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Northern Rancher
Rancher
Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 12235
Location: saskatchewan
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 Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 10:27 am Post subject: |
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| Hereford calves seem to work well-you can take a discount calf and turn him into a premium yearling. Probably best not to be buying when gras fever hits the auction marts-some moisture in the spring and things get a bit crazy.
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PATB
Member
Joined: 10 Apr 2009
Posts: 335
Location: Turner, Maine
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 11:00 am Post subject: |
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| You better have a market for the heavy weight herdford steer lined up before you buy in this area. You might be able to sell some heavy weight herdfords several farm meat stores. Have a market lind up before you buy.
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Northern Rancher
Rancher
Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 12235
Location: saskatchewan
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 11:02 am Post subject: |
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| Hereford steers off grass sell pretty good up in our country.
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PATB
Member
Joined: 10 Apr 2009
Posts: 335
Location: Turner, Maine
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 12:25 pm Post subject: |
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| NR The 1 large buyer in this area is not found of straight herdfords unless they come with a good discount. You either produce what is in demand or create your own market for the end product. There is several decent outlets a couple of states away. There are several small buyers that will pay close to what they are worth.
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Northern Rancher
Rancher
Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 12235
Location: saskatchewan
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 12:40 pm Post subject: |
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| I don't think the cattle will be marketed in Maine.
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phantom
Member
Joined: 18 Jul 2008
Posts: 100
Location: prairies
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 1:12 pm Post subject: |
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| Pretty sure that Maine White faces have a little different look than what you might find in Meadow or Lloyd or Mankota for that matter.
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Northern Rancher
Rancher
Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 12235
Location: saskatchewan
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 1:20 pm Post subject: |
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| Yeah I imagine so.
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PATB
Member
Joined: 10 Apr 2009
Posts: 335
Location: Turner, Maine
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Northern Rancher
Rancher
Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 12235
Location: saskatchewan
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 2:50 pm Post subject: |
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| Saskatchewan would be 9th in cow numbers if it was a state-our local yard puts through probably 40-50,000 head a year-there are 4 or 5 more within 200 miles also.
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Ben H
Rancher
Joined: 20 Mar 2006
Posts: 1729
Location: Gorham, ME
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 4:05 pm Post subject: |
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| PATB wrote: |
| Ben what is your target market in the fall? Will the animals be age, source verified, breed makeup and will they be natural/meet pineland meat protocoll? The above greatly affects final price in fall. Have you look into custom grazing for pineland or working with kevin woltemath? There is more money to be made feeding light weights over the winter if you have the feed and facilities. |
I direct market everything, I didn't buy any in last year but did the year before. They're all grassfed and I have a good market for it. Most of my sales are 1/4's, sides and wholes with a few kept for retail. I may have a big opportunity coming up for more retail sales. I'm bale grazing, those are my facilities. I usually have to buy some feed in. I'm constantly trying to find more land and build more fence, I've talked to Kevin before. As of right now I can direct market everything I produce, I'm limited on the amount of acreage I currently farm. Before I got into the direct marketing, I was thinking of going with custom grazing for Pineland.
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John SD
Rancher
Joined: 16 Mar 2005
Posts: 1014
Location: western SD
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 4:53 pm Post subject: |
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I agree with NR on the Hereford steers. My observation is Herefords generally do take a price hit as calves compared to their straight black or baldy herdmates. As 1000 lb yearlings they sell right in line with anything else as long as the horns have been taken care of properly.
Western SD has quite a few excellent livestock auctions. Sales are advertised well and the sale barns compete with each other trying to get the best prices for their customers.
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Big Muddy rancher
Rancher
Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 15240
Location: Big Muddy valley
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 10:46 pm Post subject: |
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| Northern Rancher wrote: |
| Bud williams puts ona pretty good three day seminar on just how top go about makinmg money on them. There's alot of variables involved but there can be good money in running yearlings. |
A few up this way have taken the course and are practicing it. Heck my Dad pretty much did this his whole ranching career. In talking to him about running yearlings he figures things have really changed. Margins were always close and they are closer now. Trucking costs more, commissions are higher if you don't buy yourself. Selling commissions are a lot higher. Off grade cattle such as long horns don't meet the grading standard anymore, Cattle that need dehorning can take awhile to start gaining. I am not sure if this turning cattle will work as well as it used to. IMHO
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Several of the poster on this site may have more beef animals under there control than is in the state of maine.