Finally Closer to Real Values.

[burnt]

From Cattlenetwork.com, these prices are finally getting closer to what they should be. I want to see 5cwts at $2.00

http://www.cattlenetwork.com/National-Feeder-Cattle-Report--Unseen-Demand-For-Lightweight-Calves/2010-12-10/Article_Latest_News.aspx?oid=1290388&fid=CN-LATEST_NEWS_

"Thursday, at the Pratt, KS Livestock Auction a string of reputation, long-weaned, black-hided ranch calves sold on the open market at never-before-seen price levels. There were 68 head of steers weighing 340 lbs at 200.35 cwt; 104 head at 424 lbs that brought 184.00; and 82 head at 509 lbs and 155.75. Their sisters sold in similar groups with 23 head weighing 286 lbs at 191.00; 71 head of 360 lb heifers at 178.00; and 23 head weighing 429 lbs that brought 156.00. Recent memory can recall fat cattle selling for less dollars per head than some of these steers. . ."

 

[cleland]

does that mean the 350# heifers I have been buying at $115 will make a little money in the spring???

 

[gcreekrch]

I saw 400 lb steer calves sell for $2.00 in 2001.

 

[MO_cows]

A "reputation" herd and they were "long-weaned", why were they so light??

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

A "reputation" herd and they were "long-weaned", why were they so light??

Nobody said it was a "GOOD" reputation.

 

[cure]

I took some long yearling heifers down to the salina ut auction (producers) last week and got .98 for 970 average turned around and bought some 540 weight steer calves for 1.20 I feel that I did alright on both ends. From what I have heard and read we as cattle producers should do really well this coming year with our cattle.

 

[balestabber]

must be some bet'n on the cattle at the poker table.
our farm is about 1000 acres with 3 to 4 hundred tillable.
suppose to have it all grass and cattle this year.
over 40,000 dollars cash rent.
hunt'n rights reserved for family.
we're gonna rent it.

hind site tells me when beans hit record sale prices,there wernt none.
kinda the same with other commmodities,hope its not true with cattle and all is good for u ranchers.its your turn.

when i sold out,i averaged 1100 dollars a head for gelvieh cows.haven't
bought back and probably won't at those prices.

just jabber'n my opinion,no offence to anyone.

 

[nortexsook]

In the not so distant future we are going to wake up and find a 550 steer calf is selling for $2.00 per pound. It is coming the supply numbers just keep slipping.

 

[katrina]

Wasn't there some two dollar calves sold at Martin?? 500 pounders?? That's what we heard...

 

[Kato]

It's about time........................ :!: :!: :!: :!:

 

[Big Swede]

You must of heard wrong Katrina, not for 500 pounders that's for sure.

 

[gcreekrch]

It's about time........................ :!: :!: :!: :!:

So, have you got enough $1.40 calves to retire on?

 

[Kato]

Retire? What's that?

 

[nortexsook]

Bred cows are going to be higher than kites next spring!

 

[Lonecowboy]

How much of these "high" prices are just the result of inflation?

the price of everything is up, up , up.
2 years ago gas was $1.81- now 3 bucks, groceries, everything, higher higher. The printing presses have been working overtime. So what are thses "dollars" actually worth?
When is the last time you saw cattle and grain both up at the same time like this?

 

[nortexsook]

How much of these "high" prices are just the result of inflation?

the price of everything is up, up , up.
2 years ago gas was $1.81- now 3 bucks, groceries, everything, higher higher. The printing presses have been working overtime. So what are thses "dollars" actually worth?
When is the last time you saw cattle and grain both up at the same time like this?

A lot of it. But feel fortunate that you are in a business that has a product that rises with inflation. The poos schmoe in town has stagnating wages and all those costs are going up. At least our product is rising to offset or partially offset the dollar devaluation.

But it is also do to supply issues. The cow herd just continues to shrink and shortly we are going to have to have prices rise dramatically to address the supply issue.

 

[greybeard]

What does the fat price have to be to support 550# calves at $1100?

 

[Northern Rancher]

Depends on the cost of gain but with barley pretty high I can't see that being very kind. If I was buying at ringside the math in my head would add another $500 to those calves so at 1250 pounds finished which is not that big they'd need to be $1.28. That's water I wouldn't care to dive into and hope there weren't any rocks.

 

[redrobin]

SJ_LS850
St. Joseph, MO Fri Dec 10, 2010 USDA-MO Dept of Ag Market News

NATIONAL FEEDER & STOCKER CATTLE SUMMARY - WEEK ENDING 12/10/2010

RECEIPTS: Auctions Direct Video/Internet Total
This Week 370,000 50,800 58,100 478,900
Last Week 300,100 71,700 14,300 386,100
Last Year 275,100 41,200 31,900 348,200

Compared to last week, feeder cattle and calves sold from steady to 4.00
higher with instances as much as 7.00 higher mostly on lightweight calves
weighing under 500 lbs. Feeder markets continue their surge in the face of
high grain and feed prices as most of the cattle industry is expecting
extremely tight supplies of beef cattle to culminate in 2011. The current
situation of feeder cattle demand and market levels brings back memories from
fifty years ago, before the migration of cattle feeding that moved from
small/independent farmer-feeders in the Midwest to the massive feedyards built
in the dry/arid climate of the Southern Plains. In the old stockyard river
markets, finished cattle trading was where the action was and the buying and
selling of feeder cattle was on the backburner. Calf and yearling prices were
very constant with little volatility between weights, classes, and quality
levels. Nowadays, it's not uncommon to have 10.00 cwt market changes from one
week to the next and have 30.00-40.00 price ranges between feeder cattle that
in the whole scheme of things are not that much different. Calves and
yearlings over 600 lbs have not yet reached historical highs as the CME Feeder
Cattle Index (based on a 750 lb steer) is just over 118.00, compared to the
late summer of 2007 when it topped 120.00. However, continuous herd reduction
has brought about unseen demand for lightweight calves and a spike in prices
right during the fall run and with very limited availability of inexpensive
forage sources. Many feeder market analysts (including this report) expected
lightweight steer calves to reach 2.00/lb in instances at some point next
spring. This milestone has already been reached for the first time in history
with winter storms approaching, leaving market watchers to wonder what spring
and green grass could bring. Thursday, at the Pratt, KS Livestock Auction a
string of reputation, long-weaned, black-hided ranch calves sold on the open
market at never-before-seen price levels. There were 68 head of steers
weighing 340 lbs at 200.35 cwt; 104 head at 424 lbs that brought 184.00; and 82
head at 509 lbs and 155.75. Their sisters sold in similar groups with 23 head
weighing 286 lbs at 191.00; 71 head of 360 lb heifers at 178.00; and 23 head
weighing 429 lbs that brought 156.00. Recent memory can recall fat cattle
selling for less dollars per head than some of these steers. These calves will
be backgrounded on wheat in southwest Kansas, grown on summer grass, and then
locally fed and hopefully hitting all the sweet spots on a premium grid. This
week's reported auction volume included 39 percent over 600 lbs and 43 percent
heifers.

 

[redrobin]

We're still no where close to a goose-neck load of steers buying a pick-up