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Dos Palos Y Auction Yard has been a cornerstone of California’s Central Valley for more than 70 years. A family-run business since its founding in 1950, it has spanned four generations, becoming a lasting legacy in the state’s agriculture hub.
“It’s pretty cool to have worked with my grandfather, and now with my dad and my two boys,” Joey Cozzi told WLJ. “I’m very thankful for that.”
The barn primarily focuses on dairy cattle but also markets feeder cattle, sheep and goats. Cattle sales are held twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays, while sheep and goat sales take place on the first and third Wednesday of every month.
Showcasing talent
Dos Palos Y Auction Yard was chosen to host a World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC) qualifying event in mid-September, an opportunity Joey calls both a privilege and an honor.
“We met a lot of great people,” Joey said. “It makes you glad to be in the business we’re in when you’re able to be around people like that.”
Contestants and spectators from across the country—and even Canada—gathered in Dos Palos for the event, showcasing the competition’s far-reaching significance.
Contestants compete for the Livestock Marketing Association’s (LMA) coveted World Livestock Auctioneer title through three stages: the qualifying round, semifinals and the ultimate showdown—the finals in June. The 2025 WLAC finals will take place at Dunlap Livestock Auction in Dunlap, IA, next June.
Contestants at the qualifying event represented a diverse range of ages and experience, from as young as 18 years old (the minimum age to compete) to seasoned veterans with years of auctioneering under their belts.
“They all had a little bit of a different style,” Joey said, “which made it fun to be around.”
A total of 26 auctioneers tossed their hats in the ring for the chance to make it on to the next round of the competition. Contestants sold eight drafts of cattle, which included three drafts of feeders and five drafts of butcher cows.
“A lot of them sell primarily feeder cattle, but we kind of changed it up to what we would normally sell at the barn,” Joey said. “Feeders were mostly beef-on-dairy crosses, and then there were the butcher cows, so we added a little twist on things for everybody.”
Market updates
One of the pressing hot topics currently affecting California’s dairy industry is the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza. From a local level, Joey said they hadn’t encountered the virus until recently, when a dairy in their county of Merced County was confirmed positive.
“It is hard to get information because it’s an ongoing thing and nobody really knows much about it,” Joey said. “Everybody’s trying to muddle through it and figure out what we’re supposed to do and what’s going to be best for everything.”
Joey credited LMA with helping to navigate through the uncertainty. “Our reps are out there on the daily having conference calls and conversations, trying to figure out what’s going on, what things we need to do and how to keep us protected and how we can still operate,” he said.
There is a concern about potential shutdowns that could force everything into slaughter, which makes the support of organizations like LMA critical.
On their end, the barn has been working together with neighboring barns to minimize the spread of the virus as much as possible. As a precaution, Dos Palos Y Auction Yard has temporarily halted the sale of fresh replacement heifers, and all beef animals are sold directly to slaughter.
“I think the market is suffering a little bit because of the virus,” Joey said. “Guys are sending more than normal to market to try to clean things up and prepare for it, so it doesn’t hit them as hard. That has affected price a little bit.”
Joey noted that on the beef side of things, the market has been outstanding. The region has benefited from two years of good rainfall and ample feed, which have helped support strong prices. However, he remarked this summer has been one of the most brutal he can remember, with an unprecedented number of consecutive days of triple-digit temperatures.
“It’s been pretty brutal on the cattle, and on handling and marketing the cattle,” he said.
The sheep and goat market has expanded in recent years, especially with the increasing use of animals for fire mitigation around municipalities. Joey estimated that around half of buyers are purchasing the animals for mitigation purposes, depending on the time of the year.
As the barn continues to adapt to new challenges and open up to new opportunities, the family-run business is set to continue its legacy for many more years. — Anna Miller, WLJ managing editor
