Feeder prices

[Dave]

I sat through a lot of feeder calves on Thursday waiting for the bred cows to sell. The first lot was 88 head of #1 Angus steers weighing 506. They sold for $2.07 which is $1049 a head. Next lot was 46 head of 400 pounders for $2.055 which $822 each. Then 34 head at 589 which brought $1.895 or $1,116. Finally 15 706 pound steers which sold for $1.60 which is $1,129. All of these came from the same ranch over in Midvale, Idaho. They didn't have any heifer. So they are either keeping them or already sold them.
After 3 hours and over 1,000 feeders they only had one bred cow....... Oh well at least they have the heater on in the ring.

 

[SBMF 2015]

This thing is going to get scary high. At what point does beef price it's self out of a blue collar families grocery budget?

 

[KAstocker]

Prices are the same here. There is a lot of value in calves up to about 550 lbs, then it drops off.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

This thing is going to get scary high. At what point does beef price it's self out of a blue collar families grocery budget?

I think it already has if you are talking retail meat price. Feeder and fat prices are just get caught up to what it should of been 2 1/2 years a go.

 

[Rancher]

Up here last fall (Sept. Oct.) 500lb feeders=$1200. Heavy's 600-700=$1400

 

[J+ Cattle]

Then 34 head at 589 which brought $1.895 or $1,116. Finally 15 706 pound steers which sold for $1.60 which is $1,129.

I'm surprised that the heavier steers brought the same dollar amount as the ones 100+ lbs lighter. With the price of grain up like it is I would expect the feedlots to want the heavier cattle because they wouldn't have to put as many lbs on them to get to finished weight.

 

[Silver]

Alberta average right now a 700 lb steer is worth $266 more than a 500 lb steer

 

[farmerjan]

Weights over 650-700 are discounted here too. We can get within $50-100 for a 550 steer as a 700 lb steer so why feed it that much longer. Also has to have some bearing on many/most are pulled off cows and "trailer weaned" and they will run in the 450-600 lb size... so there are alot more of them but it also beings out more competition for them. Around here there just aren't enough to make pot loads of 7 wts.....and it seems that they are not a size that fits in to going out to wheat or ready to go on feedlots. Been seeing some 550 wts bringing in the mid-upper 1.70's.... some 700 lb ones were bringing 1.40's... so 965 as opposed to say about 1025.... not worth the time or feed for the weight gain.

 

[Silver]

Up here on years like this buyers really like the "trailer weaned" 700+ lb calves. They call them short keeps.

 

[farmerjan]

Up north, like where you are @Silver , you get more weaning weight than we do down here. Simple fact. See it in the deer harvested also. We used to get some really big deer in Vt when I was a kid and my dad hunted. We have alot more deer down here in Va where I am now, but they just are not as big. You will not see many trailer weaned calves in the 7 wts... I don't know if it is the heat here in the summer, or just the composition of the soil that makes a healthier more nutritious grass for the animals to consume up there. Different types of grass with different nutritional content.

 

[Dave]

None of those calves I listed were trailer weaned. They were 60 days weaned with 2 rounds of shots. I wrote down several other lots as something to do while waiting for that one bred cow. They are all in the $1.60 range. The highest was $1.67 for 20 head of 708 pound Char steers. That group of 400 pound steers I listed was the only bunch of light calves. The other light calves were in singles or 2, 3, 4 head. The day before 500 pound steers were about $1.85. Certainly nothing pushing $2.00.

 

[Ferd]

None of those calves I listed were trailer weaned. They were 60 days weaned with 2 rounds of shots. I wrote down several other lots as something to do while waiting for that one bred cow. They are all in the $1.60 range. The highest was $1.67 for 20 head of 708 pound Char steers. That group of 400 pound steers I listed was the only bunch of light calves. The other light calves were in singles or 2, 3, 4 head. The day before 500 pound steers were about $1.85. Certainly nothing pushing $2.00.

Did you buy the cow? The suspense is killing me!

 

[Dave]

Did you buy the cow? The suspense is killing me!

No. She was sucked up in the flanks. Built more like a Greyhound than a cow.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Then 34 head at 589 which brought $1.895 or $1,116. Finally 15 706 pound steers which sold for $1.60 which is $1,129. All of these came from the same ranch over in Midvale, Idaho.

Do any ranchers weigh or sort their steer calves to sell them when they get to about 550#, or do they just sell them all based on a calendar date?

 

[Dave]

They come off the range by weather or calendar date. Some are big some are small. Then they all get weaned on the same day. They generally all get sold on the same day after xx days weaned.