Small Cows, Big Standards?

Hey everyone!

Two interesting November sales worth digging into since last week’s newsletter. If you missed it (with two $800k+ auctions!) you can find it here.

One of this week’s new auctions nailed the transparent auction format. The other put up impressive numbers but highlighted why we need to talk about ethics and genetics. I also dive into why public bid history matters and whether you should ditch reserves.

Willow Glen Farm – Fall 2025 (Nov 1–2, AirAuctioneer)

Quick heads up: Willow Glen sells in CAD. Since most of you are stateside, I'm showing USD conversions at about 0.73 per CAD.

The Numbers

• Total sales: ~$135,500 USD ($185,600 CAD, includes charity)

• Lots sold: 20 of 21 (only Lot 15 didn't close)

• Overall average: ~$6,770 USD ($9,280 CAD)

• High seller: North Wind at Willow Glen — ~$16,100 USD ($22,000 CAD)

Top Animals

• North Wind at Willow Glen — ~$16.1K ($22,000 CAD)

• Necessity at Willow Glen — ~$13.9K ($19,000 CAD)

• Nevermind at Willow Glen — ~$13.0K ($17,800 CAD)

• Nostalgia at Willow Glen — ~$12.4K ($17,000 CAD)

Why this sale matters

AirAuctioneer's public bid history is doing real work here. Take Neve of Willow Glen: you can watch every single bid from $8,500 CAD climbing in $100–$200 steps to $12,500 CAD. Timestamps show those last-minute scrambles, soft-close extensions working exactly as designed. Anyone can verify the competition was real.

This transparency builds trust. That's why we're making it standard on Creatures, too. Public bid history with bidder aliases, timestamps, and clear soft-close mechanics on every auction. No more black boxes.

The rules on this auction were dead simple too: "Reserve price is the same as the starting price." No games, no confusion. When you know exactly how a sale works, you bid with confidence.

Rocking L Ranch – New Frontier Sales Series VII (Nov 9, microminicattlesales.com)

The Numbers

• Lots sold: 35 of 35

• Grand total: $247,780

• Overall average: $6,926

• Live animals (Lots 1–14): avg $11,536

• Embryos & pregnancies: avg $5,409

Top Animals

• Lot 1 "Bunny Bella" — $25,000

• Lot 2 "Banana" — $19,000

• Four calves hit $14K+

The genetics issue we can't ignore:

Multiple embryo lots paired chondro+ donor Karyn with chondro+ sires (Ohno, Smarty, Ice Cream). That's carrier × carrier, which means approximately 25% of those embryos won't survive to birth. This isn't cutting-edge genetics. It's unnecessary risk.

Here's where the industry needs to go:

• Never normalize carrier × carrier pairings

• Disclose both parents' test status on every embryo/AI lot

• Include plain-English risk statements when carriers are involved

The science is settled, and the ethics are clear. We can do better.

Strategy Corner: Should you ditch the reserve?

Short answer: Usually yes, if you can draw a crowd.

The research is fascinating here. Studies show secret reserves actually hurt sellers: they reduce sales probability and final prices. Why? Bidders see a reserve and think "Why bother?"

Low starts do something powerful. They attract more bidders early, create momentum, and trigger competitive behavior. Scientific research shows that adding one extra bidder to a no-reserve auction beats having the "perfect" reserve with one fewer bidder. Translation: More bidders beats pricing tricks.

For our niche:

• Got a solid buyer list and good pre-sale marketing? Go low start/no reserve with public bid history

• Uncertain about turnout? Use Willow Glen's approach: set your start at your true minimum and be transparent about it

Focus on getting more qualified bidders who trust your process. That's what drives prices, not clever reserve strategies.

Creatures Updates

We're steadily turning Creatures into what this niche has needed: a marketplace where transparency isn't optional and finding quality cattle doesn't require detective work.

New listings: So exciting to have dozens of cattle and donkey listings now available for secure online checkout.

What's new: Location-based search just went live. Pick your distance radius (100 to 1000 miles), and see exactly what's available in your hauling range. Details at https://help.creatures.com/en/article/search-for-animals-near-you-on-the-creatures-marketplace-1dn5btv/

What's working: Public bid history is now default on all Creatures-run auctions. Every bid, every timestamp, every soft-close extension: it's all visible. Same transparency that made Willow Glen's results so trustworthy. Our catalog templates push sellers to include what actually matters: genetic test results, accurate heights, handling temperament, export eligibility. No more mystery listings.

The goal isn't to be another auction platform. It's to be the place where serious buyers find serious sellers, where transparency is standard, and where you can trust what you're buying. We're getting there, one feature at a time.

Upcoming Auctions

• Nov 16: Horns & Hooves Online: https://hornsnhoovesauction.com/auction/30640

• Nov 19: Cyrus Ridge Mini Highlands: https://bid.cyrusridge.com/ui/auctions/149985

• Nov 22–23: Sugar Bowl Highlands: https://airauctioneer.com/sugar-bowl-highlands-2

• Nov 28: Highland Genetics Black Friday: https://www.highlandgenetics.com/pages/black-friday-sale-11-28-2025

• Dec 6: HHCA Fall Auction (Springfield, MO): https://highlandauction.com/consignments_fall.php

• Dec 7: Webb Cattle Co: https://webbcattlecoauctions.com/auction/30631

Let me know if I missed any upcoming sales/auctions!

Elliott