Castrate or Not?

[BC]

Today, I did notice a real discount on bull calves 550 lbs and up ($6 to $13 per cwt). That is roughly $35 to $75+ dollars per head more for a steer. Here are some figures I pulled from recaps:
KC 65 (steers) averaged 669 lbs @ $135.63 to average $907.36 per head
Bob 60 (bull calves) averaged 663 lbs @ $122.14 to average $809.79 per head

That was $97.57 per head more for a 660+ lb steer vs a bull calf. Does it make a difference? Some buyers have steer only orders and can not and will not bid on a bull yearling.

 

[Cross-7]

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.

X2

The big antibiotic free, Veterinary Feed Directive, antibiotic resistance and so on
A bull calf sold at the sale barn is going to have to be castrated and if the owner didn't castrate then he probably didn't vaccinate or wean either.
That is a recipe for a calf that's going to get sick and need antibiotics

Is a buyer is going to pay as much for that calf knowing the risk and expense as he will a steer calf that's been vaccinated and weaned ?

JMJ and others have said buying miss managed calves that are docked and straightening them can pay off

I looked just now at OKC sale this week
5wt calves were in the 1.55 -1.60 range
Bulls of sane wt were 1.45 -1.55
.10 @ 500 is 50.00 a head
Every 20 head is 1000.00

 

[Banjo]

The whole idea is that the bull calf will weigh more than the steer and it becomes a wash.
I guess a person could take two calves of the same weight and castrate one and leave the other a bull intact....then weigh them again in 30 days.
Regardless, I don't see it as hurting the industry. I may be hurting myself, but that's all.
Things that really hurt the cattle industry IMO are growth implants(hormones) which stifle exports to the EU, Russia, and China.

 

[NolanCountyAG]

Even if they weigh the same the steer will bring more. A buyer would rather have an implanted steer than an unimplanted bull calf.

 

[TCRanch]

True Grit Farms came closest to my rant: Has anyone considered the fact that a bull calf can breed a heifer? Not common but it can happen, we learned this the hard way. We're pretty regimented with our spring calving, every bull calf is banded, we pull the bulls a minimum of a month prior to weaning and every heifer gets a shot of Lute so we can sell them guaranteed open. Except we missed a bull calf one year & ended up with a bred heifer. Didn't know it until our vet came out to BANGS/pelvic measure the ones we planned to keep as replacements and there's no way she was bred prior to weaning.

We do have one intact bull calf this year (born early March) that we're selling to a neighbor and plan to wean him when we pull the bulls prior to weaning the other spring calves. Baby boy's got game! Hilarious & somewhat painful to watch him hunching an 1800 lb cow.

 

[Banjo]

Even if they weigh the same the steer will bring more. A buyer would rather have an implanted steer than an unimplanted bull calf.

I know the steer would bring more if they both weighed the same and were the same quality...most times.
But take two calves that weigh the same and cut one with a knife and leave the other a bull and wean them both the same time you castrate the one.
How much more will the bull calf weigh in 30 days? Maybe no more then maybe a lot.
Further still.....leave the bull calf on its mama while the other is castrated and weaned and see what the weight difference would be in 30 days.
IMO the bull calf, he would be close to 50 lb. heavier.
No doubt, there is more money in the steer than the bull lb for lb.
But factoring the extra growth during the castration stress on one vs. the other, closes the gap price dramatically.....most times IMO.

 

[True Grit Farms]

Even if they weigh the same the steer will bring more. A buyer would rather have an implanted steer than an unimplanted bull calf.

I know the steer would bring more if they both weighed the same and were the same quality...most times.
But take two calves that weigh the same and cut one with a knife and leave the other a bull and wean them both the same time you castrate the one.
How much more will the bull calf weigh in 30 days? Maybe no more then maybe a lot.
Further still.....leave the bull calf on its mama while the other is castrated and weaned and see what the weight difference would be in 30 days.
IMO the bull calf, he would be close to 50 lb. heavier.
No doubt, there is more money in the steer than the bull lb for lb.
But factoring the extra growth during the castration stress on one vs. the other, closes the gap price dramatically.....most times IMO.

I can agree with what you're saying to a point. How about banding at birth or shortly thereafter will you see the same results?
Castration of a dog or oxen at a very early age doesn't inhibit it's growth.

 

[Banjo]

Even if they weigh the same the steer will bring more. A buyer would rather have an implanted steer than an unimplanted bull calf.

I know the steer would bring more if they both weighed the same and were the same quality...most times.
But take two calves that weigh the same and cut one with a knife and leave the other a bull and wean them both the same time you castrate the one.
How much more will the bull calf weigh in 30 days? Maybe no more then maybe a lot.
Further still.....leave the bull calf on its mama while the other is castrated and weaned and see what the weight difference would be in 30 days.
IMO the bull calf, he would be close to 50 lb. heavier.
No doubt, there is more money in the steer than the bull lb for lb.
But factoring the extra growth during the castration stress on one vs. the other, closes the gap price dramatically.....most times IMO.

I can agree with what you're saying to a point. How about banding at birth or shortly thereafter will you see the same results?
Castration of a dog or oxen at a very early age doesn't inhibit it's growth.

Banding at birth is probably the best way....if your not afraid of the mama. I am usually at that size. Had a good friend almost get killed by a protective mama while he was trying to band and tag a newborn a few years ago.
Don't get me wrong, I'll probably band some here when it cools down some....if I don't change my mind. I sell them both ways sometimes.

 

[JMJ Farms]

I can agree with what you're saying to a point. How about banding at birth or shortly thereafter will you see the same results?
Castration of a dog or oxen at a very early age doesn't inhibit it's growth.

Banding at birth is probably the best way....if your not afraid of the mama. I am usually at that size. Had a good friend almost get killed by a protective mama while he was trying to band and tag a newborn a few years ago.
Don't get me wrong, I'll probably band some here when it cools down some....if I don't change my mind. I sell them both ways sometimes.

I band at birth. Works good for me. I'm careful though with momma. Real careful. If you're not paying attention things can go south fast.