This point, usually leads to fall out, but I will make it again. We don't do the industry any favors, by selling cattle that are not ready to go to the salebarn. IMHO, calves should be fully weaned, castrated, and vaccinated. My entire area is discounted heavily because we are notorious for trailer weaning calves. We may be seeing such a small difference in bulls and steers, because of guilt by association.
If you don't sell in my area, then this part of the post, will not make any sense. I sold some calves last week, and I got my own pen. Calves were announced as one mans cattle weaned and vaccinated. In all honesty, it made very little difference in the price, plus it was a small group. I don't feel like my efforts were lost though. In all honesty, I may have gotten a nickel more per pound. I had close to that in working them. They had been implanted, and were 60 days weaned. They were conservatively 125 pounds heavier, than they were the day I pulled them off the cow though. Yes, I had some expense in getting them there. Was it worth trouble? To me yes, to others no. I wouldn't equate to ethics, but it was the right thing to do. I think it helps the industry. One could easily say let the next man down the line take his chances. Thats not the wrong attitude necessarily, but it does set the rest of us for guilt by association--------If any or all of that make sense.
