Higher Steer Calf Prices

[Hereford76]

Cattle-Fax Projects Higher Steer Calf Prices

http://www.northernag.net/AGNews/ta...le-Fax-Projects-Higher-Steer-Calf-Prices.aspx

 

[katrina]

We go the last week in feb... Hope it's a good day...

 

[Hereford76]

when is typically the hot spot for grass cattle in the spring. I've been running all my feeders over the winter and selling them early fall as yearlings but I was thinking about maybe letting someone else summer them. What around the middle of may - is that too late for the grass market. The steers should weight around 800 by then - ruffed out all winter licking snow. my uncle just sold his place and I will loose the summer grass for the yearlings.

 

[katrina]

when is typically the hot spot for grass cattle in the spring. I've been running all my feeders over the winter and selling them early fall as yearlings but I was thinking about maybe letting someone else summer them. What around the middle of may - is that too late for the grass market. The steers should weight around 800 by then - ruffed out all winter licking snow. my uncle just sold his place and I will loose the summer grass for the yearlings.

Would they be to big for the grass market?? 800pds?? What's the average gain on grass for yearlings?? What about cheap corn and fats?? (I have a weakeness for fat cattle.) :roll: We have a neighbor who sells yearlings in july and does very well... Where are you yearling guys???

 

[Hereford76]

when is typically the hot spot for grass cattle in the spring. I've been running all my feeders over the winter and selling them early fall as yearlings but I was thinking about maybe letting someone else summer them. What around the middle of may - is that too late for the grass market. The steers should weight around 800 by then - ruffed out all winter licking snow. my uncle just sold his place and I will loose the summer grass for the yearlings.

Would they be to big for the grass market?? 800pds?? What's the average gain on grass for yearlings?? What about cheap corn and fats?? (I have a weakeness for fat cattle.) :roll: We have a neighbor who sells yearlings in july and does very well... Where are you yearling guys???

i think most of the grass cattle get bought up way earlier but I have some good tame grass pastures with a little alfalfa in it that I graze til mid may and then move to the native pastures. i'd like to get some more weight out of them before I sell them. They will hit those pastures end of march weighing around 575 and light up. I've sold them 7/15 at around 880 and late august at 997 lbs and a few places in between.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

when is typically the hot spot for grass cattle in the spring. I've been running all my feeders over the winter and selling them early fall as yearlings but I was thinking about maybe letting someone else summer them. What around the middle of may - is that too late for the grass market. The steers should weight around 800 by then - ruffed out all winter licking snow. my uncle just sold his place and I will loose the summer grass for the yearlings.

Would they be to big for the grass market?? 800pds?? What's the average gain on grass for yearlings?? What about cheap corn and fats?? (I have a weakeness for fat cattle.) :roll: We have a neighbor who sells yearlings in july and does very well... Where are you yearling guys???

i think most of the grass cattle get bought up way earlier but I have some good tame grass pastures with a little alfalfa in it that I graze til mid may and then move to the native pastures. i'd like to get some more weight out of them before I sell them. They will hit those pastures end of march weighing around 575 and light up. I've sold them 7/15 at around 880 and late august at 997 lbs and a few places in between.

You maybe able to get a contract for a feedlot at that weight in May. They would be to heavy for grass cattle and to late as that is when most people want them. They would probably lose weight going from your pasture to others at that time.

 

[Aaron]

As BMR says, you would be better to contract with a feedlot at that weight. The last 2 weeks in April and the first week in May is the best time to market grassers. 800 is too heavy for many grassers. The sweet spot for them is 680 to 725. In that range, you can pretty well bet on 200 lbs on grass, if not 250. I aim for my grasser buyers to hit just under 300 lbs of gain or so. That way, we both make good money.

The key is to hit them heavy with protein and little energy. Get the frame on them, a little bit of muscle, and keep the fat off of them.

For the last 10 years, we have consistently obtained a $1 or more (most cases $1.10 +) for our 680 to 725 lb grassers sold in the 3rd week of April. 80% of the time it is to the same local buyer, although a lot of the order buyers are bidding on them as well. Green, ready to gain cattle always will get a grasser buyer excited.

I only grass my fall calves to yearling. I don't want to grass spring yearlings because the risk of losing them to predation or sickness is much higher in the summer when then are out on pasture than when they are wintering at home. Grassing fall calves is enough work for me, along with everything else.

 

[mytfarms]

We contracted with a feedyard. Gonna haul outta here Monday. Gonna be filthy, stinkin rich!! Well, two outta three ain't bad. :wink: We also got some REALLY light late calves that we're holding out on till March or so. They'll come in at 500-550 at that time and hopefully hit the grass fever market.

 

[gcreekrch]

There are a few factors you want to consider for a local grass market. If feed is plentiful some guys will start buying grassers in March and feed them for a bit. If feed is in short supply in your area, the closer you market to grass time the more likely you are to hit the high.
We held our calves over for the first time in 2008 as the prices were just too poor in the fall. We sold them the first week of May 2009 and hit the jackpot.
The couple that bought the biggest bunch of our steers basically gave their grass away but were really impressed with the 2.8 lbs per day our steers did for them. They bought 75 last year and want 125 this year. I have a hunch they may be a little more conservative with their bidding than last year but time will tell.
When we were grassing yearlings I would buy half of them in the fall to background first and the rest in Feb and March before the prices started to rise.