Pair prices

[grassmarketeer]

Just wondering where everyone thinks cow/calf pair prices are going pending no more border news? They seem fairly strong right now given the dry winter.

[grassfarmer]

I don't know where they are going but I am amazed at where they are at right now. Friday's satelite sale at VJV saw young pairs making $1200 and $1300 for several pens of 10. I don't think the older pairs were sold though. Who would want to pay $1300 for a commercial cow calf pair at the moment? not saying they won't be worth that in the long run but if you needed more cows why weren't you buying from October on? It's been a real buyers market through the late fall /winter.

[whiteface]

My best answer for why wouldn't guys looking to expand just buy them last fall is that for a lot of guys calving out and feeding even a few extra cows is a pain in the ass at best and extremely costly at worst. Better to buy them fed and calved and pick the ones you like best after someone has done the work ( fed and gotten a live decent, right colored calf). It's similar to me as a hay buyer, everyone says grow your own hay but I focus on the cattle end of my operation, making as sure as I can that I have some of the most saleable product around and if I buy hay I'll pay a little more (maybe) for someone else's work but I can be choosy also just like a bull buyer. I keep my energy on the cattle themselves without the overhead of machinery and extra labour and uncertainty of any reliable hay weather. Anyway, that's just my opinion on why anyone might pay a little more for grass pairs than bred cows last fall.

[rusty1]

If a cow is worth $300 righ now and will be till cattle over 30 months are exportable, that's a pretty expensive calve eh?

[cswilson]

I've got 120 first calf Angus and Black Baldie pairs for sale right now. A.I. sired heifers with A.I. calves at side. I'm asking 1300 and I've been offered 1250 so it's decision time for me. Were wanting to buy the heifer calves back at steer price in the fall.

[cswilson]

Sounds like a good set of heifers with a lot of work and thought put into them. Even $1300.00 would be a shame.
This latest news about the border may help. Can you find the feed and effort to wait? This market is so emotional, there may just be potential for some better bucks in a few more weeks. We plan to sell some pairs as well this spring, but more on the bottom end. 6 or 8 inches of grass is what we are gambling on ... early to mid June.

[grassmarketeer]

I heard that good third calf bred cows due immediately in vermillion could be had for about 1050$ with bred hefs slightly more. Veteran's last bull sale sold com. pairs at 1400$. Stettler seems to have limited numbers of good pairs at1150$. Is this what elsewhere is like? Bottom end about 850$

[cswilson]

Sold 50 pairs so far at $1300-let two guys pick and only one heifer was on both lists-so far so good.Was tough loading them out but nice having 100 less mouths to feed.