Selling a slaughter bull?

[tom4018]

Would this week be a bad time to sell a slaughter bull? The closest sale to me is Tuesday and was wondering how the holiday might affect price. Would it be better to wait until the first sale of December?

 

[certherfbeef]

I don't know about your location but the week of gun season is a BAD time to sell cattle. There is half the # of buyers at the sale and prices plumit. But our sale is pretty small too.

 

[la4angus]

Definitely wait until early Dec.

 

[dj]

tom4018 can you let us know if sale was down or up?
_____________________________
what about cow/calf sales on Dec 20? wait till holidays are over? like say around apr/may?

 

[tom4018]

Sold bull this past Tuesday, 2180 lbs. for .47, they were down according to a friend that was at most of the local sales. Slightly disappointed.

 

[fitz]

Big Bull.

fitz.

 

[Aero]

was that the bull in the avatar?

 

[la4angus]

what about cow/calf sales on Dec 20? wait till holidays are over? like say around apr/may?

Wait till after the holidays are over if you are wanting to sell. If buying, buy before holidays.

 

[tom4018]

was that the bull in the avatar?

Yes.

 

[preston39]

tom...,
You have a pm.

 

[Texan]

Tom, with all the access we have to market news these days, there's never a reason to be surprised at what something brings. I would encourage you to do enough research to know in advance what your cattle will bring. You never have to go to a sale. You can do it all from the comfort of home or office.

Here is a link to the Kentucky Weekly Livestock Summary:

http://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/SV_LS145.txt


This link will carry you to the Market News Livestock Report index. Just scroll down to Kentucky, and find a market near you:

http://www.ams.usda.gov/lsmnpubs/Live.htm

 

[tom4018]

Tom, with all the access we have to market news these days, there's never a reason to be surprised at what something brings. I would encourage you to do enough research to know in advance what your cattle will bring. You never have to go to a sale. You can do it all from the comfort of home or office.

Here is a link to the Kentucky Weekly Livestock Summary:

http://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/SV_LS145.txt


This link will carry you to the Market News Livestock Report index. Just scroll down to Kentucky, and find a market near you:

http://www.ams.usda.gov/lsmnpubs/Live.htm

Been there done that. Bulls did not bring what was reported at our local sales. Maybe 2 or 3 brought the reported price but the others went lower. I look at the reports all the time, feel that our tax money is not used properly because market owners influence them.

 

[Texan]

Been there done that. Bulls did not bring what was reported at our local sales. Maybe 2 or 3 brought the reported price but the others went lower.

Many times, when slaughter bulls don't bring what the market quotes stated, you can trace it back to excess fill. Not always, but in many cases. If you want a packer bull to bring top dollar, hold him off hay and water beginning the night before sale. That's what I do with mine.

 

[Texan]

I look at the reports all the time, feel that our tax money is not used properly because market owners influence them.

How do they do that?

 

[la4angus]

I look at the reports all the time, feel that our tax money is not used properly because market owners influence them.

How do they do that?

Texan, I would like to know that too.

 

[ollie']

Been there done that. Bulls did not bring what was reported at our local sales. Maybe 2 or 3 brought the reported price but the others went lower.

Many times, when slaughter bulls don't bring what the market quotes stated, you can trace it back to excess fill. Not always, but in many cases. If you want a packer bull to bring top dollar, hold him off hay and water beginning the night before sale. That's what I do with mine.

Or..... more commonly at my barn, lack of muscle. Thin necked bulls with no masculinity won't touch the top of the market.

 

[Texan]

Or..... more commonly at my barn, lack of muscle. Thin necked bulls with no masculinity won't touch the top of the market.

Right, ollie. Either way, it comes down to the simple fact that poor yield will never top a market.

 

[tom4018]

Have heard one of the managers state he was friends with the reporter. Several peolpe in this area feel the reports are not correct.

 

[la4angus]

Most of the auction owners and/or mgrs. are friends with the state and/or USDA reporters. No big deal in that.