Load lot receiving pens (size and material)

[Stocker Steve]

The 24' portable pipe free standing panels are all the rage here. If your trap is too big for that I think the choices are hog wire or high tensile.
Calf run is seasonal here, so are most of the back grounding yards. So you are going interstate if you want/need year round flow. I think, in theory, you would want to ship back grounded calves north west in the spring, and south in the winter.
So is the main goal for "load lot" shipping savings?

 

[RanchMan90]

The 24' portable pipe free standing panels are all the rage here. If your trap is too big for that I think the choices are hog wire or high tensile.
Calf run is seasonal here, so are most of the back grounding yards. So you are going interstate if you want/need year round flow. I think, in theory, you would want to ship back grounded calves north west in the spring, and south in the winter.
So is the main goal for "load lot" shipping savings?

I suppose it would save on shipping as well. I would like to sell in load lots for potential premium price and easier marketing. If a man has 60-100 at a time they might as well match right?

 

[Stocker Steve]

If a man has 60-100 at a time they might as well match right?

Tried and failed. You probably have more uniform cattle down there.
Even if you are selective here when buying, they grow apart over time. Only ways around this, while still putting some weight on, with a reasonable number of head, would be to buy from 1 ranch or 1 breeding program.
I like to make money when I buy, so I went back to buying the discount and re sorting later.

 

[RanchMan90]

I can sit through about 5000 calves at auction a week within an hour of my house. I buy a high percentage of singles to lower my buy average and match some groups I buy. I also feed quite a bit to make gains more predictable. Put together grass cattle turn out stair stepped across the back a lot. The only thing with buying discount cattle is they sell at a discount and lower your value of gain. What's your logic on discount cattle Steve?

 

[Stocker Steve]

Upgrade always, market & timing arbitrage usually, high turns sometimes.

 

[RanchMan90]

Upgrade always, market & timing arbitrage usually, high turns sometimes.

I hear ya.Buying horned cattle and bull calves to upgrade? The target sell timing being February for wheat graze out, may for grass cattle, Aug 15 for feeder cattle, and Thanksgiving for wheat cattle. What about buy timing?

 

[Stocker Steve]

What about buy timing?

We are very seasonal. Back when things were more normal calf n kill cow prices bottomed in November, bred cow prices bottomed in mid December. I bought discounted calves last Nov and did really well selling groups in Jan. You can not do that year round here.

I think market arbitrage pays off more often and thus the need to go inter state. I tried to buy some local MN calves this November and my main competitor was from SD... He knew what they were worth there and was putting together loads. I have a friend in mid south who making a living buying bulls out of the SE and selling steers into Iowa and Neb.. :cowboy:

 

[RanchMan90]

I like 5-550 best. Getting high 4's to low 6's.

How long before those big bull calves start to gain weight after the cutting/dehorning/weaning stress?

 

[jedstivers]

I like 5-550 best. Getting high 4's to low 6's.

How long before those big bull calves start to gain weight after the cutting/dehorning/weaning stress?

Depends on the calf and the weather. I really never pay much attention to it. It varies so much I don't really think about it.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I did some weighing and figur'in in the past. Came up with a number that said you needed to buy light bulls $10 back to break even. Results might vary...