gcreekrch said:
Private sale or through an auction Soap? I see you sold some more calves a while back, they did well.
Cattle are looking thrifty as always.
The majority of the calves that sold recently were out of two-year-old first-calf heifers. Since we sold so many young cows
a year ago, 350 heifers were kept back and calved out this past spring. The calves were weaned in October, and were grazing
after-grass on the hay meadows since then. They were also getting about a pound of 20% cake each day. The market
was pretty good the day they sold. The bigger cut of steers weighed 587 pounds at $167.50 per cwt, and the lighter steers
weighed 503 at $184.00. A surprise of the day was 13 black steers that were sold separately because of a distinct "lack of ear."
They weighed 553 and still brought $176.00 per cwt, with their total dollars being only $10 per head less than their more dignified
big brothers who weighed 34 pounds more than the ear-deficient steers. I guess I need to breed them all to have less ear. :wink:
The heifer calves that we took to town were light-weights that didn't necessarily look to be of replacement quality. The bigger cut
weighed 489 pounds and brought $159.25. The sale report that you read had a typo, and wrongly stated that the smaller heifers
weighed 439 pounds at $118.75. Instead, these smaller heifers weighed the 439 pounds, but brought $169.75 per cwt. With the milder,
nicer than normal fall, it was a good year to wean these smaller calves and keep them for awhile.
LazyWP said:
Do you still have all 200 of them for sale? Your cattle sure look good for still being out in the hills.
Thanks, LazyWP. The ones that have been out in the hills are the ones that we are keeping. The other "for sale" heifers have been
on better meadow grazing, and have been getting some hay the past couple weeks. We are taking 60 head of the most "elite" of
these selling heifers to Valentine this coming Tuesday, and they are scheduled to sell at a special bred heifer sale on Thursday,
December 22nd. There are quite a number of top-of-the-line bred heifers consigned to this auction, and there will be a feeder calf sale
that day also. Our other bred heifers are for sale private treaty. A Kansas buyer has "first-kick-at-the-dog," and he is coming
in the next day or two to take a look. Several names are on a waiting list after he decides.
NUFFIELD said:
Soapweed, thats a lovely batch of in calf heifers. If you were over here i might buy a load off you. I have a few similar ones here myself , inside now on hay, What do you think yours weigh ?
Thanks, NUFFIELD. Probably the 60 head that are selling in town will weigh a thousand pounds or more, and most of the lighter ones
should still weigh about 950 pounds.
