"I wish it wouldn't close down," he said. "But I guess there's nothing they can do about it."

Walton said half the animals he processes and distributes to local stores and restaurants each week come from Utah Livestock Auction. When it closes shop, he worries about how he'll fill the demand.

"I'll just have to go traveling to get my animals," he said.

But with the rising cost of travel, Walton said he hopes local sellers who want to unload their animals without traveling out of the county will bring their animals to him.

Thatcher also said he'll have to stretch to cover the costs he'll incur when the auction closes.

Mary and Brent Kelly said they sympathize with those who feel the void but they need to do what's best for them right now. They also said they hope their former patrons will be able to work things out.

"But still, number-wise and business-wise, we just feel like now's the time to make our move," Mary Kelly said.

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E-mail: jdana@desnews.com