Cow hanging price

[Dave]

I was killing time and looked up what fat cattle were bringing. Scrolled down a bit and found what cows sold direct are getting hanging up. The average was $2.97. That means a 1,200 lb cow who dresses 50% thus hanging 600 lb is getting $1,782.

 

[ClinchValley86]

I took a steer last week. It hung at 838 pounds.

Going price here is $5.50 hanging plus processing. Comes to $4608. Hurting my feeling to price them. But it is what it is. Ive got 7 ready to go and wish I have 25. People are looking to buy.

I went in the hole on the last group charging $4.50 if I'm fair to myself and my time. Saw some priced at $6.50 plus processing.

 

[sstterry]

A good friend of mine who sells hanging beef is worried because he says it is too expensive for him to keep buying calves to feed out.

 

[Brute 23]

A good friend of mine who sells hanging beef is worried because he says it is too expensive for him to keep buying calves to feed out.

The tide turns quickly. It wasn't that long ago every one was preaching "I can buy them cheaper than I can raise them".

When you don't own the whole production chain you can end up at the mercy of every one else.

 

[sstterry]

The tide turns quickly. It wasn't that long ago every one was preaching "I can buy them cheaper than I can raise them".

When you don't own the whole production chain you can end up at the mercy of every one else.

My friend also has a cow-calf operation, but he specializes in Jersey steers, which he used to acquire at a very low cost. Not now.

 

[Dave]

I took a steer last week. It hung at 838 pounds.

Going price here is $5.50 hanging plus processing. Comes to $4608. Hurting my feeling to price them. But it is what it is. Ive got 7 ready to go and wish I have 25. People are looking to buy.

I went in the hole on the last group charging $4.50 if I'm fair to myself and my time. Saw some priced at $6.50 plus processing.

There was a poster here for years who complained about how much more people were charging over the real market value. At $5.50 you are $1.81 over the $3.69 the processors are paying for delivered steers paid on dressed weight. That is $1,516 over what the processors would pay for your steer. If you can get it more power to you. People in your neighborhood must be a lot richer than people are here.

 

[Named'em Tamed'em]

My last two were $5.99/lb with basic cutting wrapping included. They hung right at 700#. The next three should be a bit heavier.

 

[kenny thomas]

I was killing time and looked up what fat cattle were bringing. Scrolled down a bit and found what cows sold direct are getting hanging up. The average was $2.97. That means a 1,200 lb cow who dresses 50% thus hanging 600 lb is getting $1,782.

That makes a live cow worth 1.50. Why am i seeing cows bringing up to 1.90 live weight.

 

[sstterry]

That makes a live cow worth 1.50. Why am i seeing cows bringing up to 1.90 live weight.

And steers are bringing even more. I don't think the $5.50 number is off base. If you are selling beef at hanging weight, it should be worth your time for the extra trouble; otherwise, simply take them to market and be done.

 

[kenny thomas]

Im seeing lots of calves going to market that would normally be weaned
and fed for 60 to 90 days.

 

[farmerjan]

Im seeing lots of calves going to market that would normally be weaned
and fed for 60 to 90 days.

We took the last 18 straight off the cows to market... 14 steers, 4 heifers. Steers weighed 485 to 550 and one weighed 650 (he was a little older; cow was shorter bred but we kept her, so calf was a little older/bigger...) They brought 3.94 to 4.09 averaged around over 2100/hd and the 4 heifers weighed 540 and averaged 3.10 for 1675/hd.... we normally wean and background 60-90 days like @kenny thomas said... NOPE..... Not at those prices... kept around 10-12 heifers I think,.....and if a couple don't get a little less stupid acting in the barn when feeding at the bunk, they will be gone also...
Cows are due to start mid- Sept.... we had grass and left the calves with them... most cows were dried up anyway... weaning the heifers was a non-issue since they weren't sucking the cows... Cows will have a 75-90 day dry period...

Got people asking for beef again... but we have cut down to 2 regular kill dates now... and have one more that can go, but, when you leave the stockyard with a check in hand and all you did was take them off the cow... not having to feed them and all that for more months... it is not worth it for us. Got an open heifer to go, a crippled steer to go, and then my longhorn/angus cross that is marked just like a Speckled up White park... no sense in taking a beating at the stockyard and my last jersey steer is mostly gone out of the freezer... I need hamburger, used it all up... so will not do stew beef chunks and not alot of roasts this time... and get more hamburger. He is good and fleshy on just pasture... which is how I do all my own beef... with a little grain to get them to come into the catch pen, regularly. I like it lean and it has not been tough and has real good flavor. He is just 2 yrs old...... will go in August or Sept. Crippled one goes in 2 weeks... he is not real big, but we are worried about him getting around.

 

[farmerjan]

That makes a live cow worth 1.50. Why am i seeing cows bringing up to 1.90 live weight.

I sold a 14 yr old cow that came up open... weighed 1300 and brought 1.49? over $1900... for an animal that would have to be pretty tough..... with the cost of killing/cutting/wrapping/freezing having gone up... $5-6/ lb is not too much. Look at the cost of low end ground beef... it is like $4 /lb at the low end... and at 70/30 there is alot of fat...

 

[GoWyo]

Im seeing lots of calves going to market that would normally be weaned
and fed for 60 to 90 days.

At that price the risk of losing one before you get them sold says get them sold now.

 

[ClinchValley86]

A good friend of mine who sells hanging beef is worried because he says it is too expensive for him to keep buying calves to feed out.

I bet grocery store prices reflect these feeder prices in a few months. It'll make sense then sadly.

 

[ClinchValley86]

There was a poster here for years who complained about how much more people were charging over the real market value. At $5.50 you are $1.81 over the $3.69 the processors are paying for delivered steers paid on dressed weight. That is $1,516 over what the processors would pay for your steer. If you can get it more power to you. People in your neighborhood must be a lot richer than people are here.

Do most people out there who direct market go off that $3.69 price?

These are people who appreciate knowing where their food comes from and want food security. They can find someone locally still wanting $3.50 if they looked. I can't do $4.50 and make much of a profit, if one at all.

Ill buy the beef back if they're unhappy.

 

[ClinchValley86]

And steers are bringing even more. I don't think the $5.50 number is off base. If you are selling beef at hanging weight, it should be worth your time for the extra trouble; otherwise, simply take them to market and be done.

Due to so many people opting for that option, I could sell 4 times what I've got i bwt right now. Need to focus on that i think.

I expected people to not want to pay the price so I didn't fed a lot of last year's crop. Hate to feed my heifers tho.

 

[GoWyo]

Had a first calf heifer didn't breed back last year and put her in the feedlot for 4 months and she probably had room to go another . She went to the processor at 1740# live and hung 1050#. Kept half and sold half for $3.80 on the rail plus buyer paid processing. Probably could have gotten a couple hundred dollars more, but buyer was a friend.

 

[sstterry]

Due to so many people opting for that option, I could sell 4 times what I've got i bwt right now. Need to focus on that i think.

I expected people to not want to pay the price so I didn't fed a lot of last year's crop. Hate to feed my heifers tho.

How do you advertise your beef. My friend, I think, gets all of his business by word of mouth. I do remember that @kenny thomas was looking for a Jersey steer a couple of years ago and I gave him Scott's name. I think they talked on the phone.

 

[sstterry]

Im seeing lots of calves going to market that would normally be weaned
and fed for 60 to 90 days.

I was looking at the Athens prices earlier, and the difference between unweaned and value-added calves for 7wt steers was anywhere from .07 to .17 cents. At those prices, I don't think it pays to feed them.

 

[ClinchValley86]

How do you advertise your beef. My friend, I think, gets all of his business by word of mouth. I do remember that @kenny thomas was looking for a Jersey steer a couple of years ago and I gave him Scott's name. I think they talked on the phone.

Mostly word of mouth but I do play with FB a bit. My processor also recommends us if someone calls up there asking.