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SPJ

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Choctaw, Oklahoma
I weighed a steer at my house yesterday. He weighed 1,068 lbs. I took him to the OKC Stockyards at 5 pm. When I checked in today, they said he weighed 1,020 lbs. I heard when you take them to the sale barn they lose some weight, but is 48 lbs. reasonable? Thanks, Phil
 
Thanks Kenny for the quick reply. I actually took in 3 steers. One weighed 876, one weighed 1,020 and one weighed 1,068. I took off work today to attend the sale and saw the guy that was selling them for me. I was up on the cat walk and he was down in the pens. He yelled up at me that we did good on the steers. The two big ones weighed 1,020 lbs. each. So that is what confused me.
 
Im guessing te two bigger ones sold together so maybe the 1068 actually didnt loose 48. The 1020 lost some also but if the average was 1020 you done good.
 
Thanks guys, I am just trying to learn. But today was just an odd day. Here is what happened: I called the seller up around 1:45 pm and he told me they were getting ready to sell my steers pretty soon. So I took off work and got to the stockyards around 2 pm. I talked to the seller and then went and watched the auction, but my steers did not come through. So I thought I would just go home. When I walked out on the catwalk I saw the seller again. He said my steers were coming in the 5th group, this was at 3:30. So I started watching all the cows coming through. At 5 pm I called him to check in and he said my steers are in the arena. I did not see them go by and I went back in and they were not in the arena. After that I gave up and went home and plan on calling him in the morning to find out what the heck is going on.
 
I have been to OKC but still dont understand how things work there. Lots different than the eastern markets. But it sets the price for a lot of the US it seems.
 
The little steer weighed 860 lbs and sold for $133.00. The two large ones weighed 1,020 each and sold for $122.50. What do yall think. Thanks, Phil
 
Yes your weight is fair. I would of thought more like 5 to 10%. As a rule cows will not eat or drink for 12 or more hours
after being unloaded at the sale barn.
 
I don't sell mine at the sale barn so not really familiar with the economics etc. However here is a question from SPJ's numbers above:

1020 lb steers x $1.225/lb = $1249.50 each steer

860 lb steer x $1.33 = $1143.80 each steer

$1249.50 - $1143.80 = $105.70 difference in income

1020 lb - 860 lb = 160 lb difference in sale weight

Therefore: $105.70/160 lb = $0.66/lb

In other words the last 160 lb put on the two heavier steers only brought in 66 cents per lb.

It is hard to see how you can put weight on a steer for 66 cents per pound. I suspect money is lost on that last 160 lb.

Question: Why would anyone sell 1020 lb steers when you will probably make a better net profit on the 860 lb steer?

Jim
 
I'm not arguing your economics, but if all three steers are the same age I would "assume" the heavies were more profitable.
 
highgrit":259bupaw said:
Yes your weight is fair. I would of thought more like 5 to 10%. As a rule cows will not eat or drink for 12 or more hours
after being unloaded at the sale barn.
Click to expand...

Highgrit - I was pretty impressed with the stockyards. It's huge. I walked down the catwalk to where my buyers pens were. They ended up putting my 3 steers in a pen right below the catwalk. A guy came by and opened up the feeder and all three of the steers went right to it.
 
SRBeef":jqjis3h4 said:
I don't sell mine at the sale barn so not really familiar with the economics etc. However here is a question from SPJ's numbers above:

1020 lb steers x $1.225/lb = $1249.50 each steer

860 lb steer x $1.33 = $1143.80 each steer

$1249.50 - $1143.80 = $105.70 difference in income

1020 lb - 860 lb = 160 lb difference in sale weight

Therefore: $105.70/160 lb = $0.66/lb

In other words the last 160 lb put on the two heavier steers only brought in 66 cents per lb.

It is hard to see how you can put weight on a steer for 66 cents per pound. I suspect money is lost on that last 160 lb.

Question: Why would anyone sell 1020 lb steers when you will probably make a better net profit on the 860 lb steer?

Jim
Click to expand...

Jim - here is the answer to your question. This is the first time I have done anything like this. The guy that sold the steers said you get paid for pounds, the bigger the better. If there is a target weight that is better, I would appreciate the information. Thanks, Phil
 
clayknob":w2n96syz said:
I'm not arguing your economics, but if all three steers are the same age I would "assume" the heavies were more profitable.
Click to expand...

Clay - the steer that weighed 1060 was born 1-6-2011, the steer that weighed 1020 was born 1-11-2011, the steer that was 860 was born 5-7-2011. He was a registered angus and I asked the board when he was a young bull wether to keep him as a bull or to cut him. They said to cut him. Thanks for everyones help, Phil
 
Around here a good target is 800 to 900 and have as many of the same kind and size to sell at the same time as you can. this can allways change if you have something cheap to feed and you can put some more pounds on them and it not cost a whole lot.1000 pounds is not reel bad but it can be some times if you only take a couple,since it is then harder for the buyers to make a load or even a smaller group of cattle this size because there are not as many sold.
 
denvermartinfarms":1juxh48z said:
I forgot i was going to ask you. about what does it cost to sell per head at okc.
Click to expand...

Denver - my buyer came out to the house Saturday and looked at the steers. He said he had some steers that was coming up from Texas that he was going to put my three with so when I got two different prices, I figured that did not happen. As soon as I receive the check, I will let you know what it cost to sell them. Thanks, Phil
 

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