Tuesday takes, August 5, 2008

[Soapweed]

Going through a gate on a hill

Getting ready to get back on

Cow and calf high on a hill

Changing pastures with this herd

On the move

These cows all have heifer calves

Some of the girls

Pulling the five bulls out of the bunch

Taking them across a meadow

The other two riders

We loaded these bulls at our home corrals. I took them and seven yearling steers to a salebarn today. The five bulls averaged 1067 pounds and brought $91.00 per hundredweight. They dollared out at $971, and take-home pay was $954. These yearling bulls had cost me $1365 last spring, so I guess that makes the "bull rental" figure out at approximately $411 per bull. If they each bred 25 cows, the breeding fee per cow was about $16.50. By getting rid of the bulls this time of year, a lot of feed is saved for the nine months I don't need them.

The seven yearling steers that I sold all had something wrong with them last fall, so were unsaleable at that time. Most were lame. They all recovered in fine shape. Four of the steers sold together, averaged weighing 888#, and brought $111.50 per cwt. The two biggest steers weighed 990# each and brought $105.25. The remaining steer had a crooked tail. He weighed 770 and brought $102.00 per cwt. All seven averaged 900 pounds @ $108.37, making them dollar out at $975.37. I was happy with how they all sold.

Cool clear water

Steer calf striking a pose

A baldy boy

Silhouette of a bevy of birds

Night is descending

 

[WyomingRancher]

Looks like another great day on your Nebraska ranch . The roan colt seems to be getting broke nicely, and your grass looks good. Your calves aren't looking too bad either... a person could have a fun time picking out replacements out of your herd :wink: .

 

[Soapweed]

Looks like another great day on your Nebraska ranch . The roan colt seems to be getting broke nicely, and your grass looks good. Your calves aren't looking too bad either... a person could have a fun time picking out replacements out of your herd :wink: .

Thanks, Wyoming Rancher. Our grass took on a new "shine" today, because we had four tenths of an inch of rain real early this morning. The moisture was mighty welcome.

 

[Jassy]

You've got a great brand...it's always pointing in the right direction...shows up well on photo's...and I'm guessing it keeps yur critters headed forward at all times too..lol We too got a shower this morning,,just enuff to settle the dust,,all is welcome. Things look great in your neck of the hills...Glad the salebarn and market did ya good today...Lets hope the market goes up by weaning time this fall!

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

I bet Peach is going to miss Kosmo when he goes back to school.

She will have to get the gates while Soap is taking pictures. :wink:


Anybody notice the bull with five legs? :shock:

 

[leanin' H]

You sure have a pretty place. That boy of yours is turning that colt into a horse! Thanks for the pictures and congrats on selling your stock for a nice check!!

 

[Silver]

Thanks for the pics, everything and everybody looks to be happy and healthy.
I was thinking..... your brand is exactly half of my brand -x- . Too bad we're not neighbours :lol:

 

[efb]

Looks like a terriffic year on the Spearhead. Thanks for sharing it.
Just a different look at your bull numbers, I'd call that $411 depreciation as it doesn't really include care, transportation and the feed and mineral they consumed while you had them. I would assume if they don't get injured they would bring the same at the sale barn next year or the year after, so keeping them another year or two would average that depreciation out over the number of years you keep them. Then it is just a matter of can you feed them 270 days for less than $411? Anyway, that's the way I would look at it. I agree with Wyo Rancher, it would be enjoyable picking a load of replacements out of your heifers. Picking replacements and watching them develop and produce, is one of my favorite parts of this job.

 

[BRG]

We have a young horse that looks just like him. We are really original in the name too, we call him Roany

Grass and cattle both look good, Soap!

 

[Soapweed]

Looks like a terriffic year on the Spearhead. Thanks for sharing it.
Just a different look at your bull numbers, I'd call that $411 depreciation as it doesn't really include care, transportation and the feed and mineral they consumed while you had them. I would assume if they don't get injured they would bring the same at the sale barn next year or the year after, so keeping them another year or two would average that depreciation out over the number of years you keep them. Then it is just a matter of can you feed them 270 days for less than $411? Anyway, that's the way I would look at it. I agree with Wyo Rancher, it would be enjoyable picking a load of replacements out of your heifers. Picking replacements and watching them develop and produce, is one of my favorite parts of this job.

Yes, you are right. I should have added their feed costs into the equation. It is sure nice not having the buggers around when they are not needed. They are also a lot easier to handle as yearlings than when they get older. Another thing I have learned the hard way--if you keep them over, you need to keep them at least until they are three to sell. A yearling bull always sells for more dollars (weigh-up price) than does a two-year-old, because a two-year-old just brings "old bull" price per pound. The yearlings don't weigh as much, but they bring a lot more per pound. By the time a bull is three or older, they "pound out" pretty good.

 

[Faster horses]

NICE, Soapweed. And I mean everything.

I really enjoy the pictures of Brock on his horses. For instance, his
roan colt looks so
relaxed. It means a lot to me to see that. I've been too many places
where horses ridden by "horse trainers" aren't relaxed and are
watchful of the person on their back, as if they don't trust
what they are going to do. In fact,
the horses are hard to catch and the horses plain act like they don't like
the trainer. I would bet Brocks horses like him.

When I see worried horses, Pat Parrelli's words always come to mind:
"Horses don't care how much you know, til they know how much you care."

So YOU GO, BROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. Those are some real stretchy, growthy steers, Soapweed.

 

[Shortgrass]

You've got a great brand...it's always pointing in the right direction...shows up well on photo's...and I'm guessing it keeps yur critters headed forward at all times too..lol We too got a shower this morning,,just enuff to settle the dust,,all is welcome. Things look great in your neck of the hills...Glad the salebarn and market did ya good today...Lets hope the market goes up by weaning time this fall!

Something has those calves moving in the right direction :!:

 

[gcreekrch]

Looks like things are going well in the sandhills.

We sold 20 steers 3 weeks ago, 7 weighed 976 @ $1.00 and 13 weighed 901 @ $1.04. They were the highest selling steers in BC to date for this year.