Weather Market for Corn & Feeders ?

[YoungAngusCattle]

I heard on the Rural Radio network that some midwest farmers are rushing to get to the fields to plant. The commodity projection is that corn production won't be off nearly as much as expected, but that is all subject to change and a volatile market ahead! Hopefully, it won't affect fall feeder prices as much as I have feared.

I can confirm this, we just finished planting all our crops yesterday in some very unfavorable conditions because the crop insurance date was coming up quickly. I heard on the radio that there are 39 million acres of corn that needs to get planted this week or it won't get planted at all. I think the corn production is gonna take a major hit, the saying around here is you lose a bushel per day for every day after May 10th that's a bout 30 b/a for us which is a huge hit. The corn that I have seen up doesn't look worth a **** either. I think the traders will try to drive this corn market down before any reports come out on the quality of the corn crop, it wouldn't surprise me too see $5 corn.

 

[NEFarmwife]

I heard on the Rural Radio network that some midwest farmers are rushing to get to the fields to plant. The commodity projection is that corn production won't be off nearly as much as expected, but that is all subject to change and a volatile market ahead! Hopefully, it won't affect fall feeder prices as much as I have feared.

I can confirm this, we just finished planting all our crops yesterday in some very unfavorable conditions because the crop insurance date was coming up quickly. I heard on the radio that there are 39 million acres of corn that needs to get planted this week or it won't get planted at all. I think the corn production is gonna take a major hit, the saying around here is you lose a bushel per day for every day after May 10th that's a bout 30 b/a for us which is a huge hit. The corn that I have seen up doesn't look worth a be nice either. I think the traders will try to drive this corn market down before any reports come out on the quality of the corn crop, it wouldn't surprise me too see $5 corn.

Feel your pain. We have 800 acres left to plant to corn. Our date was May 25th. We're still trying to get it in the ground because we suspect we may actually make money on corn this year. it has been so wet. We have two more guys able to help now so if we can get a good couple days without any moisture, we may be able to get it done. Then onto beans.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Aaron - - how much pasture did you plow up this spring? Corn must be over 6 loonies per bushel. ;-)

 

[Aaron]

Aaron - - how much pasture did you plow up this spring? Corn must be over 6 loonies per bushel. ;-)

Pasture is going to be worth more per acre than 300 bu corn if things don't change fast here. Guys are already talking about pasturing hayfields and cattle have only been out for 2 weeks at best. Big boys are in real tough shape - almost out of hay and pastures are grazed down and not recovering. I am finally going to spread fertilizer tomorrow. Took a drive through my fields tonight and some areas are amazing and some are a disaster. Crops are absolutely pathetic in the area. Full month behind schedule for growth. This year should eliminate any producers carrying any sizable debt load.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I spread N too early this year. Just too much cool weather till June.
Most wet fields got planted locally last week. So they will be OK - - with some heat, a late fall, a Trump check, and ...
Calve prices are down here. I think Dave is on to something. Could have been buying 5 wts. rather than fencing.

Why are the big boys in "rough shape" on the Rainy? Are they overstocked, unlike others?

 

[farmerjan]

Fall prices on feeders might not be as bad as first thought. They are allowing corn to qualify for "cover crop" insurance or something like that I just heard. So it will be allowed to be harvested as silage. Since the timing is bad to get grain from some of the corn acreage, this corn that qualifies will make good silage because there should be a fair amount of grain in it that just didn't make it to being harvested as grain. Silage does do a good job of feeding beef cattle if you know what you are doing. And the talk is that there was more corn planted in areas that normally don't plant alot to offset the lost corn acreage due to flooding and fields being damaged or too wet to get on. So we might get luckier later on this fall.
Our biggest problem right now is pinkeye. It is rampant here in the area; EVERYONE is talking/complaining about it. We have some and have "darted" several calves that are out on pasture with the cows.
Cull cow prices are up here so are going to ship a few odd ones that are open.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Could be a lot of corn silage this fall. Would be nice if there are cattle in the same area.

Aaron - - how much silage are you planning to feed?

 

[Aaron]

Could be a lot of corn silage this fall. Would be nice if there are cattle in the same area.

Aaron - - how much silage are you planning to feed?

The big boys are massively overstocked. Not that they would ever admit it. But their feed stacks and pastures tell the tale which spreads through the coffee shop. We got lucky on some timely rains, so the big boys will have the feed for winter, but it was pretty skimpy until then. I was the only guy with more than 5 round bales of feed left, within 10 miles, come middle of June. If pastures hadn't come along, a lot of cows would have left this area. Alfalfa didn't bloom here till a week ago, good 2 maybe 3 weeks behind schedule.

I am not feeding any silage. I was one of the first guys around making dry hay 3 weeks ago. Everybody else was wrapping. Don't know where the money is for all these wrappers. Have come to the conclusion I am the only youngish guy here that doesn't have a big note against the farm (or his own wrapper). Guarantee the only youngish guy full time farming without a note. If we ever get a real correction, farm bankruptcies will be pretty common here. Maybe I am too old fashioned - trying to get by with what I have on what I make. I had one young buck tell me only wrapped hay is worth anything - dry hay is garbage. I've noticed the last few years that these young kids (under 25) have become completely indoctrinated to what the input dealers are selling them. I don't give them much hope if we got a string of poor summers/harsh winters.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Folks are "wrapping" up high land beef first crop here. Wet in the meadows again, so they will be challenging, for the fourth straight year. We are short on cattle here due to the dairy death spiral. Silage will be a tough sell.

Neighbor had a baler fire last night. Pulled into the shed and the baler was roaring in a couple minutes. Belts and tires make a hell of a smoke plume. Volunteer Fire was a bit slow - - took the wrong road... We saved the shed with garden hoses.

I have fought wrapping too but I am wearing down. They can be rented here for $3 a bale plus plastic, at times. I think the high input legume based system could yield another cutting and perhaps as much as 50 RFV points. Could pay if hay is worth a lot, but Hereford cows would just get too fat on baleage. :cowboy:

Have you seen successful yearling wintering operations using baleage?

 

[Aaron]

Yes, two neighbor's make about 1000 silage bales a year for their yearlings. Now whether it is profitable, I have no idea. One lives of his wife's teacher paycheck and the other comes from a family with no shortage of outside money. They do it because it makes the cattle 'look nice.'

 

[Stocker Steve]

Most of the balage boys here run Holsteins, Simmentals or grass fed steers. Yes, they look nice.

You have to run some numbers if you are not just going to just buy what the salesmen says. Which means you have to have a comparison or a target. Historically meadow hay was the cheapest way to winter beef cows.