How much are Cow/Calf Pairs Worth?

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Buyers really want Black calves in my area. Lots of cows weigh 1500 or more. Passed on some nice late breds last week because they topped 1800 lbs., a brought kill price.
 
What's a cow/calf pair worth?
I've been to the sale barn two weeks in a row. 700+ animals run through each week. Not a lot of pairs, but some. Color favors the black ones in good condition, but not much. $1500 was the top price. 12/13 hundred pounds.
There were a bunch of skinny cows pulled off the desert in bad shape, with newborn calves. They didn't look like old cows and they went for about $600. 7/9 hundred pounds.
Nobody is checking mouths.
The largest sale barn left in Utah, Salina.
 
What's a cow/calf pair worth?
I was wondering the same thing. There are springing black/red cows listed at the sale barn. I tried checking regional market reports for bred cows, but "no data available." A few have calved and are being sold as pairs.
kenny thomas - There was no money in that open 1700 lb cow I sold this spring.
 
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Since March the pairs worth bringing home have been $2,650- $3,500 around here. Commercial blacks and Baldies. 9 yrs old and younger.
Going to look at some open hfrs this wk. If their under $1,500 that looks like a good deal.
 
Was at the sale this week. No pairs. They killed about 20 big black June calving full mouth cows. About $0.80-0.85 weighing 1,500-1,700.
Worth? I can't make those pencil.
 
I was wondering the same thing. There are springing black/red cows listed at the sale barn. I tried checking regional market reports for bred cows, but "no data available." A few have calved and are being sold as pairs.
kenny thomas - There was no money in that open 1700 lb cow I sold this spring.
The only money in that 1700 lb open cow could have been to held her until this week. Lots of big cows in the .90's with some over 1.00-1.10.
 
I've been to the sale barn two weeks in a row. 700+ animals run through each week. Not a lot of pairs, but some. Color favors the black ones in good condition, but not much. $1500 was the top price. 12/13 hundred pounds.
There were a bunch of skinny cows pulled off the desert in bad shape, with newborn calves. They didn't look like old cows and they went for about $600. 7/9 hundred pounds.
Nobody is checking mouths.
The largest sale barn left in Utah, Salina.
We still checking mouths down in Louisiana. We killing a lot of young bred cows but they still aging them
 
Since March the pairs worth bringing home have been $2,650- $3,500 around here. Commercial blacks and Baldies. 9 yrs old and younger.
Going to look at some open hfrs this wk. If their under $1,500 that looks like a good deal.
Again at $3500 where is there any profit. If real profit on a calf is as high as $500 which I doubt that's 7 years to break even. I would rather try some of the $100 cows or the $350 Corriente pairs.
 
That's like in 2014, when I sold some bred heifers that averaged around $2300, and my top group brought 2975. By the way those were purchased heifers and bought high too, so it wasn't as good as it looked. I thought at the time I couldn't make anything buying them like that anytime soon, even though they were good cattle. I've often though I should have sold ever one of my cows during that time.
Kind of wondering that now too, but my luck it would be even higher to get back in, or if I hold on to them, they'll drop out.
 
Again at $3500 where is there any profit. If real profit on a calf is as high as $500 which I doubt that's 7 years to break even. I would rather try some of the $100 cows or the $350 Corriente pairs.
I used to knock a horned cow said I'd never raise one then I bought a cheap longhorn and what she did changed me now I've got a pasture full of $350-$400 corriente cows most are raising or bred with their 3rd calf. All these calves in pasture now are off angus bull and he ain't even a high producing one he's a commercial bull that got out of neighbors pasture 3/4 times last year and made his way to my place neighbor sold him to me for kill prices. I will buy a beef cow but she's gonna have to be something special or cheap cause corriente cows require less and pay for themselves pretty quick
 

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