• If you are having problems logging in please use the Contact Us in the lower right hand corner of the forum page for assistance.

Soap

Help Support Ranchers.net:

BRG said:
I saw you were selling today. Did you get along alright?
Click to expand...

We were happy with the outcome. The truck arrived at 9 a.m. and we sent it on its way after loading it with 100 steers. Then we came back home and loaded all of the red calves that came this year on our 24' stock trailer. There were 15 steers and 7 heifers. At the sale, the 100 black steers averaged 624 pounds at $154.00 per cwt, or $961 per head. Eight of the red steers weighed 657 pounds at $148.00 per cwt ($973 per head), and seven red steers weighed 534 pounds at $163.25 per cwt ($872 per head). Six red heifers weighed 629 pounds at $147.50 per cwt ($928 per head), and the only red calf out of a 2-year-old heifer was a heifer that weighed 495 pounds. She brought $145.00 per cwt and dollared out at $717.75. Selling expense was $16 per head, including trucking (which was $410 for a 55 mile trip). For comparison's sake, every steer calf we owned last year brought $699 per head before selling expense was deducted. We are weaning the light end of our steers this year, to sell in December. Probably most of the heifers will be kept and wintered and bred. :???:
 
BRG said:
WOW - $250+ more per steer than last year! That is awesome - Congrats!!!!
Click to expand...

Every steer on the ranch brought an average of $699 last year. We still have all the little ones left to sell this year, so the jury is still out. The final tally will be considerably less than the $250 per head difference.

We did preg check all of our two-year-old heifers today, whose calves were weaned this week. Only six percent came out "open," so we are quite happy with those results. Our yearling heifers didn't turn out nearly as well, with 17% empty on those.
 
Soapweed said:
BRG said:
WOW - $250+ more per steer than last year! That is awesome - Congrats!!!!
Click to expand...

Every steer on the ranch brought an average of $699 last year. We still have all the little ones left to sell this year, so the jury is still out. The final tally will be considerably less than the $250 per head difference.

We did preg check all of our two-year-old heifers today, whose calves were weaned this week. Only six percent came out "open," so we are quite happy with those results. Our yearling heifers didn't turn out nearly as well, with 17% empty on those.
Click to expand...

How long was your breeding season on the yearlings? 15-18% open is what I've been getting with a 30 day breeding season.
 
Cedarcreek said:
Soapweed said:
BRG said:
WOW - $250+ more per steer than last year! That is awesome - Congrats!!!!
Click to expand...

Every steer on the ranch brought an average of $699 last year. We still have all the little ones left to sell this year, so the jury is still out. The final tally will be considerably less than the $250 per head difference.

We did preg check all of our two-year-old heifers today, whose calves were weaned this week. Only six percent came out "open," so we are quite happy with those results. Our yearling heifers didn't turn out nearly as well, with 17% empty on those.
Click to expand...

How long was your breeding season on the yearlings? 15-18% open is what I've been getting with a 30 day breeding season.
Click to expand...

Sixty days on half, and closer to eighty days on the rest. Anyone in the market for a pot load of nice 900 pound open heifers?
 
Faster horses said:
Soap, with that long of breeding season and with that many opens,
I would venture to say it could very well be a bull problem. FWIW
Click to expand...

I had 7 bulls out in one pasture, 8 bulls in another pasture, and 11 in the other one. The best breed-up was in a smaller pasture with 40 heifers and two bulls. Only four of the 40 were open there. Most of these bulls were purchased as weaned calves, and I never fertility checked any of them. Oh well, lots of ranchers spay their heifers so they don't get bred. I didn't have to do that. :wink:
 
Their were lots of empty heifers in our country. No one really knows why, some are saying that the excess sweet clover, as it will produces some type of toxin. It isn't so bad when you have opens this year, we sold our 905 lbs for nearly $1200!
 
Those open heifers are some of the best feeding creatures you can have in a feedlot. They convert feed rather well, gain a lot per day and tend to grade on the rail better than expected. I think that some ranchers ought to consider retaining ownership on those heifers in a feedlot. Of course, it's not for everyone and the math has to work. :wink:
 
High Plains said:
Those open heifers are some of the best feeding creatures you can have in a feedlot. They convert feed rather well, gain a lot per day and tend to grade on the rail better than expected. I think that some ranchers ought to consider retaining ownership on those heifers in a feedlot. Of course, it's not for everyone and the math has to work. :wink:
Click to expand...

Valentine Livestock is holding a special yearling sale along with their calf sale on November 10th. I have consigned 95 open yearling heifers (from 800-950 pounds) for that day, so if anyone is interested come with a helium balloon tied to your hand. :wink:
 
You missed the key words there, Soap. "Retained Ownership". :nod: Wouldn't want to cut you out of the profit on the deal... :roll:
 
High Plains said:
You missed the key words there, Soap. "Retained Ownership". :nod: Wouldn't want to cut you out of the profit on the deal... :roll:
Click to expand...

I've had about the same luck with retained ownership as I've had with retained placentas. :roll: Not much. :wink: The feedlots always seem to get their feed sold at a profit, and get their yardage and labor costs. Any loss seems to come out of the pocket of the poor old cowboy who thought he could make a fortune with retained ownership. :nod:
 
Exactly...We were always raised and told that sending cattle to the feedlot was the rich man's game and we weren't rich so we didn't do it.
 
Aw heck Soapweed you should try it once. You might get hooked and send the whole calf crop to the feed yard. :wink:
 
Good to hear you are getting good prices for your weanlings Soap.

Seems to be a world wide thing. Prices here are $300 up on last year for finished cattle.

Weanlings are up by a similar amount. Angus heifer weanlings weighing 660 lbs would make $850 here.

What are you all going to spend this extra money on?. More land ?
 

Latest posts

Top