Even though things didn't sell like I hoped this year, we used to do the same thing before new ownership brought in better buyers at the local barn. Not 300 miles but sometimes we'd run past Springfield to Joplin (140 miles) to make more.
Calves sold well
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farmerjan
Well-known member
skyhightree1 said:
I'm thinking at least 3 hours? Have to go over the mountain, BV, down 501 right? On the other side of Lynchburg?
New owners took over Staunton, and there is alot of grumbling. I haven't seen a check yet, but heard that the commissions are double what they were before. It was always one of the "cheapest" as in least cost, places to sell. Took way longer to get unloaded last friday than necessary.... my dairy farmer today told me they sat, in line for over 3 hours. From a spot that used to be only a 1 1/2 to 2 hr wait. I am trying to give them a chance as no one can just come in and make things go as smooth right off the bat, as the ones that had been there doing it for over 50 years. Rumor is they are going to do some graded sales.... we will see.
Dave
Well-known member
I had a hard time getting calves bought today at Vale Oregon. First group in the ring was 6 head of black steers weighing 352. They brought $2.04. Next bunch was 5 head that weighed 374. They brought $2.03. A little later a group of 7 steers weighing 355 brought $2.10. I ended up getting 9 head bought that weighed between 370 and 480. Two bulls and 7 heifers averaged $541. The two 400 pound Herefords heifers that cost $1.02 and the 370 pound black heifer for $0.98 really helped that average.
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
Hereford heifers get hammered here too. Do they sell better as yearlings?
Dave
Well-known member
Stocker Steve said:
When you have a big bunch of yearlings of mostly black and baldies a few Herefords in the mix wont hurt at all. I bought them for neighbor B. My calves are all black and baldie heifers. His are a box of crayons and he has some freshly banded bull calves too. The 2 bulls I bought were also for him. Tomorrow I will buy for both of us again. He is busy elk hunting.
bird dog said:
Hey Bird Dog (or anyone else familiar with OKC stockyards) -
I've got a small mixed bag of Beefmaster stuff to sell including a couple older cows, single bull, 1/2 dozen long yearlings and contemplating selling some unweaned Spring calves. Thinking about trying OKC vs. local salebarn. It's about an your away. Any thoughts on taking everything there or just long yearlings? Also, do you have to use a commission company or can you simply drop off like a local small barn? Clearly I've never used a commission company. Any advice there would be welcome.
bird dog
Well-known member
The cows and the bulls won't do much better than local unless your barn doesn't run enough packer animals to bring in more than one or two buyers.
You need to wean your calves and get them eating well. The buyers at the Stockyards and at OKC West want calves that are weaned and ready to go to a feed yard or out on pasture. If your calves are not weaned and not castrated, you will probably be disappointed.
At the stockyards you have to use a commission company. Its no big deal, just write who you want on the sales ticket. They all do pretty much the same thing. Its best to give them a call and tell them what you have so the can represent them correctly. At OKC west you can just drop them off and tell them the details which they will write on the sales slip. Its best to take them in a day or two early to let them settle down and eat and drink some to gain back your shipping loss.
Costs are about the same at both yards. Both yards feed the animals and sort them into drafts of three or more.
OKC West is a little more lenient about the three calf draft rule and will run a single through if its lame or sick or just doesn't match anything else you have. Neither yard will commingle your animals with someone else's.
You can watch both sales on the internet. PM me if you have more questions.
You need to wean your calves and get them eating well. The buyers at the Stockyards and at OKC West want calves that are weaned and ready to go to a feed yard or out on pasture. If your calves are not weaned and not castrated, you will probably be disappointed.
At the stockyards you have to use a commission company. Its no big deal, just write who you want on the sales ticket. They all do pretty much the same thing. Its best to give them a call and tell them what you have so the can represent them correctly. At OKC west you can just drop them off and tell them the details which they will write on the sales slip. Its best to take them in a day or two early to let them settle down and eat and drink some to gain back your shipping loss.
Costs are about the same at both yards. Both yards feed the animals and sort them into drafts of three or more.
OKC West is a little more lenient about the three calf draft rule and will run a single through if its lame or sick or just doesn't match anything else you have. Neither yard will commingle your animals with someone else's.
You can watch both sales on the internet. PM me if you have more questions.
skyhightree1
Well-known member
farmerjan said:
I'm thinking at least 3 hours? Have to go over the mountain, BV, down 501 right? On the other side of Lynchburg?
New owners took over Staunton, and there is alot of grumbling. I haven't seen a check yet, but heard that the commissions are double what they were before. It was always one of the "cheapest" as in least cost, places to sell. Took way longer to get unloaded last friday than necessary.... my dairy farmer today told me they sat, in line for over 3 hours. From a spot that used to be only a 1 1/2 to 2 hr wait. I am trying to give them a chance as no one can just come in and make things go as smooth right off the bat, as the ones that had been there doing it for over 50 years. Rumor is they are going to do some graded sales.... we will see.
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Yep. Thats where it is in Moneta. I asked because myself and a few other members here will probably meet up there and buy some cattle or just hangout and bs its 2 hr and 45 mins from me. Yea sometimes new owners can ruin a good thing too
farmerjan
Well-known member
Give me a little notice, and if I am not tied up, might just ride down to meet up with y'all. My social life.... going to the stockyard & cattle sales.... :hide: :banana: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
darcelina4
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I haven't bought or sold at okc but I have observed the sale multiple times. I would buy there but not sell there. Prices were low compared to mid America in bristow Oklahoma. I have bought and sold there. I've also observed at payne county lots of times. Prices vary a bunch there.
DCA farm
Well-known member
With today's prices I'd be satisfied here's the market report from
Monday where I sell at.
Monday where I sell at.
bird dog
Well-known member
Darce, Price is not the only factor to take calves to the big OKC yards. For me the price difference from my local barns covers the freight plus a little. The bonus for me is the reduced shrink. I would not take calves that were not long weaned and eating everything put in front of them. Color of calves is also not a factor.
I reduce my shrink to close to zero at OKC if the weather is moderate. In perfect conditions the calves have sometimes even added a few lbs but in most cases I have a 0-3% shrink. Compare that to the local barns where shrink will run 5-8% and as much as 10% in hot weather. Most folks don't think their "above average" calves will shrink that much but scales don't lie and I weigh everything going to market. Most people don't, so they are guessing.
Unweaned calves taken to the sale barn the day before the sale can easily lose 10 to 12%. Bawlin calves will not eat, don't know where to find water and walk the fence all night. Stress is high. At OKC they are penned with their friends with water and feed in their pen. They settle in and eat. Stress is low.
I also save a couple hundred dollars per load on commissions.
Granted its not for everybody. You need a decent size group and do the work required. There are better options I'm sure for most. Its just that none are around me.
I reduce my shrink to close to zero at OKC if the weather is moderate. In perfect conditions the calves have sometimes even added a few lbs but in most cases I have a 0-3% shrink. Compare that to the local barns where shrink will run 5-8% and as much as 10% in hot weather. Most folks don't think their "above average" calves will shrink that much but scales don't lie and I weigh everything going to market. Most people don't, so they are guessing.
Unweaned calves taken to the sale barn the day before the sale can easily lose 10 to 12%. Bawlin calves will not eat, don't know where to find water and walk the fence all night. Stress is high. At OKC they are penned with their friends with water and feed in their pen. They settle in and eat. Stress is low.
I also save a couple hundred dollars per load on commissions.
Granted its not for everybody. You need a decent size group and do the work required. There are better options I'm sure for most. Its just that none are around me.
bird dog
Well-known member
Read the conditions here. Pretty much describes the market for this time of year and echos what Corbett Wall said.
https://www.okc-west.com/documents/updates/ABNOctober2419.pdf
Compare this sales report to the Kinder one that DCA posted.
https://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/lsd_mars_1281.pdf
https://www.okc-west.com/documents/updates/ABNOctober2419.pdf
Compare this sales report to the Kinder one that DCA posted.
https://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/lsd_mars_1281.pdf
skyhightree1
Well-known member
farmerjan said:
5 mins notice ok ? Just enough for you to teleport there :lol: :lol: :lol:
farmerjan
Well-known member
skyhightree1 said:
Beam me up and over..... :banana: :banana: :banana:
Dave
Well-known member
I went to Producers Livestock in Vale Oregon yesterday. The last couple weeks I have picked up 20 heifers averaging 450 pounds for a $1.33 a pound. I hadn't been there too long and a nice group of 4 heifers came in. The ring scale had them right at 450. I thought these would match mine just fine. I planned to take them home. Wrong. They sold for $1.60. For 4.5 hours I mostly sat on my hands. The few time I did bid I didn't come in second. More like third or fourth place. Someone else figured out that those light heifers were the buy. My budget was about $100 shy of what they were bringing. The 350-450 steers were $1.80 to $2.00. Heifers that size were $1.60 to $1.50.
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
The beef market meltdown is over, but I think up trending corn is keeping a lid on light calf prices. We are also seeing damp fall weather still which effects light calve prices. What was the buy at your last sale?
Dave
Well-known member
Stocker Steve said:
I didn't really see a buy. It was all order buyers and they all seemed to be pushing the market. Maybe some bull calves but they were all either too big or too small or too darn ugly for my ticket.
Okay, here's the follow up to my experiment... took 4 red steers into OKC Stockyards sale for 10/28 sale - averaged just under 940 @$122.50.
Took several different things into Payne Co. Sale 10/30 - 2 brindle steers 570 (avg weight) @ $.81, 2 RWF 772 @ $.90, 1 red 530 @ $1.00.
All worked with two rounds, all beef breed. Caveat - 2 at Payne Co. had bands on testicles still, having only been banded several days prior. No, this was not strictly an apples to apples comparison, but educational nonetheless. Sometimes an education is expensive!
Took several different things into Payne Co. Sale 10/30 - 2 brindle steers 570 (avg weight) @ $.81, 2 RWF 772 @ $.90, 1 red 530 @ $1.00.
All worked with two rounds, all beef breed. Caveat - 2 at Payne Co. had bands on testicles still, having only been banded several days prior. No, this was not strictly an apples to apples comparison, but educational nonetheless. Sometimes an education is expensive!
