Brahmans on the Rio Production Sale Celebrates Success in South Texas

England Cattle Co. in Mercedes, Texas, is coming off a highly successful production sale.

MERCEDES, TEXAS (RFD NEWS) — England Cattle Co. in Mercedes, Texas, is coming off what organizers called a highly successful production sale, with strong in-person attendance and active online bidding helping drive momentum throughout the event.

The annual “Brahmans on the Rio” sale drew cattle producers, buyers, and visitors from across the region, blending a traditional auction atmosphere with digital participation that kept bids moving quickly throughout the day.

“This is the biggest one we’ve seen thus far,” said Brian Conner of Conner Smoke Co.

Conner Smoke Co. also provided catering for the event, serving fajitas and brahma hump to attendees as the sale unfolded.

“We are catering the entire event for them, cooking some fajitas, some brahma hump, and really just trying to make this event as good as possible,” Conner said.

The international reach of the cattle industry was evident throughout the venue as buyers watched closely and participated both in person and online.

Servando Gutierrez, a Texas cattleman attending the event, praised the quality of the livestock offered during the sale.

“I’ve been to many sales, but this is like one of the premium stocks that they got going on. It’s a very well-topped brand of ramen. And let me tell you, I’ve seen quite a few, and these are up-and-coming. If you really want quality, this is where you come,” Gutierrez said.

It was a packed house here at England Cattle Co., where strong online engagement ahead of the sale helped contribute to the event’s success. In fact, they made a very nice profit.

Conner noted that online bidding added another level of energy to the sale.

“Yes, they’re very, very busy here. There are a lot of people bidding, not just here but online as well. We’re hearing a lot of action going on,” he said.

Gutierrez also pointed to the pace of digital participation.

“They’re online, and they’re actually, you know, there’s bidding going crazy in there. The bidders can’t even keep up. Yeah, it’s pretty cool. It’s amazing!” he said.

Frank McCaffrey reporting for RFD News.

Related Stories
The lockout has not yet signaled a major disruption in the cattle market, but processing reliability remains important in a tight beef supply chain.
The award-winning pitmaster discusses choosing the right beef cuts, managing grill heat and building confidence behind the grill.
American Farm Bureau economist Bernt Nelson says consumers are still buying meat despite ongoing price pressures.
Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese is using cattle waste to help power its dairy operation and cheese production.
Analysts say drought, tight cattle supplies and summer grilling demand continue shaping the protein market outlook.
CECU President and CEO Jason Altmire discusses rural workforce shortages, technical skills, and why hands-on labor remains critical despite AI growth.

RFD NEWS Correspondent Frank McCaffrey covers news from Texas, in the US-Mexico border region. He has provided in-depth coverage of immigration, the 2021 Texas freeze, the arrival of the New World screwworm, and Mexico’s water debt owed under a 1944 treaty.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

USDA says both crops remain ahead of the five-year average as farmers continue monitoring dry Corn Belt conditions.
Texas Farm Bureau takes us behind the scenes at USDA’s sterile fly facility, considered a first line of defense against New World Screwworm, a fight Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller fears is “futile.”
RealAg Radio’s Shaun Haney joins us to discuss Canadian farmer sentiment, saying many are also struggling with profitability and long-term outlook in agriculture.
Several fires have merged into Kansas’ largest active wildfire as crews continue battling shifting winds and dry conditions.
The Texas Agriculture Commissioner says crews are still working to contain fires while farmers and ranchers begin assessing damage.
Volunteer firefighters describe devastating scenes as crews continue battling multiple fires across the region.
Rural Lifestyle & Entertainment Shows
Analiese Gregory is taking one of the biggest risks of her life: she’s left her successful career as a restaurant chef and bought a century-old cottage at the bottom of the world, in pristine Tasmania, Australia.
RFD+ EXCLUSIVE | This hour-long show explores the trains and locomotives that aided the growth of travel, further settlement, and the development of a variety of American industries and agricultural ventures.
The internationally-known “King of Polka,” 18-time Grammy award winner for “Best Polka Album,” and bandleader of arguably the most popular polka band in America—Jimmy Sturr—is taking to the stage for another slate of shows made for his fans and polka lovers across the country.
This half-hour program showcases the finest traditional country music that America has to offer. Recorded live at the four-acre Circle T Arena in Hamilton, Texas, each episode of TruCountry features live performances by some of the nation’s most authentic country music artists, playing good-time songs to a jam-packed dance floor.
Strong rural traditions, religion, cowboy boots, and technology collide in “Cowboy Church” — and taking part is as easy as turning on the TV! Airing Sundays on RFD Network.