little more advice needed... selling calves.

[milkmaid]

I'm having trouble making up my mind... just looking for some advice.

Two black (holstein/angus) heifers, 500lbs now -- better to sell them now at this weight, or wait until April/May and sell at 700-800lbs? These type usually sell like straight beef calves. Average price in their weight class last week was about $1-$1.02/lb.

Two holstein heifers, evidently freemartins, 750lbs now -- better to sell now at this weight or wait another couple months and sell at 900lbs or more? When do these get to the point (weight-wise) that they sell like cull cows? Price for holstein steers at 700-1000lbs last week was $.55-.65/lb :shock:

Comments?

 

[cfpinz]

If it helps you out any, I took two really nice baldy heifers in today for a friend, averaged 870lbs each, brought 65 cents where as most in that weight class brought around 55-60 cents. I sold them to him as weanlings, planned on breeding them for him this winter, but he found out he has cancer and cannot take care of them. I would have loved to have bought them back but they had broken out and gone visiting with his neighbors, the risks outweighed the benefits to me.

For what it's worth, one could have picked up some nice bred cows at the sale today under $800, and a few average pairs went less than that. Most everyone is in my shape, no extra hay.

cfpinz

 

[Beef11]

Hey milkmaid!

I had some angus/holstein cows and i sure liked them. You might consider them for cows. They would make great recipients or just dang fine cows, if you run on irrigated pastures. I wish i could buy them from you. As far as market goes with rising corn prices heavy calves seem to hold their value better than smaller ones so keeping them to 8 or 9 weights isn't a bad idea. Unless fat calve prices plummet. I hope all is well for you?

 

[Jogeephus]

If I had the feed, I think I wait a bit longer. JMO

 

[milkmaid]

Hey Beef -- yep all is well over here. How about there?

As far as the feed situation -- the ground is covered in snow now; everything gets fed hay. I've got '06 alfalfa hay and '05 grass hay. The black heifers are on a nurse cow who I just sold, don't have to sell the calves but I have been planning on it for awhile.

OK, so I'm thinking it over and I think I'll hold onto the black heifers a little longer. So how about those holsteins? sell now or wait a little longer? I could put them on some $25/ton grass hay and sell them when the grass starts to grow (April/May).

 

[mnmtranching]

Yup, I think as long as you have feed, keep all until grass.

 

[bigbull338]

Yup, I think as long as you have feed, keep all until grass.

if you can get grass hay for $25 a ton id keep both sets of heifers till may.then sale them.the pair of angus crosses id sale as replacement beef heifers.

 

[Limomike]

http://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/KO_LS760.txt

 

[dieselbeef]

wow! you can get 800$ for yrling at the barn!!! wow!!!

sure aint florida. much over 400 lbs and its a tradeoff.
wieght vs price per lb/

seems like the sooner ya can sell em here the better. in fact it will be to youe advantage to sell them at arounf 250-300 lbs before theyre even weaned as you dont have any investment.
just dont seem right does it