income hits at the sale barn

[usernametaken]

Can anyone explain to me why a black carcass is more/most desireable in the markets ?

Why you may get docked for an animal with to much ears ?

Anything else the sale barns don't like ?

Do they dock you for horns ? I can understand that one maybe.

Bet those ears would become valuable if someone would make a market for them - how about salted cow ears or pickeled cows ears ? Yum Yum. Got to be better than hoof trimmings which are a delicacy according to my dogs.

 

[Frankie]

Can anyone explain to me why a black carcass is more/most desireable in the markets ?

There is a USDA website that shows all the USDA-approved branded beef programs. If you can find it, you'll see that the majority of them have the word "Angus" in their name. Look around you at Hardees, Appleebes, fast food outlets, all have an "angus" something. Each one of those have a different criteria to identify "angus", but bottom line is they want black animals.

Why you may get docked for an animal with to much ears ?

MARC data shows the more Brahman (eared cattle) influence in a carcass, the more likely it will be tough. Brahman cattle don't tolerate the cold as well as other breeds. Most feedlots are in OK, TX, KS, NE. It gets cold there.

Anything else the sale barns don't like ?

Spots, line backs, rattails....anything they can dock you for, they will.

Do they dock you for horns ? I can understand that one maybe.

Generally. Like I said, if they can dock you, they will.

Bet those ears would become valuable if someone would make a market for them - how about salted cow ears or pickeled cows ears ? Yum Yum. Got to be better than hoof trimmings which are a delicacy according to my dogs.

:lol:

 

[Jogeephus]

The feedlots have more marketing options with black hided cows. Not saying its right or wrong, that's just the way it is.

 

[Sir Loin]

Dittos to all of the above.
Nice job boys!
SL

 

[usernametaken]

The feedlots have more marketing options with black hided cows. Not saying its right or wrong, that's just the way it is.

Marketing options such as ? Is this related to Angus marketing as well ?

 

[usernametaken]

Can anyone explain to me why a black carcass is more/most desireable in the markets ?

There is a USDA website that shows all the USDA-approved branded beef programs. If you can find it, you'll see that the majority of them have the word "Angus" in their name. Look around you at Hardees, Appleebes, fast food outlets, all have an "angus" something. Each one of those have a different criteria to identify "angus", but bottom line is they want black animals.

Why you may get docked for an animal with to much ears ?

MARC data shows the more Brahman (eared cattle) influence in a carcass, the more likely it will be tough. Brahman cattle don't tolerate the cold as well as other breeds. Most feedlots are in OK, TX, KS, NE. It gets cold there.

Anything else the sale barns don't like ?

Spots, line backs, rattails....anything they can dock you for, they will.

Do they dock you for horns ? I can understand that one maybe.

Generally. Like I said, if they can dock you, they will.

Bet those ears would become valuable if someone would make a market for them - how about salted cow ears or pickeled cows ears ? Yum Yum. Got to be better than hoof trimmings which are a delicacy according to my dogs.

:lol:

Yes, but all Angus are not always black and all black cattle are not Angus.
Do you think another breed, if they put on a huge marketing campaign and convinced the demand to be asking for pink spotted cows then all the other colors would be docked ? In other words is it purely a marketing influence or are there any biological reasons ? Funny, I would think they would like White carcasses.

Aren't there other breeds with ears also - maybe not as big as Brahman ears but still would be docked ? I am thinking Devon - ruby red - have some ear ?

How much do they dock for these things ? Is it a significant amount ? Maybe it would be better to go ahead and amputate it at 2 days old and save them the trouble. I think I am not liking sale barns so far.

 

[vs_cattle]

have regulation changed for the USDA I read some where some time ago that some ************* beef like only needed to be like 10-20 percent Angus Im not talking about CAB

 

[Limomike]

Frankie.. Do you mean the Line-back breed?

 

[BC]

Aren't there other breeds with ears also - maybe not as big as Brahman ears but still would be docked ? I am thinking Devon - ruby red - have some ear ?

How much do they dock for these things ? Is it a significant amount ? Maybe it would be better to go ahead and amputate it at 2 days old and save them the trouble. I think I am not liking sale barns so far.

What is not to like about getting a competitive bid on your animals? The sale barn itself does not dock you for producing a calf that does not have as much marketability, the people who are buying yourcalves do. It is because the people they put the cattle together for want a certain kind and most of all are willing to pay for what they want..

As to having too much ear, it is an indication of having too much Bos indicus breeding. These cattle thrive in the deep south and on the coast, but do not take cold weather as well as english or continental type cattle. The Bos indiscus cattle cross well with both english and continental breeds, but if there are not enough produced in your area, you spend a large amount of time and diesel putting together a truck load (50,000 lbs).

 

[Jogeephus]

The feedlots have more marketing options with black hided cows. Not saying its right or wrong, that's just the way it is.

Marketing options such as ? Is this related to Angus marketing as well ?

Yes, I have to assume this is correct. I was talking to a feedlot guy in Nebraska about sending him a load. He dispelled many of the reasons we are given for being docked so heavily here in the south. (you know the stuff you read about in some magazines) He said he loved southern cattle and they did real well for him. He told me the hide color didn't make a hill of beans to him but we/he would have more marketing options if they were all black hided and if I retained ownership I might get some premiums.

 

[Frankie]

Frankie.. Do you mean the Line-back breed?

No, I'm not naming a specific breed. Around here, anything with spots or line backed is called "longhorn" and discounted to solid colored calves. (Sorry, LH folks, but that's the way it is.)

 

[usernametaken]

What is not to like about getting a competitive bid on your animals? The sale barn itself does not dock you for producing a calf that does not have as much marketability, the people who are buying yourcalves do. It is because the people they put the cattle together for want a certain kind and most of all are willing to pay for what they want..

Point taken BC. I guess I just find it frustrating that there seems to be a set standard of what the buyers want that I'm not sure is actually getting them what they want. I suppose they have come up with these standards over time as a way to get more of what they want when looking at volume, but it seems to deter improvements and denies regional differences. I could be all wet, but if I was looking for good meat, how the cow is raised and genetics ( which must be colorblind) would be the questions I would want to know. Is there a way for the small producer to overcome set standards of selection by buyers ? The obvious one is of course direct sales off the farm but anything else ? How does a man go and show a buyer that he might have better tasting, tenderer beef with a competive carcass size and weight if he is a small fish in the pond ? Do you have the opportunity to talk to buyers at a sell ?

untaken

 

[Frankie]

What is not to like about getting a competitive bid on your animals? The sale barn itself does not dock you for producing a calf that does not have as much marketability, the people who are buying yourcalves do. It is because the people they put the cattle together for want a certain kind and most of all are willing to pay for what they want..

Point taken BC. I guess I just find it frustrating that there seems to be a set standard of what the buyers want that I'm not sure is actually getting them what they want. I suppose they have come up with these standards over time as a way to get more of what they want when looking at volume, but it seems to deter improvements and denies regional differences. I could be all wet, but if I was looking for good meat, how the cow is raised and genetics ( which must be colorblind) would be the questions I would want to know. Is there a way for the small producer to overcome set standards of selection by buyers ? The obvious one is of course direct sales off the farm but anything else ? How does a man go and show a buyer that he might have better tasting, tenderer beef with a competive carcass size and weight if he is a small fish in the pond ? Do you have the opportunity to talk to buyers at a sell ?

untaken

Does your state have a retained ownership program? Texas calles theirs "Ranch to Rail", Oklahoma has the "OK Steer Feedout". It's a good place for the smaller producer to send a few animals through the feedlot and packer to see what he's raising. Check with your local extension agent and see if one is available in your state.

 

[usernametaken]

Does your state have a retained ownership program? Texas calles theirs "Ranch to Rail", Oklahoma has the "OK Steer Feedout". It's a good place for the smaller producer to send a few animals through the feedlot and packer to see what he's raising. Check with your local extension agent and see if one is available in your state.

I don't know Frankie. It is something I will have to check out.

Thanks.

 

[BC]

[/quote]

Is there a way for the small producer to overcome set standards of selection by buyers ? The obvious one is of course direct sales off the farm but anything else ? How does a man go and show a buyer that he might have better tasting, tenderer beef with a competive carcass size and weight if he is a small fish in the pond ? Do you have the opportunity to talk to buyers at a sell ?untaken[/quote]

If you do not have a truckload (50,000 lbs of same sex, size and quality) then you do not have much bargaining power. An order buyer is trying to put cattle together to fill an order for a feeder or to graze. His job is to get the cattle as rapidly as possible and as close to the weight and price determined by the end purchaser. The need to get the cattle put together in a hurry has to do with health. Depending on the size of the company, there may one to 15 different buyers working for that comapny on any given day. Your 3 or 4 calves that have had the best AI sire and all their shots are going to be blended with calves from 1 to 15 sale barns in order to make a load. They get lost in the shuffle.

One way to get more for your calves is to particiapate in special "preconditioned" calf sales. Many times the calves are co-mingled in order to make a truckload lot. That is worth about $2 to $3 per cwt. Then the health aspect is worth another $3 to $5 per cwt. So you could get another $5 to $8 per cwt.

I make a sale every Saturday and sometimes on Frday if I can get off work from my real job. I visit with some of the buyers and even talk to one or two during the week about what is happening in the market.

 

[usernametaken]

If you do not have a truckload (50,000 lbs of same sex, size and quality) then you do not have much bargaining power. An order buyer is trying to put cattle together to fill an order for a feeder or to graze. His job is to get the cattle as rapidly as possible and as close to the weight and price determined by the end purchaser. The need to get the cattle put together in a hurry has to do with health. Depending on the size of the company, there may one to 15 different buyers working for that comapny on any given day. Your 3 or 4 calves that have had the best AI sire and all their shots are going to be blended with calves from 1 to 15 sale barns in order to make a load. They get lost in the shuffle.


One way to get more for your calves is to particiapate in special "preconditioned" calf sales. Many times the calves are co-mingled in order to make a truckload lot. That is worth about $2 to $3 per cwt. Then the health aspect is worth another $3 to $5 per cwt. So you could get another $5 to $8 per cwt.

I make a sale every Saturday and sometimes on Frday if I can get off work from my real job. I visit with some of the buyers and even talk to one or two during the week about what is happening in the market.[/quote]


BC - Are you better off selling as "finished" rather than calves if you can do it without excessive cost ?

And Finished by grain vs finished by grass - does it matter in the markets ?

Thanks

 

[BC]

The answer to your questions is - "It depends". It depends on your feed resoures, if you have customers wanting a local raised beef and a local locker plant that does a good job.

In my case, the availability of cheap feed is not here. We can grow grass most years and even have an overbundance this year. The "grassfed" niche doesn't fit my program because where I live we have mostly warm season grasses (bermuda and bahia). We can grow cool season annuals (ryegrass and clovers) but that limits you having something to sell to April, May and amybe early June depending on the year.