When do you sell Calves?

[thommoos]

1. What age or weight?
2. Have you evered figured the return based on the age of the animal?
I got to looking at the sale report for my area and was thinking when is it best to sale the calves? So I got to figuring. Animal sales @ 312 lbs for 2.12 a pound, that 661.11 the calf is probably 120 days old. So I asked myself what is the return on that calf for each day I kept him? Now I did not take in account the 280 days of gestation just the time on the ground, The age was a shot in the dark I figured somewhere around 4 months and then I figured each selling range of about 20 days of age on average. I went with a BW of 70 to determine Average Daily Gain.. Then I carried that formula on out till 340 days. DOB I just did an approximate for a calving period. See below:

Weight Price Per pound $$$$ Dollar return per Day Age ADG DOB Date of Sale
312 2.12 661.44 5.51 120 2.02 15-May 12-Sep
385 1.82 700.70 5.01 140 2.25 15-May 2-Oct
415 1.75 726.25 4.54 160 2.16 15-May 22-Oct
469 1.62 759.78 4.22 180 2.22 15-May 11-Nov
529 1.46 772.34 3.86 200 2.30 15-May 1-Dec
568 1.38 783.84 3.56 220 2.26 15-May 21-Dec
624 1.26 786.24 3.28 240 2.31 15-May 10-Jan
673 1.19 800.87 3.08 260 2.32 15-May 30-Jan
724 1.12 810.88 2.90 280 2.34 15-May 19-Feb
768 1.09 837.12 2.79 300 2.33 15-May 11-Mar
832 1.05 873.60 2.73 320 2.38 15-May 31-Mar
870 1.02 887.40 2.61 340 2.35 15-May 20-Apr

So what do you think? It look good on the editor not jumbled sorry

 

[Dave]

I calf in February and March. I sell generally the first week in October. I sell all of them the same day. The cost is the same on all of them. But the oldest biggest steer calves this year brought $320 a head more than the smallest youngest steers. Their mothers were all fed the same. The calves were all treated the same. I wish I had more calves born the first week of calving season and none born the last month.

 

[Texas PaPaw]

Did a similar exercise a couple of years ago and it was eyeopening to say the least. With the decline in value per day of age there comes a point where the economics are not good for adding the extra weight. Based on today's markets, it seems the tipping point is on the light side.

For me, the conclusion was to keep calves on mom anytime there is surplus grass. At the time when there is only adequate grass the economics tell me to wean all calves that are 90-120+ days old as they will convert feed/grass fed directly to them cheaper than feeding mom to make milk. If it is economical to sell bigger calves, I wean and feed or graze the calves as they are much more feed efficient than mom is when she is making milk for junior. When there is no excess grass, mom's milk for a 90+day old calf is just a very expensive protein supplement. Most of the time there are more cost effective protein sources available.

Just another 2 cents worth.

 

[Bigfoot]

I kinda calf year round, with the vast majority calving in February and March. I avoid December and January calving by removing bull. All calves are weaned at 7 to 8 monts of age. I try not keep a cow cow that can't wean a 500 pound calf our better at that age. I wean them on the farm, and sometimes hold them to 725, and sell them with calves I have purchased to background.

I personally like the cash flow of a few calves to sell each month, with a balloon sale in late November early December.

 

[cow pollinater]

I can keep them and grow them on my summer grass past weaning but it isn't really worth my time and labor as the price slides with age. Plus they get grass fat if I hold them and the buyers don't like that so I sell in late May-early July as five and six month old calves. Last year I pulled my bulls early as it was more cost effective in the long run to carry a few young cows over that were late calvers through no fault of their own than it was to have a spread out calving season.

 

[Isomade]

1. What age or weight?
2. Have you evered figured the return based on the age of the animal?
I got to looking at the sale report for my area and was thinking when is it best to sale the calves? So I got to figuring. Animal sales @ 312 lbs for 2.12 a pound, that 661.11 the calf is probably 120 days old. So I asked myself what is the return on that calf for each day I kept him? Now I did not take in account the 280 days of gestation just the time on the ground, The age was a shot in the dark I figured somewhere around 4 months and then I figured each selling range of about 20 days of age on average. I went with a BW of 70 to determine Average Daily Gain.. Then I carried that formula on out till 340 days. DOB I just did an approximate for a calving period. See below:

Weight Price Per pound $$$$ Dollar return per Day Age ADG DOB Date of Sale
312 2.12 661.44 5.51 120 2.02 15-May 12-Sep
385 1.82 700.70 5.01 140 2.25 15-May 2-Oct
415 1.75 726.25 4.54 160 2.16 15-May 22-Oct
469 1.62 759.78 4.22 180 2.22 15-May 11-Nov
529 1.46 772.34 3.86 200 2.30 15-May 1-Dec
568 1.38 783.84 3.56 220 2.26 15-May 21-Dec
624 1.26 786.24 3.28 240 2.31 15-May 10-Jan
673 1.19 800.87 3.08 260 2.32 15-May 30-Jan
724 1.12 810.88 2.90 280 2.34 15-May 19-Feb
768 1.09 837.12 2.79 300 2.33 15-May 11-Mar
832 1.05 873.60 2.73 320 2.38 15-May 31-Mar
870 1.02 887.40 2.61 340 2.35 15-May 20-Apr

So what do you think? It look good on the editor not jumbled sorry

As long as the overall price is more the bigger they are then that's the way to go as long as they are gaining on mama alone without additional inputs like creep. The only time it makes since to sell younger is if the smaller price point is higher which is rarely the case, or in times of drought when grass is limited. Your deal would make perfect since if a cow had a shorter gestation period.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I have been selling at 4 wt as they are bringing 800 to 900 bucks. Here you hang on to one as long as you like
and you are still going to get 800 to 900 froghides for them.

 

[Bigfoot]

I have been selling at 4 wt as they are bringing 800 to 900 bucks. Here you hang on to one as long as you like
and you are still going to get 800 to 900 froghides for them.

This is an odd year.

 

[cross_7]

prices vary in different parts of the country, but with that said i still question the numbers

 

[Bigfoot]

I checked our local sale report. A 400 pound calf would have sold for $664. A 700 pound calf would have sold for $927. That's $263 difference in the two. On 70 head that's over $18,000 difference. I would sell at 400 pounds if I was getting the premiums listed above.

 

[bigbull338]

we sell when we have calves ready as we calve year round.an that is usually fall an spring,an sometime in the summer.

 

[Caustic Burno]

http://overton.tamu.edu/east-texas-catt ... -trends-2/

 

[cross_7]

1. What age or weight?
2. Have you evered figured the return based on the age of the animal?
I got to looking at the sale report for my area and was thinking when is it best to sale the calves? So I got to figuring. Animal sales @ 312 lbs for 2.12 a pound, that 661.11 the calf is probably 120 days old. So I asked myself what is the return on that calf for each day I kept him? Now I did not take in account the 280 days of gestation just the time on the ground, The age was a shot in the dark I figured somewhere around 4 months and then I figured each selling range of about 20 days of age on average. I went with a BW of 70 to determine Average Daily Gain.. Then I carried that formula on out till 340 days. DOB I just did an approximate for a calving period. See below:

Weight Price Per pound $$$$ Dollar return per Day Age ADG DOB Date of Sale
312 2.12 661.44 5.51 120 2.02 15-May 12-Sep
385 1.82 700.70 5.01 140 2.25 15-May 2-Oct
415 1.75 726.25 4.54 160 2.16 15-May 22-Oct
469 1.62 759.78 4.22 180 2.22 15-May 11-Nov
529 1.46 772.34 3.86 200 2.30 15-May 1-Dec
568 1.38 783.84 3.56 220 2.26 15-May 21-Dec
624 1.26 786.24 3.28 240 2.31 15-May 10-Jan
673 1.19 800.87 3.08 260 2.32 15-May 30-Jan
724 1.12 810.88 2.90 280 2.34 15-May 19-Feb
768 1.09 837.12 2.79 300 2.33 15-May 11-Mar
832 1.05 873.60 2.73 320 2.38 15-May 31-Mar
870 1.02 887.40 2.61 340 2.35 15-May 20-Apr

So what do you think? It look good on the editor not jumbled sorry

Thu Nov 15, 2012 USDA Market News
Producers Livestock Auction Co Report, San Angelo, Texas
FEEDER STEERS:
Medium and Large 1 205 lbs 207.50; 304 lbs 212.50; 400-450 lbs 188.00;
500-550 lbs 163.00-172.50; 620 lbs 141.00; 700-800 lbs 131.00-138.00.

750 X 1.35 = 1012.00
312 X 2.12= 661.11
350.89 difference

350.89 X 120 HEAD
42106.80 difference
around a 180 days for the extra 42106.80
233.00 a day
so i guess it would depend on what it cost a day to keep them

 

[cross_7]

for me 350.00 is worth keeping them as long as it's not costing me to feed them.

 

[ChrisB]

I don't think it makes sence to use selling price per day of age in a cow/calf enterprise. Your calf will have the most value per day of age at 1 day old. But you will not show a profit unless you can keep a cow for 25 cents a day.

 

[Bigfoot]

I remember and old college professor talking about the "Law of Diminishing Marginal Returns". I think it applies her. I will conitinue to spend money as long as it returns more than I spent. Or something like that.

 

[crimsoncrazy]

We calve in early march then sell end of February the next year off the wheat pasture.