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Sale barn shrink

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Red Robin

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I'm selling some 7 weight steers today. They weighed 771 on the trailers at a cat scale across from the farm. I weighed them to find the amount of shrink on weaned steers on a cold day. Any guesses? They will probably sell around 3:00 this afternoon. It's 16 degrees and they had about a 20 mile truck ride in stock trailers .
 
They will be 6 weights by the sale, lol... Wait, that is just my local sale barn who sorts, sorts, runs them around, sorts, sorts, again.. No water available.. Sorts again.. runs them out, runs them back.. Blah, blah blah.
 
I have seen some horrific shrink from time to time... Mainly because they hiold them off water and the running.. The last ones I sent to the barn (Which, by the way will be the last time I ever send to that barn) the weights seemed a bit.. uhm..shrunk... My neighbor helped me load them, was at the sale and said he couldn't believe how much the,y shrank them.. Should have sold to him during the summer like I used too.. That is okay.. won't do it that way again..
 
I'll venture a guess that the pay weight will be around 742#

Just a guess, too many variables.
 
My last load of calves that went to Kansas from here had a 9% shrink, but of course this is a 21 hour ride.

I'll guess 2-3 1/2% for yours. The 742 that someone guessed sounds close.

If they were weighed on the truck at the front end and weighed individually after unloaded, there might be a larger shrink than you anticipate because the manure piles will have been weighed on the initial weighing.
 
IL Rancher said:
They will be 6 weights by the sale, lol... Wait, that is just my local sale barn who sorts, sorts, runs them around, sorts, sorts, again.. No water available.. Sorts again.. runs them out, runs them back.. Blah, blah blah.
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We have that same sales barn up here :? If humans spent a day a week in a sales barn there would not be any need for health clubs :lol: :lol:
 
rm livestock said:
I WITHHOLD WATER AND FEED 12 HOURS BEFORE HAULING TO THE SALES BARN. MY 7 WEIGHT STEERS AND HEIFERS LOST 2%. BUYERS LIKE THEM EMPTY WHEN THEY HIT THE RING.
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Sounds like a dumb idea. If the calves have to go another 18-24 hours without food or water, their immune system could be seriously compromised.

I give them all the hay and water they will eat before sending.
 
Mike said:
My last load of calves that went to Kansas from here had a 9% shrink, but of course this is a 21 hour ride.

I'll guess 2-3 1/2% for yours. The 742 that someone guessed sounds close.

If they were weighed on the truck at the front end and weighed individually after unloaded, there might be a larger shrink than you anticipate because the manure piles will have been weighed on the initial weighing.
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Mike I know you sell some bulls. Generally, what will a bull shrink that has been on full feed (corn with supplement 15% protein, plus free choice hay)after say a 3 hr ride. I'm guessing these bulls at 1600lb.
 
TSR said:
Mike said:
My last load of calves that went to Kansas from here had a 9% shrink, but of course this is a 21 hour ride.

I'll guess 2-3 1/2% for yours. The 742 that someone guessed sounds close.

If they were weighed on the truck at the front end and weighed individually after unloaded, there might be a larger shrink than you anticipate because the manure piles will have been weighed on the initial weighing.
Click to expand...

Mike I know you sell some bulls. Generally, what will a bull shrink that has been on full feed (corn with supplement 15% protein, plus free choice hay)after say a 3 hr ride. I'm guessing these bulls at 1600lb.
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When I take 1500-1800 lb bulls to the Auburn Large animal clinic for various reasons they will lose about 50 lbs by the time I get them back.

That would be about a 3-4 hour round trip. Around 3%.
 
Dang, I was pretty close. Oh well. I hope you are pleased with the price you received. Nothing quite like payday. The eagle flies on Friday as they say. Oh wait, it's Wednesday!
 
Red Robin said:
The steers weighed 747. That's right on 3%. Not too bad in my book but the steers were solid and the weather was cool. I was pleased.
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That's a good figure, RR. I'd sure be pleased with that 3%.
 

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