Got docked at salebarn today

[Taurus]

Just hauled out the calves to the salebarn today and drop them off. My dad just stay there all day today and told me that I got docked for two black angus heifer calves with frozen ears. They separated these two heifers from the group and lower the price for them despite of being same phenotype, same weight and same size to the rest of heifers. Funny thing is that they do not docked me for the belted calves. I'm really baffled that why they would docked me for the calves with frozen ears, any reason why is that?

 

[BC]

Whether we like it or not, cattle are sold on physical appearance. Fat, bloomy calves don't bring as much as thinner calves. Smaller framed calves out of 1000 lb easy fleshing cows get called short, spotted calves get docked because they stick out like a sore thumb in a pen of solid colored calves. May not be fair, but that is the way it is.

Next time you get some calves with defects or blemishes, you might want to feed them out and sell them as freezer beef. I know one buyer that buys the spots and paints for himself. He sends them to the feedlot and sells them on the rail. He makes a profit doing this because the calves cost less upfront.

 

[Taurus]

Whether we like it or not, cattle are sold on physical appearance. Fat, bloomy calves don't bring as much as thinner calves. Smaller framed calves out of 1000 lb easy fleshing cows get called short, spotted calves get docked because they stick out like a sore thumb in a pen of solid colored calves. May not be fair, but that is the way it is.

Next time you get some calves with defects or blemishes, you might want to feed them out and sell them as freezer beef. I know one buyer that buys the spots and paints for himself. He sends them to the feedlot and sells them on the rail. He makes a profit doing this because the calves cost less upfront.

So what's the explanation on the dock on the calves with no ears?

 

[DOC HARRIS]

Whether we like it or not, cattle are sold on physical appearance. Fat, bloomy calves don't bring as much as thinner calves. Smaller framed calves out of 1000 lb easy fleshing cows get called short, spotted calves get docked because they stick out like a sore thumb in a pen of solid colored calves. May not be fair, but that is the way it is.

Next time you get some calves with defects or blemishes, you might want to feed them out and sell them as freezer beef. I know one buyer that buys the spots and paints for himself. He sends them to the feedlot and sells them on the rail. He makes a profit doing this because the calves cost less upfront.

So what's the explanation on the dock on the calves with no ears?

Taurus-
BC just told you. Because they can! For whatever reasons or collection of reasons or no reason at all. You are a captive audience and there is not much that you can do about it except bitch - unless there is another sale barn within a reasonable distance from you.

Frozen ears make a calf "look" weird. "O-o-o-h, look at that calf's ears!" So - he is docked, and they blame it all on
George Bush! It's a crock!

DOC HARRIS

 

[Taurus]

So far no one can give me a good explanation for the reason behind the frozen ears. Does have no ears will affect their performance in the feedlots therefore poor quality beef? Or are we starting to eat the ears?

 

[ibetyamissedme]

So far no one can give me a good explanation for the reason behind the frozen ears. Does have no ears will affect their performance in the feedlots therefore poor quality beef? Or are we starting to eat the ears?

You sold heifers with froze ears, common sense would lead a person to believe the teats also received damage as well. A heifer with worthless teats is worth less. Now I am certain you didn't need to have a troll explain that to you right?

 

[Aaron]

Frozen ears is a sign that other parts might be compromised. Ears freeze first, then tail, then feet. A calf has to basically be near death before it's feet freeze, or if it's feet were submerged in freezing water. Calves with frozen feet go to crap when they start getting pushed on heavy feed in the cold weather as their feet and joints ache.

The best advice, keep all your frozen ears till they are yearlings. Two things happen then. Buyers either know the animal will make it to slaughter before it has to endure another winter, or, the quality of the animal is such that it didn't freeze it's feet as a calf, otherwise the quality would not be evident. You'll never notice a dockage on GOOD yearlings with frozen ears.

 

[Bigfoot]

Taurus,

I definatly see your point, but the counter point is if I am at the yard trying to put together a group of calves, why would I buy one that's been frosted on? That calf want make it back in a graded pen when I sell it. Living up north, I'm sure you've seen it more than I have. I usually duct tape newborns ears back to their neck, if I think it's going to get cold enough to bite them.

 

[Taurus]

Frozen ears is a sign that other parts might be compromised. Ears freeze first, then tail, then feet. A calf has to basically be near death before it's feet freeze, or if it's feet were submerged in freezing water. Calves with frozen feet go to crap when they start getting pushed on heavy feed in the cold weather as their feet and joints ache.

The best advice, keep all your frozen ears till they are yearlings. Two things happen then. Buyers either know the animal will make it to slaughter before it has to endure another winter, or, the quality of the animal is such that it didn't freeze it's feet as a calf, otherwise the quality would not be evident. You'll never notice a dockage on GOOD yearlings with frozen ears.

Thank you for your explanation! Now it do makes more sense. If I got another earless calf someday, I will follow your advice and sell them as yearlings. Funny thing is that these heifers were in great shape, 600+lbs. No other frozen bite damages on teats or hooves or tail on them that I can see.

 

[Taurus]

So far no one can give me a good explanation for the reason behind the frozen ears. Does have no ears will affect their performance in the feedlots therefore poor quality beef? Or are we starting to eat the ears?

You sold heifers with froze ears, common sense would lead a person to believe the teats also received damage as well. A heifer with worthless teats is worth less. Now I am certain you didn't need to have a troll explain that to you right?

:bs: I knew several people that kept heifers with no ears as replacements and the heifers ended up become cows for many years, raising calves to the wean time every year.

 

[greybeard]

Evidently, those folks weren't at the sale barn the day you sold yours.

Buying at a barn is always a risk even with good looking phenotypes, but very very few people want to decrease their odds by bidding high on an animal with a visible abnormalty. Some may take a chance on it, but not at the same bid as a better physically looking animal.
I would buy a new car with a badly dented fender too--but only if they knock the price down substantially. The dent won't affect it's performance or drivability, but I am not going to pay the same for it as i would an unblemished model. Why? It's had a fender bender somewhere--I don't know for sure what else might be wrong with it that I CAN'T see.

 

[snake67]

Just hauled out the calves to the salebarn today and drop them off. My dad just stay there all day today and told me that I got docked for two black angus heifer calves with frozen ears. They separated these two heifers from the group and lower the price for them despite of being same phenotype, same weight and same size to the rest of heifers. Funny thing is that they do not docked me for the belted calves. I'm really baffled that why they would docked me for the calves with frozen ears, any reason why is that?

Sounds harsh, but it is because they can

Cheers

Bez

 

[Taurus]

Just hauled out the calves to the salebarn today and drop them off. My dad just stay there all day today and told me that I got docked for two black angus heifer calves with frozen ears. They separated these two heifers from the group and lower the price for them despite of being same phenotype, same weight and same size to the rest of heifers. Funny thing is that they do not docked me for the belted calves. I'm really baffled that why they would docked me for the calves with frozen ears, any reason why is that?

Sounds harsh, but it is because they can

Cheers

Bez

I think Aaron just gave me a better explanation about WHY the dock on the frostbite calves at the sale barn. It's not because they can.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Maybe so but they still can and often do.

 

[TexasBred]

Thank you for your explanation! Now it do makes more sense. If I got another earless calf someday, I will follow your advice and sell them as yearlings. Funny thing is that these heifers were in great shape, 600+lbs. No other frozen bite damages on teats or hooves or tail on them that I can see.

Aaron told you what you wanted to hear. Bez told you the truth. ;-)

 

[Taurus]

Thank you for your explanation! Now it do makes more sense. If I got another earless calf someday, I will follow your advice and sell them as yearlings. Funny thing is that these heifers were in great shape, 600+lbs. No other frozen bite damages on teats or hooves or tail on them that I can see.

Aaron told you what you wanted to hear. Bez told you the truth. ;-)

That's cute. ;-)

 

[slick4591]

So, just how does the docking thing work? Start with a lower opening bid or take it off the final bid?

 

[Anonymous]

They bring what they're worth. But I gotta wonder why bother raising the best you can when a skinny underfed thin pot bellied calf brings the best price? Where's the incentive?

 

[farmforever]

I always thought at least with the really bad ones that it had to do with implanting possibly and not enough ear left to put one.

 

[Aaron]

Frozen ears is a sign that other parts might be compromised. Ears freeze first, then tail, then feet. A calf has to basically be near death before it's feet freeze, or if it's feet were submerged in freezing water. Calves with frozen feet go to crap when they start getting pushed on heavy feed in the cold weather as their feet and joints ache.

The best advice, keep all your frozen ears till they are yearlings. Two things happen then. Buyers either know the animal will make it to slaughter before it has to endure another winter, or, the quality of the animal is such that it didn't freeze it's feet as a calf, otherwise the quality would not be evident. You'll never notice a dockage on GOOD yearlings with frozen ears.

Thank you for your explanation! Now it do makes more sense. If I got another earless calf someday, I will follow your advice and sell them as yearlings. Funny thing is that these heifers were in great shape, 600+lbs. No other frozen bite damages on teats or hooves or tail on them that I can see.

I wouldn't care about teats on a feeder animal. Generally, if they lost their ears, but still have a tail, the feet are ok - but the buyers don't want you to know that. Your supposed to think that anything other than the norm is inferior.

That being said, if you want to make a little money in the feeder side, you can buy the short ears-normal tail for a discount and get regular price as yearlings. You might hit the odd one with feet issues, but you can cut it loose early before you invest to much in it.