Omaha Stockyards

At its height, the Omaha Livestock Market hired 300 to 400 people to process six to seven million head of cattle, hogs and sheep a year. In this video podcast, both farmers and workers remember how the market operated and what it meant to them.

[@BZN406]

Thank you for some wonderful pictures of my Grandfather, his brothers and nephews. Berigan Brothers Livestock Commission.

[@garymorris1856]

We have an entire generation who have no memory of the stockyards in South Omaha now.

[@richardwilken2490]

I hope when I pass away, this is still showing . Because I ran the weight on the hogs and penned the hog up, but most of the time, I ran the scale ⚖️. Did did work for Wilson's foods , back in the days .

[@FormerCrat]

My grandfather, Roy Horstman, started working there at 13 years old, around 1915, and retired sometime around 1970. In that time, he eventually sold hogs for Stockmen's & Tagg R, Wellman & Sons, and then finally for Johnson Comission Co. I was so small I have few, but fond memories of visiting the yards. Thanks for preserving history!

[@danbilyeu28]

My mothers family , Mactier Bros was a great reputable company that’s was one of the oldest. They were from Elk city. My Dad sold Meat at swifts. I and two of my Brothers worked in the packing houses . I spent 3 summers herding cattle at the stock yards. Wonderful memories for my family and i

[@kennielsen8369]

Awesome tribute to a time gone by! Thank you for this!

[@richardwilken2490]

It was hard work ...

[@jerrysullivan8424]

When we were boys back in the early 70s, we would go to the stockyards in Saint Joseph, MO., to get pigeons. We would climb around the cattle stalls and get up into the rafters, then get the pigeons out of their nest. Saint Jo, stockyards are close now for good. Thursday, April 22nd 2021, 3:19 PM CDT A livestock landmark in the hometown of the Pony Express will close the gates for a final time this year. The St. Joseph Stockyards is shutting down after 134 years of operation. There were also lots of bars, pool halls, and cat houses in the area. they are long gone. Watching this reminded me of my boyhood days hanging out in the stockyards with my friends. we were only chased away a few times. thank you for your video.

[@stevejones3309]

Fond memories myself Jerry. Delivering cattle on Sunday night with my Dad in the 60's.

[@richardwilken2490]

That was what started me when I was a kid on what I wanted to do.

[@tomwagner6334]

Awesome stuff. Brings back memories. My brother in law ran a stockyard just outside Papillion.

[@itsbeenaharddayslifeandive2945]

Wow. What an incredible insight into a few of the different perspectives and people the Yards brought to South O. I am all too familiar with the historical value that the Livestock Exchange as a whole defined Omaha, Nebraska. My grandfather started there as a yard boy and retired as the Exchange Operations Manager, once they had gotten the Red Oak location up and running. It was truly heartbreaking to see the yards go and essentially the city of Omaha not really grasping what an important part the Yards had in developing what was once a booming business. I spent my summers in the alleys and chutes, although it was a far more scaled down operation it still was incredible to see. I always looked forward to auction day, I was fascinated by the auctioneers, but mostly anxious to make a few bucks serving the buyers coffee and hearing timeless stories. I’m so very grateful I was able to partake in the excitement, although I saw the demise of its heyday, the Yards were something that will forever hold a special place in my heart. *-if anyone is ever interested I have countless amazing photos of the Yards and various other nostalgic things pertaining to them.

[@austinpalmquist3196]

I worked at Red Oak, as much as they wanted it to be though,it wasn't and never could be Omaha.

[@thyslop1737]

Went there several times as a kid with my Dad. I remember the smell. Also, the Livestock building was beautiful. My father and his parents had a brokerage firm on the Chicago Mercantile though they lived in Omaha. I suppose my father had business down there. All you know as a kid is you got to tag along. It was a completely different world, magical almost.

[@gregoryknox4444]

I grew up in Bellevue, just south of Omaha (separated by a street sign). I loved the smell of the stockyards. Johnny's was the best restaurant.

[@gnolan4281]

I was from Central omaha but we were good friends with the Egan family in Bellevue. They kept cattle on their property.

[@williamwimer2074]

Worked around our local stockyards for 30 some years. Saw lot of changes and lot of goings on..all the old ones are gone now..

[@crazyredhare]

Back in the late sixties and early seventies it wasn't unusual to see a rancher with a side arm. Ranchers got paid with a check but they also needed cash. I'm pretty sure there was a bank in the Exchange building. Also there was Packers bank on 24th street.

[@George50809]

I never knew about Johnny's Cafe when I lived in Omaha in the 1970's. I guess it had been around so long that many people did not realize the historical significance of the place. If still open, I intend to eat there someday.

[@austinpalmquist3196]

John A. It's still open.

[@august19621]

Amazing stores I loved it thank you

[@stevemccoy8138]

We took our cattle to Denver Stockyards, but we had a neighbor that went to Omaha with theirs.

[@jeffsmith2022]

Very nice video, must be from quite a few years ago...

[@alanstrong55]

Now that is over and done with. Hope the former workers found new employment.

[@aaronjstutzmanjr1955]

How much were Steers bringing on the Hoof at that time???

[@Mike-01234]

That must have been hard work.

[@richardwilken2490]

It is hard work but it helps a lot if you loved your job and what you was doing.

[@natalieamore8195]

💔😔🤯👿🤮🤑

[@ryanharter3411]

Born in the wrong generation

[@davegutierrez5553]

Why do they call Ranchers farmers in this video?. There is a difference. Farmers raise hay. Ranchers raise cattle.

[@donaldatkinson7937]

I think they did both, lady said you could get 13 cows on standard grain truck. They would grow corn for their cattle.

[@bawpa864]

Most farms back then had both livestock and crops. They would use the grain that they raised to feed cattle and hogs. It's not that way so much anymore.

[@davegutierrez5553]

Well I'm from South East New Mexico. 5th generation rancher. We have never grown hay for our cattle. I have friends that are farmers the don't raise cattle.

[@donaldatkinson7937]

@@davegutierrez5553 in the southeast, people would lots of times have both plus hogs. These people wouldn't be considered ranchers or farmers by today's standards, most places were under 100 acres.