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Calf prices

I'm just playing devils advocate WR. I could care less what breed or calving date any one else has, actually I am just fine if everyone keeps doing what they are doing. But I do think it is healthy and useful to discuss our thoughts on management so I can learn something here. This site is a great resource for helpful and innovative management ideas.
 
Big Swede said:
I'm just playing devils advocate WR. I could care less what breed or calving date any one else has, actually I am just fine if everyone keeps doing what they are doing. But I do think it is healthy and useful to discuss our thoughts on management so I can learn something here. This site is a great resource for helpful and innovative management ideas.
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I agree completely. There is not cookie-cutter template that every operation fits into. But seeing how others have had success or failure, allows me a great opportunity to learn. :D
 
farmboy said:
I hope our sale thurs. is that hot...we debated selling off the cow but kept em and put a lot of feed through them, at the sale we went to on Fri. our neighbors big cut of steers weighed 670 and he got 1.79, his small cut weighed 584 and they brought 2.06 so his small cut actually brought three dollars per head more.......got to see a pot load of 851# steers bring $1,442.........
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I saw the same thing in Martin Monday, a pot load of #613 steers brought a dollar a head more than his next load in the ring at #677.

Good luck tomorrow, I'm selling two loads of steers in Valentine too.
 
Big Swede said:
I'm just playing devils advocate WR. I could care less what breed or calving date any one else has, actually I am just fine if everyone keeps doing what they are doing. But I do think it is healthy and useful to discuss our thoughts on management so I can learn something here. This site is a great resource for helpful and innovative management ideas.
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Agreed, I have learned a lot over the years too. I still miss NR's input, it is hard to believe he has been gone almost two years.
 
WyomingRancher said:
Big Swede said:
We all know it's that time of year for a calving date debate. :wink: :lol:
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...and heaven help anyone out there calving Hereford cows in February from posting on this site because we all know, managing behind our keyboards, there is no way that could ever be profitable (just a little sarcasm). :roll: :wink:

I just find it hard to be very judgmental of anybody's management when every ranch differs in potential profitability and resources. Good discussion, once again :-) .
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Always gotta be a smarty pants in the group :P :wink:
 
Nicky said:
WyomingRancher said:
Big Swede said:
We all know it's that time of year for a calving date debate. :wink: :lol:
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...and heaven help anyone out there calving Hereford cows in February from posting on this site because we all know, managing behind our keyboards, there is no way that could ever be profitable (just a little sarcasm). :roll: :wink:

I just find it hard to be very judgmental of anybody's management when every ranch differs in potential profitability and resources. Good discussion, once again :-) .
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Always gotta be a smarty pants in the group :P :wink:
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Well our annual Hereford/Angus debate generally falls closely behind our calving season discussion, if I remember correctly :lol:.
 
Our calves sold today and I cant find too much to complain about. When comparing to last year we sold two weeks earlier this year and our calves were 35 pounds lighter but brought $175/head more.

Our steers sold in three groups, 955 at 1.63, 838 at 1.63 and 770 at 1.625. and our heifers were 875 at 1.5875, 779 at 1.55 and 701 at 1.575.

One thing I watch is the shrink, typically we haul our calves in on Monday for a Wednesday sale and we've averaged a .95% shrink the last two years. This year however we decided Monday was going to be too cold so we hauled on Tuesday and our shrink was 1.5% which I was very happy with. Last spring I hauled my fall calves in the day of the sale and they shrunk somewhere between 4.5 and 5% which I thought was alot! Does anybody else watch that or have found anything that works?
 
Howdy1 said:
maybe my figuring is wrong but I am feeding my light calves for $.90/hd/day. I am gaining right at 2#/day. That is $.45/lb of gain. They are bringing for 750 lbs around $1.70 around here for that weight. That means to me that I am making around $2.50/hd/day to feed them. I am set up to do it and I priced all my home raised feed to myself at market price or higher to see if it really paid.
Sure looks like I am making money if the market holds. For the record i did sell some heavy steers off the cow in October to spread out the risk.
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This might be correct if heavier calves still bring $1.70, but that is unlikely. If your 750 lb calves at 1.70 are worth $1275 and 810 lb calves at 1.65 are worth $1336.50, you are only getting pain $1.025 per pound of gain. Brings your profit to about $1.14/hd/day. Still pretty good in my opinion, but not as good as 2.50/hd/day. Around here, there are some large price changes in as little as 50 lbs of gain and if you don't pay attention, you'll be feeding them and losing a significant amount of profit.
 
Faster horses said:
High Plains said:
Yeah, I've found it works to sell them in the country!
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Same here. In 50 years, we have never sold calves through a sale barn.
That's the normal I would say for Montana producers. But in ND and SD
that seems to be the exception. You know what they say, "normal changes every 50 miles."
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All the one I know are at 2.75 % commission---which I think is exorbitant! @ current calf prices--that alone is about a nickel a pound.

The water ain't usually that great and they shrink 'em good---although Lewistown has spring creek water and cows/bulls will weigh up good there.

Take anything in a little full and they all seem to crucify you. You'll see guys in great falls buying cattle to resell them at rings in billings---

And there's the uncertainty of what you'll get---although some will 'floor' them for you.

On plus side, what else you gonna do with small lots, uneven, etc?

Anyway, with freight, fees, shrink, commish---I figure I can take a dime less in the country..
 
Watched some 407 pound steers bring $274 yesterday. A group of 879 pound steers brought $156. The added 472 pounds added a little over $256 dollars or 54 cents a pound.

To a degree that is a comparison of apples to oranges because a number of factors influence price on a given group of cattle - including a buyer going to the restroom. :? But it is something worth thinking about.
 
Watched some 407 pound steers bring $274 yesterday. A group of 879 pound steers brought $156. The added 472 pounds added a little over $256 dollars or 54 cents a pound.

To a degree that is a comparison of apples to oranges because a number of factors influence price on a given group of cattle - including a buyer going to the restroom. :? But it is something worth thinking about.
 
gberry said:
Howdy1 said:
maybe my figuring is wrong but I am feeding my light calves for $.90/hd/day. I am gaining right at 2#/day. That is $.45/lb of gain. They are bringing for 750 lbs around $1.70 around here for that weight. That means to me that I am making around $2.50/hd/day to feed them. I am set up to do it and I priced all my home raised feed to myself at market price or higher to see if it really paid.
Sure looks like I am making money if the market holds. For the record i did sell some heavy steers off the cow in October to spread out the risk.
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This might be correct if heavier calves still bring $1.70, but that is unlikely. If your 750 lb calves at 1.70 are worth $1275 and 810 lb calves at 1.65 are worth $1336.50, you are only getting pain $1.025 per pound of gain. Brings your profit to about $1.14/hd/day. Still pretty good in my opinion, but not as good as 2.50/hd/day. Around here, there are some large price changes in as little as 50 lbs of gain and if you don't pay attention, you'll be feeding them and losing a significant amount of profit.
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Plus another $.19 a day for interest.
 
Big Swede said:
Sold my calves today. Wow what a day! Two loads of steers weighed 636 and brought $2.08. Couldn't have been happier.
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That is quite a sale!! Good Job!!
I left an order with Arndt, for a couple calves to fatten out, and haven't heard from him. I may have to up the ante a bit more. I can finally buy corn cheap, but can't get any calves bought that will pencil out.

I'll say this again, IF BOTH THE COW/CALF MAN, AND THE FEEDER can't make money, no one benefits.

I don't feed out a big bunch, maybe 20 head/year. Never buy the average priced cattle, and its still hard to make money on them. I can't imagine feeding for a living.
 
Big Swede said:
Sold my calves today. Wow what a day! Two loads of steers weighed 636 and brought $2.08. Couldn't have been happier.
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Thats Great. Anyone here what futures are. I heard August feeders $191.00 fo 700 weight cattle.Heard of some 950# steers bringing 1.61 last week.
 
LazyWP said:
Big Swede said:
Sold my calves today. Wow what a day! Two loads of steers weighed 636 and brought $2.08. Couldn't have been happier.
Click to expand...

That is quite a sale!! Good Job!!
I left an order with Arndt, for a couple calves to fatten out, and haven't heard from him. I may have to up the ante a bit more. I can finally buy corn cheap, but can't get any calves bought that will pencil out.

I'll say this again, IF BOTH THE COW/CALF MAN, AND THE FEEDER can't make money, no one benefits.

I don't feed out a big bunch, maybe 20 head/year. Never buy the average priced cattle, and its still hard to make money on them. I can't imagine feeding for a living.
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Lots of wet corn in my country went into silage piles one 3 miles from me has almost 1600 acres in it. They claim they chopped corn for 3 months with 2 choppers making 9 piles that size for the same outfit. I've been hauling grinding hay into them at $40 a bale and we baled it in november and december. They don't seam very scared of the situation.

I've got 40 head of calves on accuration all they can eat in the last month they have eaten $1.08 per day of accuration and 60 cents per day of hay. So with that math they are costing right now $1.68 per day to gain on average 3.47#s per head per day that is also figureing 3 cows that are in their 2 that are calveing VERY early and one old antique who needs some tlc and I know they are eating more than the calves.
 

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