backgrounded calves

[greybeard]

It seems to me that every year in November it looks like the bred cow market is in the tank. This year may be worse than most, as there was panic in the calf market. Cull cows are trading at BSe levels. Bred cow prices start at one bid above the meat buyers.
Agribition sold about 250 heifers at an average of $1138. Prices there generally reflect the value of top quality breeding stock. Maybe someone who was at the sale can supply more detail as to what was in demand.
I used to breed Charlais and purchased all my cows and heifers. Some improved my genetic pool and some hurt it. Looking back, some were great bargains, some were overpriced. One thing for sure they aren’t very uniform, even within purchased groups.
In my opinion, the biggest losses in calf values show up in a distressed market like we have had,in the price between top quality and second cut cattle. The second cut always starts a lot sooner in a buyers market. Small lots and individual animals get screwed.
Uniformity can pay big dividends. Your cheque can be a 30% disappointment if you send small lots or they can break them into small groups.
Electronic sales make up 20 to 30 percent of the volume currently. I haven’t used them, but plan to. You get one price for the whole lot, and have the option to pass if you don’t like it. Of course, we’re back to those larger uniform lots. Maybe the second cuts can be sent to a presort, as Grass farmer suggests.
Fat cattle quit the auction markets a generation ago, for all the same reasons.

[just_wondering]

We passed on the bid 103 lbs steers 5 cent slide were hoping for 110 but might have accepted 108? Have now decided on the local heartland auction mart and their presort satalite sale on tues. so My weekend will be all booked up. Going with the pre-sort as it seems to me that like gray-beard says large lots are the way to go.
I was mistaken earlier I said that the internet market was TEAM but it was DLMS I was NOT impressed at all Four pictures the sound kept cutting in and out I never even heard what they said about our calves It was nice to be able to pass on their bid though maybe if they get their technology better I might look again in a few years.

[cswilson]

If 700 pound calves are .75 cents in march Im going to be buying as many as I can find grass for. I'll go out on a limb right now and predict that 900 weight yearlings will be a heck of alot more than that in the late summer. But I'm just a foolish optomist not busy trying to analyze myself out of the cattle business.

[kpb]

cs wilson, yep you're right it's best not to think about things.

kpb

[whiteface]

kpb, what are you doing up at that hour? Have a good day!

[kpb]

whiteface, you know it was one of those nights where I woke up about 1 a.m. because I could hear a cow. So I lie there for half an hour trying to talk myself into ignoring it and then finally end up getting up to check it out. Everything fine and then couldn't get back to sleep, lol.

kpb

[mb_rancher]

Why wouldnt you have went with TEAM? They do a darn good job of presenting your cattle and working hard to promote them to the buyers!! They cover a large area and are well known for getting the top dollar out of cattle.

[kpb]

mb is right--we've gone with TEAM several times to both sell yearlings and buy calves and they are always straightforward and easy to deal with.

kpb

[greybeard]

My experience with sending the whole group to a presort has been less than great. In order to benefit from the sort there has to be cattle of similar quality to sort yours with, producing a larger, and more desirable group. With a good sort it should be hard to pick your calves out. The last one I took mine to I thought my calves made their groups look better. My opinion only, but did I average the price up for someone else?
I had given up on the presort idea, till Grassfarmer suggested them as a good place to market odds and ends that don’t fit with the rest of your group
Some markets seem to make them work,but as I say, they have to have simmilar cattle to work with.

[kato]

A presort is only as good as the sorter.

[whiteface]

you know, kpb, I do that a lot myself. My husband really thinks I need my head examined. He could sleep through a tornado, I swear. Then the phone rings and he's up like a shot (he's on call a lot and the plant might actually blow up without him, LOL!) I can so relate to your post, kpb. Great minds think a like...
fools seldom differ...
Have a great night all!

[cswilson]

kbp don't worry your knowledgeable little head about my operation-I don't lose much nappy time about yours. Check back in the fall we'll see who was right-I'll bet on myself this time sunshine.