Screw Worms & Prices

[farmerjan]

Prices were up this week here....sure wish we had some ready to go. Makes me ponder trailer weaning at those prices.

Thanks for the list. Our heifers brought in the range... better than commons, and maybe the low end of the #1's and #2's... but again... no lines, no waiting, no commission and not having to be at the sale all afternoon.
Like @kenny thomas , if we take stuff to the stockyards, we stay to see things sold... Exception might be some cull/pound cows that are getting sold regardless...
There were alot of things going on yesterday and staying just was not practical, but we were thinking with the slight uptick in prices, it would be a good time to get a group off the "grocery bill".... and this buyer we have known for years and years... and they are getting bigger and sending more cattle off and has been quoting prices right near what the average has been at the stockyard...
It will be interesting to see the published results of the sale when they post it... usually on Monday.
I am not unhappy... might have made a little more at the sale and might not have...
And we have about 40 more to wean off and bring home so it is good there are a few less... ESPECIALLY getting rid of the NUTTY acting ones...

 

[Dave]

Things weren't as high as some are reporting. But I did see some 5 weight steers bring $3.80. And 5 weight heifers were over $3. And that wasn't for singles. That was on ring loads with a total weight of 25,000-26,000 pounds.

 

[Dave]

Does this mean pound cows are up as well? I was planning to start shoppong this weekend.

The report from Vale said kill cows were up 5 to 7 cents. I haven't stuck around to watch kill cows sell.

 

[Brute 23]

The report is still not out from yesterday. They must have had a big sale.

It's quite the conundrum to hold or dump. LoL

 

[Dave]

La Grande had over 3,400 on Thursday. Their report on kill cows has them at, high yield $1.12 -$1.33, and low Yield at $0.88 - $1.11

 

[farmerjan]

La Grande had over 3,400 on Thursday. Their report on kill cows has them at, high yield $1.12 -$1.33, and low Yield at $0.88 - $1.11

That's the range they are bringing here too... maybe not hitting the 1.33 but certainly have actually watched some bring 1.20's a couple weeks ago...

 

[kenny thomas]

Farmerjan, the 6wt heifers
here yesterday were up to 2.45 but averaged 237.12 so you done great compared to here.

 

[kenny thomas]

Either way this Saturday im selling the 14 weaned calves i have.

Im pretty happy with how my calves sold yesterday. Highest was 4 440 lb steers brought 3.30. I had give around $2.10 average for them in August weighing 310.
$801 each before expenses. Probably $200 expenses. Anyway im happy they are gone.

 

[kenny thomas]

For those of you in the west and TX this seems cheap. Its very good for the east.

 

[farmerjan]

@kenny thomas sounds like the steers did good... like you said, gone and off the feeding routine... especially if it gets back to the cold we were having. Warming here today... and then some much needed rain forecast. Mon-Tues.

Good to know that we made a good decision on our heifers. Sounds like they are doing about the same there, so I am even happier that they are gone. Might seriously want to think about sending another group....One bunch will weigh heavier, but have about 15-20 that will probably weigh under 6.... they are already weaned... good hard calves. Then there are all the ones out to pasture ready to come home and get weaned.

Getting the new fencing up slowly... I need to go "nail it off" on one stretch... already did a 400 ft stretch of new wire... 13 horizontals on this heavier stay tuff fencing he put up since it is a fence that gets alot of pressure there at the barn lots... Next one is ready for me to do. I have had a bad cold for nearly 2 weeks, plus it was miserable cold here for the last week. I go and spend about 2 hours... get about half way then I have had all that this shoulder can take... Son hits about 2 staples per post when he stretches it and then I go and finish stapling it off... posts are every 8 ft here since this is where we do all the weaning, separating, holding cattle for sorting, sell cattle etc. 10-11 staples per post... he says he is doing this once and he is doing it right. So it takes me 2 trips to do one stretch...
Can't complain about the free labor so he just tells me what he has finished.
Driving posts has been a miserable job with the hard dry ground... we are now in Moderate drought stage... so really really dry. They start to drill holes then drive... and all posts are sharpened to help with the driving.

 

[Dave]

For those of you in the west and TX this seems cheap. Its very good for the east.

That $3.30 for 440 pound steers falls within the price range for the "bulk" of steers that size at Vale on Wednesday. They report the price range at $3.20 - $3.82. Those steers were higher the next day at La Grande. Their report has the bulk at $3.52 - $3.88. Jan's $2.37 heifers fall within the bulk at La Grande ($2.24 - $2.57) and a touch below it at Vale the previous day ($2.40 - $2.74).
So you aren't too far off prices here in the far west.

 

[Brute 23]

For those of you in the west and TX this seems cheap. Its very good for the east.

There is a huge spread on the prices right now. It's kind of hard to believe.

There is around 1$ difference from tops to avg around that size.

 

[ClinchValley86]

There is a huge spread on the prices right now. It's kind of hard to believe.

There is around 1$ difference from tops to avg around that size.
View attachment 52014

For sure hard to believe. What are quality heifers doing out yalls way? 500 to 600 pounds.

 

[Brute 23]

For sure hard to believe. What are quality heifers doing out yalls way? 500 to 600 pounds.

They are running real close.

 

[Lucky]

There is a huge spread on the prices right now. It's kind of hard to believe.

There is around 1$ difference from tops to avg around that size.
View attachment 52014

Lower prices are probably Corriente cattle. Some folks still think they are a good idea.

 

[kenny thomas]

Lower prices are probably Corriente cattle. Some folks still think they are a good idea.

Remember someone said if they are black the buyers cant tell the difference.

 

[mwj]

It is a day well spent watching a good cattle buyer. It can make you think long and hard about what you can not see or just ignore. You will not last long buying hype.

 

[kenny thomas]

It is a day well spent watching a good cattle buyer. It can make you think long and hard about what you can not see or just ignore. You will not last long buying hype.

I hear people saying, well my calf brought .20lb less than Bill. Must be an inside deal. Well yes, its what's inside the calfs hide.

 

[Dave]

Here they will run in 20-30 calves together. Within a few seconds a buyer will be saying one out. I will be trying to figure out which one it is. Some times I will spot it. Some times I don't. However I am not nearly as fast about spotting it as the buyers are. But once they run the ones they bought out of the ring leaving the one they didn't want in the ring by its self I can see why.

Remember someone said if they are black the buyers cant tell the difference.

In this area if you can't tell the difference you would be looking for a new job real soon.