Hard Cow Cull'in Now?

[Stocker Steve]

I have a long list of cows to sell as breds this fall. The current kill market for big fleshy cows, the kind that Kit would hate, is in low to mid 60s. So a big old cow is worth U$S 1000 to 1100 to McDonalds. Any reason you would not wean the spring calves off this kind of cow and sell them now, rather than as breds this fall?

 

[Chocolate Cow2]

I just did this..last Monday. I had 36 old cows with calves at side. I bought them 4 months ago as breds and calved them out. They ran on some failed triticale and ate junk hay. We sorted the calves off and the cows went straight onto the waiting truck. I got $1.28 in the meat. Didn't quite make back what the cows cost but I have the calves. Apparently, the cows weren't doing a lot for their calf as the calves have weaned easy. I have some alfalfa starter pellets and they get between 50-100lbs every evening..depending on what their manure looks like. Today, they're grazing a small turn-out area. Thankfully, the calves don't have their mother's dispositions as some of those old cows were pretty nasty. There were no tears shed when they went on the truck.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Big old girls sell really well here as breds, but if they have tooth or udder or color issues, then I think they may be worth more at McDonalds this summer.

 

[Chocolate Cow2]

Historically, this is pretty much 'top of the market' time for slaughter cows.
You know your area. Sharpen your pencil and see if holding them as breds will pay. Might have to do a sort on them and get rid of the opens,etc at the salebarn. How soon can you preg check? That might be your sort. We're miserably hot & dry here, so it's hard to imagine a good cow market in the fall. Hay prices are scary high.

 

[bird dog]

Your getting more than we are. Anything with some age on it won't bring but about .55 lb. Maybe its because of the large supply as there are a lot of them coming to town due to the dry conditions. There are not a lot of buyers for short breds so they are also going on the truck if real big or over 6YO.

 

[torogmc81]

Got .70 on a 4 yr old that weighed 1640# few weeks ago. Now wishing her dam's calf was a little older, because I would load her in a flash to get another $1100 check rather than trying to catch her difficult heat cycle for AI

 

[Brute 23]

Im about to older cows after I wean their calves this week. We got some rain, the cows are in good shape, numbers are low at the sales and prices are decent. IMO its time to get while the getting is good. They will all be bred back also. If I could find some one who was looking for old bred cows to get another calf or two out of it would be a good deal for both of us.

Ive always had better luck selling based off my costs in the animal rather than predicting what the market will pay.

 

[AdamsCreek]

Got .48 Monday in Tulsa. Best anyone got was .57

 

[Stocker Steve]

Sounds like someone needs to haul cows from Tulsa up into SD and MT.
Heavy heavy rains in much of these states.

 

[AdamsCreek]

Sounds like someone needs to haul cows from Tulsa up into SD and MT.
Heavy heavy rains in much of these states.

Huh?

 

[Stocker Steve]

Sounds like someone needs to haul cows from Tulsa up into SD and MT.
Heavy heavy rains in much of these states.

Huh?

Truck discounted cows to where there is grass.

 

[AdamsCreek]

Sounds like someone needs to haul cows from Tulsa up into SD and MT.
Heavy heavy rains in much of these states.

Huh?

Truck discounted cows to where there is grass.

I gathered that part. Are you saying buy a pot load of cull cows and truck them north to be sold or buy a pot full of younger cows to live on leased ground? Just wondering because I saw that same one I sold Monday was worth $80 more in Miles City MT. At $80 ahead could you pay the freight on a pot load from Tulsa to Montana and still make money?

 

[Stocker Steve]

There is money in thin culls but it is not my favorite. And there is less upside than younger cows.

I think there should be very good money in a north/south fall calver system.

 

[BC]

Huh?

Truck discounted cows to where there is grass.

I gathered that part. Are you saying buy a pot load of cull cows and truck them north to be sold or buy a pot full of younger cows to live on leased ground? Just wondering because I saw that same one I sold Monday was worth $80 more in Miles City MT. At $80 ahead could you pay the freight on a pot load from Tulsa to Montana and still make money?

If you can send thin cows and put some cheap gain and upgrade the carcass it might work. It is going to cost $4000 to $4400 to get a potload from Tulsa to Miles City.

 

[Stocker Steve]

If you can send thin cows and put some cheap gain and upgrade the carcass it might work. It is going to cost $4000 to $4400 to get a potload from Tulsa to Miles City.

Ya
but
the seasonal trend in kill cow prices is against you so they should be breedable to reduce price risk

 

[AdamsCreek]

If you can send thin cows and put some cheap gain and upgrade the carcass it might work. It is going to cost $4000 to $4400 to get a potload from Tulsa to Miles City.

Ya
but
the seasonal trend in kill cow prices is against you so they should be breedable to reduce price risk

I don't know anything about this kind of thing but I'm trying to learn. A quick look at market reports looks like the best money would be sending 7 & 8 wt steers to South Dakota at $150 -$200 a head