Time to sell??

[stocky]

Arkie, Yes it is basically body condition score. However, dont read too much into those reports. The main thing you can get from those reports is what the trend is up or down and what the volume is. The medium and large 2 price is closer to what you will actually get. I have seen alot of sales that there were very few calves brought what was quoted as 2's, much less the 1's. If you look at a sale report and expect yours to bring that, most of the time you will be very disappointed or even angry. If you want to have a good idea, you need to go to a sale and see what they are actually bringing. Good Luck

 

[Stocker Steve]

Out here, when the grass is gone the prices drop, prices are good now but we are just getting into the grass season. I would think about selling them now and replacing them with more steers for the grass you have on hand. Once you see your 5 and 6 weight calves hit 7 or 8 weight the price really goes down.

Sell them and find some 3 to 4 weight weaned calves.

Good advise - if you sell yours and buy back twice as many light calves to graze on the same acres you should make about triple the income. The challange in my area is finding 4 wt. calves in the spring.

 

[Arkieman]

Any of you Arkansans ever heard of or used Randy Goodman (Whisperwood Ranch) near Beebe? Heard he buys on Thursday's and gives market prices. He's supposed to be hooked up w/ some feedlots and such.

No commissions/fees - no long drives to an "honest" barn...

 

[CowCop]

~
But try to sell to a private buyer rather than the livestock market if you are able.

I'm a small timer - no scales and not a real good judge of weights either.

We don't have scales either.

If you have a private buyer, they, or their hauler, can go to a truck weigh station ( gravel yard etc ) and weight their truck and trailer empty and then load the steer(s) and return to get the full weight.
Works for us and other small beef/bison/sheep/goat producers in the area.

Much more accurate than eyeballing and less dangerous than using a livestock tape on cattle that have no clue.

Much more jingle in your pocket to sell to a private buyer, rather than to mass market them at the auction yard.