Lightweights bust thru 4 bucks!

[Dave]

Calves under 300 pounds are rare as hens teeth here. Anything that small is sold by the head. Do the math on them and they are lucky to bring $2.00 a pound. 3 weights are not real popular unless they are big 3's. Grazing a calf that small just doesn't sound like a good idea to me. You are going to have to feed them. And even if they are on grass if you are feeding them ........ well the growth you are getting is from feeding not the grazing.

 

[Silver]

Calves under 300 pounds are rare as hens teeth here. Anything that small is sold by the head. Do the math on them and they are lucky to bring $2.00 a pound. 3 weights are not real popular unless they are big 3's. Grazing a calf that small just doesn't sound like a good idea to me. You are going to have to feed them. And even if they are on grass if you are feeding them ........ well the growth you are getting is from feeding not the grazing.

When I see those peewee's selling I always wonder about the outfit they come from. Under what circumstances does it make sense to sell at that weight? It's not that they are all 'one off's', there are often several from the same consignor. Who makes money selling 3 weights?

 

[MurraysMutts]

Calves under 300 pounds are rare as hens teeth here. Anything that small is sold by the head. Do the math on them and they are lucky to bring $2.00 a pound. 3 weights are not real popular unless they are big 3's. Grazing a calf that small just doesn't sound like a good idea to me. You are going to have to feed them. And even if they are on grass if you are feeding them ........ well the growth you are getting is from feeding not the grazing.

They used to be a buck a lb! Sometimes as cheap as 50 cents. I used to love buying those and feeding them a lil bit til grass came on

When I see those peewee's selling I always wonder about the outfit they come from. Under what circumstances does it make sense to sell at that weight? It's not that they are all 'one off's', there are often several from the same consignor. Who makes money selling 3 weights?

These were all split off older cows that came off wheat pasture. They sold a bunch of nice pairs as well. Younger pairs. But there was probly 75 or so that they split.

 

[Brute 23]

That would be my guess also. They got split from a cow.

 

[Silver]

I don't understand what circumstances would lead to splitting a pair at that stage. Maybe poor grass management and or drought? Seems like a good way to go broke.

 

[WFfarm]

Calves under 300 pounds are rare as hens teeth here. Anything that small is sold by the head. Do the math on them and they are lucky to bring $2.00 a pound. 3 weights are not real popular unless they are big 3's. Grazing a calf that small just doesn't sound like a good idea to me. You are going to have to feed them. And even if they are on grass if you are feeding them ........ well the growth you are getting is from feeding not the grazing.

350 lb calves around us will bring top dollar amount at most feeder sales. I think there are enough small hobby farms and Amish that will buy them.

 

[MurraysMutts]

I don't understand what circumstances would lead to splitting a pair at that stage. Maybe poor grass management and or drought? Seems like a good way to go broke.

Around here, an old fat cow, coming off wheat pasture is bringing real good money.
And the price of those calves is crazy high as well.

The seller gets the most money splitting them up more often than not.

Most of these old bred cows were bought cheap at the start of winter and put on wheat to get some condition on.

 

[Silver]

Around here, an old fat cow, coming off wheat pasture is bringing real good money.
And the price of those calves is crazy high as well.

The seller gets the most money splitting them up more often than not.

Most of these old bred cows were bought cheap at the start of winter and put on wheat to get some condition on.

Thanks Murray. That's not something that happens here.

 

[MurraysMutts]

Thanks Murray. That's not something that happens here.

I don't think it's normal here either. But last fall/winter calves went thru the roof! And supplies of grazing calves were somewhat scarce. So folks that normally wheat graze calves to put weight on em, starting buying skinny bred cows for a song. Old ones, young ones. Whatever they could get.

And here we are....

Edited to add, market report is up.
Lookit them lil calves GO!
And fat cows too!

 

[Brute 23]

Thanks Murray. That's not something that happens here.

Down here there are not a lot of calving seasons and there are quite a few cattle that kind of just free range on properties. When people go to catch cattle they catch a range. They aren't going to come back in 2 or 3 months and do it again.

For living here all my life, I am still amazed when I go to the AB what comes through there. The one that always gets me is the amount of intact, yearling, maverick type bulls. I sat today for a while and there were a lot of 3-400 calves. Issaume people want the cash and are trying to get them off the cows since we got a little rain.

 

[MurraysMutts]

Down here there are not a lot of calving seasons and there are quite a few cattle that kind of just free range on properties. When people go to catch cattle they catch a range. They aren't going to come back in 2 or 3 months and do it again.

For living here all my life, I am still amazed when I go to the AB what comes through there. The one that always gets me is the amount of intact, yearling, maverick type bulls. I sat today for a while and there were a lot of 3-400 calves. Issaume people want the cash and are trying to get them off the cows since we got a little rain.

It makes a lot of sense to me to get them calves sold. Especially when they are bringing what 4 and 5 weights bring. Which is where a lot of folks sell anyway.

When in a drought, the less head you have grazing valuable forage MIGHT ALLOW you to keep your best cows.

 

[Brute 23]

It makes a lot of sense to me to get them calves sold. Especially when they are bringing what 4 and 5 weights bring. Which is where a lot of folks sell anyway.

When in a drought, the less head you have grazing valuable forage MIGHT ALLOW you to keep your best cows.

I agree. It's essentially what we did but we put them on feed. Not every one has that option though.

 

[MurraysMutts]

There is a highlight video up on their page now. Notice the 505lb calves that sold before them. Not that many more dollars for 200lbs of gain!

 

[kenny thomas]

I gave 3.14 for some 407 lb weaned black steers today. Im happy

 

[elkwc]

The heifer developers who sell heifer pairs are driving the calf market up in this area. Saw a picture of where a nice 110 lb calf brought $8.10 a lb split off an old cow. Have heard of several bringing $850.00-$950.00. Fortunately we haven't lost any calves yet. Last spring we lost a calf and sold the heifer. I doubt I will pay that price if we lose a calf. Those selling heifer pairs say they have to have pairs too sell them so will pay a premium for a good healthy calf.

 

[Hpacres440p]

The heifer developers who sell heifer pairs are driving the calf market up in this area. Saw a picture of where a nice 110 lb calf brought $8.10 a lb split off an old cow. Have heard of several bringing $850.00-$950.00. Fortunately we haven't lost any calves yet. Last spring we lost a calf and sold the heifer. I doubt I will pay that price if we lose a calf. Those selling heifer pairs say they have to have pairs too sell them so will pay a premium for a good healthy calf.

Are they pairing calves with heifers that lost their own calf?

 

[ClinchValley86]

Down here there are not a lot of calving seasons and there are quite a few cattle that kind of just free range on properties. When people go to catch cattle they catch a range. They aren't going to come back in 2 or 3 months and do it again.

For living here all my life, I am still amazed when I go to the AB what comes through there. The one that always gets me is the amount of intact, yearling, maverick type bulls. I sat today for a while and there were a lot of 3-400 calves. Issaume people want the cash and are trying to get them off the cows since we got a little rain.

I saw the same thing yesterday. And very few had been worked whatsoever.