I have not been to the stockyard in some time now but a man just told me that he got 68 cents a pound for his 400 pound calves at the stockyard last week. Now I have not seen the calves but that is less than half what they were last year.
Price of calves ???
- Thread starter alabama
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Mike
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Call me at the office please.
A
Anonymous
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Alabama- its been bad all fall- with the country buyers up here not doing hardly any contracting- saying everyone was waiting to see how much corn, price of fuel, availability of credit, etc. etc.
Last week up here at the sale they didn't have a lot of calves- and not that many calf buyers- but it seemed like it didn't matter the weight 300, 400, or 600- $1.05 was all they'd go--and heifers really took a killing about $10 back....
Reading some of the ranch blogs and these talk sites- I'm hearing a lot of folks talking about feedlots closing, up for sale, or sitting empty or half full...
Last week up here at the sale they didn't have a lot of calves- and not that many calf buyers- but it seemed like it didn't matter the weight 300, 400, or 600- $1.05 was all they'd go--and heifers really took a killing about $10 back....
Reading some of the ranch blogs and these talk sites- I'm hearing a lot of folks talking about feedlots closing, up for sale, or sitting empty or half full...
kolanuraven
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Yeah, I 'd like to know what they are in the SE also. I was told they were about half of what last yr prices brought also.
90% of the other people around here who have cattle depend on the local stock yard.
90% of the other people around here who have cattle depend on the local stock yard.
They have taken a hit here....
Thisspring and summer I kept hearing how there would not be any calves this fall.... I mean it was a story that I heard everytime I turned around.
I take heed of an older cattle buyers quote, "THings are never as good or bad as they look".... THe guy I feed with has been all guns to hurry up and buy some calves. I talked him out of it...
My Plan was to hit the market for calves in November or December. A good plan most any year. Lots are full, people are out of feed.... It is the same story every year, but people expect a different ending"
Here is "Another Press Release".... Butcher cow prices will soften thru December as well.....
If you are going to sell into the markets, learn them....I have chosen a different route,
PPRM
Thisspring and summer I kept hearing how there would not be any calves this fall.... I mean it was a story that I heard everytime I turned around.
I take heed of an older cattle buyers quote, "THings are never as good or bad as they look".... THe guy I feed with has been all guns to hurry up and buy some calves. I talked him out of it...
My Plan was to hit the market for calves in November or December. A good plan most any year. Lots are full, people are out of feed.... It is the same story every year, but people expect a different ending"
Here is "Another Press Release".... Butcher cow prices will soften thru December as well.....
If you are going to sell into the markets, learn them....I have chosen a different route,
PPRM
Mike
Well-known member
Calves in the S.E. are traditionally .20 to .25 cents per lb. cheaper than midwestern-western calves because of the expense in shipping to feedlots........... that's where the grain is.
High Plains
Well-known member
In my neck of the woods the feedlots are not excited about buying calves at prices higher than breakeven when compared to the appropriate month of harvest on the futures board. Used to be that many feeders would bet "on the come" each and every year and never worry much about risk. With current market conditions (oil, corn, cattle, economy) the feedlots are not very interested in owning cattle that do not make sense on paper. There's too much red ink that's still not quite dry yet, so feedlots are being much more realistic in their pricing. A 600 lb. steer in Nebraska for right now delivery probably isn't worth much over $1.10/lb. or maybe even closer to $1.05. I haven't run a breakeven so this is probably dated a couple of weeks already. Lots of miles between ranch/farm of origin and the feedlot has a big negative impact on price these days. Best of luck to those of you selling calves this fall.
HP
HP
gcreekrch
Well-known member
Lots of hfr calves selling for $82-$84 regardless of weight, takes a darn good set of s/c to get over $100. Yearlings still $81-$85 on hfrs and up to $93 on strs.
Another rancher was telling me he is sending 1000 calves over the rocks to Alta., the feeder he deals with is talking 75 cents a lb. gain.
Somehow that math looks like these feeders should be owning some cattle.
My calves are staying home.
Another rancher was telling me he is sending 1000 calves over the rocks to Alta., the feeder he deals with is talking 75 cents a lb. gain.
Somehow that math looks like these feeders should be owning some cattle.
My calves are staying home.
High Plains
Well-known member
Putting some extra weight on calves at home seems to be a good idea this year if you have the feed resources and it pencils. Down here there isn't much difference in the price/lb. from a 500 pounder to a 700 pounder. The last "XYZ Company" video sale had some outrageous sale prices on some of the calves, but some of those highest priced ones happened to be owned by the ranch that was hosting the auction, plus a few other select groups. Hmmm, I wonder how...?
Here's an excerpt from last Friday's crystal ball:
Cash feeder cattle prices basis the CME Index are expected
to stabilize over the next 30 days and trade from $108 to $110. Deferred
feeder cattle futures will continue to have wild basis swings and producers
should watch carefully for potential risk management opportunities. Calf
prices are expected to be weak throughout the fall and during the heat of
the run should trade from $112 to $118/cwt basis a 550 pound steer in the
Central Plains. - Case Gabel
I think that producers sure ought to think about this economy when considering passing up a dollar amount for calves. Some folks that have "no-saled" their calf crop two or three times may be looking back and wishing it were only that good again. I hate to be all sour grapes :!: :shock:
HP
Here's an excerpt from last Friday's crystal ball:
Cash feeder cattle prices basis the CME Index are expected
to stabilize over the next 30 days and trade from $108 to $110. Deferred
feeder cattle futures will continue to have wild basis swings and producers
should watch carefully for potential risk management opportunities. Calf
prices are expected to be weak throughout the fall and during the heat of
the run should trade from $112 to $118/cwt basis a 550 pound steer in the
Central Plains. - Case Gabel
I think that producers sure ought to think about this economy when considering passing up a dollar amount for calves. Some folks that have "no-saled" their calf crop two or three times may be looking back and wishing it were only that good again. I hate to be all sour grapes :!: :shock:
HP
A
Anonymous
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Feeder calves dropped "LIMIT DOWN"- Feds right behind them...Even with corn and commodity prices taking big hit - as $1.2 Trillion of investors/retirees money flew away into "never- never" land :shock:
I talked to a cattle broker this evening that said if you can get $1.05 on any weight calf- your lucky- if you get an offer above $1.00 you better take it as everything is froze up right now- and it may take quite awhile to straighten out..Best bet is feeding out on your own- IF you have affordable feed available....Local Feedlots are charging $4.00 day for 2.5 lbs per day gain to winter .... :shock:
I talked to a cattle broker this evening that said if you can get $1.05 on any weight calf- your lucky- if you get an offer above $1.00 you better take it as everything is froze up right now- and it may take quite awhile to straighten out..Best bet is feeding out on your own- IF you have affordable feed available....Local Feedlots are charging $4.00 day for 2.5 lbs per day gain to winter .... :shock:
Soapweed
Well-known member
Denny said:
Don't tarry in sending it off, but your best bet would be with a registered letter. That way it won't "accidently" get "lost" when the buyer receives it. :wink:
murph
Well-known member
Wow, 116 for 575! That's pretty good for today's market. I was a Tulia Tx sale today...bought a load of good black steers (538 @1.075). Lots of big unweaned steers in the 90's, heifers in the 80's. Good thin yearlings, off grass weighed 865 brought 99.50. Looked to be 4-5 cheaper than last week.
A
Anonymous
Guest
Soapweed said:
Yep- I agree... I know some "top quality" calves that topped the market last year up here around $1.30 at 575- only $4 back on heifers- that was offered $1.14 - $8 back on heifers, a month and half ago- and turned it down :???: - and last week was only offered $1.05, with no bid on heifers-- and according to the broker I talked to today- probably should have taken it- as there is no one even looking- let alone bidding...
Some places have canceled sales....
Stock market lost a RECORD $1.2 Trillion...
rancherfred
Well-known member
Has the market really dropped that much? Two weeks ago today we sold two groups of yearling steers. One group averaged 1020 lbs and brought $1.04 and the other group average 840 lbs and brought $1.08. This was in the Gering, NE barn. Our heifer groups were about five cents back.
We have had real good luck with selling December delivery 5-weights in the summer on the video. This year was real good to us, but now I am starting to wonder if it was a smart idea to just sell one pot load. Maybe things will be settled down enough by the time we need to sell our yearlings next year that we will still make something.
We have had real good luck with selling December delivery 5-weights in the summer on the video. This year was real good to us, but now I am starting to wonder if it was a smart idea to just sell one pot load. Maybe things will be settled down enough by the time we need to sell our yearlings next year that we will still make something.
Frank in West Dakota
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Sold my steers to an order buyer about a month and a half ago.
$1.20/cwt with base weight of 550, 8 cent slide. Took out LRP about 2 and a half months ago, locked in at $1.25. Feelin' pretty good, thought I could have my cake and eat it too. Oder Buyer calls on Sunday, says the feeder who was gonna take my calves died. :shock: :shock: GULP!!!!
Don't know what to do now!!!!
$1.20/cwt with base weight of 550, 8 cent slide. Took out LRP about 2 and a half months ago, locked in at $1.25. Feelin' pretty good, thought I could have my cake and eat it too. Oder Buyer calls on Sunday, says the feeder who was gonna take my calves died. :shock: :shock: GULP!!!!
Don't know what to do now!!!!
Frank in West Dakota
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Denny said:
No, they aren't going that far, and I checked the story on the internet!!
He died!!