Is there a strategic time to sell ?

[BobbyLummus1]

I have around 15 calves ready to sell at local auction , Looking for recommendation on when to sale to maximize profit , My cows calf year around so this group varies in weight but are around 600 lb (+- 75lbs ) , cows are in great condition , plenty of grass , I'm in SC , all black hided commercial calves

Cattle receipts at my local sale barn typically range from 700 - 1500 head , week to week it fluctuates

I wonder if its better to sale when the numbers at sale are high or low ? If we get a few days of bad weather before sale ? Before or after holidays ?


Thanks in advance

 

[Deepsouth]

If you have plenty of grass and your not having to supplement them why not hold them till they bust 700? You'll make more money.

 

[skyhightree1]

If you have plenty of grass and your not having to supplement them why not hold them till they bust 700? You'll make more money.

True but in my market if you hit it right at the 500 mark not a huge difference in $$ but typically they are weaned at 500lbs when they are being loaded on the trailer that day :D

Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price
18 300-400 373 293.00 293.00
80 400-500 448 254.00-270.00 269.41
52 500-600 539 241.00-251.50 250.92
23 600-700 633 220.00-228.50 228.13
4 700-800 744 190.00-202.00 198.99

 

[stocky]

It seems to me that most years the first sale of September and the first sale of January are the two highest priced sales. I try to have a bunch ready to go on both of those sales. January, people are getting past the 2-3 week holiday break and ready for cattle, and Sept, people are wanting to get the fall calves in and get them ready to go out on fall grass. Most definitely stay away from October. In this area, they call it dead calf month and calf prices are considerably cheaper due to death losses. Generally, after the first sale in September, they get cheaper until November, when the wheat pasture market makes prices stronger. Those have been my experiences. This year, due to the Russia situation, the high sale might have been 3 weeks ago. Myself and some neighbors sold several that week and they have gone done quite a bit since then. You can never predict politics or wars or international sanctions and how the big money board will try to manipulate the market using them as excuses for doing so

 

[Limomike]

I have around 15 calves ready to sell at local auction , Looking for recommendation on when to sale to maximize profit , My cows calf year around so this group varies in weight but are around 600 lb (+- 75lbs ) , cows are in great condition , plenty of grass , I'm in SC , all black hided commercial calves

Cattle receipts at my local sale barn typically range from 700 - 1500 head , week to week it fluctuates

I wonder if its better to sale when the numbers at sale are high or low ? If we get a few days of bad weather before sale ? Before or after holidays ?


Thanks in advance

I dont think number of cattle has anything to do with it.

 

[tncattle]

I hope Aug. 28 2014 is the best time to sell as we're taking around 10-12 calves then- :)

I'll let you know how we do.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

I hope Aug. 28 2014 is the best time to sell as we're taking around 10-12 calves then- :)

I'll let you know how we do.

You should do well.

 

[tncattle]

I hope Aug. 28 2014 is the best time to sell as we're taking around 10-12 calves then- :)

I'll let you know how we do.

You should do well.

We're going to Guthrie Ky.

 

[highgrit]

You're going to do well selling now. Avoid selling before the week before holidays. IMO

 

[BC]

Avoid selling calves in the month of October. Around here it is known as "National Dead Calf Month". It seems there is more sickness in sale barn calves at that time of the year. Warm days and cool nights. One order buyer told me anytime there was more than a 30 degree swing between day time highs and over night lows he sees an increase in sickness.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

You're going to do well selling now. Avoid selling before the week before holidays. IMO

Which Holidays are you referring to Highgrit? The major ones?

Next Monday is Labor Day.

 

[stocky]

Around here, the sales the week of Labor Day, or the week after, if there is no Labor Day sale, will be the high sale. After that, calves start sliding until October, when they go down quite a bit due to sickness, then if the wheat pasture is good, they will come back up in November for awhile, then the first sale of January is normally the high sale of the year. Keep in mind, this year, with the 100 degree days and almost no rain here for the last 2 months, calves have already dropped 30-40 dollars per hundred from where they were 3-4 weeks ago. So, if the temperature cools down, there might be a temporary jump in prices in a couple of weeks for the buyers to catch up in numbers, since they have cut back their buying due to high temps and dry weather. I have 50 calves scheduled to go the week after Labor Day. Normally, any calves I do not sell that week, I plan on having to keep until the first week of January.

 

[Calhoun Farm]

I'll have 5 calves to sell in November. Given thanksgiving is it best to try for the first week of the month?

 

[tncattle]

We sold 12 calves (4 bulls, 2 steers and 6 heifers) lightest was 450 lbs. and heaviest was 650 lbs. They were right in the 500 range on total avg. After commission our check was $14,120. We were happy.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

We sold 12 calves (4 bulls, 2 steers and 6 heifers) lightest was 450 lbs. and heaviest was 650 lbs. They were right in the 500 range on total avg. After commission our check was $14,120. We were happy.

I would imagine so. Good job!

 

[Nesikep]

I just talked to my dad, we've agreed to wean most all of the calves tomorrow, and ship them monday for a tuesday sale. Keeping the 3 late born ones (2 steers and a heifer), 2 replacement heifers, a bull calf, and the 3 heaviest steers, which leaves me with 5 heifers averaging about 550-600, except for one that's probably 300, and 6 steers that are pretty nicely in the 550-650 lb range too.

I figure I'm going to keep the couple sassiest steers, because even if the prices do sag a bit by spring, at least those ones will be the ones that put on good weight for me to make up for it.

We usually sold the 3rd sale of october, but we're a bit tight for pasture with 52 animals now, and heck, a bird in the hand is worth two in the tree, I can't imagine a significant price INCREASE between now and then, and prices now are nothing shabby, so I'll get while the gettin's good and put condition on my cows instead, They'll pay me for it next year.