Any tips appreciated

[InAHurry]

If you were the owner of 120 (home-raised) 950-1050# steers what would you do?

[rsomer]

I am also the proud owner of home raised calves averaging about 1000 pounds and I like you I am wondering what to do. I can’t keep them forever. Some of my calves are close to being finished but if I were to call up the packer buyers I do not think they would talk to me as they can buy all they want from bigger feedlots. I need some way to get my calves into better packages so the packers would at least consider them. I believe there are lots of home raised calves out there. If the border were to open I would be fine but I need to assume that it won’t and have some other more practical means of selling my calves lined up.

[pandiana]

Same problem. Bit the bullet and dumped them last week. Don't want to know what the price was. Check will come this week. Figured it was better than throwing more expensive feed into them.

[blackjack]

in a hurry... with that kind of weight I would sell if you are not going to finish... like rsomer there are several small operations with fats coming on with no one to bid... my father and I have around 250 homeraised steers that weigh around the 875 lb mark... we are going to keep them till Aug 1 and then we will sell by satelite or the TEAM...there not much else you can do...

[cswilson]

Why not send them to a custom lot to get finished-maybe sell on the grid they seem to get grid cattle moved fairly timely.

[InAHurry]

To bad there wasn't a "list" to sign up to make a decent size offering of same type/weight steers - at least this group might be considered for a bid!

Thanks for the suggestions. We've typically sold steers at weaning and marketing has changed to much since when we have kept them over. Still trying to figure out the grid, futures, shared ownership/pen ...etc. etc. I figured-what to hell, might be a good year to possibly get some carcass data back-previous buyers, some known some not, seem not to want to share this info with us. Satellite and TEAM would be our only options because of our location- a long haul (shrink/costs/unknown to buyers) to the closest market offering a competitive # to buyers would probably be another kick in the knees.

Our experience at finishing a pen of fats hit us hard last summer. A venture we care not to repeat. They were ready early July - could not find a buyer ..... ended up (finally) with a kill date of Aug 24 - 27 at Better Beef in Ont. They "lost" one - literally, took a month to find it - grading was questionable as was other "little things". Pretty hard to be on their butts in Ont. when we reside in (very rural) Sask. Quess I could have shortened that to "finishing-no thank you"!

We'll keep learning! And thanks again for the tips.

[rusty1]

If you waite too long the packer could mouth them over 30 months. Lakeside is mouthing their cattle at the feedlot before they chase them across the road. The dentition window is about 6months from what I've heard.

[grassfarmer]

rusty1, 6 months window on dentition from when?
Just curious to know you guys that are still holding yearlings - did you/do you have a target price for them that would have triggered you to sell them? Were you following the highs and lows from November right through waiting to hit a certain price or were all hopes pinned on the border opening? I'm just trying to get a better understanding of how others market in these tough conditions.

[ALICIA]

It's to bad you were not on line last year. You would of heard my Little warning on Better Beef In Ontario.
Repeat: A farmer in Ontario would not sell to better beef last july at 50 cents so Better Beef went to the States and brought up 4000 head. (Remur) You know someone told someone who told some one else. But I do know that our farmer's bus trip last year was cancaled to the Better Beef Plant.
That is true.

[kato]

We are also sitting on last year's calves. Weighing up to almost finished, but not quite yet.

We usually sell our fats through the ring, because Ontario buyers usually like them better than out west. (They are Charolais/Limo cross) Alberta is a tough sell right now. They aren't really interested in Manitoba cattle at all.

It seems that you would do better on the rail, but you really need to know your cattle, and if you don't have a big bunch on feed it can be really hard to put together a load. Discounts can soon cost you more than yardage at a sale.

Our thinking is that with a smaller group of cattle you can do better taking them a few at a time when they really look good, rather than trying to average out a decent price on a load. We have almost 200 on feed, but the weights are all over the place.

How this will turn out this year is anyone's guess. I suppose in a couple of weeks when they are starting to finish, we'll find out.

[cowman]

Inahurry: What can I add? I'm like just about every other dumbie here...hoping for the border to open and hoping I don't lose my shirt!
These are unique and interesting times my friends where all the knowledge goes out the window and we wing it as best we can!
I'm probably doing it completely wrong but here is what I am doing...Breeding the ones than might make a cow...toughed the lighter end through winter and put them out on grass( thank God we finally got some darned grass!).
Hoping and praying that things turn around but doubting it!
Will take my bath, probably in September! Had my belly full of this BS!!!