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Shipping

Shortgrass

Well-known member
We shipped calves to a feedlot in Northern Colorado yesterday. I am, of coarse dissappointed in what they brought price wise, but it was good for the market. The calves did their share. Steers top to bottom went 627, and we started calving March 20. Heifers, less a dozen keepers went 573. When Jan got to the pens (18 miles from the house), she says "did you bring the camera?" You know the answer. Here are some pictures of the process, but not the end product.

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Fat horse for a fat man
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Arriving last April

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Last Memorial Day

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Last year shipping

Must have got too much dust yesterday, sure have cold symptoms today--
 

mytfarms

Well-known member
Lookin' good, Shortgrass! Real nice set. Plus, it's always nice to see horses gathering and dragging calves to the fire. Beats them calf tables. :D Hope you get to feelin' better! :(
 

Shortgrass

Well-known member
Soapweed said:
Thanks for the pictures, Shortgrass. Those white calves bore down on the scales quite heavily. Pounds pay.

My daughter's contention, and I think she is on to something, is that most producers are really good at what they do-making beef. Most of them are inept at marketing their product. She has me pegged anyway. Lots of us need to learn to better market our product. I wish we could reach a point where we could price our product instead of being told what we will pe paid. Something for young cattlemen to aim at.
 

PureCountry

Well-known member
Shortgrass said:
Soapweed said:
Thanks for the pictures, Shortgrass. Those white calves bore down on the scales quite heavily. Pounds pay.

My daughter's contention, and I think she is on to something, is that most producers are really good at what they do-making beef. Most of them are inept at marketing their product. She has me pegged anyway. Lots of us need to learn to better market our product. I wish we could reach a point where we could price our product instead of being told what we will pe paid. Something for young cattlemen to aim at.


Exit - Auction Barns

Enter - Direct Marketing. :wink:
 

WyomingRancher

Well-known member
PureCountry said:
Shortgrass said:
Soapweed said:
Thanks for the pictures, Shortgrass. Those white calves bore down on the scales quite heavily. Pounds pay.

My daughter's contention, and I think she is on to something, is that most producers are really good at what they do-making beef. Most of them are inept at marketing their product. She has me pegged anyway. Lots of us need to learn to better market our product. I wish we could reach a point where we could price our product instead of being told what we will pe paid. Something for young cattlemen to aim at.


Exit - Auction Barns

Enter - Direct Marketing. :wink:

I agree, I posted my experience in an earlier post, but thought I'd post it here again...for what it's worth :D :

I convinced my employer to sell private treaty six years ago, and have never looked back. We just couldn't afford the sale barn . Marketing isn't easy, but I feel one of the most important things you can spend your time on. I just started making cold calls until I found some interest. The most popular questions were 1. How many loads 2. what percentage are black :D. After years of trying to put together genetics that I thought would work, I was humbled to find out what truly was important to the buyers :D .

The year we switched, we realized a $58.66 gain per calf (this took into account the .08 cents price appreciation from selling earlier in the summer, less shrink (sale barn they shrunk an avg of 3.4% vs 2% pencil shrink private treaty), sale barn commission, feed charges, second brand and health inspection charges at the yard, and trucking expenses to the sale barn.) Also, private treaty takes away some of the risks of swinging markets... if you haul to the sale barn and have to sell on a day like several from last month, you have to take what comes, private treaty you have a little more control.

It seems like the better prices come the majority of the time in mid-late summer. I'd rather lock a sale price in and make more money 80% of the time, than 20% . Two years ago was one of the years the market came up later in the fall, so you don't always win the marketing game :D . I also realize that load numbers play a huge role in your ability to market privately, and not everyone can make a load... we're getting marginal so that's why we've kept the heifers :D .

Another benefit is that we're done selling in a few hours... no more driving to the sale barn to make sure they're fed and watered, and another day driving back to the sale barn to see them sell. One other perk to marketing private treaty is that you may have the opportunity to follow your cattle to harvest and have the chance to create a favorable business relationship with your main customer.
 

Shortgrass

Well-known member
The saddle was custom made at Colorado Saddlery. I like it. The horn was not what I would do again, but you sit in it not on it. Comfortable once you get your leg over the cantle.

On the marketing issue, Sarah, the daughter I mentioned, is doing her thesis for her masters on a national marketing program. It will be implemented by NCBA. A program where a member enters data on their cattle (i.e. breed, weight, vaccination program, source & age info, numbers and sex, etc) and this will come up with buyers in the market for what you have, sources of premiums and other producers where you can put together loads. Should be a usable marketing tool.
 

WyomingRancher

Well-known member
Shortgrass said:
The saddle was custom made at Colorado Saddlery. I like it. The horn was not what I would do again, but you sit in it not on it. Comfortable once you get your leg over the cantle.

On the marketing issue, Sarah, the daughter I mentioned, is doing her thesis for her masters on a national marketing program. It will be implemented by NCBA. A program where a member enters data on their cattle (i.e. breed, weight, vaccination program, source & age info, numbers and sex, etc) and this will come up with buyers in the market for what you have, sources of premiums and other producers where you can put together loads. Should be a usable marketing tool.

That does sound like a fantastic tool :D . Please keep us posted.
 
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