Superior Livestock new ownership, old management

Brush, Colo. – The nation’s leader in satellite and Internet cattle sales recently came under the management of Farm Credit West, ACA, but representatives say Superior Livestock Auction will continue with business as usual.   
    “There won’t be a lot of changes,” says co-founder Jim Odle, who’s come back to the company as general manager.
    “I started the company, and I’ve been in the business a long time and I’m glad to be back with the representatives and I’ll be back in the country meeting with ranchers,” he adds.
    “Farm Credit West is a strong supporter of the livestock industry and is proud to be the new owner of Superior Livestock—the largest livestock auction company in the U.S. and number one in the livestock marketing industry,” says a statement on Superior’s website.
    Odle sold the company in 2007. “They asked me to come back and manage it, and I’m really glad to do it,” he says. “There’s a soft spot in my heart, and there always will be.”
    Of Superior’s business going forward, Odle says, “It’s a sound, solid company. The people that owned it prior to Farm Credit West left all the capital and there’s lots of working money.”
    According to the statement, Superior Livestock continues to perform at record levels, both in terms of number of head sold and profitability. “Superior offers more than 1.5 million cattle annually and to date in 2009 has sold 1.6 million head of cattle,” it says.
    Odle says the transition provides the opportunity for Superior to get into new ventures through new technology and programs, both for the cattle producer and the cattle feeder.
    “We have some really neat things we’re getting ready for 2010, and we’ve got another meeting Dec. 8 to work out more of the details,” he says.
    Of Superior in 1987 compared to today, Odle says a big sale used to be 15,000 cattle, but today that’s one of their smaller sales. “The quality of cattle around the U.S. has really improved since then, and buying power is stronger now that it has been in a long time. It’s been tough lately, but it’s still out there and it’s strong,” he says.
    “It’s a great company, and a great service,” says Odle of Superior. “Even if people don’t use it to sell their cattle, it’s important for them to watch the sales to monitor the value of their cattle.”
    Superior will maintain both its offices in Brush, Colo. and Ft. Worth, Texas.
    Contact Jim Odle at 800-523-6610 or 970-380-5566. Christy Hemken is managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup and can be reached at christy@wylr.net.