Cull Bull$$$

[TCRanch]

What's the average butcher/cull bull going for in your area?

As much as it pains me, it's time to sell Johnson. He's only 6 but his BSE wasn't great, I need new genetics and one of my other bulls is getting old enough/big enough to challenge him and they fight all the time - one of them is going to get hurt BAD (they've already busted through the fence, which even has a row of cattle panels for extra support, and ended out on the road).

Had every intention of just taking him to the sale barn, but a guy that bought some of my bred cows last years wants to buy him (for cull price), then turn around & sell him, also as cull. Fine with me and my vet assured us both that he definitely still has game. I called the owner of our local sale barn and he said last weeks' butcher bulls were .80 on the low end ( for ancient, scraggly bulls) and the top bid was .94. He knows my stock and they're fully vaccinated, well taken care of, and suggested .90 for Johnson. Vet put him at a solid 2200 lbs. at his BSE, so I said I'd sell him for .87/$1914, which is the average of the high/low last week.

Seems the potential buyer was expecting to pay substantially less and may not have the funds available. Am I being unreasonable?

 

[callmefence]

Good BIG bull .98 cents.
Fixing to sell one myself.
If I can catch him.

 

[Lee VanRoss]

I run into people all the time whose eyes are bigger than their pocket books! Is there a packer fairly close and are you set up to
put some weight on him? Any increase in weight should increase value on current weight if you have the facilities ,time and patience
to deal with it. Assuming he would grade out you would not be out the commission compared to a sale barn.

 

[TCRanch]

Good BIG bull .98 cents.
Fixing to sell one myself.
If I can catch him.

Good luck!!!

 

[TCRanch]

I run into people all the time whose eyes are bigger than their pocket books! Is there a packer fairly close and are you set up to
put some weight on him? Any increase in weight should increase value on current weight if you have the facilities ,time and patience
to deal with it. Assuming he would grade out you would not be out the commission compared to a sale barn.

Bingo! He's relatively new to owning cattle & has never purchased a bull, so probably a little sticker shock.

I'm not aware of a packer anywhere in the vicinity that will purchase direct - but that would be the optimal route to go. I could stick him in the barnyard & feed him out a little more, but while he's long bodied, he has shorter legs & resembles a hippo in the "off season". Too much of a good thing with additional weight?

 

[wbvs58]

Send him to the sale barn TC and get your buyer to compete to buy him, no argument then. I have them here selling their bulls for $3000 at the sale yards then coming to me expecting to be able to buy a new one for less. I sold 3 yearling bulls last week for $5 & 6000. Some people getting very rich very quick here selling bulls, bull selling season is in full swing here and most sales are averaging well over $10000 with a few going over $20000, all with 100% clearance, starting bids are usually $10,000 or more. I'm just a "bottom feeder" here but they get very good value for their money.

Ken

 

[Dave]

The plant where we shipped our cows had "lean bulls" on the price list. It was $1.68. Fat bulls take a docking on the price.

 

[SBMF 2015]

$1.03/lb was the top here two weeks ago. Talked to a rodeo stock contractor this past week, said bulls were up to 1.15 for the VERY best back where he comes from.

 

[MurraysMutts]

What's the average butcher/cull bull going for in your area?

As much as it pains me, it's time to sell Johnson. He's only 6 but his BSE wasn't great, I need new genetics and one of my other bulls is getting old enough/big enough to challenge him and they fight all the time - one of them is going to get hurt BAD (they've already busted through the fence, which even has a row of cattle panels for extra support, and ended out on the road).

Had every intention of just taking him to the sale barn, but a guy that bought some of my bred cows last years wants to buy him (for cull price), then turn around & sell him, also as cull. Fine with me and my vet assured us both that he definitely still has game. I called the owner of our local sale barn and he said last weeks' butcher bulls were .80 on the low end ( for ancient, scraggly bulls) and the top bid was .94. He knows my stock and they're fully vaccinated, well taken care of, and suggested .90 for Johnson. Vet put him at a solid 2200 lbs. at his BSE, so I said I'd sell him for .87/$1914, which is the average of the high/low last week.

Seems the potential buyer was expecting to pay substantially less and may not have the funds available. Am I being unreasonable?

Your pricing sounds very comparable to here.
If you just feel like helping the guy out offer him at 80 cents and when he balks, tell him what sale he will be at and when..

Or perhaps he can rent him!

 

[TCRanch]

So, according to geography, he's getting a good deal here, getting Johnson for a steal in other parts of the US (and Australia!). Plus, it's a short term investment because he's going to sell him in a few months. At least that's the plan. Owner of our sale barn did express concerns they'll shut things down again due to Covid because it's ramped up in our county (not sure if it's the Delta variant).

 

[SmokinM]

If you like the guy and want to help him out go to $1800 for him if not as said ship him. You know your cows, can he buy a bull of that quality for $1800 any where else? No sense in him getting an education at your expense.

 

[gcreekrch]

Send him to the sale barn TC and get your buyer to compete to buy him, no argument then. I have them here selling their bulls for $3000 at the sale yards then coming to me expecting to be able to buy a new one for less. I sold 3 yearling bulls last week for $5 & 6000. Some people getting very rich very quick here selling bulls, bull selling season is in full swing here and most sales are averaging well over $10000 with a few going over $20000, all with 100% clearance, starting bids are usually $10,000 or more. I'm just a "bottom feeder" here but they get very good value for their money.

Ken

This

 

[TCRanch]

Send him to the sale barn TC and get your buyer to compete to buy him, no argument then. I have them here selling their bulls for $3000 at the sale yards then coming to me expecting to be able to buy a new one for less. I sold 3 yearling bulls last week for $5 & 6000. Some people getting very rich very quick here selling bulls, bull selling season is in full swing here and most sales are averaging well over $10000 with a few going over $20000, all with 100% clearance, starting bids are usually $10,000 or more. I'm just a "bottom feeder" here but they get very good value for their money.

Ken

Ken, I'm still trying to wrap my head around a butcher bull going for $3k. Just, wow!

I'd love to have one of your yearlings!

 

[TCRanch]

If you like the guy and want to help him out go to $1800 for him if not as said ship him. You know your cows, can he buy a bull of that quality for $1800 any where else? No sense in him getting an education at your expense.

I do like him, but I'm also in business. The bred cows & calves I sold private treaty were sold at a premium - because I didn't have to sell them, he approached me, and he could have said no when I quoted the price. He's been extremely pleased, so definitely a compliment he wants the bull, but . . . . BTW, one of the steers he bought last year is now a pet/yard art - not feeding him out.

 

[Silver]

Ken, I'm still trying to wrap my head around a butcher bull going for $3k. Just, wow!

I'd love to have one of your yearlings!

That would be $2,160 USD or so

 

[kenny thomas]

Big cull bulls were 100 to 110 here last week. So 2200lb is $2200 to $2420.

 

[Banjo]

Maybe you should sell him and keep one or two of his sons.

 

[MurraysMutts]

O. And dont forget you would have to haul him (fuel mileage etc) and commission plus hes bound to lose a few a pounds waiting to sell.

But he dont need to know that... lol

At the same time, if you sell him too cheap, he gets the use of the bull for free and is liable to make money when he sells him!!

 

[TCRanch]

O. And dont forget you would have to haul him (fuel mileage etc) and commission plus hes bound to lose a few a pounds waiting to sell.

But he dont need to know that... lol

At the same time, if you sell him too cheap, he gets the use of the bull for free and is liable to make money when he sells him!!

Fortunately, the sale barn is all of 20-25 minutes away and wouldn't haul him until the morning of the sale. But yeah, there's the commission, which isn't huge but . . .

 

[cattleman99]

If the guy isn't willing to pay top of the market cull price for him I wouldn't do it. You are doing him a favour. He is getting his cows bred for almost free that way.

if something happens and he doesn't breed well or gets injured who gets blamed? You. Even though you are doing him a favour. It's not worth the hassle.