That costs money in time, fuel and shrink.
Feeding calves for weaning/ holding
- Thread starter Brute 23
- Start date
Help Support CattleToday:
MurraysMutts
Well-known member
@Brute 23 I'll sure be glad when sale day gets here.
Super interested in how it turns out. I fed about 10 of em one time. Didn't work out so good for me. That was before I kept actual numbers. I'm like u, I'd love to have a scale so could SEE results as we go!
Don't worry. Prices are gonna be there as long as we don't get 100 days of 100 degrees again!
Super interested in how it turns out. I fed about 10 of em one time. Didn't work out so good for me. That was before I kept actual numbers. I'm like u, I'd love to have a scale so could SEE results as we go!
Don't worry. Prices are gonna be there as long as we don't get 100 days of 100 degrees again!
OP
OP
Well... the profits are going down the tubes now. My helper decided he likes hand feeding them the good stuff. 
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
Especially when they just walk over it!! LOL He looks like he is having fun - that's what matters.
OP
OP
On the last batch we did go like 16 days which is right around #10/h/d. That batch did have the #150 of salt per ton. Im not sure if the salt did it or the green up. The calves are definitely out grazing more so I would lean more towards the green up.
OP
OP
We still have the calves. They have settled in around #10phpd with the #150 salt and green pasture. They have definitely put some pounds on.
I turned them to a new little pasture with pretty good grass around the 1st of the month. I think we will see s slight drop in feed rates again because they are spending a lot more time out in the pasture.
Hopefully prices hold.
Opening up the new pasture first of the month.
I turned them to a new little pasture with pretty good grass around the 1st of the month. I think we will see s slight drop in feed rates again because they are spending a lot more time out in the pasture.
Hopefully prices hold.
Opening up the new pasture first of the month.
Last edited:
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
Calves look good. The group of cattle left behind are probably pizzed!!!
OP
OP
They have to follow me through the pens, out the bottom, then hang a left, to then walk through that alley bowe. The ones in the video understood the plan. The others went left too early and just balled up in the pens.
It took a few minutes but they finally filed out and came through with the others.
MurraysMutts
Well-known member
They look like the KIND!
Biguns are bringing well over 2000/HD round here. They look like they can still get bigger.
OP
OP
We are down to the wire. Bulk feed ran out last week so I asked my son to hand feed them with me until we sell. They got down to #8 at the end so it lasted a little longer and it wasn't worth the haul to us to get us to sale day. We just bought it in sacks for this last week or so. They are getting around #8 being hand fed, also. It has worked out because they are being fed in the pens and it shouldn't take much effort to pen and load them.
Prices have eased back up so it will be interesting to see what happens.
As of right now, I show we have around $245 in each one. I just just lack hauling and some labor to load but I'll reconcile it all when it's done to be sure.
Prices have eased back up so it will be interesting to see what happens.
As of right now, I show we have around $245 in each one. I just just lack hauling and some labor to load but I'll reconcile it all when it's done to be sure.
MurraysMutts
Well-known member
So u started with 3 weights right?
Fed since January?
What ya think they weigh now?
What was target weight again? 450lbs?
I've got mine eating spring flush grass. Just a little feed to get em trained to come in. I'll be holding longer than you for sure.
OP
OP
I think the avg was around 400. They ranged probably plus or minus 50 from that.
Started Feb 1
Target was 550-600. That's a sweet spot to sell for us.
I think some will weight up around 625ish and low side 525. There are a one or two that may bust out of that range on each end. Hard to pin those down. (Now I'm on the hook
)Like people have said on here before I think they definitely came on the last 30 days. Not sure if that was getting settled in, age, or green up or what.
If it was raining and we had grass growing like crazy I would be tempted to hold them another 30 days on mainly grass and let the bottom end catch up. It's turning pretty dry and hot so I'm going to get out while the getting is good (hopefully).
OP
OP
The sale barn I used has changed hands recently so I called the new owners Monday to ask about the best way to market these. The guy seemed excited to sell them and said he would put the word out. He had me send him all the vacs and othe info on them along with a pic. He claims he will announce they are weaned and so on before they sell.
We talked a little about selling like this and he said he plans to start doing some weaned calf sales like some of yall talk about. He thinks he can bring in some more buyers for those sales. I hope that goes through because that would be right up our alley.
I plan on being there to see how it goes.
We talked a little about selling like this and he said he plans to start doing some weaned calf sales like some of yall talk about. He thinks he can bring in some more buyers for those sales. I hope that goes through because that would be right up our alley.
I plan on being there to see how it goes.
@Brute 23 We weaned first week in December this year. Calves avg weight I'd guess at 475#. We fed 8# a day until March 15th then tapered off to a few days a week. Our feed cost was $310 a ton so around $1.25 a day per hd. So I'd guess $125-130 per hd in feed and another $6 in shots at weaning. We sold on April 15th this year, the Steers avg. 656# @ $2.76 and Hfrs 609# @ 609. I was happy with this. Definitely not the best group of calves we've weaned but they turned out for us. Had a group of 9 steers that weighed 618 and brought $2.99 out of this bunch.
It's hard to say for sure but looking at the prices in December compared to when we sold I'd guess we made $8-9,000 by keeping this group of 55 calves. I wish I had it in me to keep records like you do.
It's hard to say for sure but looking at the prices in December compared to when we sold I'd guess we made $8-9,000 by keeping this group of 55 calves. I wish I had it in me to keep records like you do.
Last edited:
OP
OP
Well numbers are in. Avg was $1550 on the group. We had a couple light heifers bring it down a little but had a couple big steers go $1800 to make up for it.
When I get a chance to compile everything thing I'll do a better breakdown and recap of the deal as a whole.
When I get a chance to compile everything thing I'll do a better breakdown and recap of the deal as a whole.
MurraysMutts
Well-known member
Sounds like ya had a couple steers go 600lbs or so.
