Great day selling feeders at Union Stock Yards in Hillsboro, Ohio.

[JTM]

I just wanted to share about the calves that I took down to Hillboro this past Monday. The steers were from the commercial herd that we built back in January and February of this year. The calves were weaned on Oct. 12 after only one week of creep feed in order to get them ready. We vaccinated them, boostered them, and wormed them. We had a group of steers that averaged 635 lbs go for $1.32 and a group of steers that averaged 550 lbs. go for $1.35. These calves were sired by purebred angus bulls and were all black. I believe they were the best selling feeders of the day out of around 400 head.This was the first time I have ever sold calves at this facility and met the owners. The Union Stock Yards is one heck of a nice facility! The cows are now bred to TG/RRA Complete 421 U for next April/May. I also still have 15 heifers from the same group of cows that I have not sold yet. Info on our website. I plan on keeping some of these heifers back to breed to our new Shorthorn bull that we will be unveiling in January. A&T Renegade

 

[trevorgreycattleco]

Good for you Josh! Thats a good day. Congrats on your purchase from A@T as well. I cant wait to see him. I believe Aaron is coming east this spring. He has never seen Ohio before  (pop). 

 

[sue]

(thumbsup)

Renegade is pretty sweet looking in person. You should keep all of the hfrs back .

 

[JTM]

Good for you Josh! Thats a good day. Congrats on your purchase from A@T as well. I cant wait to see him. I believe Aaron is coming east this spring. He has never seen Ohio before  (pop). 

Yeah I can't wait to see him either! I think you will have to come visit when he drops him off this spring. Should have a few Complete calves hitting the ground starting April 1st.

(thumbsup)

Renegade is pretty sweet looking in person. You should keep all of the hfrs back .

Thanks Sue, it means a lot that you like him. I am seriously thinking about keeping back all of the heifers to breed to him. Especially after seeing some of what the market may be looking like in the next 3-4 years because of the massive cow culling in Texas, etc. I think there is going to be some opportunity for these type of cattle. You and TG should be thinking about how we can package a bunch of these awesome bred heifers together. Very impressed with what you guys are getting on those 329 x Captain matings. Congrats!

 

[Will]

I did not see it but I had a reliable source tell me last week our local sale barn sold some four wieght steers for $1.80.  We will sell about 80 steers this week weighing 700-800 and another group about of 20 that are 100 pounds lighter. 

 

[trevorgreycattleco]

I did not see it but I had a reliable source tell me last week our local sale barn sold some four wieght steers for $1.80.  We will sell about 80 steers this week weighing 700-800 and another group about of 20 that are 100 pounds lighter. 

CHA CHING!!!!!! (clapping) <beer>

 

[ba]

Around here we do not come close. 1.00-1.05 6

 

[JTM]

I did not see it but I had a reliable source tell me last week our local sale barn sold some four wieght steers for $1.80.  We will sell about 80 steers this week weighing 700-800 and another group about of 20 that are 100 pounds lighter. 

CHA CHING!!!!!! (clapping) <beer>

Will, good luck to you. Wish I had enough cows to where I could get those numbers. You must have a pretty good local sale barn to sell them that good. I drove these two hours to get them to Hillsboro because at my local United reducers I have been getting destroyed everytime I take feeder calves up there. The high last week at my local UPI was 108 when mine sold at Union Stock Yards for 1.35. Well worth the drive!

Around here we do not come close. 1.00-1.05 6

ba, you really need to think about finding a better place to take calves. We have the same issue here at Eaton.

 

[ba]

operator has feed lot and stock cows out of county.I hear about prices outside of Indiana and  theres Indiana price
another barn hour away you can pay fuel on one and money on the rest if you can get enough to make the trip{most of the time}

 

[sue]

Ba- yes switch sale barns , make sure they announce your vacc program at the block too. If they cannot take the time to mention this then get another sale barn. I switched, had the owners out for pot roast.  Ask questions

I like what you're thinking josh.


Hey - 2 dollar feeders when I was in Sask for Matlocks sale???

 

[JTM]

Ba- yes switch sale barns , make sure they announce your vacc program at the block too. If they cannot take the time to mention this then get another sale barn. I switched, had the owners out for pot roast.  Ask questions

I like what you're thinking josh.


Hey - 2 dollar feeders when I was in Sask for Matlocks sale???

With the price of corn getting down below $6.00 we may see some better prices for feeders. From what I am hearing the market will continue to go up over the next few years but feeder prices will stay lower and yearling prices will stay high. For example, a 900 lb steer may bring 1.20 and a 600 lb steer bring 1.35 instead of 1.50 where maybe it should sell. Those are just numbers off the top of my head but that is what I am hearing because of the high cost of corn. One way or the other the prices of both will supposedly gain over the next few years. That's why the commercial cow calf industry will be demanding easy fleshing, easy growing genetics. Stuff that will grow extremely well with no grain supplementation.

 

[kfacres]

I did not see it but I had a reliable source tell me last week our local sale barn sold some four wieght steers for $1.80.  We will sell about 80 steers this week weighing 700-800 and another group about of 20 that are 100 pounds lighter. 

CHA CHING!!!!!! (clapping) <beer>

Will, good luck to you. Wish I had enough cows to where I could get those numbers. You must have a pretty good local sale barn to sell them that good. I drove these two hours to get them to Hillsboro because at my local United reducers I have been getting destroyed everytime I take feeder calves up there. The high last week at my local UPI was 108 when mine sold at Union Stock Yards for 1.35. Well worth the drive!

Around here we do not come close. 1.00-1.05 6

ba, you really need to think about finding a better place to take calves. We have the same issue here at Eaton.

How far are you from Eaton?  I travel there atleast once a year, and if time would allow, would swing a stop by your place if you're not too far away>>>

 

[JTM]

Eaton is my home town. We live about 20 minutes south of there. We actually live in Eaton school district. Definitely give me a call and stop out. You can see Complete and get a full tour. (thumbsup)

 

[CAB]

Would there be any chance of a group of you Steer Planet PPL getting together and putting pot loads of calves together and send west. You could get 70/75 head of 600 lbers on a pot. 600 weight steers in Dunlap/Denison,Iowa have been bringing in the $1.60 area with heifers 15/20 $ back. From the prices that you quoted JTM, 75 head x $180.00/hd =$13,500.00 per pot load - 754 miles x $4.00/mile = $3016.00. That looks like it might just be worth looking into IMO. If you want a guy that works for the Denison livestock Auctions #, e-mail me or go to Denison Livestock .com.

 

[Will]

We got along good.  I have an example of why in the near future we will not see a huge influx in use of shorthorns in the commercial segment.  One small group of spotted steers weighing 526 got sorted off and brought exactly $30/hundred less than the blacks and $23/ hundred less than the solid white and solid red calves.  If I was smart I would sell every roan and spotted cow I have while the market is good. On 10 head that is a difference of $1,254.40.  That is a lot of money to leave on the table.  It may not be fair but it is the way it is.  From this point on we are going to try and only keep solid colored replacements.  We may end up as the only ones who have a solid red show string.  I say that then i think about what we have in the barn, 2 roans.

 

[kfacres]

We got along good.  I have an example of why in the near future we will not see a huge influx in use of shorthorns in the commercial segment.  One small group of spotted steers weighing 526 got sorted off and brought exactly $30/hundred less than the blacks and $23/ hundred less than the solid white and solid red calves.  If I was smart I would sell every roan and spotted cow I have while the market is good. On 10 head that is a difference of $1,254.40.  That is a lot of money to leave on the table.  It may not be fair but it is the way it is.  From this point on we are going to try and only keep solid colored replacements.  We may end up as the only ones who have a solid red show string.  I say that then i think about what we have in the barn, 2 roans.

why not just breed em black? 

Eaton is my home town. We live about 20 minutes south of there. We actually live in Eaton school district. Definitely give me a call and stop out. You can see Complete and get a full tour. (thumbsup)

From the fairgrounds in Eaton, how far to your place?  One year, we got mixed up in that crazy town of angled roads- (after dark of course)- and we ended up going south and crossing the border somewhere about 10 or 15 min out of the way. 

What will you have to show us in May?- will be the first weekend of the BIG Sheep sales, that we'll be there.  I highly doubt I'll come out to the sale in march this year, but you never know.  More than likely, we'll have the trailor as well-- doubt Complete will fit on it though-- it's a low profile deal. 

What do you think of the Grimme family?  I'd like to stop at their place to check out the sheps.

 

[Will]

The bulk of our cattle are black.  We have 6 Angus bull,2 Brangus, 1 black Gelbvieh, and 4 shorthorn.  3 of the shorthorn are solid red.  The heaviest calves were out of Angus Gelbvieh cows.  Not very pretty but heavy.

 

[JTM]

We got along good.  I have an example of why in the near future we will not see a huge influx in use of shorthorns in the commercial segment.  One small group of spotted steers weighing 526 got sorted off and brought exactly $30/hundred less than the blacks and $23/ hundred less than the solid white and solid red calves.  If I was smart I would sell every roan and spotted cow I have while the market is good. On 10 head that is a difference of $1,254.40.  That is a lot of money to leave on the table.  It may not be fair but it is the way it is.  From this point on we are going to try and only keep solid colored replacements.  We may end up as the only ones who have a solid red show string.  I say that then i think about what we have in the barn, 2 roans.

why not just breed em black? 

Eaton is my home town. We live about 20 minutes south of there. We actually live in Eaton school district. Definitely give me a call and stop out. You can see Complete and get a full tour. (thumbsup)

From the fairgrounds in Eaton, how far to your place?  One year, we got mixed up in that crazy town of angled roads- (after dark of course)- and we ended up going south and crossing the border somewhere about 10 or 15 min out of the way. 

What will you have to show us in May?- will be the first weekend of the BIG Sheep sales, that we'll be there.  I highly doubt I'll come out to the sale in march this year, but you never know.  More than likely, we'll have the trailor as well-- doubt Complete will fit on it though-- it's a low profile deal. 

What do you think of the Grimme family?  I'd like to stop at their place to check out the sheps.

Mr. Negativity, From the fairgrounds we are about 20 minutes south. When you got lost you were probably close to Camden. I do know of the Grimme family but I don't know them personally. One of my good friends owns Burton Club Lambs which is about 20 minutes from Eaton also. They are usually at the top of the shows at our fair and I know he has won a class in Louisville before. I could get you Bruce's number if you want. If you come down in May that would be the best time. You should be able to see a number of Complete calves on the ground that are about a month old. You could see Star Bucks calves, Flex calves, and our new bull A&T Renegade. <rock>

The bulk of our cattle are black.  We have 6 Angus bull,2 Brangus, 1 black Gelbvieh, and 4 shorthorn.  3 of the shorthorn are solid red.  The heaviest calves were out of Angus Gelbvieh cows.  Not very pretty but heavy.

Will, I started a post about a year ago about how badly Shorthorn colored or non black cattle are getting discounted. The thing is, in a lot of cases the feeders are the ones who are making out with an awesome deal with the marbling and choice grade carcasses they get from those cheap calves. My commercial herd is black and they are all bred to the bull in my avatar, Complete. Most of these calves if not 95% of them should be black and purty darn good...

 

[trevorgreycattleco]

I still say the smart money if you had the time and funds would be buying all the off colored cattle and feed em out to sell as 13 to 16 month old freezer beefs or by the piece at local farmers markets. Local markets around here are booming for home raised protein. 1.85 lb hanging wait for a fat hog/ minimum. 1,800.00/ 450.00 a quarter a steer are my spring 2012 prices. The steers are sold out and the hogs are almost all sold. Im going to buy more hogs to fill orders I forsee coming down the pipe. I think they are a great way to supplement your cattle income. Super effeicent IMO and high turnover. My Uncle said they use to call hogs the mortgage lifter back in the day. That is until the super farm came along, but times are a changing. The super farms rule but there is more then enough to go around for us all. Supermarkets are pissing alot of people off these days. 5 bucks half pound cheese, 5 bucks for a lb a bacon, 5.50 lb pork chops 9 to 11 bucks a pound for ribeyes is forcing folks to look elsewhere. My prices are still way cheaper then the grocery store. Its a win, win.


Josh, if the cow is straight angus, the calf will be black. I guess if the angus was a red gene carrier she could throw a red one. Good thread here.

P.S. Central Ohio is virtually untapped for this sort of thing and is in HIGH demand. I dont think I have seen the tip of the iceberg yet. I have to believe this scenario would play out around any major metro area. One thing is certain other then death and taxes. People gotta eat!

 

[kfacres]

Mr. Negativity, From the fairgrounds we are about 20 minutes south. When you got lost you were probably close to Camden. I do know of the Grimme family but I don't know them personally. One of my good friends owns Burton Club Lambs which is about 20 minutes from Eaton also. They are usually at the top of the shows at our fair and I know he has won a class in Louisville before. I could get you Bruce's number if you want. If you come down in May that would be the best time. You should be able to see a number of Complete calves on the ground that are about a month old. You could see Star Bucks calves, Flex calves, and our new bull A&T Renegade. <rock>

Sounds like a plan.  If I'm not mistaken the show/ sale schedule has been modified some, and we're required to move in on Thursday for the show, and sell Friday night now (instead of move in Fri/ show Fri am/ sell Fri pm)-- we'd either like to come Friday after the sale, or early Saturday morning-- which would allow for us to visit other places on the way home all day Sat...  But then again, May is a long way off.!

We'll see about scheduling in a club lamb stop as well-- I have a good friend who's trying to convince me to buy 20 ewes from his this year-- I'm not sure if I'm ready to get back into that swing yet or not.  It was neat when it was going, but just didn't fill my cup the whole way up- if you get the drift. 

I still say the smart money if you had the time and funds would be buying all the off colored cattle and feed em out to sell as 13 to 16 month old freezer beefs or by the piece at local farmers markets. Local markets around here are booming for home raised protein. 1.85 lb hanging wait for a fat hog/ minimum. 1,800.00/ 450.00 a quarter a steer are my spring 2012 prices. The steers are sold out and the hogs are almost all sold. Im going to buy more hogs to fill orders I forsee coming down the pipe. I think they are a great way to supplement your cattle income. Super effeicent IMO and high turnover. My Uncle said they use to call hogs the mortgage lifter back in the day. That is until the super farm came along, but times are a changing. The super farms rule but there is more then enough to go around for us all. Supermarkets are pissing alot of people off these days. 5 bucks half pound cheese, 5 bucks for a lb a bacon, 5.50 lb pork chops 9 to 11 bucks a pound for ribeyes is forcing folks to look elsewhere. My prices are still way cheaper then the grocery store. Its a win, win.


Josh, if the cow is straight angus, the calf will be black. I guess if the angus was a red gene carrier she could throw a red one. Good thread here.

P.S. Central Ohio is virtually untapped for this sort of thing and is in HIGH demand. I dont think I have seen the tip of the iceberg yet. I have to believe this scenario would play out around any major metro area. One thing is certain other then death and taxes. People gotta eat!

This is very true in IL as well-- the 'organic' label- is actually slipping some to the 'local/ homegrown/ farm fresh' mentallity.  Dozen eggs= $5.50+ is another one to add to your list of $$ and cents. 

The only problem I have with doing something like this in terms of direct consumer marketing... is I don't have time to go and sit at these flea and farmer's markets all F'n day long...  that's a whole job in itself...  I guess you have to start small and market by word of mouth-- but I don't have time for that...