Bred Cow Prices

[nenmrancher]

Went to a Special bred cow sale Friday in La Junta, Colorado and was surpised at the prices the cows were a bringing there. Course there were a lot of really nice cows there, and very little junk. Three and four year olds are still bringing 1000 to 1250 a head and five year olds and above were between 900 and 1100. With calf prices comming down I dont see how anyone can afford cows at those prices. Needles to say I didnt come home with anything. Course things could have changed as my cousin decieded that everything was selling to hi and we should leave and get on home. So we left before the first calf heifer started selling.

My question to everyone is what are cow prices doing in your part of the world?

[Tap]

http://bellefourchelivestock.com/Reports/Sales/12-07-06.pdf

[Soapweed]

http://www.sheridanlivestock.com/market.htm

[Oldtimer]

Yeah Miles had some young cows 4-5 year olds a few weeks ago bringing $1250--- Somebody told me that Billings had some go as high as $1400 last week at the two day bred sale....

[Jinglebob]

Ahhh ranchers! We all live in the best "next year" country, don't we?

[Cowpuncher]

NMR

I was at the La Junta sale and I bought some of those high-dollar cows.

Since we had a very good year, we had a choice - pay the money to Uncle Sam or buy some cows and get a Sec. 179 deduction which would save a bunch of money in income tax.

We bought 3 year-olds and paid at or near the highest price. They were also bred limo which matches the rest of our herd. I am thinking that even if the calves average $600 (down from around $750 this year) we are going to have a reasonalble cost.

We were one of the few folks in our area that kept their herds pretty much intact during the drought of 2002. We keep our cows debt free and rely on tax savings to help finance our here. A lot of the others were never able to reestablish their herds.

Unfortunately, the tax cost basis of our herd is getting darn near zero and the piper is waiting to be paid if we were to liquidate. At least, we will have the money to pay Sam at that time.

[nenmrancher]

Cowpuncher,

Are you talking about the Silvercliff cows? We really liked them as well, just went alot higher than we had money to spend. I would have really liked to have come home with the Foos cows as well. How did the first calf heifers sale? We left before they got into them. I was hoping to pick up a couple of truck loads but the big lots went to high and the small lots would have taken awhile to put enough together, and my cousin was in a hurry to get home. And I know I am going to get an ear full with this remark but in most cases its true. Thats what happens when you take a female to an auction.

[sic 'em reds]

We went to a bull sale on Saturday where they had a bunch of bred heifers and cows that ranged in age from 3 to 10+. The heifers averaged around 975 on 300 head. Then there was 40 real nice 3 to 4 yr olds that all brought $1250, one buyer. The older cows got stole at about $625 average. Those old girls would pop out a calf and probably rebreed. If I would have had the money, I would have bought a load of those girls, calve them, and either sell as pairs this spring or as breds in August.

[PPRM]

Sic em.....I saw a lot of older Cows ingood shap ewith good udders for under $600 at Hermiston oregon last week....Toppenish had a Bred Cow sale the Same day.......I think you are right..Hell I Know you are right cause I have done it in the past. Feed those old cows and get some good mineral in them and you can get several more good calves and sell a fleshy cow when you are done....

I got this philosphy growing up in Joseph Oregon...Most guys talked about the big ranchers whose fathers or grandfathers started with old ewes and keeping the ewe lambs out of them...I figured the same would work in cows and have done that. I figure if a cow earned a living for 10 years on a hard grass ranch, she did something. Feed her and get some hiefers out of a proven cow....It generally works for me as long as the Udder is good and she isn't broke down,

PPRM

[Tap]

http://www.milescitylivestock.com/2006MarketReports/12.08.06.html

Another sale that Oldtimer mentioned.

[sic 'em reds]

PPRM, we went to the Toppennish sale last Tuesday, but we didn't end up bringing anything home. Some people I know from Ellensburg brought in 120 bred heifers and no saled them cause they were only getting a bid at $800, they wanted $1050.

Talked to Jeff Weirsma, 1 of the Topp. owners, on Saturday at that sale and he said the owner of Hermiston had to loads of cows that didn't sell that a guy could get at slaughter price. Wanted Jeff to buy them, but apparently he got in the same boat on some cattle.

I'd suspect if a guy has any feed around, that he should buy what he can afford. There's lots of people around this area that think cow prices will come back up in the spring.

[PPRM]

I agree sic em....I was just too committed to calves. I actually like to buy bred cows that will calve after June. They are generally priced slaughter level. I can wean the calf about march and it will be big. Then i can flesh the cow oprety easily coming into the Hamburger market,

Wiresema's have done well....I think two things hurt the Stock Cow Sales this year. Hermiston, Toppenish and La grande had them all on the same week.....Then there is the feed costs, Hay is pretty spendy....I am fortunate to have a contract on some Frozen Grader Waste from a Vegetable Plant,


PPRM