Major price drop for calves since the June sale.

[ram]

Our fall born calves that we sold in June averaged $528.00 more than the spring born calves that we sold today. Still a good day at the sale barn, but it sure feels like we got screwed. A couple of our baldie steers led the way as far as price though. It's been over 2 years since our calves sold in the top of the market. A bull change can make a big difference in the price you receive for your calves.

 

[skyhightree1]

Yep it feels like you got robbed when they don't do as well as some had did.

 

[jltrent]

I was looking at cattle sale prices posted in the paper today. They are getting even cheaper and almost to the point of where they began when going up. Wonder if anything that went up because of cattle prices going up will come down also?

 

[mncowboy]

I'm with you, current January Future's put us back 40% on our up coming sale date in comparison to last January. We're looking to backwards some $650-$700 a head the year prior. I didn't expect a repeat of last year but I thought it'd be closer to that $1.85-$1.90 mark. Worst of it is, with the increasing costs over the past 4-5 years I'm getting real close to my break even at $1.49.

Wave your hand if you were the dip-shart who didn't purchase a market option last June because the year prior, your option was neutral. :wave: <- "me"

 

[ram]

Wonder if anything that went up because of cattle prices going up will come down also?[/quote]

I don't see the prices on anything coming down on the retail side. Just look at the price of scrap metal, it went from $.14lb to $.03lb and t-post and fencing materials have stayed the same. The best I can hope for is that the folks that are screwing me die a slow miserable death.

 

[jltrent]

Something tells me if prices aren't adjusted for some of the inflation on the retail side, sales will be down in the long run.

 

[Williamsv]

Calves I sold yesterday brought almost $400 less than the ones I sold a year ago. It hurts to see prices drop that much. Nothing that I purchase for my cows has dropped in price, if anything it is higher. I was advised to wait until this week to sell instead of last week and sure enough the price was down. I did get a big one that had missed the truck three or four times. My husband and I got all nine of them up by ourselves. The big one trusted us so I thought it was time we did it. I am pretty sore from a fall I got, but other than that we made it.
I still have nine or ten more that will be ready in February. Sure hope the price goes up before then.
There was only one cow and calf pair there, around 100 cows and close to 700 calves. More than the week before when they had a lot of cows and a little over 400 in all.
Did not see all cows sell, but the ones I saw looked bad and brought a very low price. Cow calf pair went for $1400.

 

[ram]

Mrs. Williamsv, that weather a week ago changed my mind. We got everyone caught and sorted and the rain came and just got worse. So I just turned them back out. My wife wasn't very happy with the price and gave Allen an ear full. She swears the low prices were because of the special cow and heifer sale tomorrow night.

 

[Williamsv]

I am upset too, because Allen told me the week before to wait till the next week and he thought prices would be better due to the bad weather in the west. Well, should have thought about that Breeder Sale Friday night, but failed to do so. I needed to get these on to the sale. I cannot look back now, but it does hurt. You can bet the prices will be high tomorrow night.
Tell your wife that she is not the only one upset. I could always talk to Roy and get better advice .
I sure do miss him.
Hope things will be better when our next ones get ready. I saved nine or ten that were not quite ready, but saw a lot of 225 pound ones sold for not so good prices. Mama always said it was a gamble every time she sent some. I am glad she got to see some really high prices before she passed away. I knew those prices were not here to stay, but did not expect them to go down so fast.

 

[Williamsv]

I even missed the honey roasted peanuts this time. Got dry roasted. Just wasn't my day!

 

[JMJ Farms]

In all fairness to Allen, he doesn't have a crystal ball anymore than the rest of us. I don't thing anybody really knows what is gonna happen with these prices. He would benefit from higher prices as would we. When cows are down so is his commission. So don't be too hard on him

 

[Tim/South]

No one anticipated a 1 billion dollar judgement against the U.S. by the WTO from the COOL controversy. That is what caused cash prices and futures to free fall.

 

[JMJ Farms]

Tim, where do you think the bottom is?

 

[Tim/South]

Tim, where do you think the bottom is?

Just my opinion.
I believe we have bottomed out and will slowly begin to recover. It may be March before we see where the dust settles. We are at our low selling point for the year anyway. The fall run is over and not as many cattle trade in January and February. Even with that, I feel prices will begin to inch up and by early spring we will be feeling better about calf prices.

 

[Son of Butch]

I bought 630 lb group for 1.75 thirty days ago $1102 hd
Today I saw good 850 weights sell for 1.31 or $1114 hd
doh!

 

[Son of Butch]

Did not see all cows sell, but the ones I saw looked bad and brought a very low price. Cow calf pair went for $1400.

I saw a craigslist cow/calf gem come through the sales barn yesterday. They had been advertised for $1900 on
craigslist ever since the calf was 3 days old for over 60 days. They sold for $1275 and I still wouldn't call it a deal.

 

[garyws]

Our fall born calves that we sold in June averaged $528.00 more than the spring born calves that we sold today. Still a good day at the sale barn, but it sure feels like we got screwed. A couple of our baldie steers led the way as far as price though. It's been over 2 years since our calves sold in the top of the market. A bull change can make a big difference in the price you receive for your calves.

I missed the location of the sale. Where did these cattle sell?

And only 1 sale June through November?