Cow sell off

[hurleyjd]

I am In the process of selling cows each week. Have dreaded it but once started I am looking forward to not being in the cow business. All should be gone by Sept. 1. Wood County Texas

 

[cross_7]

sorry to hear that.
lots of folk in the same boat.
wish you the best with your new fiund freedom

 

[kenny thomas]

For everyone that is in the drought, how many of the ranchers that sell out will git back in when the weather changes. I have my thoughts but wondering what you are doing or hearing. Might make a hugh impact on the beef industry.

 

[Caustic Burno]

For everyone that is in the drought, how many of the ranchers that sell out will git back in when the weather changes. I have my thoughts but wondering what you are doing or hearing. Might make a hugh impact on the beef industry.

Not many and if they do I bet it will be real limited.

 

[kenny thomas]

Thats what I have been thinking. Might be time to expand instead of slowing down.
We have way too much grass and hay in this area but cows are high also. The slaughter cow price has came down some because of the hugh sell off of cows in Texas. Should impact the opposite way if the rains come and the supply stops.

 

[1982vett]

CB...looks like we have another convert learning to enjoy not working all the time...

Kenny...I suspect those that think this is just a "freaky" year will jump back in without looking....But some of us that are in our third year or more (South Texas) of this won't be so fast to do so.
Also I wouldn't be so quick to put the falling prices just on Texas...Texas isn't the only place hurting for rain and selling cattle...the brainwash media doesn't really understand that..

 

[kenny thomas]

I know, just used Texas as an example. Several trailerloads of cows do come near here every week from Texas right now. This happens everytime you have a severe drought.

 

[kenny thomas]

You can quit worrying vette, Tropical storm Don is coming across south texas in a few days.

 

[1982vett]

You mean it's got a name now? Somebody wake me when one gets to my back door.....

I know, just used Texas as an example. Several trailerloads of cows do come near here every week from Texas right now. This happens everytime you have a severe drought.

Well, ya know as much as I'd like to sell the rest of what I have...I am pondering the "what ifs".

What if it starts raining in August like it has so many times before....
What if growing grass does return to the pastures....
Getting $900 for a cow right now looks awful tempting...
When it's time to get back in, what if it takes $1500 to buy a cow like the one you sold for $900..
What if that's 3 months from now...
The $300 I could get for the hay I could sell rather than feed to the cows won't make up the a $600 price spread.......Figuring what to do is taking on a new twist....

 

[dun]

You mean it's got a name now? Somebody wake me when one gets to my back door.....

I know, just used Texas as an example. Several trailerloads of cows do come near here every week from Texas right now. This happens everytime you have a severe drought.

Well, ya know as much as I'd like to sell the rest of what I have...I am pondering the "what ifs".

What if it starts raining in August like it has so many times before....
What if growing grass does return to the pastures....
Getting $900 for a cow right now looks awful tempting...
When it's time to get back in, what if it takes $1500 to buy a cow like the one you sold for $900..
What if that's 3 months from now...
The $300 I could get for the hay I could sell rather than feed to the cows won't make up the a $600 price spread.......Figuring what to do is taking on a new twist....

During our multiple year drought that ended about 4 years ago, we kept only the top X% of the cows, the next go round the X got bigger. We've been very slowly increasing and have shipped only a couple of cows from the last cut. They went because either they didn;t raise a good enough calf 2 years in a row or came up open or crippled for one reason or another. We very selectively added heifers some through purchase and some through raising from our own cows. Even bought a few older cows along the way. We started feeding hay last week end to half of the cows, the other half is still gleaning what they can from one of the hay fields. They'll start getting hay within a week. I said all that to get to this point. We're getting ready to thin down again, most of the cows from the last deep cut will be heading down the road but a few of them will be staying. Gonna go into hobby mode based on numbers. May short term lease some of the pasture that we won;t need when the grass starts coming back.
If I was younger I would probably keep more cows and bite the bullet and buy hay so that I woudl be ready when the drought ends and the market for good cows goes crazy again.
That's the plan as of today and now. But like any disclaimer it;s "subject to trickey limitations"

 

[1982vett]

Careful with that word "hobby"....but geez...No way I could earn a living off what I have even though I'm running what 3 men used to run to earn their living.

So you'r darn right It's lifesyle and enjoyment.........and I get no enjoyment out of subsidizing some city slickers beef dinner....

 

[houstoncutter]

I know I got into the cattle biz in the late 70's for my ag exemption. It made sense and I enjoyed it. Unfortunatly now with the high costs of imputs it doesnt make sense. Thinking I will be growing pecan trees.

 

[dun]

I know I got into the cattle biz in the late 70's for my ag exemption. It made sense and I enjoyed it. Unfortunatly now with the high costs of imputs it doesnt make sense. Thinking I will be growing pecan trees.

Why not raise broomsedge for the decorative plant market?

 

[hillrancher]

I am In the process of selling cows each week. Have dreaded it but once started I am looking forward to not being in the cow business. All should be gone by Sept. 1. Wood County Texas

I started 3 wks ago selling a trailor load each week until it rains. Thought we had enough grass in the spring to last through a dry summer it has dried up and feeding hay started this week. The sale has picked up the last month. I am not alone selling off here.

 

[fitz]

Thats what I have been thinking. Might be time to expand instead of slowing down.
We have way too much grass and hay in this area but cows are high also. The slaughter cow price has came down some because of the hugh sell off of cows in Texas. Should impact the opposite way if the rains come and the supply stops.

The rain is pretty much a local thing this time of year. I watch folks 5 miles away get 2 - 3.5 inches while we see nothing. Last twenty days have been mid to upper nineties with .10" of rain. Pastures are brown.
I've started selling my spring calves way early and culling/cutting back on cows. Second cutting will be sparse, if I don't end up just bush hogging. Don't want to start feeding hay at this point but things are not looking good. I keep thinking our turn will come.
If there is any positive, I suppose if some folks close are getting moisture there may still be a market for them.

fitz

 

[fitz]

I am In the process of selling cows each week. Have dreaded it but once started I am looking forward to not being in the cow business. All should be gone by Sept. 1. Wood County Texas

I hate it for you but I'm glad you seem to be taking it in stride. Some things we have no control over. Everything on a farm/ranch is dependant on the weather. I don't want to get out right now, so if I had to it would be real hard. Wishing you the best of luck.

fitz

 

[Caustic Burno]

I know I got into the cattle biz in the late 70's for my ag exemption. It made sense and I enjoyed it. Unfortunatly now with the high costs of imputs it doesnt make sense. Thinking I will be growing pecan trees.

Early 70's were tough times in the cow biz we lost a lot of folks then that didn't get back in. Prices in the gutter, state started bangs testing and quarantining herds. A lot of cattle got sold with a B branded on the jaw for a nickel to seven cents a pound. I know thats a fact as I was one of the ones selling . That was the first time I sold out.

 

[1982vett]

I know I got into the cattle biz in the late 70's for my ag exemption. It made sense and I enjoyed it. Unfortunatly now with the high costs of imputs it doesnt make sense. Thinking I will be growing pecan trees.

Early 70's were tough times in the cow biz we lost a lot of folks then that didn't get back in. Prices in the gutter, state started bangs testing and quarantining herds. A lot of cattle got sold with a B branded on the jaw for a nickel to seven cents a pound. I know thats a fact as I was one of the ones selling . That was the first time I sold out.

Wonder how fast that is going to blow back up in our face since testing ends in a few days.

 

[hurleyjd]

12 more to the sale today some very fancy short bred red angus heifers. Only 72 more to go. Will sell cows with calves last. If rain comes will sell cows and keep calves.

 

[1982vett]

12 more to the sale today some very fancy short bred red angus heifers. Only 72 more to go. Will sell cows with calves last. If rain comes will sell cows and keep calves.

Better wait till you see the check before carving that in stone....