Somebody's making money...

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

...but its not me. I got my cheque for my cull cows that I sent to the sale barn. I had an old Highland cross cow that went through for 8 cents a lb and two Angus cows that went through for 17 cents a lb. So, for that Highland cow, the total came to $67. Shipping and commissions were $33. Total net $34. Even if she dressed out at 40% would give you 335 lbs of meat for $67. Something's wrong with this picture. Both those Angus cows raised some pretty good calves for me in the past. Replacement bred cows are still running at around $800. I know that the common theory is that you should ship anything that's open, but I'm starting to think maybe I should have just fed them over the winter and tried them again next year. Any thoughts?

 

[MillIronQH]

Not good. Packer cows at Cuero went for .22 to .47 last Friday. I think I'd be tempted to sharpen my butcher knife and get out the meat grinder. You could probably sell the hamburger to your neighbors for .50. I bet you didn't even get kissed after that.Z

 

[backhoeboogie]

This is the time to be buying cattle instead of selling them.

It is pretty much like the stock market. Buy low and sell high.

Cattle haven't been this cheap in a while. The land can support another dozen head for the winter. Maybe a few more than that.

If it is a wet spring, cattle could be sky high.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Your thread title is absolutely right. Money just doesn't vanish into thin air. If you are losing, someone is gaining. Turn that around if you can.

 

[auctionboy]

Your thread title is absolutely right. Money just doesn't vanish into thin air. If you are losing, someone is gaining. Turn that around if you can.

Not true. If the packer isn't getting much for it and the super market or what ever end point isn't profiting then no one is. It is unlikely but loss one place doesn't meen profit somewhere else.

 

[KenB]

Not good. Packer cows at Cuero went for .22 to .47 last Friday. I think I'd be tempted to sharpen my butcher knife and get out the meat grinder. You could probably sell the hamburger to your neighbors for .50. I bet you didn't even get kissed after that.Z

That is what I am going to do when I have a cull cow and the prices are down.
I was lucky this year. When it looked like the draught was going to hang on I sold my culls before the price dropped.

 

[stocky]

Cattlerack, most farmers have already realized that selling those open cows is the same as giving away money most of the time. With an occasional exception, instead of selling those open cows in Sept to Nov, you are far better off to breed them and sell them as second to third period cows in March or April. Most of the time they are thin and the slaughter price is the cheapest in the fall. In the spring, the slaughter market is much higher and the cows will have put their weight on and the bred cows are in demand to go back to the farm. I used to buy those bunches of open cows and put them with the bull and there was real good money in it, but now people have learned not to sell them and if they do, there are alot of people who will buy them to breed.

 

[Susie David]

Wrong time of the year to sell cows...should have shipped them in Sept. before the prices entered the seasonal decline.
I bought a nice bred Herf heifer last Monday for $614.00, a real good black Lim cross heifer for $486.00 and a sweet litttle red baldy heifer calf for $345.00. Went looking for steeers...oh well next week.
DMc

 

[MillIronQH]

When you do buy older thin open cows what do you figure your calving percentages should be? Especially going into winter.Z

 

[backhoeboogie]

Your thread title is absolutely right. Money just doesn't vanish into thin air. If you are losing, someone is gaining. Turn that around if you can.

Not true. If the packer isn't getting much for it and the super market or what ever end point isn't profiting then no one is. It is unlikely but loss one place doesn't meen profit somewhere else.

If consumers are getting steak for 10 cents a pound, it is one heck of a gain for them. Sign me up too for that kind of a deal.

Put $400K in the stock market, then come back and discuss gains and losses. Do you even know what equity is?

 

[S.R.R.]

8 cents a lb :shock: were in the heck are you selling these cattle???? Someone sure took you to the cleaners!!!!! Why would you let it go for that??

 

[cypressfarms]

Your thread title is absolutely right. Money just doesn't vanish into thin air. If you are losing, someone is gaining. Turn that around if you can.

Not true. If the packer isn't getting much for it and the super market or what ever end point isn't profiting then no one is. It is unlikely but loss one place doesn't meen profit somewhere else.

Auction boy,

I can't agree with you. If the price of beef at the supermarket declined, then that's one thing, but the price is still the same. Gotta agree with Susie, buying right now will yield good profits.

 

[auctionboy]

Your thread title is absolutely right. Money just doesn't vanish into thin air. If you are losing, someone is gaining. Turn that around if you can.

Not true. If the packer isn't getting much for it and the super market or what ever end point isn't profiting then no one is. It is unlikely but loss one place doesn't meen profit somewhere else.

Auction boy,

I can't agree with you. If the price of beef at the supermarket declined, then that's one thing, but the price is still the same. Gotta agree with Susie, buying right now will yield good profits.

I was talking about the idea if your not making money someone else is in general. I wuldn't doubt that buying stock at .08 would make some people some money.

 

[auctionboy]

Your thread title is absolutely right. Money just doesn't vanish into thin air. If you are losing, someone is gaining. Turn that around if you can.

Not true. If the packer isn't getting much for it and the super market or what ever end point isn't profiting then no one is. It is unlikely but loss one place doesn't meen profit somewhere else.

If consumers are getting steak for 10 cents a pound, it is one heck of a gain for them. Sign me up too for that kind of a deal.

Put $400K in the stock market, then come back and discuss gains and losses. Do you even know what equity is?

Old cull cow highlander steaks? You see when something is sold for .10 at the auction a lot of things happen such as trucking costs butcher cost more trucking costs..... and all of these people have to be paid. Do you no what expenses are?

 

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

8 cents a lb :shock: were in the heck are you selling these cattle???? Someone sure took you to the cleaners!!!!! Why would you let it go for that??

Winnipeg Livestock Yards. That's kinda that whole problem with working full time is that I don't actually get to go to any auctions unless I can find something on a Saturday. I guess the other thing is what was i going to do with it anyway? I already have enough freezer meat for my family and I'm not in any way set up to do my own butchering. I still need to book 2 months ahead to get an animal in to the butcher. Anyway, my point is that conventional wisdom says you should ship open cows, but by looking at these numbers I wonder. I figure it would have cost me a little over $200 for feed and etc for the winter per each. Would I have made that back? What if there's a reason they didn't get bred. Then I'd be out $200 and probably not make any more money on that cow. Just trying to inspire a bit of debate I guess.

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

I feel for ya Cattle Rack. Culls at Kelvington and SLS are selling between 7 cents and 38 cents. I don't know what the supermarket price in the US is at, but Canuck retail prices haven't moved since they went high in the summer (according to Canfax). The packers are making a killing off these old culls, especially since many of those culls aren't going for hamburger.

As far as dumping versus holding, you have to dump a cow that won't catch. Take your 30 bucks and buy the family some happy meals. At least you didn't spend 200 keeping her for another year. The cull market shows no sign of turning around, and it won't until we get the US border open OR the CFIA caves on allowing private BSE testing and allows companies to force open other markets.

Rod

 

[Howdyjabo]

Theres a growing market for feeding dogs "raw"-- They'll pay good money(up to $2/lb) for "natural" meat packed and frozen into 1lb or so packages. And they want(and pay for) the organs and bones too.

If I had more calves die around here that I hadn't processed and medicated- I'd look into it more. especially if I lived up in Canada-
leave them out to freeze then cut em up with a chainsaw and throw the pieces into a baggie.
Sounds like a great cull market-

 

[S.R.R.]

8 cents a lb :shock: were in the heck are you selling these cattle???? Someone sure took you to the cleaners!!!!! Why would you let it go for that??

Winnipeg Livestock Yards. That's kinda that whole problem with working full time is that I don't actually get to go to any auctions unless I can find something on a Saturday. I guess the other thing is what was i going to do with it anyway? I already have enough freezer meat for my family and I'm not in any way set up to do my own butchering. I still need to book 2 months ahead to get an animal in to the butcher. Anyway, my point is that conventional wisdom says you should ship open cows, but by looking at these numbers I wonder. I figure it would have cost me a little over $200 for feed and etc for the winter per each. Would I have made that back? What if there's a reason they didn't get bred. Then I'd be out $200 and probably not make any more money on that cow. Just trying to inspire a bit of debate I guess.

I feel for you. Did you try putting them with the bull for a month just to see if they come in?

 

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

8 cents a lb :shock: were in the heck are you selling these cattle???? Someone sure took you to the cleaners!!!!! Why would you let it go for that??

Winnipeg Livestock Yards. That's kinda that whole problem with working full time is that I don't actually get to go to any auctions unless I can find something on a Saturday. I guess the other thing is what was i going to do with it anyway? I already have enough freezer meat for my family and I'm not in any way set up to do my own butchering. I still need to book 2 months ahead to get an animal in to the butcher. Anyway, my point is that conventional wisdom says you should ship open cows, but by looking at these numbers I wonder. I figure it would have cost me a little over $200 for feed and etc for the winter per each. Would I have made that back? What if there's a reason they didn't get bred. Then I'd be out $200 and probably not make any more money on that cow. Just trying to inspire a bit of debate I guess.

I feel for you. Did you try putting them with the bull for a month just to see if they come in?

 

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

8 cents a lb :shock: were in the heck are you selling these cattle???? Someone sure took you to the cleaners!!!!! Why would you let it go for that??

Winnipeg Livestock Yards. That's kinda that whole problem with working full time is that I don't actually get to go to any auctions unless I can find something on a Saturday. I guess the other thing is what was i going to do with it anyway? I already have enough freezer meat for my family and I'm not in any way set up to do my own butchering. I still need to book 2 months ahead to get an animal in to the butcher. Anyway, my point is that conventional wisdom says you should ship open cows, but by looking at these numbers I wonder. I figure it would have cost me a little over $200 for feed and etc for the winter per each. Would I have made that back? What if there's a reason they didn't get bred. Then I'd be out $200 and probably not make any more money on that cow. Just trying to inspire a bit of debate I guess.

I feel for you. Did you try putting them with the bull for a month just to see if they come in?

They were out with the bull for 90 days. If they don't catch by then, I don't think they will.