I and my lovely wife attended the sale yesterday in Salina, Utah. We took 3 head of odds and ends that we didnt feel like feeding all winter. One good angus steer with no problems weighed 689 pounds and brought $1.06, a heifer just like him weighed 605 and brought $1.04 while a light angus steer weighed 480 and brought $1.10. We unloaded at a little after 10, the sale started at 11 and we watched our calves sell at 6:30 pm. I felt like we lost about 10 to 15 cents from the prices earlier in the sale. Such is life.
Now here is what I need you all with bigger brains to explain to me...... Great looking, preconditioned, angus and angus cross calves weighing from 600 to 750 brought anywhere from $1.05 to $1.19 over the sale. And there were good numbers, not just a few calves. Some were in lots of 25-30. But what I can't believe was 350 pound steer calves going for $1.40 to $1.66 a pound! :shock: Some 300 weights almost topped $600 while great 700 weights brought $700. With corn higher I am baffled why those light calves were so high. In my mind, a calf closer to finish weight should be worth more than one that will take longer to finish. So could ya'll tell me why we all shouldnt be aiming for lighter weaning weights and more 350 pound calves? :???: After the prices i saw yesterday I plan to rustle a bunch of 4 month old calves next spring and retire to a warm island.