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Calf Prices Set New Records Each Week

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Anonymous

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Today 4/30/2005 7:02:00 AM


Feeder Cattle: Whopping Prices; Trucks Hard To Find In Oklahoma & Kansas



Compared to last week, calves and yearlings sold steady to 2.00 higher and marked a full two months that the weekly nationwide price trend has been steady or higher. In that time, 7 weight feeder steers in Oklahoma City are selling 10.00-12.00 higher with 8 weights mostly 8.00 higher. The market opened the week with a full head of steam, following last Friday's bullish cattle-on-feed report and surprisingly strong fed cattle trade. Demand in the auctions was equally as good for feeder cattle as it was for stockers. Direct trade was light as feedlots are preparing to fill empty pens with a large influx of graze-out wheat cattle over the next couple weeks.



Available cattle trucks are hard to come by in Oklahoma and Kansas as they run back and forth to stock Osage and Flint Hill pastures. High country grazers in the Rocky Mountain States are getting closer to turn-out dates. They received their second major spring snowstorm this week and another reminder why it's risky to turn new cattle out in April. Northern calf buyers were in full force in Bassett, Nebraska this Wednesday with 4200 head on offer. A fancy group of 485 lb steers brought 168.75 or almost 820.00 per head, another set of fancy steers weighing 661 lbs brought 146.50 or a whopping 970.00 for each precious animal. Calf prices continue to set new records each week, similar to the yearling market of late last summer. This past week's fed cattle trade was a struggle for cattle feeders.



Hopes were high early in the week, but initial trading of steady money on select pens in Nebraska hinted that the slaughter cattle market would be weaker. The Northern feedlot area ended the week with live sales 3.00 lower at mostly 91.00 and dressed sales 2.00-4.00 lower from 145.00-148.00 on the bulk of the sales. Southern Plains feedlots traded cattle around noon on Friday with live sales .50 to 1.00 lower at 93.00, few 93.50. This week's reported auction volume included 50 percent over 600 lbs and 44 percent heifers.
 
My grandpa used to tell about this sort of deal but this was back in the early 70s. I was about 10 at the time. They paid way to much for feeders market fell apart. Some held cattle for 3 years didnt work. Broke several banks here in Iowa. A lot of em brought in dozers and took out the cement just to make sure they wouldnt try it again. This time though it is going to be rougher.
 
Yea nows the time to pay down some debt .Sure dont want to add any when these prices fall there going to fall hard and fast.Interest rates keep creeping up plus all other input cost there will be fire sales as in the 80's before there through but thats just a guess.You all can do what ever you want but this wont last forever...
 
Good attitutude, Denny! I'm geniunely happy for your prices, but definatly pay down some debt and don't keep replacements when they're worth so much money! Hope it lasts another year for you and doesn't come down with too hard of a bump! Thanks for reading from Canada! Have a good day all!
 

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