Seller's guide
Selling cattle, goats, sheep, horses or poultry over the internet works the same way it works at the barn — honest description, fair price, clean handoff. Here's the whole run, start to finish.
Write the animal down the way a buyer would search for it: species, breed, sex, age and how many head. "Three Angus heifers, 14 months, bred" tells a buyer more in eight words than a paragraph of description.
Selling a group? Say whether they go as a lot or can be split. That single sentence saves a dozen back-and-forth messages.
Check what comparable animals brought at your nearest sale barn in the last few weeks, and look at what similar head are currently listed for online. Weight, condition, breeding status and time of year all move the number.
Pick a price you'd genuinely take. Listing high "to leave room" mostly buys you silence — most online buyers filter by price and never see an overpriced listing at all.
Daylight, no clutter, animal standing square. Get a full side profile, a front view, a rear view, and a close-up of anything a buyer will ask about — udder, feet, brand, ear tag.
Photograph the animal you're selling, not the best one in the pen. Shoot four to eight photos; more than that and buyers stop scrolling.
A short video walking around the animal does more work than any description. If it moves well, show it moving.
Cover breed, age, weight, sex, quantity, temperament, and vaccination or worming history. Then list the flaws — a bad eye, a wild one, an open cow. Buyers find out anyway, and the ones who find out on arrival don't come back.
Honest listings get fewer messages and far more completed sales. That trade is always worth it.
Depending on your state and the species, a sale that crosses county or state lines can need a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (health certificate), brand inspection, Coggins test for horses, or official ID tags.
Requirements vary by state and change over time — check with your state department of agriculture or your veterinarian for the current rules that apply to your animals and destination.
Agree up front on who is hauling and who is paying for it. Distance kills more online livestock deals than price does.
If the buyer is arranging transport, get the hauler's name and an arrival window. If you're hauling, quote the trip separately so it doesn't muddy the sale price.
Cash, a bank-verified transfer, or a cashier's check confirmed with the issuing bank before the animals leave your place. Never release stock against a check you haven't verified or a screenshot of a "pending" payment.
Walk away from anyone who wants to overpay and have you wire the difference back, or who won't talk on the phone. That's the oldest scam in livestock trading and it still runs every week.
The first person to reply usually gets the sale. Answer messages the same day, keep your listing updated, and take it down the moment the animals are sold.
If it's been two weeks with no serious interest, the price is the problem — not the photos.
Still weighing up where to put your animals? Compare the main places to sell livestock online.
This guide is general information, not legal or veterinary advice. Health, testing and transport requirements differ by state and species — confirm the current rules with your veterinarian or state department of agriculture.