Advice on what to do?

[jltrent]

Didn't gave any pinkeye vaccine, no ear tags, no rubs or sprays. Cinnamon Garlic mineral is all I have done and only had one case this past weekend. Not sure why.

Were do you get that mineral?

I have bought it from Clear Creek, W&W, Sneedville co-op, and I hear Jonesville has it

Went to Clear Creek and got some.....the cattle are not wild about it, but maybe over time they will come around....a couple weeks ago I had very little Pink Eye, but since the heat spell it has went crazy. The flies are terrible.

 

[snoopdog]

Feeder calf prices are really tanking here. I have about 15 calves (steers and a few heifers I don't want to keep) I have been weaning and feeding in preparation to take them to the market. Most of these are
5 and 6 wts. With prices this low, and I have heard they are going to go lower, I am toying with the idea of just turning them back out and feeding them through the winter with the rest of the herd.

I have plenty of hay and I can also get more because it is really cheap here right now. With prices like this, I really can see a lot of folks just pitching in the towel and selling out. I just read about two more herd dispersals in our area that are taking place in November.

Does anyone have advice on what to do??

You're way further east than I thought, have you noticed an uptick in the market this week? We have, and I expect to sell a few next week the market for yearlings is solid I believe. The hot weather here , is the problem, for unweaned bawling calves. Holdem, feed em cheap hay, you'll be glad you did.

 

[sstterry]

You're way further east than I thought, have you noticed an uptick in the market this week? We have, and I expect to sell a few next week the market for yearlings is solid I believe. The hot weather here , is the problem, for unweaned bawling calves. Holdem, feed em cheap hay, you'll be glad you did.

As of last Saturday, there had been no uptick at all. The problem we have here is drought conditions plus the normal Fall glut of cattle being sold, I think that even if prices wanted to climb, there is going to be a lot of cattle headed to the sale barn for the next 2 months or so in our area.

 

[MO-Ruminants]

When they are ready or close ready and I can get a little help to catch/load they are gone. From looking back I have hit a good market a few times and a bad market a few times. The way things are looking I don't see a light at the end of the tunnel. Might as well take your beating like a man.

You have help with hauling just a phone call away. I'm gonna buy lightweight calves till my money runs out.

Do you care to expound on your strategy/line of thought in buying lightweights?

 

[JParrott]

Buy low, sell high and he's probably got plenty of grass/feed to spare.

 

[kenny thomas]

Buy low, sell high and he's probably got plenty of grass/feed to spare.

Actually that's pretty close. I buy at a smaller sale where there is not a big demand for the 250-350 lb calves. I buy them at a discount. I might get 2 this week and 5 next week but I usually get some. I sell them in groups as 6 wt, sometimes 7wt. Very little feed because I have really good grass. Cost of gain is pretty cheap. It works for me.
I think calves will be higher by mid January but if not I will keep them till spring.

 

[farmerjan]

I am also thinking that prices will come up once the fall glut is over. Also, I agree that bawling calves are going to be cheap for awhile. Plus, now add in the Swine Flu in Korea, and what that will do to protein sources. It is in the thinking of several that China is getting really antsy, and with other countries maybe having to deal with this swine flu, they will be turning to more beef. That will give us a boost but I think it will be after the new year. We also are going to sit on as many as we can; that we don't have to sell to payments this fall. Have a few cull cows to go, and their calves will probably leave when they do as we load at the pasture and take them, but we will see. Prices have not rally increased this past week but tomorrow there ought to be a bigger run in Staunton, Va. It's been only 5-600 then last week was over 850. I think we will start seeing the 1200-1600 numbers that they see in the fall. The other thing is here, it is getting very dry, and people are going to pull them off pastures and sell instead of feeding any hay. No rain in the forecast for at least another week for this area.

 

[MO-Ruminants]

Actually that's pretty close. I buy at a smaller sale where there is not a big demand for the 250-350 lb calves. I buy them at a discount. I might get 2 this week and 5 next week but I usually get some. I sell them in groups as 6 wt, sometimes 7wt. Very little feed because I have really good grass. Cost of gain is pretty cheap. It works for me.
I think calves will be higher by mid January but if not I will keep them till spring.

Do you bring them home and kick them out on grass, or do you use a full-blown receiving program...starter ration, vaccinations, antibiotics, dewormer, wipe their noses etc.