Best weight to sell bull calves

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mnbryant2001

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Since taking my fathers cattle over two years ago I have been selling calf at about 700lbs. Due to lack of help and a full time job I have sold calves as bulls instead of cutting. Since cutting later in age is harder on them, is there a weight it's best to sell them at? Or should I confused holding them to 700-750lbs.
 
Bulls sell almost the same as steers till 400lbs. After they hit 600lbs the price is dropping hard.
 
Here there is a big hit on bulls that size. Probably 40 cents or more. I realize it can be a problem to cut those bull calves but if you sell them over 400 pounds it sure pays to do it.
 
I dunno.. I had a 435lb steer calf ( didnt intend on him getting loaded but he insisted) go to the sale last month.. He brought 188.50.. !!! figure that up.. hard to justify feeding them out.. and keeping them for another 60-75 days..
 
Limomike":2c68blul said:
I dunno.. I had a 435lb steer calf ( didnt intend on him getting loaded but he insisted) go to the sale last month.. He brought 188.50.. !!! figure that up.. hard to justify feeding them out.. and keeping them for another 60-75 days..

Had a similar thing happen yesterday Limomike except we did intend for the little fellers to go. Shipped 4 calves in the 400 pound range and they brought $1.81 lb. Had one big tall rangy steer at 800 lbs and he only brought $1.19. I wasn't too happy about that one.
 
I could band them alone most likely. Even bigger ones. I had read a lot of negative things about that last year. Looking at beef magazine I find more positive thoughts on the subject. Long as their head will fit the chute and a pole is behind the legs a band wouldn't be so bad. Think I'll check into that. I have a small bander. But these guys are 500-600 range now. May check on a larger bander and see how it goes.
 
You have a couple of choices:
1) do nothing and sell the bull yearlings. Accept your $10 to $20 per cwt. discount (consider this a learning fee) and make plans to DO BETTER next year by working your calves.
2) Band or cut the bulls. Allow about 45 days for the bulls to heal. The small banders won't work on bulls that size. You do take a chance of complications (that is why the big discount).
 
Sold calves yesterday. All bulls, no steers. 400 lb black bulls brought 1.95 per pound. 545 lb yellow 1/4 to 1/2 longhorn bulls brought 1.55 per pound. 488 lb 1/2 longhorn yellow bulls 1.52, 430lb yellow 1/2 longhorn 1.68. 350 lb 1/2 black and 1/2 jersey bull 1.8750 per pound. Heifers yellow 1/2 longhorn 635 lb 1.35 and 508 lb yellow 1/2 longhorn heifers 1.52 and 1 crossbred black heifer 435 lbs, 1.65 per pound I sold the calves early due to hot, dry weather and a huge acorn crop that is already falling like rain. Like others said, there is a big hit after 600 and a real big hit after 700 lbs. Also, there is a difference in the price hit, depending on how big the demand for calves is. With a huge demand, like now, there is less price hit. When there are too many calves and less demand, there is a huge price hit on bulls
 
Neighbor sold some 5 weight bulls yesterday. Black brought 1.53 and mixed brought 1.46, black steers only did a few cents better in the same weight range but the 6 weights dropped off more.
 
Limomike":3f4fw2iv said:
I dunno.. I had a 435lb steer calf ( didnt intend on him getting loaded but he insisted) go to the sale last month.. He brought 188.50.. !!! figure that up.. hard to justify feeding them out.. and keeping them for another 60-75 days..


Same here except I load them and sell them purposely at that weight. Get them off their mama and get the money in my pocket.
 

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