No more cattle calls for Llano auction

LLANO, Texas (KXAN) - After almost 50 years, Llano Livestock Auction closed for good Tuesday.

 

Owner Hatch Smith’s grandfather first took over the business, during a time when Llano was a strong agricultural city.

 

Smith said Llano's cattle industry has changed dramatically since his grandfather's days. The price of cattle has dropped. Ranch land is being developed as well as drying out in the worst drought since the 1950s.

Those factors are now forcing ranchers to quit the industry. And that translates into fewer cattle to bought and sold.

“[Llano’s] changed from the time I grew up,” said Smith. “It was a tiny county, and everybody ranched.”

After a lot of soul searching, the owner Hatch Smith said it was a very tough decision, but one that he had to make. On the last day, 200 cattle were auctioned off Tuesday afternoon with just a handful of buyers in the stands.

“I get a little emotional, but don’t cry for me Argentina,” said Smith. “I’ll be fine. There are a lot of people in worse shape.”

Many people in the community are sad to see Llano Livestock Auction close, including the generations of ranch hands who worked there.

"Some of their grandparents worked for my grandfather,” said Smith. “It's a generational kind of thing."

Local rancher Ernest Ligon started working at the auction when he was 14 years old and comes to sell his cattle at the auction every week. He now will have to haul his cattle to another auction at least 30 miles away.

“The owner and I grew up together,” said Ligon. “We were in the same class. I’ve known him all my life.”

Even though Smith has closed the auction, he said he will not give up on cattle ranching.

"When you're in this business, you retire about the time you die, and I'm not ready for that yet," said Smith.

 

 

 

 

 

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