Sale Barn Question

[sewall]

I read in some recent posts that if you wean calves before they go to the sale barn, you can get a better price. My question is how do the buyers know that the calves have already been weaned. At our local sale barn you just take the cattle in there and unload. They don't ask questions. Should I tell them that they are weaned or is this just a stupid question.

 

[Beefy]

at the one here you can have them announce whatever you want told about the cows when they start coming in the ring.

buyers know what they are doing. they can observe a pen of calves and tell the ones that are bawling for mom versus the ones that are preconditioned.

 

[dun]

The best way is to sell them at the special sales that most barns have periodically for weaned and vacinated calves

 

[sewall]

Yes it is called preconditioning. Alot of sale barns have those sales now. They want calves that have had all their vaccinations and have been broke to a feed bunk and water tank and weaned for at least 45 days.

What vaccinations do you usually administer to weaned calves?

 

[rockridgecattle]

we vaccinate every animal
May prebreeding the cows get IBR BVD etc for fetal protection
Bulls get at breeding evaluations
Calves get there first round of shots

three weeks minimum prior to weaning calves get their boosters
as well there is the dewormer

 

[Jogeephus]

Here, they care but don't. Since some people will lie, all the calves are probably going to be reworked anyway. A calf that has been pulled off the teet is fairly easy to tell. Its the one that has lost its condition and looks scraggy by the time of its debut in the ring and is usually bawling. Even if you don't get a higher premium for the cattle from the buyer, I think the reduction in shrink would probably make up for the cost of preconditioning. (That's only my opinion and belief and sure somebody has some stats and is going eat me up on this )

 

[backhoeboogie]

I buy from the sale barn. I assume the worst for everything boguht. If the man doing all the talking for his animals is trying hard to sell them, I don't bid. Quick honest facts and I might be in.

 

[mnmtranching]

I don't know? But if I were buying a bunch of calves to feed, I wouldn't take a chance. Vaccinations are far from 100% anyway.
Unless the buyer knows for sure I bet calves are for the most part re vaccinated.

At the feeder sales up here there are a lot of bawling calves, especially in Oct-Nov. Buyers do pay a little more for the weaned calves. Many ranchers separate and haul em to town.