What I learned at the auction today...

[milkmaid]

Ringworm isn't cause for a price dock at the sale...

...or, at least not on holstein springers. Took two down today and they sold in the upper end of the sale. Both had a pretty bad case of ringworm on their face and neck, but the buyers didn't seem to care.

It was pretty interesting what got discounted and what did not. Sometimes it was random -- I really couldn't see a reason. When a lame heifer that's a week or two from calving goes for $2300, it just doesn't really make sense to me. Saw a few with a good set of horns that didn't appear to be discounted. Sometimes ones with mastitis sold high, sometimes they sold low. Sometimes the ones that were 4-8 weeks from calving sold for the best money, whereas the ones that were within a day or two only went for $1600. But then that makes sense... if the buyers are hauling a long ways the heifers may calve before they get to their new home. I've heard that some of the buyers come from California, so the heifers are getting shipped a long ways.

Small springers (under 1200lbs) were docked big time though, if they were close to calving. Saw a couple under 1,000lbs that didn't sell too well. If I had more time and a little less sense I would have taken a few back home with me. :lol: I've seen the small ones calve out successfully - although the calves did have to be pulled - if they were under careful supervision.

Anyway, it was the first time I'd been to the dairy sale, and it was sure interesting. Learned a bunch. :nod:

 

[Dusty Britches]

When a lame heifer that's a week or two from calving goes for $2300, it just doesn't really make sense to me. .... Sometimes the ones that were 4-8 weeks from calving sold for the best money, whereas the ones that were within a day or two only went for $1600....

Why on earth would someone take a springer to the sale? They invested all that time to breed her, bring her to the point of calving. Doesn't make sense to me.

 

[milkmaid]

It's part of the dairy business... beef folks have their own areas of expertise; cow/calf, backgrounding, feedlot, slaughter. Dairy folks have their milking parlors and calf ranches. A lot of dairies, esp the larger ones, don't even raise their own calves. Some dairies have contracts to sell all their heifer calves to certain calf raisers, and then they buy their own calves back as springers, other dairies sell all their heifer calves and then buy replacements (springers) as needed at the dairy sales.

All some folks do is own/manage/work at heifer ranches where they take calves from day-old to springer. I do it too, just on a smaller scale. Eliminates the responsibility of calving them out, milking them, etc. Eliminates a lot of the risk too; springers this week went up to $2530, and if I were calving out an animal that's worth that kind of money I'd be a nervous wreck. LOL. I'll gladly let someone else deal with that.