Retained Ownership

[Stocker Steve]

I just sold a potbelly of comingled steers at a local sales barn. The blacks and bwf sold the highest per pound. The (growthy) Charlois and a couple (shinny good doing) short tails sold the lowest per pound. It is always interesting on how color and appearance will effect price.

What is the downside on keeping the Charlois & short tails, and still selling the black feeders at a premium? I have always heard the feedlots are a break even business, but I am still interested in trying retained ownership of cattle I know well.

Any tips on selecting a midwest feedlot?

What is a typical minimum number of head they will want to place on feed? Thanks for the help.

 

[MikeC]

I just sold a potbelly of comingled steers at a local sales barn. The blacks and bwf sold the highest per pound. The (growthy) Charlois and a couple (shinny good doing) short tails sold the lowest per pound. It is always interesting on how color and appearance will effect price.

What is the downside on keeping the Charlois & short tails, and still selling the black feeders at a premium? I have always heard the feedlots are a break even business, but I am still interested in trying retained ownership of cattle I know well.

Any tips on selecting a midwest feedlot?

What is a typical minimum number of head they will want to place on feed? Thanks for the help.

Decatur County Feedyard in Kansas will take a minimum of 1.
I recommend them highly. They have many options available. They will co-op with you on your calves (in other words they will send you a check for 1/2 the value of your calves when they arrive) or have grid options. They will ultrasound, etc., and give you a fairly accurate projected finish date and value.
Call and ask for Dan Dorn.

 

[denoginnizer]

I just sold a potbelly of comingled steers at a local sales barn. The blacks and bwf sold the highest per pound. The (growthy) Charlois and a couple (shinny good doing) short tails sold the lowest per pound. It is always interesting on how color and appearance will effect price.

What is the downside on keeping the Charlois & short tails, and still selling the black feeders at a premium? I have always heard the feedlots are a break even business, but I am still interested in trying retained ownership of cattle I know well.

Any tips on selecting a midwest feedlot?

What is a typical minimum number of head they will want to place on feed? Thanks for the help.

Decatur County Feedyard in Kansas will take a minimum of 1.
I recommend them highly. They have many options available. They will co-op with you on your calves (in other words they will send you a check for 1/2 the value of your calves when they arrive) or have grid options. They will ultrasound, etc., and give you a fairly accurate projected finish date and value.
Call and ask for Dan Dorn.

What kind of profit would a person expect to make on putting calves on feed?

 

[Frankie]

I just sold a potbelly of comingled steers at a local sales barn. The blacks and bwf sold the highest per pound. The (growthy) Charlois and a couple (shinny good doing) short tails sold the lowest per pound. It is always interesting on how color and appearance will effect price.

What is the downside on keeping the Charlois & short tails, and still selling the black feeders at a premium? I have always heard the feedlots are a break even business, but I am still interested in trying retained ownership of cattle I know well.

Any tips on selecting a midwest feedlot?

What is a typical minimum number of head they will want to place on feed? Thanks for the help.

Talk to your extension people and see if Minnesota has a retained ownership program. There's a "nomination" fee to put calves in the OK Steer Feedout, but I think that's the only cost to the owner. After the calves are killed, all expenses are taken out of the check and the balance paid to the owner.

When we put some calves in the feedout program, years ago, they were recommending that owners sell their better calves at the sale barn and feed out the others.

We put calves into the retained ownership program because calf prices had gone through the floor. we did much better by retaining ownership. But there were several groups of calves in the program with ours that the owners would have been better off, financally, to have sold them at the sale barn. If they don't feed well or hang a good carcass, you can lose money.

I will tell you that it's a learning experience. ;-)

 

[ollie']

Finish them yourself Steve. Packerland buys them at Zumbrota all the time finished. You should be near to lots of corn.