How to Understand Cattle Pricing and Current Prices

[rocfarm]

The skills yes, capital intensive maybe not. If you take $10,000 and turn it over once a week or once a month you still only have $10,000 out at any given time. Make 10% each trade and do that 12 times a year is 120%. That 10,000 is now 22,000. If you do it once a week it's 520% so 520,000. Still only 10,000 out at any given time. Of course that's not all profit but you get what I mean.

To turn it over that much, you’d need to be a really skilled and moving quick.

And I’d say the customers you’d need to deal with would want way more available capital than that, but I’m not sure.

But the one guy in the internet that seems to be most successful at that is that Clay Nohavitza guy with Cowboy Sales. He seems to regularly spend at least 30 to 50 thousand on buying and selling.

The other one is that Rutherford Land and Cattle trader.

Rutherford even made a video about how he almost got into money/turnover problems about six months ago.

But you are not wrong.

Before I went cheap on my herd, I liked to look at the cattle Will Coward in Cattle Range offered. He seems to do real well.

But all of those guys looked to have nice land already paid for, easy ability to care for the cattle and work them, ability to transport cattle themselves, and loooots of long-term experience in the market.

I still think I’ll keep my day job.

 

[50/50Farms]

To turn it over that much, you’d need to be a really skilled and moving quick.

And I’d say the customers you’d need to deal with would want way more available capital than that, but I’m not sure.

But the one guy in the internet that seems to be most successful at that is that Clay Nohavitza guy with Cowboy Sales. He seems to regularly spend at least 30 to 50 thousand on buying and selling.

The other one is that Rutherford Land and Cattle trader.

Rutherford even made a video about how he almost got into money/turnover problems about six months ago.

But you are not wrong.

Before I went cheap on my herd, I liked to look at the cattle Will Coward in Cattle Range offered. He seems to do real well.

But all of those guys looked to have nice land already paid for, easy ability to care for the cattle and work them, ability to transport cattle themselves, and loooots of long-term experience in the market.

I still think I’ll keep my day job.

If you call the Rutherford Land and Cattle Company number, you will pretty invariably get Bubba Rutherford. He is a good guy and will shoot you straight. People like him are why even with all of the transplants to the south, the southern range, and the northern range, I hold out hope for this section of the economy. Clay Novahitza is also a good guy and active in his community. You cannot beat having people like these guys around.

 

[Davemk]

I just had a thought. I'm going to ask my extension agent for advice from Virginia Tech on cattle trading. Others try it if you get a chance. I bet we get no advice.

The extension people in our area wouldn’t know the front from the rear of a cow. Zero chance I’m asking those “be nice” people anything.

 

[Davemk]

To turn it over that much, you’d need to be a really skilled and moving quick.

And I’d say the customers you’d need to deal with would want way more available capital than that, but I’m not sure.

But the one guy in the internet that seems to be most successful at that is that Clay Nohavitza guy with Cowboy Sales. He seems to regularly spend at least 30 to 50 thousand on buying and selling.

The other one is that Rutherford Land and Cattle trader.

Rutherford even made a video about how he almost got into money/turnover problems about six months ago.

But you are not wrong.

Before I went cheap on my herd, I liked to look at the cattle Will Coward in Cattle Range offered. He seems to do real well.

But all of those guys looked to have nice land already paid for, easy ability to care for the cattle and work them, ability to transport cattle themselves, and loooots of long-term experience in the market.

I still think I’ll keep my day job.

“Before I went cheap on my herd”? Further info please. I have been rolling an idea in my head, just curious what it is your doing.

 

[50/50Farms]

“Before I went cheap on my herd”? Further info please. I have been rolling an idea in my head, just curious what it is your doing.

I'm curious as to the idea.

 

[SBMF 2015]

Ever seen any research on cattle trading? One facit of cattle that can make money with minimal inputs no matter the cattle price.

Can we write the book? Beginners guide to cattle trading, How not to lose your A$$! 😂

You can make a LOT of money flipping cattle, just got to have the time to be in the right place at the right time.

 

[rocfarm]

“Before I went cheap on my herd”? Further info please. I have been rolling an idea in my head, just curious what it is your doing.

You can check out my thread for Best Cattle Crosses from Unassisted Calving. I wrote everything going on with my operation in that thread. Will continue updating what happens as events develop. Hoping to at least help people by being an example of what not to do if nothing else. But so far things have not gone badly.

 

[rocfarm]

Can we write the book? Beginners guide to cattle trading, How not to lose your A$$! 😂

You can make a LOT of money flipping cattle, just got to have the time to be in the right place at the right time.

Been a part of three businesses so far. Actually haven’t been successful at any of them, really. Feel like I’ve just gotten a bit lucky. Would be reluctant to advise others. But hoping that my musing on this website will save some folks from making big mistakes. Would prefer to see the heartlanders of the USA become financially savvy, shrewd-thinking protectors of their culture and their land, even if I don’t always agree on the minutia.

Of course, as a small producer myself, I am an advocate for good information for the smaller land owner that will enable him/her to wisely judge where they fit in the market and not inadvertently work against their own interests in the cattle business.

Thanks to the Cattle Today folks for giving us the platform!

 

[rocfarm]

If you call the Rutherford Land and Cattle Company number, you will pretty invariably get Bubba Rutherford. He is a good guy and will shoot you straight. People like him are why even with all of the transplants to the south, the southern range, and the northern range, I hold out hope for this section of the economy. Clay Novahitza is also a good guy and active in his community. You cannot beat having people like these guys around.

I actually did call Bubba Rutherford. It was a pleasant conversation. Mr Nohavitza seems the consummate salesman, but I don’t know him. And I’m not too worried that all the people moving to Texas will change us for the worse. If you look at the last political election map, there was a red streak right trough the heart of where it shouldn’t have been. And people assume Texas is only about the people of Texas. But it’s not only about that. A harsh climate and wondrous geography/ecology affects psychology in ways that are unstoppable in my opinion.

So I’m not worried. More hopeful.

 

[Little Joe]

What I’ve discovered with being in cattle is what works for you might not work for anyone else and what makes you a profit might not be profitable for anyone else. How we play our hand has more to do with success than the hand itself. I was talking with a neighbor the other day, he has a pasture full of mostly simmental x cattle and mostly black or black baldy. He stated that having pretty cattle that people admire is more important than profit to him, I told him I’m exact opposite. My cows are whatever I get a bargain on and think will make money, if my cattle can’t at very least support themselves I don’t need them. As much as they are despised on here by many, my most profitable set of cows were the longhorn types with a good bull on them. I used those cows and profit from them to purchase better cows for not much more money this year while the market was down. I would eventually like having a good matching set of cattle but not sure it will ever happen because I always think in my mind that if things go bad for some reason I don’t mind having to dump a bunch of mismatched cheap cows but if I’ve taken the time to put together a good matching set it would be hard to dump them and start again later. Moving forward I do hope to retain heifers to make the kind of cow I want that works for me but that’s not written in stone either.

 

[Davemk]

You can check out my thread for Best Cattle Crosses from Unassisted Calving. I wrote everything going on with my operation in that thread. Will continue updating what happens as events develop. Hoping to at least help people by being an example of what not to do if nothing else. But so far things have not gone badly.

And where would we find this thread

 

[rocfarm]

And where would we find this thread

Go to the find threads portion of this website. Type in best crosses. It will pop up.

 

[kenny thomas]

To turn it over that much, you’d need to be a really skilled and moving quick.

And I’d say the customers you’d need to deal with would want way more available capital than that, but I’m not sure.

But the one guy in the internet that seems to be most successful at that is that Clay Nohavitza guy with Cowboy Sales. He seems to regularly spend at least 30 to 50 thousand on buying and selling.

The other one is that Rutherford Land and Cattle trader.

Rutherford even made a video about how he almost got into money/turnover problems about six months ago.

But you are not wrong.

Before I went cheap on my herd, I liked to look at the cattle Will Coward in Cattle Range offered. He seems to do real well.

But all of those guys looked to have nice land already paid for, easy ability to care for the cattle and work them, ability to transport cattle themselves, and loooots of long-term experience in the market.

I still think I’ll keep my day job.

Bubba Rutherford seems to be a great guy and I watch some of his videos. But he is a trader. A very good one of course.
I have never met him but I'm guessing he didn't learn his trade from research for a thesis. He learned it from being out there doing it.

 

[rocfarm]

Bubba Rutherford seems to be a great guy and I watch some of his videos. But he is a trader. A very good one of course.
I have never met him but I'm guessing he didn't learn his trade from research for a thesis. He learned it from being out there doing it.

Agree. But, as others have intimated, it might not be wise to look down on those that seek to merge practical experience with competent theory/research into a powerful business model. The proper merging of the two have made more than a few people quite successful, even in the cattle business .

 

[kenny thomas]

Agree. But, as others have intimated, it might not be wise to look down on those that seek to merge practical experience with competent theory/research into a powerful business model. The proper merging of the two have made more than a few people quite successful, even in the cattle business .

Oh I'm 100% for merging.

 

[50/50Farms]

I'm for merging my truck into every vehicle from a state I don't like.

 

[farmerjan]

I think from what I have read, @kenny thomas is a smaller version of Bubba Rutherford.... and it is funny, as he and I have some of the same thoughts and practices... Yep a field full of nice matched cattle would pretty to look at... but these mismatched ones and "one and dones" like @Dave does out west on his spread... are making more money for people like him and me than the nice ones all matched in the pasture... NOT SAYING that people like @Jeanne - Simme Valley and the ones with the nice Murray Grey herds aren't good cattleman as they all are and fit their spot....BUT.... getting in it on the "cheaper side" and seeing where we can turn over some money is what is working better for me and for some others, like @Little Joe .
AGAIN it is what fits your mindset and what fits your budget.... I like to buy and sell some as does @kenny thomas and others....
You do what you feel most comfortable with... and what you have the time to do... and the money to "play with" to make a deal work.

 

[gcreekrch]

I think from what I have read, @kenny thomas is a smaller version of Bubba Rutherford.... and it is funny, as he and I have some of the same thoughts and practices... Yep a field full of nice matched cattle would pretty to look at... but these mismatched ones and "one and dones" like @Dave does out west on his spread... are making more money for people like him and me than the nice ones all matched in the pasture... NOT SAYING that people like @Jeanne - Simme Valley and the ones with the nice Murray Grey herds aren't good cattleman as they all are and fit their spot....BUT.... getting in it on the "cheaper side" and seeing where we can turn over some money is what is working better for me and for some others, like @Little Joe .
AGAIN it is what fits your mindset and what fits your budget.... I like to buy and sell some as does @kenny thomas and others....
You do what you feel most comfortable with... and what you have the time to do... and the money to "play with" to make a deal work.

Glad you, Kenny, Dave and I are all scattered some. Would be tougher to make our livings if we all frequented the same yard.. 😂😂

 

[kenny thomas]

Glad you, Kenny, Dave and I are all scattered some. Would be tougher to make our livings if we all frequented the same yard.. 😂😂

That would not work very well.

 

[greybeard]

The extension people in our area wouldn’t know the front from the rear of a cow. Zero chance I’m asking those “be nice” people anything.

ding, ding, ding! winner!

(They was always pretty good about handing out useless brochures tho.....)