When is the best time to sell?

[TexasShooter]

Over the past year or so, because of the market, I have talked to and heard from several ranchers that they are weaning earlier and taking them to the sell.

Is there a rule of thumb as far as what age to sell a young calf?

I know that $$ and pasture play a huge part, but the reason for my question is I have basically sold all my calves around 6 months of age. I have done so mainly due to weaning. If $$ and pasture are not my concern, is 6 months of age the best time to sell?

Do some of you sell earlier or later? If so, why?

Thanks,

 

[Dee]

Right or wrong....I wean at about 5 months. Bring them into the lot, where they get all shots and boosters, and get to eating good, then they go to the sale barn. Pre-conditioning pays a little more at sale time.

 

[Scotty]

I go off the cow and the pasture mostly. If they are doing well I will let the calve stay. Usually get rid of them around 600. My pre con program is the vac 45 program. I take then to a special sale that pays a premium.


Scotty

 

[TexasShooter]

I take then to a special sale that pays a premium.

Scotty,
What kind of special sale? Is it because of the vac 45 program?

Thanks,

 

[sidney411]

Scotty - which sale do you take them to? Jordan?

 

[Scotty]

Yep that the one. http://www.jordancattle.com/procedures.html


This is the procedure.


Scotty

 

[Caustic Burno]

Four months right now prices are up not that much difference in pocket money from a five month old, due to price per pound. Plus I get that vacuum cleaner off the cow a month earlier.


NAVASOTA LIVESTOCK AUCTION CO.
MARKET REPORT
SALES SATURDAY AT 11:00 AM

FOR SATURDAY, 4-2-05


VOLUME: 1565
TOTAL SELLERS: 305
TOTAL BUYERS: 111

TREND OF MARKET: Steady



STEERS HEIFERS
150-300 LBS. 1.35 - 2.40 1.25 - 2.20
300-400 LBS 1.20 - 1.775 1.10 - 1.55
400-500 LBS. 1.10 - 1.55 1.05 - 1.45
500-600 LBS. 1.05 - 1.40 1.00 - 1.37
600-700 LBS. 1.00 - 1.25 .95 - 1.19
700-800 LBS.


SLAUGHTER COWS: .45 - .59
SLAUGHTER BULLS: .60 - .745
STOCKER COWS: $650 to $975
PAIRS: $750 to $975

 

[bubchub]

Four months right now prices are up not that much difference in pocket money from a five month old, due to price per pound. Plus I get that vacuum cleaner off the cow a month earlier.


NAVASOTA LIVESTOCK AUCTION CO.
MARKET REPORT
SALES SATURDAY AT 11:00 AM

FOR SATURDAY, 4-2-05


VOLUME: 1565
TOTAL SELLERS: 305
TOTAL BUYERS: 111

TREND OF MARKET: Steady



STEERS HEIFERS
150-300 LBS. 1.35 - 2.40 1.25 - 2.20
300-400 LBS 1.20 - 1.775 1.10 - 1.55
400-500 LBS. 1.10 - 1.55 1.05 - 1.45
500-600 LBS. 1.05 - 1.40 1.00 - 1.37
600-700 LBS. 1.00 - 1.25 .95 - 1.19
700-800 LBS.


SLAUGHTER COWS: .45 - .59
SLAUGHTER BULLS: .60 - .745
STOCKER COWS: $650 to $975
PAIRS: $750 to $975

Prices look fairly low compared to our auction's proces.
Pairs: $800-$1450
Stocker Cows: $700-$1100

 

[BC]

Navasota has a really good calf market and market for slaughter cattle. It is not like a lot of East Texas sales that have big stocker cow runs. I used to live there and most of the stocker cows are pretty used up when they get to town. Maybe things have changed in 15 years.

 

[la4angus]

Prices look fairly low compared to our auction's proces.

Quality and location has something to do with prices paid.

 

[jerry27150]

all depends on your situation, if you have lots of grass, if you need money, need to wean calves & what the price difference is on different sizes at the time

 

[preston39]

Four months right now prices are up not that much difference in pocket money from a five month old, due to price per pound. Plus I get that vacuum cleaner off the cow a month earlier.


NAVASOTA LIVESTOCK AUCTION CO.
MARKET REPORT
SALES SATURDAY AT 11:00 AM

FOR SATURDAY, 4-2-05


VOLUME: 1565
TOTAL SELLERS: 305
TOTAL BUYERS: 111

TREND OF MARKET: Steady



STEERS HEIFERS
150-300 LBS. 1.35 - 2.40 1.25 - 2.20
300-400 LBS 1.20 - 1.775 1.10 - 1.55
400-500 LBS. 1.10 - 1.55 1.05 - 1.45
500-600 LBS. 1.05 - 1.40 1.00 - 1.37
600-700 LBS. 1.00 - 1.25 .95 - 1.19
700-800 LBS.


SLAUGHTER COWS: .45 - .59
SLAUGHTER BULLS: .60 - .745
STOCKER COWS: $650 to $975
PAIRS: $750 to $975

===============
Caustic,

Where did you see these ...stocker cows and pairs... at that price? I don't know where Navosota is. Looks like buying time to me! Prices apparently differ ..depending on where the location.

 

[rgv4]

Navasota, Texas South of Bryan-College Station
North of Houston. Grimes County.

 

[sidney411]

I sell at this market (Navasota) and yes, the cows that generally come through here are old broke mouth, bad bagged, crazy as the day is long, used up cows. There are usually not very many cows either. Every once in a while a nice group will come through from a farmer getting out or culling but that is not the standard of cows coming through the sale. I have sat there and thought "oh my, I can't posibly see how someone could pay even $900 for some of these cows" I haven't bought any full grown animals from the Navasota sale, I haven't seen it feasible to spend that amount on a cow that hasn't got very much productive life left. IMO

 

[stocky]

For many years I have sold at around 6 months at an avg of close to 600 lbs. This lets the cow build back up and gets me a good return on the calves. I have several neighbors who go through the vaccination programs and sell at the special sales but my calves always beat theirs and mine are right off the cow. They take theirs to the second largest market in the United States and I use the smaller, more seller friendly market. With the current demand for calves, the people weaning and vaccinating in the expensive, time consuming programs are not getting any return for their effort in sw missouri

 

[stocky]

The cow prices are quite a bit cheaper in the post than here in sw missouri----good springer cows are 850-1100 and good pairs are 100-1450. I normally buy about 300 thin, good quality, suckled down, first period cows in sept and freshen them out and sell them in the spring at the cattle auction----this year, they have been better than any other year, selling for from 950-1300 per pair. This is big cow-calf area, so there are alot of cows selling here each week