Are prices going up or down?

[grassfarmer]

Allfarmer, If you are keeping them rather than selling
them I'd be doubly concerned about the quality of
what you are buying.
ASRG, you have more confidence in breed names than
I do. What does "Angus type" mean anymore? red or
black? Beyond that "Angus" seems to cover every type
available in every breed from Jersey to Charolais.

[smcgrath76]

In answer to the question at the start
of the thread - Yes.
With prices getting fairly high, the
risk of them going down is outweighing
them going up on our operation. I agree
about buying auction heifers on a spec
such as black/850 pound/AN type (unless
it is a special or dispersal type of
sale). We have never had great luck
buying heifers or even cows at auction,
but have had some very good private
purchases. The price is usually better
that way too as you are saving
commission, controlling quality,
reducing trucking and better negotiating
price. If cows were cheap maybe you can
afford to take the risk. When they get
pricey, knowing what you are getting is
of value.

[kato]

We've also had our best luck with private purchases, especially with bred cows.

But the debate may be all academic anyway. I don't know about Alberta, but here in Manitoba I doubt that you could even find a group of heifers for sale privately. That's something that needs to be done much earlier in the year. Collecting them up at a sale from multiple homes could be the only option other than not buying them at all.

I don't remember the last time I saw an ad for heifers for sale privately. It's been months, at least. You'd almost have to go knocking on doors to find them. I think I may have seen some Angus heifers advertised a couple of months ago, but we're not interested in them anyway. ;-)

[ASRG]

While I agree you probably won't find any private heifers at this time of year, don't discount all those auction heifers? There are a lot of old men in the cattle business, just waiting to pull the trigger, if the price is right! They might not want to deal privately....easier to just send them to the sale barn?
I assume ALLFARMER's buyer has a fairly good idea of what might make a cow? Yes, he very well might get some real dogs....but he might also get some pretty outstanding cows!

grassfarmer: On the Angus thing? Apparently the "new trend" is back to the red ones? The guy I was talking to from Cornation says close to $100 difference on open breeding heifers!
I hear you on the "variable" Angus types. That isn't necessarily a bad thing....let's a person pick out what they basically prefer within the breed? Personally I buy bulls from a local (black angus) and they work for me. I don't know if there are better ones....all I know is his cows are run tough (out on swaths, rough bush pasture, he doesn't help cows calve or suck, no poor feet or udders)and his family has been raising Angus for close to 80 years. Top that off with an owner who is as honest as can be and doesn't need the money....well like I said "it works for me".....and incidently for a lot of my neighbors!

If I really wanted to crank up my income I would probably buy a Charlais bull. The char cross calves are really back in favor now? Personally I always found Charlais bulls enjoy fighting too much...always hurting themselves in a multi bull pasture.....but maybe I just wasn't lucky or something? I did appreciate those big tan calves on sale day!

[kato]

A lot of good heifers hit the auction mart this year.

Around here, the buyers at the sales could outbid locals on everything, so you could easily get as much if not more at the auction mart than privately. And no worries about bounced cheques, or guys coming back and complaining about the cattle after their poor management caused problems.

[forage]

Just bought 50 head of red angus cross cows with char. calves at foot for 1200 to 1350 last week, average age sec to third calvers for the high end and 4 to 6th calvers for the low end. Doesn't make sense to pay for a 1200 pound heifer for 1200 dollars no matter what they are worth this fall.

[grassfarmer]

Here is a report out of the US that might show some
of the dangers to threaten high cattle prices.

http://www.cattlenetwork.com/cattle-
resources/cow-calf/USDAs-Corbitt-Wall-Feeder-
steers-heifers-plummet--160887775.html

[ASRG]

I think the price forage paid for those pairs is pretty attractive? I didn't realize pairs had slipped that much. My neighbor just told me they weren't worth anymore last week at Olds auction!

[ASRG]

grassfarmer: I understand your caution after reading about what is happening in the US. Corn crop not doing well and prices going through the roof, lots of cows hitting the slaughter market due to poor pasture conditions.

Apparently the so called "recovery" in the USA was fueled by exports and with a general slow down in the world economy, exports are starting to dry up?

It kind of bugs me that my old cows are doing their job (and I'm sort of doing my job), but the bright lights in government and banking sure as hell aren't doing theirs!

[kato]

Steers 666 lb @ 1.5125 = $1000.33
Heifers 707 lb @ $1.380 = $976.37

And that's a wreck?