Fort Smith Stockyards sales steady as prices rise

Cattle sales have been steady this year at the Fort Smith Stockyards.

Since 1941, the stockyards located just off the Garrison Avenue Bridge on the Oklahoma side of the Arkansas River, take the U.S. 64 off-ramp, has been keeping the cattle market moving in Moffett, Oklahoma.

The pandemic affected cattle auctions two years ago, said co-owner Scottie Smith, and beef production issues have affected the supply chain during the pandemic. Currently, higher prices help area cattle producers, but they face higher feed and gas prices.

Live, weekly auctions start at 9 a.m. on Mondays and last until about 8 p.m. or until the last cow goes through the ring.

An average day for sales is about 1,500 head sold, Smith said.

Smith, who lives in Westville, Oklahoma, said sales are steady.

"It's been good through the winter. It (beef price) climbs toward spring like it generally does. Here lately it (price) has been a little cheaper but it's still good, and still a lot of cattle showing up so sales have been going good," Smith said Monday, May 23.

Sam Chandler is one of the three owners of  Fort Smith Stockyards.

Beef prices have been higher during the pandemic for reasons that have not always helped cattle producers. Supply chain issues, and a lack of workers at packing plants affected prices. For consumers, beef prices at the grocery store jumped in 2020 and continue rising in 2022.

A cattle farmer's profits may be eaten up by higher feed prices, Chandler said. Gas prices are rising too with the average cost of a gallon of regular unleaded in Arkansas above $4.

The Fort Smith Stockyards serves farmers in the River Valley, and trailers arrive in the parking lot from farms in counties bordering Arkansas and Oklahoma.

"It's very important to all the local farmers to have a local stockyards that takes care of them so they can sell their cattle," Chandler said.

Chandler, Budget Herbert and Smith bought the stockyards six years ago. Smith visited with his granddaughters Monday. Brianna Chamberlin worked behind the office desk.

Budge Herbert saddled up his horse Nick and tied Nick to a fence outside the barn Monday. Herbert was busy with trailers showing up with cattle to unload, and live auctions going on inside the ring.

"I can tell you history about this stockyards," Herbert said, as he rode Nick.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Fort Smith Stockyards survive the decades, bounce back from pandemic