Sold Some Calves at OKC Stockyards

[branxchar&charx]

Roundup was fun: One heifer just refused to go into the corral and a steer literally went through a couple panels, tearing off the hinges in the process. One cow shot way up on the potential cull list, will probably regret not putting her on the trailer with the calves.

We got the bare minimum of what i was expecting/wanting. Good sized calves. Of course, single, off colored brought noticeably lower. Got a video and a few pics.


View attachment 7273.mp4

 

[wbvs58]

Some handy calves but as you say being a bit mixed probably doesn't help the cause.

Ken

 

[MurraysMutts]

Everyone says okc does so much better, but I've not seen it.
The small guy, like me, I don't think the drive to okc is something that will benefit me.

Enid and Blackwell are becoming my favorite places to sell.
I like to buy a couple at other places.

Glad they brought enough for ya to be happy!

How many head they sell that day?
I bet it was a long day if ya stayed and watched.

 

[bird dog]

I'm not criticizing your animals but that is not the type that do well at OKC. They simply do mot have very many buyers for singles or small groups of mixed quality.
The groups sell on Monday, the singles the next day. The buyers up there are looking for long weaned, vaccinated, castrated, like kind calves that are ready to go on to feed or grass. Like everywhere it seems, they prefer black but good calves don't get the color discount that they do at other places.

 

[J+ Cattle]

Buyers prefer groups of like size, type and quality animals, that's why the commission company sorted off 4 head to sell the next day. They didn't fit into a grouping of 3 or more head to sell on Monday. Singles and cows sell on Tuesday.

I took some to OKC a week ago and they sold as a group (all Angus steers 719 lb avg., weaned and two rounds of shots) and they brought $1.55/lb, which was $0.11/lb more than the high end of the range for their weight class as compared to my local salebarn.
Unweaned, bawling and flighty calves don't bring as much. Your avg price per head ranged from $633 - $758, mine was $1114, can you see how much it's worth to wean and vaccinate? Wouldn't hurt to use a good Angus bull to turn them all black.

 

[branxchar&charx]

Everyone says okc does so much better, but I've not seen it.
The small guy, like me, I don't think the drive to okc is something that will benefit me.

Enid and Blackwell are becoming my favorite places to sell.
I like to buy a couple at other places.

Glad they brought enough for ya to be happy!

How many head they sell that day?
I bet it was a long day if ya stayed and watched.

Yea i heard that about OKC as well. We were originally going to take them to El Reno but with our schedules, we needed to sell some calves and we preferred they sell asap since they came right off the cow and OKC sold on Monday so thats where we went. Also knew they were going to hold a few back to sell the next day but that was fine. We're about equal distance to Fairview, Clinton and El Reno, so extra 20 miles to OKC wasn't bad.
I've been meaning to go to Enid to check it out sometime but havnt made it up there yet.
I'm satisfied with what they brought as was my brother in law and the bank. Obviously, going to get docked on unweaned, mixed calves but not everyone has the land to long wean calves.
I think they sold a bit over 8,000 head on Monday. I did not stay as i knew we'd have a few holdovers.

 

[daneg]

Sold on oct 28,I usually sell in feb or mar but just not enough feed this year. Steers sold well enough but heifers not even close . All prices in Canuck bucks.

 

[branxchar&charx]

Sold on oct 28,I usually sell in feb or mar but just not enough feed this year. Steers sold well enough but heifers not even close . All prices in Canuck bucks.View attachment 9977

Decent prices even after the exchange rate. Glad to see Canada likes a bit if color in their cowherd.
Hopefully next year will be better for you to hold the calves a few more months.