Sold Calves Thursday

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FlyingLSimmentals

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Knew prices were low and have been falling didn't expect it to be as low as it was though. We're happy to have them out of the way and able to conserve more hay. Hard to watch the auctioneer beg for bids trying to find a starting point. Sold a 600 lb. red bull October the 29th, 2015 for 168.50 per lb. Now here in less than 2 months a 590 lb. black bull brought us 146.50 per lb. Hard to believe they've fallen so quickly.

Sold 10 hd.
3 Black Bulls weighing 590, 560, and 530 for 146.50 per lb.
2 Red Bulls & 1 Black Bull weighing together at 1,700 lbs. brought 143.50 per lb. each.
1 Black Bull weighing 500 lbs. brought 134.00 per lb.
1 Black Heifer weighing 570 lbs. brought 132.75 per lb.
1 Black Heifer weighing 420 lbs. brought 160.00 per lb.
1 Black Heifer weighing 485 lbs. brought 147.50 per lb.
Hope this free fall begins to slow soon, hopefully by Spring anyway. Did retain 6 heifers and 1 bull at least they aren't getting them for those prices. Anyway I've seen worse prices but it's hard to not be disappointed and to not complain a bit after going through those nice prices this last year. Feed and hay hasn't came down much here and the grocery or fast food restaurant isn't dropping their beef prices. Well now I've got the complaining out for a while, hope everyone is having a nice day.
 
Did retain 6 heifers and 1 bull at least they aren't getting them for those prices.

The prices might be even lower by then :hide: Hopefully this is the bottom, and it'll be all
peaches and cream next spring.
 
I ran 6 over to Guthrie Thursday myself. Stripped them off the cow, and took them straight over. I would normally wean them, but I felt like they'd be worth less in a month. All weighed well over 600, and the check hadn't came yet. Be glad to see how bad it was.
 
Sent a five yr old open cow in good shape to the Kinder sale Monday. Nothing wrong with her except she was horned and I didn't want to deal with her. I was shocked when I got the check yesterday. Weighed 1110 # and went for .74 #. Would not have shipped her if I even thought the price would be that low.
 
I believe last week's prices left a lot of us in shock. I am thankful that I saved nine or ten that were not quite big enough. I did save some heifers in the spring that I wish now I had sold. I kept telling my husband to sell while they are high and keep some when they are lower. Now I think he sees what I meant.
 
FlyingLSimmentals":1xfchofa said:
Knew prices were low and have been falling didn't expect it to be as low as it was though. We're happy to have them out of the way and able to conserve more hay. Hard to watch the auctioneer beg for bids trying to find a starting point. Sold a 600 lb. red bull October the 29th, 2015 for 168.50 per lb. Now here in less than 2 months a 590 lb. black bull brought us 146.50 per lb. Hard to believe they've fallen so quickly.

Sold 10 hd.
3 Black Bulls weighing 590, 560, and 530 for 146.50 per lb.
2 Red Bulls & 1 Black Bull weighing together at 1,700 lbs. brought 143.50 per lb. each.
1 Black Bull weighing 500 lbs. brought 134.00 per lb.
1 Black Heifer weighing 570 lbs. brought 132.75 per lb.
1 Black Heifer weighing 420 lbs. brought 160.00 per lb.
1 Black Heifer weighing 485 lbs. brought 147.50 per lb.
Hope this free fall begins to slow soon, hopefully by Spring anyway. Did retain 6 heifers and 1 bull at least they aren't getting them for those prices. Anyway I've seen worse prices but it's hard to not be disappointed and to not complain a bit after going through those nice prices this last year. Feed and hay hasn't came down much here and the grocery or fast food restaurant isn't dropping their beef prices. Well now I've got the complaining out for a while, hope everyone is having a nice day.

I noticed that to. When they are cheap nobody wants them and when they are high, bids galore. I waited and bought 25 nice heifers for and average under $1.40 weighing around 600. I am glad I didn't buy a bunch of pampered $3000 heifers as it was very tempting.
 
so you're saying now is a bad time to sell.....

I have to decide whether to take a couple to the sale barn tonight or not, don't see how prices could improve a whole lot but what do I know
 
I don't know....but I try to avoid selling in December. Especially this late. If I do it would be first week of. Most always seems prices are soft this late in the month.
 
jan last year skyrocketed prices. i believe they will go up again in jan.
 
I will hold a while longer then, had to go to my kids school thing last night I forgot about or I would have had them on the trailer.

I just have a feeling the economy is going to drop off next year, of course, I've been thinking that for a while though, yet I see brand new 40-50k trucks everywhere I look?
 
Kell-inKY":3h77cvru said:
I will hold a while longer then, had to go to my kids school thing last night I forgot about or I would have had them on the trailer.

I just have a feeling the economy is going to drop off next year, of course, I've been thinking that for a while though, yet I see brand new 40-50k trucks everywhere I look?

Really hard to gauge what's going on. The stock market is all over the place day to day. Even the experts are at a loss. Too many inconsistencies worldwide to get a pulse, but I'm with you Kell, upcoming year has me concerned for sure.
 
Williamsv":3s4badhi said:
sell while they are high and keep some when they are lower.

I did not sell enough while they were high, but I am loading up potential replacements now. Local heifer discount is 25 to 40 cents behind steers... Five weights were $1.25 to $1.40 last week.
 
... Five weights were $1.25 to $1.40 last week.[/quote said:
That's awful, could just as well hold on to them if a guys going to give them away. Does anyone auction their calves but place a minimum bid prior to the auction or is that frowned upon?

Also this might ruffle some feathers (like when I asked years ago how many cows guys were running to see what the average herd size was) but what do people have in mind as their break even price? I figure if they average #650, my break even is right around $1.40-$1.45 because of the rising costs over the last 3 years.
 
Here, the only way to take your cattle home is be the last bidder. If it's blended with a group, you gotta take the group.

I'm getting my taxes forecasted in a few days. I was going to play with numbers and see where break even is. Cost me about $400 per cow last year to carry one the whole year.
 

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