Feeder sale

[Dave]

Producers Livestock in Vale had a feeder special yesterday. I went to check out the bred cows. They had about 24 cows which they preg checked. Probably 12-15 of them would work for my program. The trouble was they had 2,500-3,000 feeder calves they sell first. I watched the calves sell for about a hour. They were selling real real well. But I didn't want to sit there all day so I left a order with a young man I know and headed home. We went to a Bible study we go to on Wednesday. Got home at 9:15. The sale is on the internet on Cattle USA. So I turned it on. They were still selling calves. At 11:00 I gave up and went to bed. They were still selling calves. They started at 10:30 in the morning. They sell lots of groups of 10, 15, 20, even 30 or more at a time. I could see my young friend still sitting in the seats when I gave up and went to bed.

500 pound steers were $3.10 - $3.25. Heifers the same size were $2.90 - $3.10.

 

[gcreekrch]

600 lb steer calves to $4.29 yesterday in WL. 5 weight steers crowding $5. I heard some 350 wt steers in Saskatchewan made the $7 mark. Good for the sellers!

 

[Brute 23]

It's kind if crazy what prices are doing.

 

[wobbie1775]

Do y'all think the prices will hold next week being Thanksgiving? Our feeder sale is Tuesday. Got a 3 weight and a 4 weight, both steers, hand raised and weaned...wondering if we should cash out now or wait till after Thanksgiving.

 

[kenny thomas]

Do y'all think the prices will hold next week being Thanksgiving? Our feeder sale is Tuesday. Got a 3 weight and a 4 weight, both steers, hand raised and weaned...wondering if we should cash out now or wait till after Thanksgiving.

Maybe bad advice but i never liked selling on a major holiday week.

 

[Brute 23]

Definitely check to ve sure there is a sale next week before you make plans. All our barns will be closed next week around here.

Maybe bad advice but i never liked selling on a major holiday week.

Yep, traditionally there could be pretty big swings selling between Thanksgiving and the New Year. I'm with you. I got burned one time and have stayed clear since.

... but we have seen a lot of new stuff this year.

 

[Dave]

Here the two sales on Thursday and one on Friday are closed. The Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are all open. But I would expect a light run at all of them.

 

[midTN_Brangusman]

Do y'all think the prices will hold next week being Thanksgiving? Our feeder sale is Tuesday. Got a 3 weight and a 4 weight, both steers, hand raised and weaned...wondering if we should cash out now or wait till after Thanksgiving.

I would wait until the following week. Buyers will be scrambling to fill orders. Week of Thanksgiving and Christmas is usually a good time to buy.

 

[farmerjan]

I'm with @kenny thomas ... in fact around here, over the years, I have been adamant about not selling during rifle-hunting- season... or around Thanksgiving or even most of Dec.... If they aren't sold by the first week of Nov... I want to hold them until right after Christmas when cull cows are in demand. The plants are empty so they are needing cattle to get up and going so the first sale after the holidays is usually good for prices. This past year has been a lot different, but we won't be selling anything more until after the first of the year. Sold a couple of "nut case heifers" that son managed to get in, and shipped 2 cull cows since prices have been staying up right along... No sense to keep feeding them.... but anything now will get held until after the first of the year unless there is a huge spike in prices...
This year has been soo "different" that you just can't go by past "normals"....

 

[Lucky]

I'm amazed at the prices feeders are bringing with interest rates like they are. I never thought this deal would last but it's looking good for the next several years. I understand the prices remaining high but paying 10% on a $1,000,000 single pay note and still making a profit is what baffles me. Maybe I'm missing something.

 

[GoWyo]

I considered keeping some extra replacement quality heifers back at weaning to offer breds next fall, but at $1550 a pop cash in hand in October I figured I'd let somebody else have a chance.

 

[Lucky]

We really need to start a replacement heifer program but with these prices it's hard to not take the money. I'm sure the cattle numbers will be affected by this. Cows may stay fairly high for a few years after feeder prices drop. We're trying to take advantage of the good prices to upgrade facilities and equipment but prices there have gone up too. Priced a new Pearson Prime chute and 15' adjustable alley today and it was $15k. Seems everything cost thousands of dollars now.

 

[bird dog]

A $1000 used to be a lot of money. Now it won't buy a decent set of 4 tires for the wifes car.

 

[Dave]

A $1000 used to be a lot of money. Now it won't buy a decent set of 4 tires for the wifes car.

I remember when buying a steer for $200 would give me butter flies in my stomach. Now I will buy $20,000 worth of cows in one shot and never even blink. But I also remember working my tail off all year to make $5,000. Now retirement pays my better than that a month to do nothing.

 

[Brute 23]

A $1000 used to be a lot of money. Now it won't buy a decent set of 4 tires for the wifes car.

When I see a post saying... hey I just want to raise a cow or two what should I do... get out the checkbook or a bag of money because you will drop $5-10k in a heart beat.

These prices are nice if you are sitting on an operation you bought 5 years ago but are pretty tough to get in to.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

These prices are nice if you are sitting on an operation you bought 5 years ago but are pretty tough to get in to.

Same with trying to grow in size right now. I have a bunch of ground I bought that needs infrastructure (fence, corral, water, etc) and stocking. But at today's cost for that stuff it's hard to stomach even after selling this year's calf crop.

 

[gcreekrch]

We really need to start a replacement heifer program but with these prices it's hard to not take the money. I'm sure the cattle numbers will be affected by this. Cows may stay fairly high for a few years after feeder prices drop. We're trying to take advantage of the good prices to upgrade facilities and equipment but prices there have gone up too. Priced a new Pearson Prime chute and 15' adjustable alley today and it was $15k. Seems everything cost thousands of dollars now.

We kept 100 h/c home as we normally do and bought 200 more. If things go sideways we will just calve them all. Buying $2200 calves and selling $4000 bred heifers makes a lot of sense to me.

 

[gcreekrch]

Same with trying to grow in size right now. I have a bunch of ground I bought that needs infrastructure (fence, corral, water, etc) and stocking. But at today's cost for that stuff it's hard to stomach even after selling this year's calf crop.

We started with nothing and learned early if you don't have money you always have time. Best to do a good job when you can because half azz attempts cost money.

 

[CowboyRam]

I seen a clip from the Lexington Nebraska sale barn today on facebook. 566 pound steers sold for $3.215 yesterday.

 

[ClinchValley86]

We kept 100 h/c home as we normally do and bought 200 more. If things go sideways we will just calve them all. Buying $2200 calves and selling $4000 bred heifers makes a lot of sense to me.

I kept 90% of mine. Thinking the same. Bull gets to play in a few weeks.

I don't see them getting any cheaper for a few years, based on supply/demand logic.