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Reopened stockyards to benefit local ranchersSep 16, 2009 (The Deming Headlight - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- The trail ends, again, in Deming for the region's cattle and dairy ranchers. Southwestern Regional Stockyards opens today, off Tapia Road SE, at 10 a.m., today. Bill Matney is auctioneer. "The last year and a half," said Kevin Wilbeck, who operates the stockyard, ranchers here have "faced going to Roswell, Belen or Wilcox (Ariz.)." Moving a herd that far cuts profits. Deming Cattle Sales/Stockyard closed about 18 months ago, says Wilbeck, and ranchers had to move herds to other yards for sales. Crossing the state line to Wilcox with livestock presented other issues. "There's good quality here," Wilbeck says of available stock. "The numbers are down, because of the drought, but there is still adequate numbers to run a business here. I've visited with Gary Shiflett, in Nutt Valley. He indicated he's going to give it a try." Other dairy farmers and cattle ranchers are also on the trailhead to Deming. Cattle have been arriving at the stockyard since Monday. A trip to Las Cruces for more livestock was set Tuesday evening. A trailer is expected this morning with more livestock. Livestock inspectors were at the stockyard Tuesday and will be there for other shipments. "I expect the stands to be full," Wilbeck said of a sale arena seating about 100. "I'm honored with the people who have consigned cattle. It's in the 100s. "We go, East to West, Wilcox to Roswell, and to Belen (for livestock). We pretty much have the Southwest corner of the state." Wilbeck and family -- wife, three children, a fourth child due soon -- came from Lincoln, Kan., near the Nebraska line, two years ago. The family had been to visit and liked the area. Wilbeck knows Matney from Kansas. "This is my first go-round," Wilbeck says of running a stockyard. "I've been in the feed lot business, raising cattle and hauling cattle." He'll employ 15 to 16 people at the stockyard and already has a waiting list for jobs. Reopening of the stockyard is great for area ranchers, said County Agriculture Extension Agent Jack Blanford. "It gives them an opportunity to market their cattle at a local auction," he said. "By having that open, we have the opportunity to buy and sell in our community instead of having to ship cattle outside the county. It is a convenience, even if you just have five or six head, convenient to have a local auction. It gives us an opportunity to let the little guy hang on. "We probably have, active, 60 cattle (and dairy) producers in Luna County itself, but it also draws from Grant County, Hidalgo, Sierra, Catron, Do a Ana County." Wilbeck and Blanford note ranchers and buyers the stockyard draws to Luna County will help the local economy, in money spent in restaurants, motels, feed stores, hardware stores and other businesses. Kevin Buey can be reached at [email protected]. To see more of The Deming Headlight, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.demingheadlight.com. Copyright (c) 2009, The Deming Headlight, N.M. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |