How much lower can the cull cow market go?

[pricefarm]

They had a cow sale today at the market. Cows came from 3 different farms. Cow calf pairs and breed cows all brought about the same avg around 1200$. There where a few real old cows that where breed that still brought 850-975 that would calve on the spring.

This is the best prices I have heard of in months. Was this in Abingdon?

Yep. TRI- STATE livestock market. I'll post the sales results when the put them online if I can figure out how to. Any cow that was worth hauling home brought 1000$ but most where right around 1200$. Not sure how many total cows they had but around 100 I would say. I couldn't believe it. I went planning on buying 10-15 cows but I didn't buy any.

 

[JMJ Farms]

They had a cow sale today at the market. Cows came from 3 different farms. Cow calf pairs and breed cows all brought about the same avg around 1200$. There where a few real old cows that where breed that still brought 850-975 that would calve on the spring.

This is the best prices I have heard of in months. Was this in Abingdon?

Yep. TRI- STATE livestock market. I'll post the sales results when the put them online if I can figure out how to. Any cow that was worth hauling home brought 1000$ but most where right around 1200$. Not sure how many total cows they had but around 100 I would say. I couldn't believe it. I went planning on buying 10-15 cows but I didn't buy any.

What's the freight on a pot load from middle Georgia to Virginia :idea:

 

[kenny thomas]

They had a cow sale today at the market. Cows came from 3 different farms. Cow calf pairs and breed cows all brought about the same avg around 1200$. There where a few real old cows that where breed that still brought 850-975 that would calve on the spring.

This is the best prices I have heard of in months. Was this in Abingdon?

Yep. TRI- STATE livestock market. I'll post the sales results when the put them online if I can figure out how to. Any cow that was worth hauling home brought 1000$ but most where right around 1200$. Not sure how many total cows they had but around 100 I would say. I couldn't believe it. I went planning on buying 10-15 cows but I didn't buy any.

Something seems very different there today. I dont guess i got any of them because my barn was empty tonight.

 

[pricefarm]

This is the best prices I have heard of in months. Was this in Abingdon?

Yep. TRI- STATE livestock market. I'll post the sales results when the put them online if I can figure out how to. Any cow that was worth hauling home brought 1000$ but most where right around 1200$. Not sure how many total cows they had but around 100 I would say. I couldn't believe it. I went planning on buying 10-15 cows but I didn't buy any.

Something seems very different there today. I dont guess i got any of them because my barn was empty tonight.

There was a lot of people there. More than the usual

 

[Caustic Burno]

The economist was pretty much on in 2015 workshop so far.

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=98180

 

[kenny thomas]

The economist was pretty much on in 2015 workshop so far.

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=98180

I was in total agreement that those prices would never pay out. But with health issues i was selling and not replacing in 2015.

 

[NoRest Farm]

They had a cow sale today at the market. Cows came from 3 different farms. Cow calf pairs and breed cows all brought about the same avg around 1200$. There where a few real old cows that where breed that still brought 850-975 that would calve on the spring.

This is the best prices I have heard of in months. Was this in Abingdon?

Yep. TRI- STATE livestock market. I'll post the sales results when the put them online if I can figure out how to. Any cow that was worth hauling home brought 1000$ but most where right around 1200$. Not sure how many total cows they had but around 100 I would say. I couldn't believe it. I went planning on buying 10-15 cows but I didn't buy any.

I noticed that sale was advertised heavily. I thought about going, guess I'm glad I stayed home. That's some pretty dandy prices. I think I can go right up the road and get good cows at least for 40% less.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

First sale after a holiday is usually a good one. This year, the first sale is after 2 weeks straight closed. I'm hauling 15 calves tomorrow

Best of luck.

 

[farmerjan]

:roll: CB read through that whole thread you posted the link to on the workshop thread. I wish I had been on this forum back then, I was going on my own observations and instincts, and I wish I had had more to back it up as I would've really forced my son into selling alot more like bball was saying. But you live and learn. I have seen the ups and downs over the years too, but since I didn't get into cattle much past 10-15 head until the early 80's, don't have the experience you do. I do remember when baby calves were literally being given away off the dairies and I do remember hogs down to $.08 lb. too.
Whatever happened to that "jabes" guy who was trying to argue that your years of observation were basically not applicable to the current market at that time???? :roll: :roll: :deadhorse: :deadhorse:

I could almost feel sorry for him if he wasn't so hard headed about it.
Imagine he was one of the ones that wound up selling those high dollar cows at the huge discount to just get out before he lost everything.... :cry2:

 

[Caustic Burno]

Jan we are very fortunate here. Several of the county agents have gotten together years ago to do several workshops a year.

We get experts in economics, pest, land, grazing genetics management etc. They have inheritance advice along with property values outlooks and predictions. To top it off we get to talk and discuss our issues with the "experts" from TAMU getting phone numbers and emails links for future assistance.

 

[farmerjan]

We do many workshops here too, different topics, but nothing with the common sense, been there done that in the past, type of advice as you seem to get there. Not saying that I don't try to learn something every time I go to one, because I do. BUT, there is more of the bland, feel good type stuff it seems to me. Not as much of the nitty gritty, "you may not want to hear this BUT " , type of stuff. They will have some different experts in some of the different things you mentioned... yet there are not near the "age" of people who have really lived through it and then learned from it and are trying to pass it on. There are many that are younger, with good "college" educations, but I look at some of them and they have not been through some of it and really don't have a good grasp on it. When they are asking me during a meeting for my opinion, and I have only been here for 35 + years, that tells me they just don't have the practical knowledge. I DO NOT consider myself an expert in anything... and I haven't been in it as long as some of the others.

Just completed a 6-7 week course on beef cattle management... and sorry to say I learned very little from it. Most of the stuff I have been "preaching" or doing for as long as we have had cattle. I don't want to hear all the "feel good " stuff, I want real examples and RESULTS, whether they are good or bad. And I was very frustrated to have them parroting this or that person, and could not answer all the questions that were generated.

Our Va grasslands group has a big day long meeting in Jan every year; 4 different areas in the state, same program. One year we had Temple Grandin speak. It was packed. I have read some of her books, and have tried to make some small changes in the way I do stuff according to things she points out; especially with cattle flow and their particular habits. But I want to hear about the down side so that I can do what I need to do to prepare for it and to take advantage of the upswings when they occur.

Sounds like the group you have there is top notch.

 

[farmerjan]

We do have some real good people that get the "grazing genetics" and being "grass farmers" first. Those are often done as land/pasture walks in the summer so we can see what is going on, real time. I do enjoy them and talking to others and picking their brains for what is working for them...

 

[Caustic Burno]

I am hanging on to my heifers like these. My crystal ball believes they will bring a premium next spring with the sell off this winter.

 

[True Grit Farms]

I am hanging on to my heifers like these. My crystal ball believes they will bring a premium next spring with the sell off this winter.

I sure hope your right.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Grit my area has had a big sell off due to hay shortages.

 

[True Grit Farms]

What do you think is going to sell the best bred or open heifers? I think there's some money to be made for the small producers that are willing to travel to sell cattle.

 

[Caustic Burno]

What do you think is going to sell the best bred or open heifers? I think there's some money to be made for the small producers that are willing to travel to sell cattle.

Both

I saw numbers going through Crockett sale that reminded me of 2011.
I could be wrong people might not restock.

 

[GMN]

I'm disgusted with how bad the holstein market is

 

[bball]

What do you think is going to sell the best bred or open heifers? I think there's some money to be made for the small producers that are willing to travel to sell cattle.

Both

I saw numbers going through Crockett sale that reminded me of 2011.
I could be wrong people might not restock.

This is the question, isn't it? I suspect many of the late 50's on up might just say to heck with it and not restock. I have noticed recent activity on CT from some younger folks asking some great questions about getting into cattle. Makes me wonder if there may be a slight resurgence from some of the younger folks trying to get in the cattle biz???

On a side note, some of the row croppers around me are throwing in the towel. 400 acres going up for auction in Feb just down the lane from me. Curious what it will sell for.

 

[skyhightree1]

This is the question, isn't it? I suspect many of the late 50's on up might just say to heck with it and not restock. I have noticed recent activity on CT from some younger folks asking some great questions about getting into cattle. Makes me wonder if there may be a slight resurgence from some of the younger folks trying to get in the cattle biz???

On a side note, some of the row croppers around me are throwing in the towel. 400 acres going up for auction in Feb just down the lane from me. Curious what it will sell for.

I noticed some young people wanting in. I hope they know what there doing. This business venture is too shaky for me to dump a good amount of money into. Alot of people see checks from selling cattle and look at the amount and don't see the details and expenditures to get the check. Cattle are alot of work headache and heartache I think in order to get by as a sto it helps if you got a start through family but you'll still need a job. I wish all those young people the best.