Summer grazing of steers

[Northern Rancher]

Saskatchewan would be 9th in cow numbers if it was a state-our local yard puts through probably 40-50,000 head a year-there are 4 or 5 more within 200 miles also.

 

[Ben H]

Ben what is your target market in the fall? Will the animals be age, source verified, breed makeup and will they be natural/meet pineland meat protocoll? The above greatly affects final price in fall. Have you look into custom grazing for pineland or working with kevin woltemath? There is more money to be made feeding light weights over the winter if you have the feed and facilities.

I direct market everything, I didn't buy any in last year but did the year before. They're all grassfed and I have a good market for it. Most of my sales are 1/4's, sides and wholes with a few kept for retail. I may have a big opportunity coming up for more retail sales. I'm bale grazing, those are my facilities. I usually have to buy some feed in. I'm constantly trying to find more land and build more fence, I've talked to Kevin before. As of right now I can direct market everything I produce, I'm limited on the amount of acreage I currently farm. Before I got into the direct marketing, I was thinking of going with custom grazing for Pineland.

 

[John SD]

I agree with NR on the Hereford steers. My observation is Herefords generally do take a price hit as calves compared to their straight black or baldy herdmates. As 1000 lb yearlings they sell right in line with anything else as long as the horns have been taken care of properly.

Western SD has quite a few excellent livestock auctions. Sales are advertised well and the sale barns compete with each other trying to get the best prices for their customers.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Bud williams puts ona pretty good three day seminar on just how top go about makinmg money on them. There's alot of variables involved but there can be good money in running yearlings.

A few up this way have taken the course and are practicing it. Heck my Dad pretty much did this his whole ranching career. In talking to him about running yearlings he figures things have really changed. Margins were always close and they are closer now. Trucking costs more, commissions are higher if you don't buy yourself. Selling commissions are a lot higher. Off grade cattle such as long horns don't meet the grading standard anymore, Cattle that need dehorning can take awhile to start gaining. I am not sure if this turning cattle will work as well as it used to. IMHO

 

[Northern Rancher]

Your Dad probably forgot more about running grass cattle than most will ever know. I like grassing heifers myself-run some A'I through them I can always turn them into cows if need be.

 

[Grassfarmer]

We're taking all ours through to yearling age now - either to sell in August or grass fatten in October. If I wasn't breeding them myself I think I'd rather be custom grazing yearlings rather than buying in and owning. At least you can externalize a lot of the risk that way.