keep? sell?

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milkmaid

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Looking for some opinions here on whether to keep or sell a couple steers... I've got three black angus/holstein cross steers that weigh about 400lbs. More or less. Two are solid black, one has a little bit of (noticable) white on his underside. Little bit of white on the end of his tail too, but I might have to do a little trim job there. :lol:

Anyhow, I don't really want to winter these guys. I figure they'll eat about 2 tons of hay apiece - more or less - from now until spring. Maybe more. Plus grain. I figure $200/head to winter...but I'm estimating on the high end.

They aren't weaned now, they're fat, healthy, look very good (in my biased opinion ;-)) and I'm debating running them through the auction on Tuesday. Auction prices from last week were:

300-400lb (beef) steers $1.30-$1.50
400-500lb (beef) steers $1.25-$1.38
300-400lb (holstein) steers $1.00-$1.15
400-500lb (holstein) steers (diff auction) $1.07-$1.10

No idea where my calves would come out under those prices. :?:

I don't really WANT to winter these guys, but if it makes the most sense to winter them, then I *might*. I have a lot of different size cows/calves and I'm trying to split them into two groups to make it easier for me to feed during the winter - and these angus cross calves don't fit in either group. LOL.

Should I keep or sell them? -or really, what would YOU folks do?

Then I have a holstein steer that's 600lbs. Part of a set on my nurse cow this spring, kept him back to keep another calf company, and finally have decided I don't want to keep him over the winter. Originally had planned to keep and butcher him, but changed my mind.

Holstein steers 500-600lbs are $0.90-$1.05
600-700lbs (diff auction) are $0.86-$97.75.

I figure this steer will cost over $200 to keep until spring. Should I keep or sell him?

The auction prices are the highest I've ever seen them here... No idea what they'll be like come spring..............

suggestions?
 
I would sell them . I don't like to feed anything I don't have too .
 
Sell and don;t be surprised or mad if they take a dock. Buyers can pick out the calves with dairy influence and generally pay less.

dun
 
I would sell all three steers mentioned. Time for them to go, they're big enough, and they don't fit the "program". At least, that's what I would do.

Katherine
 
I guess I'll haul 'em down Tuesday, then. I'll know by Thursday how they sold. If you folks are curious, I'll post actual avg weight and prices...anyone want to take a guess now? They were born 5/3, 5/8, and 5/13 and still not weaned. I'm figuring an average of 400lbs, which allows for a 2lb/day gain. No brands on them, not sure if that makes a difference(?).

Here's one of them with the 600lb holstein steer (left) I'll take to the sale as well and with the nurse cow (right) (est weight 1400lbs) -pics taken about 2 weeks ago-
32and37.JPG
311blackcalves.JPG


Won't be surprised if they sell for less than those beef steers, but if they're $1-1.15/lb (holstein price @ 3-400lbs) I'll be a little disappointed. After all, I paid quite a bit more for them than I would have for straight holstein calves, so I figure they ought to sell for a little more. I suspect key word is "ought to"...buyers don't always look at it that way, do they?

I'm totally inexperienced in this area- I've always sold my calves private treaty through the Thrifty Nickel classifieds. Tried running an ad last week but no takers. Guess it's a little late in the year for that - in the past I've sold my calves in the spring.
 
Sell now. Based upon your estimates feeding through the winter probably won't make any more profit than selling now.
 
I'd sell now. That nurse cow sure did a good job. Good looking calves milkmaid. Those blk's should get you a good pay check.
 
Not selling the cow (311). She has two more months before she's ready to dry - due February 20th - and boss agreed to take her back at the dairy until then. She has four black calves on her now and I'm keeping one (heifer) and then selling the three black steers and holstein steer.

I will get more calves in the spring to put on Three-Eleven after she calves, but for now I'd like to decrease and then keep my numbers low so I don't have as many to winter. I'll still have eight I'm wintering until December, nine after Three-Eleven comes home, but that's better than the 11 I have now.
 
Some of those 300-400 "light-green" calves are bringing pretty good money - it is just hard to say whether your calves will be docked for the dairy influence. I would bet they bring higher than the marked holstein steers but not top beef dollar - so probably in the 1.25 range - I can't see their faces and bodies REALLY well enough to know for sure. I can't imagine after graining and feeding hay all winter you'd make money by keeping them, prices may drop and you often don't get as much for the bigger ones - beside as they grow they may show a little more of the dairy in their frame.
 
Nothing comes without a good disclaimer now-a-days! So here is one on my price guess!! :)
:D
Data and information is provided for informational purposes only, and is not intended for trading purposes. Neither (insert name here...) shall be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon and shall not be liable for any damages or costs of any type arising out of or in any way connected with your use of the services.
"Stock" recommendations and comments presented are solely those of the "analysts and experts" quoted. They do not represent the opinions of all producers on whether to buy, sell or hold shares of a particular "stock". Investors should be cautious about any and all "stock" recommendations and should consider the source of any advice on "stock selection". Various factors, including personal or corporate ownership, may influence or factor into an expert's stock analysis or opinion. All investors are advised to conduct their own independent research into individual stocks before making a purchase decision. In addition, investors are advised that past stock performance is no guarantee of future price appreciation.


ZzZzZzZz....Have a great day and week all...
 
Dana Kopp":1302y8v2 said:
Nothing comes without a good disclaimer now-a-days! So here is one on my price guess!! :) :D

You know if they don't bring 1.25/lb I'll be suing you for inaccurate information or whatever charge I can bring up......LOL! J/K. :lol: :lol: ;-) What kind of decent person would sue someone for offering suggestions or guessing as to what the auction prices will be?? That's as bad as someone suing McDonalds because they burned their tongue drinking hot coffee...what do they want, cold coffee??? Now McDonalds has a disclaimer "caution: contents may be hot".

Strange world out there. :roll:

Needn't worry about me - I don't blame anyone but myself for anything that goes right or wrong. ;-)

I've got a lot of calves and cows I'll be moving in the morning. Four calves to the auction 15 minutes away; one nurse cow is at the vet clinic to be AI'd, need to bring her home with calves; have to walk 311 down the road to the dairy; and then -so much for downsizing the herd- boss offered me a heifer and I'll bring her home tomorrow as well. LOL. That story will have to be in another post though.
 
Grab that heifer asap!


As far as selling the calves under 500 lbs....a good idea in my opinion, if the local sa;se here are any indication....often the 500 lb mark is the real turning point for prices.

We have been buying bigger heifer calves for about the same amount we were paying for smaller feeders under 500 lbs.

Good luck at the sale. :cboy:
 
Thanks. I hope they sell well too. :p :) I've bought and sold thirty or so calves over the past several years (used to keep track, can't remember what number I'm at now) but it's always been private treaty. I'm a little nervous...not entirely sure why. Maybe just 'cause it's something I've never done before. Anyone else felt like that the first time, or is it just me?

I won't be around to watch them sell, because the young stock goes through in the afternoon and I'm working then. Will have to wait until the check comes in the mail Thursday.

The other thing that worries me is having to back the truck and trailer to unload the calves. LOL! Of all things to be concerned about. :p Perhaps there will be some nice fellers standing around that are willing to help a young gal by backing her truck for her. :lol: :lol:
 
milkmaid":2zf3tr22 said:
The other thing that worries me is having to back the truck and trailer to unload the calves. LOL! Of all things to be concerned about. :p Perhaps there will be some nice fellers standing around that are willing to help a young gal by backing her truck for her. :lol: :lol:

I have no doubt that you will do just fine all by yourself! ;-)
 
Well thanks for the vote of confidence --- but I'll probably still let someone else back it up. :lol: See, I can count on one hand the number of times I've driven a truck with trailer. I don't have a lot of experience with trailers. Or any vehicles, for that matter. It wasn't that long ago that I got my driver's license. And you shoulda seen how proud I was of myself when I finally learned how to drive with a stick-shift. LOL! And, that WAS only this summer. :p

I can back a trailer, but I don't do it under pressure or when I have a lot of folks standing around watching. LOL. That's when I let someone else drive. ;-)
 
milkmaid":1jr9uelz said:
Well thanks for the vote of confidence --- but I'll probably still let someone else back it up. :lol: See, I can count on one hand the number of times I've driven a truck with trailer. I don't have a lot of experience with trailers. Or any vehicles, for that matter. It wasn't that long ago that I got my driver's license. And you shoulda seen how proud I was of myself when I finally learned how to drive with a stick-shift. LOL! And, that WAS only this summer. :p

I can back a trailer, but I don't do it under pressure or when I have a lot of folks standing around watching. LOL. That's when I let someone else drive. ;-)

I can understand where you are coming from. But if no one is available, just ignore them, take a deep breath, and pretend like you're backing up to your chute at home. I'm not going to say there is nothing to it, but I absolutely believe you are up for it! ;-)
 
milkmaid":1zllfyt1 said:
The other thing that worries me is having to back the truck and trailer to unload the calves. LOL! Of all things to be concerned about.

You need to find a better stockyard!!! We would be there all day waiting for everybody to back their trailers to the gate. We have drive through. You drive your truck through the gate, somebody shuts the gate and lets the calves out, then drives them into the next pen, you drive your truck out of the way, they open the gate for the next truck and trailer, you get out and make sure the taggers get everything right on the ticket, get your ticket and then drive on to the parking area or back to the house.
 

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