Something followed me home from the sale barn

[CowboyRam]

Went to a bred cow sale today. I was planning on buying a few head, and only wanted pay around 1300 per, was even willing buy some cows that would calve in June. Within a little bit I started to realize that was not going to happen, maybe I could get something for around 1600. The first set of cows to sell were some nice March/April bred black angus, they sold for 2700. I was wanting to get three head, but ended up with two at 2150 per head, but they should calve within when my cows calve. These are the most expensive cows I have ever bought. Even the short term broken mouth cows sold for around 1800.

 

[Dave]

There is a bred cow sale here on Thursday. I was thinking of replacing the one that died. I don't think I will take the trailer. If something sells cheap enough for me to buy I will just go get her the next day. I am not paying $1,700-$1,800 for a cow.

 

[gcreekrch]

There is a bred cow sale here on Thursday. I was thinking of replacing the one that died. I don't think I will take the trailer. If something sells cheap enough for me to buy I will just go get her the next day. I am not paying $1,700-$1,800 for a cow.

Her calf will bring that next fall.

 

[Dave]

Her calf will bring that next fall.

Yes. If prices hold. I told B that this year I was buying early. I said watch what cow prices do after the first of the year. There is plenty of hay here and hay is cheap this year. My Oct-Nov-Dec cows averaged $1,220. If I paid $500 more for one cow it only raises the average for the herd by $8.47 a head. I will go but it is suppose to snow Wednesday evening to Thursday morning so I will leave the trailer at home. Just don't like dragging a trailer down Ladd Canyon if it is covered with snow. The roads will be clear by Friday. You never know I might buy 5 or 6 cows.

 

[wbvs58]

Went to a bred cow sale today. I was planning on buying a few head, and only wanted pay around 1300 per, was even willing buy some cows that would calve in June. Within a little bit I started to realize that was not going to happen, maybe I could get something for around 1600. The first set of cows to sell were some nice March/April bred black angus, they sold for 2700. I was wanting to get three head, but ended up with two at 2150 per head, but they should calve within when my cows calve. These are the most expensive cows I have ever bought. Even the short term broken mouth cows sold for around 1800.


View attachment 40860

I like that one closest to the camera.

Ken

 

[tex452]

Summer of 22 we bought a lot of good young cows, anywhere from 3-$600 tops, we sold a calf off of them and sold bred for $1,850.00

 

[MurraysMutts]

Went to a bred cow sale today. I was planning on buying a few head, and only wanted pay around 1300 per, was even willing buy some cows that would calve in June. Within a little bit I started to realize that was not going to happen, maybe I could get something for around 1600. The first set of cows to sell were some nice March/April bred black angus, they sold for 2700. I was wanting to get three head, but ended up with two at 2150 per head, but they should calve within when my cows calve. These are the most expensive cows I have ever bought. Even the short term broken mouth cows sold for around 1800.


View attachment 40860

Those look pretty nice!!

 

[tex452]

Went to a bred cow sale today. I was planning on buying a few head, and only wanted pay around 1300 per, was even willing buy some cows that would calve in June. Within a little bit I started to realize that was not going to happen, maybe I could get something for around 1600. The first set of cows to sell were some nice March/April bred black angus, they sold for 2700. I was wanting to get three head, but ended up with two at 2150 per head, but they should calve within when my cows calve. These are the most expensive cows I have ever bought. Even the short term broken mouth cows sold for around 1800.


View attachment 40860

We bought 4 like these that were show heifers, they were a little slow to get started in the pasture because of being fed out of a feed bucket, they are springing and looking decent now, we gave $900/ for them.
They are young and I like them.
I like yours too.

 

[CowboyRam]

I like them, but I still don't like the price I paid, but I would rather buy a young cow than an old one and done cow. Those one and done's were going for 1800 yesterday. They had several cows that when through the sale that would have calved in the fall, but that would not have worked very well with my program; they sold for a little bit less, but not that much less to make it worth to buy. There was one cow that had a bulging eye and she sold for around 1400. There were a few that sold pretty cheap, but there were obvious as to why.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I like that one closest to the camera.

Ken

And I like the hidden one! LOL Nice females.

 

[Dave]

I didn't take the trailer and ended up buying 2. Both broken mouth and 8 months bred. Paid $1,550 for a 1,400 pound black Angus cow and $1,450 for a 1,180 pound Char cross cow. Solid mouth 7-8 month bred cows were about $2,000. Up or down a hundred bucks either way. They had a bunch of pairs with about 200 pound calves. Solid mouth cows were $2,900 to $2,700. Spread mouth were $2,500. And broken mouth pairs were $2,150. Most of the broken or smooth mouth bred cows were $1,700.
I thought about running home and getting the trailer. But Granddaughter who is breakaway roping in the Columbia River circuit is stopping on her way to a rodeo. But if she got here early or I got hung up at all I wouldn't be here when she shows up. I figure my cows can wait until tomorrow.

 

[CowboyRam]

Here is the results of last Tuesdays sale.

Riverton Livestock Market Report
2024-02-14



RIVERTON LIVESTOCK


RIVERTON LIVESTOCK

TUESDAY February 13th
MARKET REPORT
# OF HEAD SOLD: 1655

COWS
ARAPAHOE WY 1 Cow 1025 137.00
JEFFREY CITY WY 2 Cow 1065 129.00
BASIN WY 2 Cow 1185 125.00
SHELL WY 4 Cow 1751 120.00
SHELL WY 1 Cow 2305 120.00
TEN SLEEP WY 2 Cow 1107 118.00
RIVERTON WY 3 Cow 1201 117.00
LANDER WY 1 Cow 1145 116.00
TEN SLEEP WY 1 Cow 1400 114.50
BIG PINEY WY 2 Cow 1202 113.00
TEN SLEEP WY 4 Cow 1098 112.00
FARSON WY 1 Cow 1220 111.50
TEN SLEEP WY 2 Cow 1215 110.50
TEN SLEEP WY 9 Cow 1412 110.00
TEN SLEEP WY 5 Cow 1341 109.50
LANDER WY 8 Cow 1350 108.50
LANDER WY 8 Cow 1369 107.50
SHELL WY 9 Cow 1331 107.00
POWDER RIVER WY 4 Cow 1360 106.00
FARSON WY 4 Cow 1476 105.00
POWDER RIVER WY 4 Cow 1492 104.00

HEIFERETTES
FARSON WY 5 Heiferette 888 167.50
TEN SLEEP WY 1 Heiferette 935 157.00

BULLS
BIG PINEY WY 1 Bull 1895 131.50
LANDER WY 4 Bull 1860 123.50
FARSON WY 2 Bull 1800 122.50
FORT BRIDGER WY 1 Bull 1900 122.00
LANDER WY 3 Bull 1925 121.00
LANDER WY 2 Bull 1880 119.00
FARSON WY 1 Bull 1915 118.00
MCKINNON WY 1 Bull 1890 117.00
SHELL WY 2 Bull 1975 116.00

BRED COWS

SM
SHOSHONI WY 45 Bred Cow 1062 2,700.00 H 3-6 yr olds
BIG PINEY WY 11 Bred Cow 1269 2,700.00 H 3-6 yr olds
BIG PINEY WY 10 Bred Cow 1289 2,700.00 H 3-6 yr olds
RIVERTON WY 60 Bred Cow 1192 2,675.00 H 3-6 yr olds
RIVERTON WY 20 Bred Cow 1150 2,675.00 H 3-6 yr olds
PAVILLION WY 17 Bred Cow 1239 2,550.00 H 3-6 yr olds
LANDER WY 8 Bred Cow 1113 2,525.00 H 3-6 yr olds
SHOSHONI WY 44 Bred Cow 1088 2,510.00 H 3-6 yr olds
RIVERTON WY 16 Bred Cow 1143 2,500.00 H 3-6 yr olds

SS
SHOSHONI WY 30 Bred Cow 1151 2,325.00 H 7-9 yr olds
BIG PINEY WY 18 Bred Cow 1379 2,300.00 H 7-9 yr olds
BIG PINEY WY 17 Bred Cow 1361 2,300.00 H 7-9 yr olds
SHOSHONI WY 21 Bred Cow 1285 2,200.00 H 7-9 yr olds

ST
BIG PINEY WY 6 Bred Cow 1192 2,025.00 H 9+ yr olds
BIG PINEY WY 42 Bred Cow 1300 1,975.00 H 9+ yr olds
BIG PINEY WY 20 Bred Cow 1257 1,975.00 H 9+ yr olds
RIVERTON WY 16 Bred Cow 1352 1,975.00 H 9+ yr olds
BIG PINEY WY 18 Bred Cow 1213 1,950.00 H 9+ yr olds
RIVERTON WY 33 Bred Cow 1303 1,900.00 H 9+ yr olds
THERMOPOLIS WY 10 Bred Cow 1367 1,900.00 H 9+ yr olds
LANDER WY 2 Bred Cow 1397 1,800.00 H 9+ yr olds
SHOSHONI WY 39 Bred Cow 1199 1,750.00 H 9+ yr olds

BRED HEIFERS
LANDER WY 20 Bred Heifer 981 2,450.00 H
LANDER WY 15 Bred Heifer 1022 2,450.00 H
LANDER WY 37 Bred Heifer 1016 2,425.00 H
SHOSHONI WY 15 Bred Heifer 1029 2,425.00 H
BOULDER WY 66 Bred Heifer 952 2,375.00 H
RIVERTON WY 10 Bred Heifer 840 2,350.00 H

 

[kenny thomas]

Looks like a heck of a good sale.

 

[CowboyRam]

Looks like a heck of a good sale.

Yes, if you are selling. Buying is another mater. My worry at these prices what happens when calf prices go back down to $800. If someone paid $2700 per cow he is way under water at those prices. I do think we may have a couple good years ahead, but my crystal ball is a bit cloudy so I don't want to bank on that. My rule when buying is that that cow has to at least pay half of what it cost me to buy her that first year, and hopefully she don't lose her calf.

 

[kenny thomas]

Yes, if you are selling. Buying is another mater. My worry at these prices what happens when calf prices go back down to $800. If someone paid $2700 per cow he is way under water at those prices. I do think we may have a couple good years ahead, but my crystal ball is a bit cloudy so I don't want to bank on that. My rule when buying is that that cow has to at least pay half of what it cost me to buy her that first year, and hopefully she don't lose her calf.

I totally agree on these thoughts. 2 calves should pay for the cow but inputs have gotten so high it still doesnt make a profit.

 

[CowboyRam]

I totally agree on these thoughts. 2 calves should pay for the cow but inputs have gotten so high it still doesnt make a profit.

Yes that is a consideration for sure. This last year hay was cheap compared to the year before, I would have been lucky to get $180 per ton. The year before I was selling hay for $250 per ton. Most of my herd I paid about $1000 per head, although the last couple years I have been trying to buy better quality cows, so I paid about $1300. This year is the highest I have ever gone on replacements. I don't keep heifers, as I don't have any place to keep heifers. Besides it take two years before they can start paying for themselves.

 

[MurraysMutts]

Ya'll are doing it wrong.
Buy a pair and THAT calf pays for the cow.
Go practice more!

 

[alacowman1]

Yes, if you are selling. Buying is another mater. My worry at these prices what happens when calf prices go back down to $800. If someone paid $2700 per cow he is way under water at those prices. I do think we may have a couple good years ahead, but my crystal ball is a bit cloudy so I don't want to bank on that. My rule when buying is that that cow has to at least pay half of what it cost me to buy her that first year, and hopefully she don't lose her calf.

Seen it happen a few times..the ones that did , didn't have any staying power and lost big time

 

[CowboyRam]

Seen it happen a few times..the ones that did , didn't have any staying power and lost big time

Last year I lost several calves, but most of that was do to our weird weather we had. I still had 6" of snow out in my alfalfa field in the middle of April. Out here the cows need to be able travel a lot; it takes from 30-40 AUM's per cow.

 

[kenny thomas]

Ya'll are doing it wrong.
Buy a pair and THAT calf pays for the cow.
Go practice more!

I do that quite often. But I dont buy the $2500 ones either.