a regular basis, so the Brown sale has become a crucial fundraiser for the 4-H'ers.

Rob and Peggy Brown and their four grown children and families make this sale run smoothly for ranchers in the real world.

"Our cattle come to you in their work clothes," Rob allows. "At many sales, you see cattle clipped, haltered, brushed, oiled, pampered and highly fitted."

They don't do that stuff at an R.A. Brown Ranch sale.

"We don't because we know it does absolutely nothing to improve the true genetic value of the animals," Rob notes. "In other words -- it does nothing for their calves that you will sell."

People who fancy-up their cattle to sell for more than they are actually worth, tend to run out of repeat customers. Such folks don't stay in the cattle business for long.

The R.A. Brown Ranch has excelled in the cattle business for 103 years.

You don't have to polish diamonds to make them valuable because of what they are.

The Brown Family knows that.

Fading fast are the days of selling calves, feeder and fed cattle "on the average." The selling of cattle on individual genetic merit and a value-based market is clearly taking over.

The R.A. Brown Ranch headquarters is four miles west of Throckmorton just off of U.S. Highway 380. Just take County Road 112 for one mile north at the big ranch sign.

They have the capability to accept bids by telephone as the sale is in progress. If you would like to do this, you can call Donnell Brown at (940) 849-0611.

That number also will be a sale day phone along with (940) 849-5451 and (940) 849-0621.

Pied Piper sale is May 4 at Hamlin

Speaking of great cattle sales, Pied Piper Farms "Mature Cow Herd Dispersion" is noon May 4 at the ranch headquarters just one mile southeast of Hamlin.

Lunch will be served at the ranch sale pavilion at 11 a.m.

Some outstanding Hereford females will be sold. The 270 lots in the offering include 220 pairs (fall pairs, spring pairs, bred cows) and 50 bred heifers.

Stanley Stout, veteran auctioneer of Linwood, Kan., will sell the cattle.

David Moore of Pied Piper Farms says this sale represents the greatest source of "Mark Donald" genetics in the Southwest.

The sale also will offer an egg flush from one of the greatest heifers in the business, "GH Ginger ET 10G."

The $16,000 record-breaking heifer calf for the breed is a Simba daughter purchased from Hirsche Herefords in Canada the past fall.

"The decision to disperse our Ômature cow herd' has been difficult to make," Moore said. "However, in order to settle the estate of my late brother, Barry Moore, we reached the conclusion this sale is necessary. It is with a great deal of excitement -- and emotion -- that we offer you a lifetime of work, cattle purchases, breeding and selection."

For more, call Pied Piper Owner-Manager David Moore at (915) 576-3684, office or (915) 576-2205, home; or 1-(800) 338-4610, office for co-owner Bob Moore.