Daily gain

[bird dog]

You said you weighed them on the way to the sale barn so I assume on the trailer. (not very accurate)
From my experience. They have already shrunk 3 to 4% from loading and transport.
Since you took them the day before the sale they will most likely shrink another 5 to 7% at the barn unless they were fed very well in small pens with water close by. If they were not weaned it would be much worse.
I have scales under my chute and have weighed many animals under different scenarios. Some calves don't have a setback at all at weaning if they have something to eat. Some calves back up, but regain their lost weight in a couple weeks. A few outliers lose a few lbs and barely get above their weaning weight in 45 days. Quite a few calves actually benefit from weaning if they come from old or sorry dams.

I would think that some more hay would be beneficial. Put out a cheap roll and let them munch on it all they want.

 

[Lee VanRoss]

Most of my calves are Angus, Angus cross. I am working on getting rid of all cattle that are not Angus, but that is going to take some time. I think that probably 30% of my herd is not Angus. I also have several, can't say how many at the moment that were late calves, a few as late as end of May. The goal is to get them to start calving first week of March for 60 days. I have finally got on a good mineral program this, and the calves were on mineral. Those late calves hurt my average. Depending on what they sell for I will at least break even, well I hope anyway.

Before you drink the color kool-aid concentrate on live births in the 1st cycle of the calving period. Think about turning the bull(s) out the
first of July for 60 days then pulling them out. Sell what does not get bred and only keep heifers born in the 1st 30 days of the calving
cycle or buy bred heifers if you have deep pockets. Let fertility determine what stays or goes. I have no problem with black cattle other than
the asinine way in which they are marketed. For the record I like Wyoming born cattle and all my bulls have come from there for the past
25 years. They are definitely wind resistant!. If you must change the color of your herd do it with the bull. Don't sacrifice a good early calving
cow for the sake of a black albeit late calf. Have a good year!

 

[faster horses]

Before you drink the color kool-aid concentrate on live births in the 1st cycle of the calving period. Think about turning the bull(s) out the
first of July for 60 days then pulling them out. Sell what does not get bred and only keep heifers born in the 1st 30 days of the calving
cycle or buy bred heifers if you have deep pockets. Let fertility determine what stays or goes. I have no problem with black cattle other than
the asinine way in which they are marketed. For the record I like Wyoming born cattle and all my bulls have come from there for the past
25 years. They are definitely wind resistant!. If you must change the color of your herd do it with the bull. Don't sacrifice a good early calving
cow for the sake of a black albeit late calf. Have a good year!

We would never have a 60 day calving season. 45 days max. Get rid of those late ones that are in the 3rd cycle.

 

[JJColvin]

Weaning weight 535 average
todays weight 615 average
weaned for 62 days
I fence line wean.
about 7 to 8 months old at weaning
Yes I did have forage analysis, but I can't find it, and I don't remember any of the values.

Consideration
Birth weight - 75# ?
On cow 7-1/2 mos. - 225
Weaned weight - 535#
Difference - 460#
#s per day on cow - 2.05#
Weaned days - 62
Todays # - 615
Difference - 80#
#s per day weaned - 1.29#s

This won't tell you how to correct the problem (plenty of experts here for that!) but it further breaks it down.
For the difference in price of 500# and 600# steers go for around here when I wean em and they quit bawling they're off to the sale unless on grass or being kept to finish for freezer beef.

 

[Travlr]

Consideration
Birth weight - 75# ?
On cow 7-1/2 mos. - 225
Weaned weight - 535#
Difference - 460#
#s per day on cow - 2.05#
Weaned days - 62
Todays # - 615
Difference - 80#
#s per day weaned - 1.29#s

This won't tell you how to correct the problem (plenty of experts here for that!) but it further breaks it down.
For the difference in price of 500# and 600# steers go for around here when I wean em and they quit bawling they're off to the sale unless on grass or being kept to finish for freezer beef.

This is why I'd never wean early. Thanks for breaking it down this way.

 

[CowboyRam]

Well I feel I did really well at the sale today. At the sale barn my steers average weight was 616, and heifers 586. Average price per head was $1288 for the steers and $1037 for the heifers. Putting aside my daily average gain as to what I thought I should get, I think I did pretty well.

The pasture they were in could stand to have one or two more watering holes. From some parts of it there is considerable distance to water. I suppose they could have walked of some weight. I think that pasture is about 17,000 acres, roughly nine miles long and three miles wide.

 

[Travlr]

Well I feel I did really well at the sale today. At the sale barn my steers average weight was 616, and heifers 586. Average price per head was $1288 for the steers and $1037 for the heifers. Putting aside my daily average gain as to what I thought I should get, I think I did pretty well.

The pasture they were in could stand to have one or two more watering holes. From some parts of it there is considerable distance to water. I suppose they could have walked of some weight. I think that pasture is about 17,000 acres, roughly nine miles long and three miles wide.

How many cows or pairs can you graze on that 17K acres?

 

[CowboyRam]

How many cows or pairs can you graze on that 17K acres?

The ranch belongs to my uncle, and he figures about 40 acres per pair, but also it depends how dry it is. The last couple years it has been pretty dry out there. If you have ever drove I-80 between Rawlins and Wamsutter you drove past his ranch. That country can be pretty dry. Most of the ranch is above 7000 ft.

 

[Travlr]

The ranch belongs to my uncle, and he figures about 40 acres per pair, but also it depends how dry it is. The last couple years it has been pretty dry out there. If you have ever drove I-80 between Rawlins and Wamsutter you drove past his ranch. That country can be pretty dry. Most of the ranch is above 7000 ft.

Yeah, that's some sparse graze. I drive that way several times a year. And the wind... not as bad as west of Laramie but is any of Wyoming not being blown east one day and west the next?

 

[faster horses]

Yeah, that's some sparse graze. I drive that way several times a year. And the wind... not as bad as west of Laramie but is any of Wyoming not being blown east one day and west the next?

You mean like that wind tunnel from SE MT/NE SD that blows down through Belle, Spearfish, Whitewood, Rapid City?

 

[faster horses]

Well I feel I did really well at the sale today. At the sale barn my steers average weight was 616, and heifers 586. Average price per head was $1288 for the steers and $1037 for the heifers. Putting aside my daily average gain as to what I thought I should get, I think I did pretty well.

The pasture they were in could stand to have one or two more watering holes. From some parts of it there is considerable distance to water. I suppose they could have walked of some weight. I think that pasture is about 17,000 acres, roughly nine miles long and three miles wide.

You did GREAT!!! Congratulations! Take a bow!
Did they sort off the smaller ones?

 

[KAstocker]

when I wean em and they quit bawling they're off to the sale

Short weaned is the worst. Either straight off the cow or weaned at least 30 days or a lot of people won't bid around here.

 

[gcreekrch]

At $0.14/# barley x 4.5# I come up with $0.63 per head per day. Hay at $250/ton ($0.125/#) x 12#/day is $1.50/day. Total ration cost $2.13/head/day not counting your time, yardage, risk, etc.

And mineral and salt, and vaccinations and antibiotics if any used and interest on money gambled. Yardage is what you make or don't make in profit.

 

[gcreekrch]

A small pen is key to larger feeding gains too. No point in letting them walk off half the feed just wandering.

 

[CowboyRam]

You did GREAT!!! Congratulations! Take a bow!
Did they sort off the smaller ones?

Yes they sorted them to size. I had two heifers that didn't sell all that well. I guess I should have kept one of them as a beef for myself instead to the steer I kept. Oh well lesson learned.

 

[faster horses]

Yes they sorted them to size. I had two heifers that didn't sell all that well. I guess I should have kept one of them as a beef for myself instead to the steer I kept. Oh well lesson learned.

Don't be too hard on yourself. We all have had 20-20 hindsight.

 

[BFE]

Yes they sorted them to size. I had two heifers that didn't sell all that well. I guess I should have kept one of them as a beef for myself instead to the steer I kept. Oh well lesson learned.

I do this. Sell what brings the most, eat the loser. The value goes up tremendously on the grill.

 

[CowboyRam]

I do this. Sell what brings the most, eat the loser. The value goes up tremendously on the grill.

That is what I thought I was doing. The one I kept had a little splotch of white up on the top of his rump, but he was a steer plus he had horns. I should have kept the heifer, she was belted. Those two were about the same size. The other was a red heifer, but she was smaller. Crossbreeds don't sell as well here.

 

[CowboyRam]

Don't be too hard on yourself. We all have had 20-20 hindsight.

I never lose, either I win or I learn.

 

[Lee VanRoss]

I never lose, either I win or I learn.

My guess is you are really smart! [ I couldn't resist]