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Around here, it was a tractor, made for the farmer. Believe me, there would have been a market for them.

We sold most of our cattle last winter. Only good marketing I have ever done.

Not selling anything right now except for one crazy heifer. Otherwise we are just going to hold tight. Imagine it can't drop a whole lot more and hoping it might strengthen.

Holding on the cattle can work, some times, for some people, but when the entire industry does it, it can make things worse.

I was doing brush control on a ranch yesterday, and the guy had calves weighing 800-900lbs.

When I talked to him, I said he sure had some big calves out there. He told me he hates to sell them now...

I reckon that works til the grass runs out...

We sold calves three weeks ago. Steers in the 580# range brought $1.33 and heifers in the 475 range $1.18. Two years ago the steers brought $2.68. That is about a $900 drop.

The guys around here are running out of grass, prices dropped again into the $1.20's and I saw some feeding hay already. Going to be a tough year for some folks.

Prices have leveled off a bit here.

Hope it sticks.

I know squat about cattle and/or cattle pricing but when I was out Coyote hunting with my buddy from WY a couple of weeks ago we ran into an old rancher/farmer and he and Craig got to talking cattle and crops. He told us that wheat farming was a bust these days so put his fields into grass a couple of years ago and started concentrating on cattle. He said he was doing really well with fall calves....apparently it takes a lot of hay to raise fall calves but he has plenty so he's making a pile of money. Sure enough when we went by his place he had a whole lot full of new calves.

I guess the moral of this story is that Coyote hunting is not only fun but it's educational too...

And, raising cattle can be "Educational", as well.

Today was the 'big' day.

Hauled the calves to town yesterday for today's sale and it's all over except for the cryin'....grin


Can't really whine too much I guess, haven't heard what they brought.


When we weaned early last November, 5 weight steer calves were selling for $1.30, about $700/head.



Hopefully we got $1.30 for 7 weights today. About $900.
(not on sure on how much feed cost for last 90 days)


Should have sold last week.....


Or next week?

The 4-5 day slide finally stopped and it closed up $1.675 this afternoon.

About the same down here as well.

The bigger calves like you sold are rising again.

I'm glad!

And holding my calves to let them gain a bit more...

Good luck man, hopefully we sold at the bottom and it goes back up for you...grin




The worst thing about growing grain and cattle is trying to guess the market!

That's anything in the commodity market.

If we only had a crystal ball!

If anyone could predict to future, he would not need to work, and he sure nough would not be rubbin' elboes with the likes of us.

Sounds a lot like how the refiners control gas prices. Of course, that is always given great support here at the 'fire.

We sent a few to Cargill last week, check came yesterday. CAB choice graded steers brought $1.83.

Just got the market report for last week's sales.

700 wts. $140.00

500 wts. $175.00

Last week was the short term peak. They are off 3-8 cents now around here.


We missed it by a week and probably lost $20-35/head. Tear in my beer.......grin



Ben, explain a little more please.

We sent a few steers to the nearby Cargill packing plant. They pay by how well it grades. Ours graded Choice, with a certified angus beef premium. They payed $1.83/lb on the rail. Our steers hung an average 950lbs.

You feed them out, I take it?

I had to google CAB and figured that was on the rail pricing but wasn't sure.

What did those bad boys weigh on the hoof?