Sold three head in West, Texas on 7/13/2023 (Results)

[TexasRancher]

It just happened that the three Black Angus Heifers (all weened) i took in had different birth dates and weights...so it gave me some interesting test results on what sales barns are seeking.
Note: all three heifers were equally well-fed, round bellies and healthy

Tag 192, Black Heifer, Born on 2/5/23, almost 5.5 months old weight 395lbs, price $2.39 amount $944.05
Tag 193, Black Heifer, Born on 6/7/22, 13 months old,.................weight 740lbs, Price $1.85 amount $1,369.00 (this one cost me more to raise to 740 lbs)
Tag 194, Black Heifer, Born on 9/18/22, 10 months old,...............weight 575lbs, Price $2.27 amount $1305.00 (this one cost me less to raise to 575 lbs)
Total on three HD, $3,618.30

Here's what I learned (my conclusions)...tell me if I'm correct or incorrect..or what method/s you use.
1. So I concluded BUYERS like to fill their semi-trucks with smaller calves (as they can get more inside!!!)
2. Buyers probably want smaller animals to feed and grow and finish them their own favorite way.
3. From what I can see 9 to 10 months...10 months is optimum for selling a calf....why wait until 13 to 17 months as the weight goes above 700lbs to 900lbs (super bad!!!) bid offering becomes less. Maybe the packers are bidding/taking the 700 to 1,200. lbs calves/cows. New definition of a "yearling" to me is 9.5 months old....cause at 12 months you don't get any more cash versus the pasture/feed consumption.

 

[EasTex]

I am an amateur, but I think you strive to reach 400-500 lbs at 6 months. I have not reached that yet, but had a heifer calf I sold last November at 480 lbs @ 9 months old. That was during the drought, so was feeding her hay, no green grass. She was a heifers 1st calf as well. Thanks for sharing the info!

 

[bird dog]

1. Getting more inside a trailer has nothing to do with it. They buy what is on their order sheet and that is usually calves 350 to 650.
2. Most buyers are buying for someone else. They never really have ownership
3. Demand for 750 lb steers is not good at local barns. There is just not enough available and they don't have orders for them anyway. Its even worse for heifers as they feel a bunch will be pregnant. Bulls will have to be cut and the set back is big on these large animals so they avoid them.

Yearlings is a broad term but usually means larger weaned calves.

 

[Dave]

It will vary from year to year. Times of cheap feed or good cheap grass smaller sells better. When feed goes up they like bigger better as they don't have to be fed as long. I have seen bigger calves selling real well this year. So it depends on your location, region, and the time of the year. This year they had a lot of rain in California. So light calves sold real high early to ship south from here. Last year they had no rain down south so light calves were cheap. There are always market trends. There is no set in concrete way that is best every year.

 

[bird dog]

The big players around here want and buy lightweight thin calves for grass in the warm months, for wheat in the cool ones. After that plays out they are ready for the feedlot so they sell on Superior, private treaty or are taken to one of the OKC sell barns that sell in groups.

 

[Lucky]

3. From what I can see 9 to 10 months...10 months is optimum for selling a calf....why wait until 13 to 17 months as the weight goes above 700lbs to 900lbs (super bad!!!)

I sold last week
Steers 700# @ $2.53
Steers 877# @ $2.39
Heifers 688# @ $2.46
Heifers 780# @ 2.325

All were 15-17 months old and weaned for 180 days plus. It cost me about $156 a head to get them through winter and onto grass. They avgd $1,892 a head. You are dang near always money ahead to keep them longer. If you don't have time, room, or facilities then yes, 9-10 months is ideal for your situation. 700 to 900# is definitely not super bad unless you hate making money . The hard thing to learn is buyers do not want butterball calves. These guys want long weaned thin fleshed calves that have grown out. It's also a numbers game. These calves probably avgd $500 a head more than yours. $500 × a few might not sound like allot but $500 × a truck loads or loads adds up.

I tell you all this to give you a little insight on why bigger ranchers do what they do when weaning and keeping calves. I'm definitely not big time but even small guys need to squeeze all they can out of a calf crop. Those 877# steers we sold brought $2,096 each, how can that be bad?

Edit: if you notice our heifers only brought 7 cents back in each class. That's really good for us. We guaranteed them open and worked at keeping them that way. Keeping heifers open is important for the Seller, Buyer, and the Heifer.

 

[Lucky]

I am an amateur, but I think you strive to reach 400-500 lbs at 6 months. I have not reached that yet, but had a heifer calf I sold last November at 480 lbs @ 9 months old. That was during the drought, so was feeding her hay, no green grass. She was a heifers 1st calf as well. Thanks for sharing the info!

550# @ 210 days or weaning time is always our goal. Unfortunately it's hard to get them all there. A calf off a heifer makes it even more difficult. The only thing I can figure is the late July, August, and early September heat just zaps the little guys. We've got a creep feeder to help them along but it's hard to pencil that feed cost in and make the extra gain worth it.

 

[Dave]

I am with Lucky this year. I bought 36 steers that weighed 400 last fall. They cost me right about $1.80 which worked to $720 a head. I figured out my feed cost over the winter at $240 a head. They were weighing about 650 when they went to grass in the spring. I am estimating they will weigh around 840 when they come off grass in about a month. I don't know that I have the market that Lucky does but I am certain I will make more money on them than the guy who sold them last fall did.

 

[Lucky]

I am with Lucky this year. I bought 36 steers that weighed 400 last fall. They cost me right about $1.80 which worked to $720 a head. I figured out my feed cost over the winter at $240 a head. They were weighing about 650 when they went to grass in the spring. I am estimating they will weigh around 840 when they come off grass in about a month. I don't know that I have the market that Lucky does but I am certain I will make more money on them than the guy who sold them last fall did.

Dave, best I can tell if I'd sold this group back in mid January as 60 day weaned calves @ 600# avg they'd have brought $1,158 a head avg price. $1,158 is along way from $1,892. I'm not saying it's always that way but 90% of the time heavier long weaned wins. The hardest part about the yearling deal is the first 45 days. Once they're broke to a truck and feed bunk it's pretty easy and takes very little time to take care of them. It's definitely not for everyones situation but just trying to explain why guys do the yearling deal.

 

[farmerjan]

Here you get hurt on the 6-8 wts... unless you have a truck load and they are advertised... Buyers here do not want over 6 wts... period. 450-575 is the sweet spot... has been for over 30 years. Anything here gets trucked a fair distance to anywhere they are going to be grazed or fed or anything... and yes, they can get more 450 wts on a truck than 6 wts and I have heard buyers talking about numbers of animals, not just weight or the load.
As Dave said, it depends on where you are and the markets around in general. As well as the feed available. We have penciled it out many times and 9 out of 10 times the lighter weights will bring better dollars with less "in them".... but we also have a place we run steers on and put them out at 5-50 wts and run them to 7-8 wts... and have a couple buyers that will come look at and then normally buy private... and we make money... BUT... it is in the BUYING that we make the profit... get them bought right, and then the weight is a real plus. There are a minimum of 30 in that bunch... have to deal in numbers to get a good price on heavier calves in this area.

If you have an abundance of grass or cheap feed, and can run the number needed for a truck load... or are in an area where the heavier weight calves are common and in demand... you can do better on the heavier weights. Often times here, if there are 15 7 wt calves at a sale, that is alot. Except for the ones that sell in bigger groups, those 7 weights do not make any money for the average person with 2-3-10 calves.

 

[TexasRancher]

1. Getting more inside a trailer has nothing to do with it. They buy what is on their order sheet and that is usually calves 350 to 650.
2. Most buyers are buying for someone else. They never really have ownership
3. Demand for 750 lb steers is not good at local barns. There is just not enough available and they don't have orders for them anyway. Its even worse for heifers as they feel a bunch will be pregnant. Bulls will have to be cut and the set back is big on these large animals so they avoid them.

Yearlings is a broad term but usually means larger weaned calves.

Great insights bird dog...with what you said things are aligning up now. I will be more diligent getting calves in at 400 to 600. Got low-balled on a 780lb steer last year that was 17 months old. I didn't know....back then thought more weight would bring a better price....which might be true for cull cows and bulls.

 

[TexasRancher]

I sold last week
Steers 700# @ $2.53
Steers 877# @ $2.39
Heifers 688# @ $2.46
Heifers 780# @ 2.325

All were 15-17 months old and weaned for 180 days plus. It cost me about $156 a head to get them through winter and onto grass. They avgd $1,892 a head. You are dang near always money ahead to keep them longer. If you don't have time, room, or facilities then yes, 9-10 months is ideal for your situation. 700 to 900# is definitely not super bad unless you hate making money . The hard thing to learn is buyers do not want butterball calves. These guys want long weaned thin fleshed calves that have grown out. It's also a numbers game. These calves probably avgd $500 a head more than yours. $500 × a few might not sound like allot but $500 × a truck loads or loads adds up.

I tell you all this to give you a little insight on why bigger ranchers do what they do when weaning and keeping calves. I'm definitely not big time but even small guys need to squeeze all they can out of a calf crop. Those 877# steers we sold brought $2,096 each, how can that be bad?

Edit: if you notice our heifers only brought 7 cents back in each class. That's really good for us. We guaranteed them open and worked at keeping them that way. Keeping heifers open is important for the Seller, Buyer, and the Heifer.

No way...what sales barn are you using Lucky?....680 to 780 lb heifers even a 877 steer selling for well-over $2. Whatever sales barn you're selling at consider yourself Lucky. I've now had three learning lessons over 750lbs in steer of heifers is BAD...I only got $1.60 to $1.90 max...and these were nice blump calves at 13 to 17 months. I won't ever let mine get much past 550lbs from what I've learned here in West and Decatur. Your situation is a non-reality for my location.

 

[Dave]

With all this talk of yearling prices I looked up feeder cattle at Superior's Week in the Rockies sale. A man who is about 2 miles from where my steers are sold 2 big semi truck loads of 850 pound steers for $2.42. That is $2,057 a head. He bought them at the same sales I go to in mid winter.
Lots of feeder steers weighing 750-950 bringing well over $2,000 a head.

 

[Caustic Burno]

It just happened that the three Black Angus Heifers (all weened) i took in had different birth dates and weights...so it gave me some interesting test results on what sales barns are seeking.
Note: all three heifers were equally well-fed, round bellies and healthy

Tag 192, Black Heifer, Born on 2/5/23, almost 5.5 months old weight 395lbs, price $2.39 amount $944.05
Tag 193, Black Heifer, Born on 6/7/22, 13 months old,.................weight 740lbs, Price $1.85 amount $1,369.00 (this one cost me more to raise to 740 lbs)
Tag 194, Black Heifer, Born on 9/18/22, 10 months old,...............weight 575lbs, Price $2.27 amount $1305.00 (this one cost me less to raise to 575 lbs)
Total on three HD, $3,618.30

Here's what I learned (my conclusions)...tell me if I'm correct or incorrect..or what method/s you use.
1. So I concluded BUYERS like to fill their semi-trucks with smaller calves (as they can get more inside!!!)
2. Buyers probably want smaller animals to feed and grow and finish them their own favorite way.
3. From what I can see 9 to 10 months...10 months is optimum for selling a calf....why wait until 13 to 17 months as the weight goes above 700lbs to 900lbs (super bad!!!) bid offering becomes less. Maybe the packers are bidding/taking the 700 to 1,200. lbs calves/cows. New definition of a "yearling" to me is 9.5 months old....cause at 12 months you don't get any more cash versus the pasture/feed consumption.

You would have done better in Livingston on your 4 to 5 weights.
4-5 has always been the target weight for feeders in this part of the world.

 

[Caustic Burno]

It just happened that the three Black Angus Heifers (all weened) i took in had different birth dates and weights...so it gave me some interesting test results on what sales barns are seeking.
Note: all three heifers were equally well-fed, round bellies and healthy

Tag 192, Black Heifer, Born on 2/5/23, almost 5.5 months old weight 395lbs, price $2.39 amount $944.05
Tag 193, Black Heifer, Born on 6/7/22, 13 months old,.................weight 740lbs, Price $1.85 amount $1,369.00 (this one cost me more to raise to 740 lbs)
Tag 194, Black Heifer, Born on 9/18/22, 10 months old,...............weight 575lbs, Price $2.27 amount $1305.00 (this one cost me less to raise to 575 lbs)
Total on three HD, $3,618.30

Here's what I learned (my conclusions)...tell me if I'm correct or incorrect..or what method/s you use.
1. So I concluded BUYERS like to fill their semi-trucks with smaller calves (as they can get more inside!!!)
2. Buyers probably want smaller animals to feed and grow and finish them their own favorite way.
3. From what I can see 9 to 10 months...10 months is optimum for selling a calf....why wait until 13 to 17 months as the weight goes above 700lbs to 900lbs (super bad!!!) bid offering becomes less. Maybe the packers are bidding/taking the 700 to 1,200. lbs calves/cows. New definition of a "yearling" to me is 9.5 months old....cause at 12 months you don't get any more cash versus the pasture/feed consumption.

https://easttexaslivestock.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Market-Report-7-18-23-Jul-19-2023-2-04-AM.pdf

 

[TexasRancher]

https://easttexaslivestock.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Market-Report-7-18-23-Jul-19-2023-2-04-AM.pdf

Love those prices on heavier weights CB...but Houston we have a problem...that's way too far down near houston. I guess in life, you settle with the sale barns you have. In my location I will never fatten out a steer or heifer past 550lbs....EVER. They are going in at 500 lbs. Need to do research on Athens....to see if they (the bidders) like heavier calves. I actually would prefer raising and taking in 750 to 900lb calves....but at 1.30 to 1.90?....the Gobbling machines for 380 to 480 calves @ 2.50 to 3.25 have spoken in my area. Turn calves quick is the key...that pencils out.
Not interested in buying a bunch of 650lb steer..placing out on land to growing them to 1,300lbs to 1,800. (what fun is buying them at $1.80 and selling them at 0.90 to $1.10)...better for me to stay a cattle producer churning out little ones, 8 to 9 months old... it's what the market loves and there's more profit in it.

 

[TexasRancher]

With all this talk of yearling prices I looked up feeder cattle at Superior's Week in the Rockies sale. A man who is about 2 miles from where my steers are sold 2 big semi truck loads of 850 pound steers for $2.42. That is $2,057 a head. He bought them at the same sales I go to in mid winter.
Lots of feeder steers weighing 750-950 bringing well over $2,000 a head.

I just need one 780lb steer/heifer to bring over $2.00 to become a believer (and change my opinion)...guess Texas is behind, maybe later October or next year will be better.

 

[TexasRancher]

With all this talk of yearling prices I looked up feeder cattle at Superior's Week in the Rockies sale. A man who is about 2 miles from where my steers are sold 2 big semi truck loads of 850 pound steers for $2.42. That is $2,057 a head. He bought them at the same sales I go to in mid winter.
Lots of feeder steers weighing 750-950 bringing well over $2,000 a head.

I'm beginning to see, where their might be bidders buying in the 700 to 900 lb cattle range at West for $1.60 to $1.90 and then taking them to other sale barns for resale at $2.40.
If West does have great prices on 7's and 8's...that should bring in more bidders so it should self correct itself in short order.

 

[J+ Cattle]

Got low-balled on a 780lb steer last year that was 17 months old.

@TexasRancher if a steer is 17 months old and only weighs 780 lbs. then there's either a breed/genetics problem, a health problem or a nutritional problem that you need to correct. It should weigh 780 lbs. long before it reaches 17 months of age.

 

[Lucky]

@TexasRancher if a steer is 17 months old and only weighs 780 lbs. then there's either a breed/genetics problem, a health problem or a nutritional problem that you need to correct. It should weigh 780 lbs. long before it reaches 17 months of age.

Are you pushing them or grazing on pasture grass? I have nothing special. We wean in November, feed 6.5# a day though April with no hay, then turn out on grass until July. My results are nearly the same every year.