# 385: How Cattle Buyers Determine What Your Cows Are Worth with Michael Pilot

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/cattleusa-daily-7200592/385-how-cattle-buyers-determine-what-your-cows-are-worth-with-michael-pilot
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/cattleusa-daily-7200592/385-how-cattle-buyers-determine-what-your-cows-are-worth-with-michael-pilot.md
Podcast: [CattleUSA Daily](https://stenobird.com/podcast/cattleusa-daily-7200592)
Published: 2026-08-04T11:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cattleusa/episodes/385-How-Cattle-Buyers-Determine-What-Your-Cows-Are-Worth-with-Michael-Pilot-e3mudnn
Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/ff140960/podcast/play/123729079/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-7-4%2F429165612-44100-2-4e1140b540e68.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/cattleusa-daily-7200592/episodes/385-how-cattle-buyers-determine-what-your-cows-are-worth-with-michael-pilot
Duration seconds: 1471

## Resource

Ever wondered what happens after your cull cows leave the farm or how cattle buyers determine what they're worth? In this episode, Lauren sits down with Michael Pilot, a cattle buyer who purchases cull cows directly from producers across the Upper Midwest. Michael shares how he got his start in cattle procurement, what he looks for when evaluating cattle, and how relationships with producers have shaped his business over the last eighteen years. The conversation also dives into changes within the dairy industry, the importance of packing plant capacity, the current cattle market, and an honest discussion about mental health in agriculture and supporting the people who feed our country. Links: CattleUSA Insurance - https://info.cattleusainsurance.com/l/1102253/2025-06-04/288f5m ⁠CattleUSA Website - https://www.cattleusa.com/ CattleUSA App IOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cattleusa/id1673147759 CattleUSA App Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.edgarmcbee.cusamobile&pcampaignid=web_share Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleusamedia Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleusa.media/ Subscribe to our newsletter - https://www.cattleusa.shop/products/cattleusa-drive-premium-daily-newsletter?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&brid=YWdncwFNXt0EmdzFy5cJJBp84J9g CattleUSA Media - https://www.cattleusamedia.com/ Lauren’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/_laurenmoylan/ Lauren’s Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@Showboatmediaco The Next Generation Podcast Website - https://www.thenextgenag.com/ Chapters: 00:00 – Meet Michael Pilot 01:04 – From Hockey Player to Cattle Buyer 04:03 – How the Dairy Industry Has Changed 06:18 – What Cattle Buyers Look For 12:48 – Stories from Life on the Road 16:24 – Mental Hea…

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## Transcript

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