Bred Heifer Sales ?

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Stocker Steve

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We had first weekend bred sale of the season here today. Prices were higher than I expected. Top price was U$S 1700 for some oversized registered heifers. They had lose money written all over them. Some nice moderate grade heifers went for $1450. I liked them, but they will probably lose money too. Junk and singles went for a lot less.

What are you seeing for bred heifer pricing?
 
If corn stays high we'll see $2,500 bred heifers here in March.
It's okay to buy ignorant bred heifers that may not raise a calf, but it's not okay to sell the corn, pay taxes, and sit in the warm house at night relaxing. WTF! I just shake my head at these sales.
 
We bred a bigger group of heifers than we normally do because I told son 2 years ago that the way things were going I looked for bred cows and heifers to hit highs in 2022 and 2023... so we kept more than normal and have been buying some of the cheaper pairs to breed back... and I hope if they do hit the 2,000 range that we sell a bunch this year. Have already picked out a few that are just average producers, to put in a bred sale in March or April here when people are looking for stuff to turn out to grass. And if bred heifers are high, I am going to push to sell 10 or more and pay down on some debt... we can always raise some more.....
 
The few bred heifers I have seen at the sale would have brought more as open feeder heifers. Real good solid mouth cows bred to top of the line bulls for February calves are bringing $1,100 to $1,150. B sold 5 potloads of commercial heifers bred to a Waygu bull. People wanted those F1 Waygu cross calves. He got $1,400. That is by far the highest money have heard here for a bred heifer.
 
Same here Dave. I sold my replacements before they ever saw a bull because the short bred heifers are so cheap. My weaned and vacced heifers averaged 688 and brought $1.54 lb at OKC last week.
If I remember correctly B had over 300 heifers. The ones that pregged open brought $1200 a head as feeders. B told me the people who bought the bred heifers offered him less. He told them what he got for the open ones and if they wouldn't pay the $1400 he would just calf them out himself.
 
If corn stays high we'll see $2,500 bred heifers here in March.
It's okay to buy ignorant bred heifers that may not raise a calf, but it's not okay to sell the corn, pay taxes, and sit in the warm house at night relaxing. WTF! I just shake my head at these sales.
Have to ship breds to the I states ?
 
Have to ship breds to the I states ?
Yep. Plenty of feed here. I know of a guy that's bought 1 pot load of short n solid bred cows from Montana. I think he has $675 + trucking in them. He'll run them on stalks, put a little flesh on them, and probably double his investment next spring when he sells them as heavy breds.
 
Yep. Plenty of feed here. I know of a guy that's bought 1 pot load of short n solid bred cows from Montana. I think he has $675 + trucking in them. He'll run them on stalks, put a little flesh on them, and probably double his investment next spring when he sells them as heavy breds.
So you think short solid heavy breds will be 1350 in the spring? If so im going to have lots of extra grass next year. I will sell out
 
So you think short solid heavy breds will be 1350 in the spring? If so im going to have lots of extra grass next year. I will sell out
I think a lot of guys around here sent older cows, problems, and poor performers to slaughter when mrkt cows were high last spring and corn wasn't this high. Then we got gov payments, grain prices got high, and guys still made hay.
Fast forward to now. Guys have plenty of feed, to much cash ( God forbid they pay taxes) and a cull cow mrkt that is still strong.
I don't think $1350 is out of the realm of possibility. The last bred cow special of the year at our local sale barn is a week from Tues. It will be very interesting to see what they bring.
 
We kept back most of our heifers to breed, and in October sold 2 open ones. They weighed 1100 lbs and brought $1.00. I asked my wife if she wanted to sell the others, she said no.
I haven't heard any results from the regional bred heifer sales.
 
Big shin
I don't think $1350 is out of the realm of possibility. The last bred cow special of the year at our local sale barn is a week from Tues. It will be very interesting to see what they bring.
Big shiny cows were U$S 1225 here last week and we do not have much feed. It will cost $600 to overwinter that kind on hay.
 
Big shin

Big shiny cows were U$S 1225 here last week and we do not have much feed. It will cost $600 to overwinter that kind on hay.
Tuesday, November 2, 2021 - Packer Day-Breeding Stock

The November replacement cow sale consisted of a wide variety of ages and quality and included breds, pairs, and a few breeding bulls.

A small sampling of breeding bulls were well received and topped at $2600 on a 2-year old SimmeX. The top end sold from $1800
to $2600.

46 pairs most with fall calves topped at 1975.00 with the better end of the younger pairs selling in a range of 1550-1950. Middle age and
older cows with calves traded from 1500 and down.

Young bred cows in the 2nd period topped at 1800. 6-8 year old cows again in the 2nd period topped out at 1525 with older or smaller
framed cows trading from 1200 and down.

Buyer attendance for the 1st cow sale of the fall was very good with the best action on the pairs and younger bred cows.
_______________________________________________________________
That's with ALL of winter ahead of us.
 

We sold some back in May the sale average was just over $2000. There will be one next week in my area so I'm curious as to what the market will be.
 
I wouldn't even consider buying heifers even if I did see some. The last several weeks I have seen solid mouth Angus cows bred to top of the line bulls for February calves bring $1,100. Two large groups (100+) from Imnaha. That is in the northeast corner of Oregon. Just off Hell's Canyon. These cows hustle for a living on land flat as a table top with the legs cut off on one side. Any cow who can make it in that country will absolutely prosper anywhere you put her. Why even take a risk on buying a heifer? Will she have problems calving? Breed back?
 

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