Sex, Lot Size, Color Still Lead

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Sex, Lot Size, Color Still Lead Auction Value
Even as price spreads widen for same-class, same-weight cattle at the same sale, and as the industry further segregates types and brands, basic points of differentiation continue to be worth the most.

As part of a three-state auction market study, Extension beef specialists from the Dakotas and Montana evaluated premiums paid in those states across auction sales for three consecutive weeks (beginning the last week in October 2006).

All told, data was collected on 68,475 calves (6,251 lots). The average weight was 520 lbs.

As you might suspect, calves selling in the smallest lot size (five head or fewer) were worth the least on a hundredweight (cwt.) basis. Calves sold in lot sizes of 21 head or more commanded $6.20/cwt. more than those small lots. Lot sizes of 6-10 head and 11-20 head came in at $4.22/cwt. and $4.31/cwt. more than the small lots, respectively.

Also as you might suspect, steers brought the most -- $9.78/cwt. more than heifers.

Likewise, black and black whiteface calves brought the most money of any color -- $3.48/cwt. more than white calves, $2.98/cwt. more than red and red whiteface; $2.25/cwt. more than mixed-color sets.

The study also underscored the health premium available to calves. In this study, calves with a vaccination history sold for as much as $2.50/cwt. more (four-way viral) than unvaccinated ones. That mirrors the $14.58 (basis six-weight steer) per head premium these same researchers found with Montana Beef Network calves -- VAC-34 and VAC-45 -- selling through specific Superior Video Sales. You can find a report on that study in the Nov. 13 issue of BEEF Stocker Trends.

Incidentally, in the auction study, natural calves brought $1.55/cwt. more than conventional calves.

 

[usernametaken]

Sex, Lot Size, Color Still Lead Auction Value
Even as price spreads widen for same-class, same-weight cattle at the same sale, and as the industry further segregates types and brands, basic points of differentiation continue to be worth the most.

As part of a three-state auction market study, Extension beef specialists from the Dakotas and Montana evaluated premiums paid in those states across auction sales for three consecutive weeks (beginning the last week in October 2006).

All told, data was collected on 68,475 calves (6,251 lots). The average weight was 520 lbs.

As you might suspect, calves selling in the smallest lot size (five head or fewer) were worth the least on a hundredweight (cwt.) basis. Calves sold in lot sizes of 21 head or more commanded $6.20/cwt. more than those small lots. Lot sizes of 6-10 head and 11-20 head came in at $4.22/cwt. and $4.31/cwt. more than the small lots, respectively.

Also as you might suspect, steers brought the most -- $9.78/cwt. more than heifers.

Likewise, black and black whiteface calves brought the most money of any color -- $3.48/cwt. more than white calves, $2.98/cwt. more than red and red whiteface; $2.25/cwt. more than mixed-color sets.

The study also underscored the health premium available to calves. In this study, calves with a vaccination history sold for as much as $2.50/cwt. more (four-way viral) than unvaccinated ones. That mirrors the $14.58 (basis six-weight steer) per head premium these same researchers found with Montana Beef Network calves -- VAC-34 and VAC-45 -- selling through specific Superior Video Sales. You can find a report on that study in the Nov. 13 issue of BEEF Stocker Trends.

Incidentally, in the auction study, natural calves brought $1.55/cwt. more than conventional calves.

Jeanne, Thanks for the article. What does it mean by conventional vs natural calves ?

 

[IluvABbeef]

Sex, Lot Size, Color Still Lead Auction Value
Even as price spreads widen for same-class, same-weight cattle at the same sale, and as the industry further segregates types and brands, basic points of differentiation continue to be worth the most.

As part of a three-state auction market study, Extension beef specialists from the Dakotas and Montana evaluated premiums paid in those states across auction sales for three consecutive weeks (beginning the last week in October 2006).

All told, data was collected on 68,475 calves (6,251 lots). The average weight was 520 lbs.

As you might suspect, calves selling in the smallest lot size (five head or fewer) were worth the least on a hundredweight (cwt.) basis. Calves sold in lot sizes of 21 head or more commanded $6.20/cwt. more than those small lots. Lot sizes of 6-10 head and 11-20 head came in at $4.22/cwt. and $4.31/cwt. more than the small lots, respectively.

Also as you might suspect, steers brought the most -- $9.78/cwt. more than heifers.

Likewise, black and black whiteface calves brought the most money of any color -- $3.48/cwt. more than white calves, $2.98/cwt. more than red and red whiteface; $2.25/cwt. more than mixed-color sets.

The study also underscored the health premium available to calves. In this study, calves with a vaccination history sold for as much as $2.50/cwt. more (four-way viral) than unvaccinated ones. That mirrors the $14.58 (basis six-weight steer) per head premium these same researchers found with Montana Beef Network calves -- VAC-34 and VAC-45 -- selling through specific Superior Video Sales. You can find a report on that study in the Nov. 13 issue of BEEF Stocker Trends.

Incidentally, in the auction study, natural calves brought $1.55/cwt. more than conventional calves.

Jeanne, Thanks for the article. What does it mean by conventional vs natural calves ?

I'm not Jeanne, but conventional would most likely mean the grain-fed type and natural as grass-fed.

 

[usernametaken]

[Incidentally, in the auction study, natural calves brought $1.55/cwt. more than conventional calves.

Jeanne, Thanks for the article. What does it mean by conventional vs natural calves ?[/quote]

I'm not Jeanne, but conventional would most likely mean the grain-fed type and natural as grass-fed.[/quote]

Thanks, that is what I was thinking but the first time I've heard that they were bringing more in the market.

 

[Jogeephus]

Could possibly mean grain fattened or creep fed calves prior to the sale. They will dock you here for that cause they want to add the fat to themselves. Here they prefer to buy a healthy calf that they know they can put some easy weight on. That's how it works here anyway.

 

[Frankie]

Not Jeanne either, but I think "natural" means no growth hormones or antibiotics. As opposed to "grass fed" which, in some places, means no grain.

 

[dun]

Natural calvs are those that the producer certifies as not having implants or antibiotics. You don;t normally run into them at the weekly salebarn sale. They are generally sold in specific sales that deal with value added calves. Value added includes but isn;t limited to being bunk broke, vaccinated, weaned X number of days, process/source verified, etc.

 

[usernametaken]

Natural calvs are those that the producer certifies as not having implants or antibiotics. You don;t normally run into them at the weekly salebarn sale. They are generally sold in specific sales that deal with value added calves. Value added includes but isn;t limited to being bunk broke, vaccinated, weaned X number of days, process/source verified, etc.

What is bunk broke ?

 

[IluvABbeef]

Natural calvs are those that the producer certifies as not having implants or antibiotics. You don;t normally run into them at the weekly salebarn sale. They are generally sold in specific sales that deal with value added calves. Value added includes but isn;t limited to being bunk broke, vaccinated, weaned X number of days, process/source verified, etc.

What is bunk broke ?

When cattle are taught (some way or other) that the only place they're gonna (and CAN) eat is out of a feedbunk.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Some feedlot programs offer to feed out the calves as either conventional (normal feedlot grain/implant, rumensen, antibiotics if they get sick) - or natural - grain, but no implant, rumensen or antibiotics. If they get sick & need treatment of antibiotics they get switched over into the conv program.
At least, that's how the Cornell feedlot program handles them.
Being "natural" has nothing to do with being grass fed - although grass fed calves can also be "natural".

 

[usernametaken]

Thanks for the explanations !