Distance with goosenecks

[jasonleonard]

I am from southwestern Pennsylvania currently hauling feeder calves to Lexington Kentucky (320 miles) on 24' goosenecks. What distance can you haul with a gooseneck feasibly? I am averaging 20 cents more per pound in Kentucky. I am thinking of going to Missouri with calves. Does anyone know of anyone to recommend to haul with potbellies. Thank you.

 

[kenny thomas]

Call the owners wherever you are thinking of hauling them to. They can recomend the truckers.
Are you sure the weight loss is worth the trip? I am only about 200 miles from Lexington and tried it a few times. Good market but lots of weight loss from here and the fuel, wear, etc was more than I wanted to loose.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

I sent you a pm.

 

[cowboy43]

What weight calves and how many head can you haul in the 24 ft gooseneck. If you figure your actual expense it may not be worth it. You are going 720 miles round trip at 60 mph =12 hours of drive time and fuel and wear and tear on trailer and truck. Probably a break even venture.

 

[3waycross]

What weight calves and how many head can you haul in the 24 ft gooseneck. If you figure your actual expense it may not be worth it. You are going 720 miles round trip at 60 mph =12 hours of drive time and fuel and wear and tear on trailer and truck. Probably a break even venture.

Especially when you consider the shrink!

 

[Texas PaPaw]

I am from southwestern Pennsylvania currently hauling feeder calves to Lexington Kentucky (320 miles) on 24' goosenecks. What distance can you haul with a gooseneck feasibly? I am averaging 20 cents more per pound in Kentucky. I am thinking of going to Missouri with calves. Does anyone know of anyone to recommend to haul with potbellies. Thank you.

I ship several gooseneck loads per year to OKC, which is 275 miles away. Calves are weaned and know how to eat feed and are shipped 2 days before sale day. They are fed an alfalfa based pellet on arrival. All loads are weighed on scales 5 miles away when shipped out in order to monitor shrink. Over the last 4 years my average shrink has been about zero. Some loads have actually sold more pounds than were shipped and the worst load had a 2% shrink but each load is different. I hire them hauled and the freight is less than $.04/lb. Have sold cattle locally at several different barns and my average shrink was about 5% with little difference between barns. In my situation, the greater payweight pays all the freight and part of the commission compared to selling locally and the OKC market is usually a little better.

If the market in Ky is that much better it is a no brainer. If fed and handled properly, shrink should not be an issue if calves are weaned and know how to eat feed. IMO-the stockyard feed needs to be a mixed ration that has adequate roughage but concentrated enough to get plenty of nutrition without making them look too full. Don't think feeding hay would be adequate on arrival. Would suggest weighing calves locally when shipping and comparing to payweight. By shipping 2-3 days early and with proper salebarn feeding/handling there should be very little shrink. Let the barn owner know the cattle will be weighed when shipped and shrink will be monitored as there are barns that can sell calves with little or no shrink.

FWIW-there is a CT member who ships calves over 500 miles to OKC with good results. Don't remember specifics of his shrink but am sure he is comfortable with it. Maybe he will chime in.

Bottom line is calves can be shipped quite a long distance with minimal shrink if it is done properly. Just do your homework first. Would suggest getting references from other long haul customers of the salebarn you are considering.

 

[3waycross]

I am from southwestern Pennsylvania currently hauling feeder calves to Lexington Kentucky (320 miles) on 24' goosenecks. What distance can you haul with a gooseneck feasibly? I am averaging 20 cents more per pound in Kentucky. I am thinking of going to Missouri with calves. Does anyone know of anyone to recommend to haul with potbellies. Thank you.

I ship several gooseneck loads per year to OKC, which is 275 miles away. Calves are weaned and know how to eat feed and are shipped 2 days before sale day. They are fed an alfalfa based pellet on arrival. All loads are weighed on scales 5 miles away when shipped out in order to monitor shrink. Over the last 4 years my average shrink has been about zero. Some loads have actually sold more pounds than were shipped and the worst load had a 2% shrink but each load is different. I hire them hauled and the freight is less than $.04/lb. Have sold cattle locally at several different barns and my average shrink was about 5% with little difference between barns. In my situation, the greater payweight pays all the freight and part of the commission compared to selling locally and the OKC market is usually a little better.

If the market in Ky is that much better it is a no brainer. If fed and handled properly, shrink should not be an issue if calves are weaned and know how to eat feed. IMO-the stockyard feed needs to be a mixed ration that has adequate roughage but concentrated enough to get plenty of nutrition without making them look too full. Don't think feeding hay would be adequate on arrival. Would suggest weighing calves locally when shipping and comparing to payweight. By shipping 2-3 days early and with proper salebarn feeding/handling there should be very little shrink. Let the barn owner know the cattle will be weighed when shipped and shrink will be monitored as there are barns that can sell calves with little or no shrink.

FWIW-there is a CT member who ships calves over 500 miles to OKC with good results. Don't remember specifics of his shrink but am sure he is comfortable with it. Maybe he will chime in.

Bottom line is calves can be shipped quite a long distance with minimal shrink if it is done properly. Just do your homework first. Would suggest getting references from other long haul customers of the salebarn you are considering.

Good post. I have seen way more than yer getting shippinf them 150 miles to La Junta fro here. Thing is they weren't following your protocol.

 

[kenny thomas]

I am from southwestern Pennsylvania currently hauling feeder calves to Lexington Kentucky (320 miles) on 24' goosenecks. What distance can you haul with a gooseneck feasibly? I am averaging 20 cents more per pound in Kentucky. I am thinking of going to Missouri with calves. Does anyone know of anyone to recommend to haul with potbellies. Thank you.

I have been thinking about this a little and have a couple of questions. First are these your calves and if so are they weaned. What some of the guys here say about OKC is correct but not sure about Lexington.
Second are you a trader and many of the calves are not weaned, if so this makes all the difference in weight loss etc.
Again any of the stockyards you send calves to can recommend a trucker for you.

 

[Bigfoot]

I've never considered Lexington a Mecca for feeder calves. I check their report every week, because their sale is before ours. They are never higher than my end of the state. Their trend is usually the same. I also doubt calves will get any TLC to help you with your shrink. I have always considered Ky and Tenn. both to have some of the worst prices in the nation. I can't imagine how bad they are in your area to justify the trip.

 

[Cattleman200]

Last March I worked a registered Limousin Sale in Springfield,MO. I had always wanted to haul some calves out that way to sell. I carried 6 black steers , arrived late Thursday afternoon and had a place on the farm where the sale was to leave and feed my calves until Monday which was sale day in Joplin. My 6 steers averaged 688 pounds each and sold for $1.60 per pound. Averaged just over $1101.00 each and needless to say I was very happy. I plan to take a dozen more this March when I work that same sale. I estimated that I made roughly $170-$200 per head more than they would have brought here in Alabama at that time. If you can find a stronger market and think it will pay I would not be above trying it.


Circle H Ranch

 

[jasonleonard]

Thank you for the information. I have a big farm here in PA and only have 25 pairs so I am over run with pasture. I have been buying 50-100 light weights to run in the summer. I have been going to Lexington with weaned and started 7 wts.

Regarding the reply from bigfoot - Pennsylvania feeder cattle markets are horrible for sellers. Last week top price for a 300 lb ML 1 black steer calf was $1.32. All the bigger producers seem to go south to either Virginia or Kentucky with their feeders. Thanks again.

 

[Dave]

I do the same sort of thing. The price difference between my local sale which is 15 miles away and Toppenish which is 180 miles away is normally 15-20 cents. I only ship weaned calves and ship a day early. They feed lots of alfalfa and only charge $2.00 a day to feed. The calves know how to eat out of a bunk. They gain back the shrink that they lost in shipping. I know several guys who make money buying here and selling there. Because of sale dates they have to hold for 6 days so they also only buy and ship weaned cattle.

 

[john250]

I've never considered Lexington a Mecca for feeder calves. I check their report every week, because their sale is before ours. They are never higher than my end of the state. Their trend is usually the same. I also doubt calves will get any TLC to help you with your shrink. I have always considered Ky and Tenn. both to have some of the worst prices in the nation. I can't imagine how bad they are in your area to justify the trip.

I hauled to Lexington once. My trailer (16') isn't big enough to make it pay, but the calves did well. I came to the conclusion that quality sells good, wherever. Weaned, vaccinated, slick looking calves sell good in Podunk or Lexington. Now I sell at the closest (40 miles) market at Little York, IN, a Producers co-op auctio

I read some research once, and I'm sorry I can't link it, that said cattle have most of their shrink by the time they are loaded on the truck. Distance doesn't make a lot of difference. I don't know if that's right or not, but I will say that in the age of the internet I don't think there is much difference in prices between auction markets. I will save my gasoline.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

I've never considered Lexington a Mecca for feeder calves. I check their report every week, because their sale is before ours. They are never higher than my end of the state. Their trend is usually the same. I also doubt calves will get any TLC to help you with your shrink. I have always considered Ky and Tenn. both to have some of the worst prices in the nation. I can't imagine how bad they are in your area to justify the trip.

I hauled to Lexington once. My trailer (16') isn't big enough to make it pay, but the calves did well. I came to the conclusion that quality sells good, wherever. Weaned, vaccinated, slick looking calves sell good in Podunk or Lexington. Now I sell at the closest (40 miles) market at Little York, IN, a Producers co-op auctio

I read some research once, and I'm sorry I can't link it, that said cattle have most of their shrink by the time they are loaded on the truck. Distance doesn't make a lot of difference. I don't know if that's right or not, but I will say that in the age of the internet I don't think there is much difference in prices between auction markets. I will save my gasoline.

Around here there are huge differences in prices between sales. they can be alot different 75 miles any direction.