Livestock sales have long been a major part of U.S. agriculture, beginning with local farm trading and regional stockyards in the nineteenth century. As railroads expanded, cattle, hogs, sheep, and poultry could be transported to large markets and processing centers, linking ranchers and farmers to consumers across the country.

Over time, livestock sales became more organized through auctions, feedlots, cooperatives, meatpackers, and direct contracts with processors and retailers. The federal government began collecting agricultural data in 1820, with the first Census of Agriculture conducted in 1840; today, USDA conducts the census every five years.

Livestock remains one of the country’s largest farm-business categories. In 2022, U.S. livestock production accounted for about $262 billion in sales, while cattle and calf sales alone were reported at roughly $89.4 billion. Modern sales now take place through physical auctions, private contracts, online platforms, and direct-to-consumer farm businesses.
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