# Feeder calves prices in midwest



## crhay (Jun 19, 2010)

So I have a few feeder calves I'm going to sell. black/white face & some all black, I am no good at guessing weight, but I think maybe around the 500lb mark. Years ago I just load them up and haul to stock yards, sold by the exact pound. But recently with just having a handful, I've had great luck advertising them locally, selling per head. I try and read the market reports see what they are averaging and go from there. This year with prices so high, I feel half crazy asking these prices per head. If my math is right, between $1000 to $1200 a head would not be far off of market price! I've tried calling around on some also to get a feel, looking to buy some more red replacements, I can't find anything under $1500!! one guy was at $2k for registered heifers! another had some black, wanted $2 lb said they avg 700lb, thats $1400 per head?!?! Am I seeing/hearing all this right??

Here are some reports from a few local places

400-500 lbs $235-258

500-600 lbs $225-250

400-500 lbs $220-225

300-600 lbs $199-246

600-800 lbs $200-230

300-600 lbs $190-220

600-800 lbs $160-190

So for you cattle guys in the Midwest, What would be a good price to ask per head on these feeders. I don't have an option of getting the weight of them as there are no scales close to me. Thanks for the help!!


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

First- put your local in your profile. That will always give you a better answer quicker.

Second-here is a local sale price in the Midwest. More specifically mid mn (Motley for sale).


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Not perfect but you can read most of it. Sounds like they are not far off.

How far is the scale? Even a few @ a quarter could easily be a few hundred difference in price. GUESSING with accuracy of plus minus 75# @ $2/# is a lot. [email protected] is 850. [email protected] is 1150. Find a scale.


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## barnrope (Mar 22, 2010)

deadmoose said:


> First- put your local in your profile. That will always give you a better answer quicker.
> 
> Second-here is a local sale price in the Midwest. More specifically mid mn (Motley for sale).
> 
> ...


The Midwest is pretty big! Where are you at? The prices you quote are realistic. The cattle market is obscene!


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

You will never get top dollar if you do not ask top dollar.

I do not offer a break in price when I am asked to sell fresh off the farm. It would be nice if you had actual weights. I have never used a weight tape to guess the actual weight of a bovine. I have heard they can get pretty close to the weight.


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## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

I would say find a scale. Yes all cattle prices are amazing right now and I think the prices you posted are in line with things.

I've got some cull cows that I'm going to wean the calves early and dump the cows and slaughter cows have been selling for 1400 up to close to 2000 which is absolutely crazy. Haven't seen a slaughter cow selling for less than 1.05 a pound.

Been seeing 600 to 650 weight steers being forward contracted with a Nov delivery date for around 2.25 and higher. I really need to get my steers locked in on something like that.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

There are scales all over besides elevators,Truck stops,salvage yards,feedlots,you might have to pay a small fee but to sell by the head someone is going to be on the short end of the deal.And more then likely it will be you.

same goes for rd bales.I got a call last night from a old hay customer who had sold his cows.He had his pasture baled and the guy offered him $50 per bale,less the baleing charge.current value here would be about $125 per ton.The guy took a couple bales to town to weigh to see if it was fair.They weighed 1870.the old guy says so he was shorting me a bit don' you think.i said no he was trying to screw you!!!


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## crhay (Jun 19, 2010)

Not sure why its not in my profile, I'm in Indiana. Closest scale 27mile one way from me, X4 trips, going to have over 100 miles in it plus my time. We had 2 local feed mills that closed down, (shame they just couldn't make it) they had scales, but now there is nowhere really close. Hell if I'm going to drive that much, prob just haul them down south where I use to go, but hate to put that much time in it for 5 head! So then once I see what they weigh I still have to come up with price per lb. going off of just market averages anyway. Say if they would avg 480lb, I'd still have to go off an range of market price to get $ per lb. I just don't follow the cattle thing like I use to so having a hard time seeing what is good money for them. especially now with high jumps in prices!! IHCman, I hear ya, that's great money on cows, I sold off my big herd too early back in 2010, I thought I got good money on them, looking back now I'm kicking myself!!


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

So you are going to guess the weight on something that is worth over $2.50 a pd? :huh:

You could very well be off 50 lbs a head easy.Thats $125 per hd times 5 head = $625.

$625 divided by 100 miles = $6.25 a running mile.

My neighbor 78?? who has fed cattle his whole life says he can guess a chicken weight within 10 lbs.And he has fed a few 100,000 hd


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## crhay (Jun 19, 2010)

Ok, so I think I may have found a place to weigh, its about 30min one way through the country roads. Now let me ask you this, I go weigh them, get the ave of them. From the local reports I've posted, what would you charge per pound say they avg 465lb, what about if they was to avg 630lb? how do I go off this market range to put a $ per lb.? Like I said I'm new to this putting the $ per lb on them, I used to just haul 30 or so head to stockyards, they'd run them through, bring x amount per lb, and they send me a check!! Thanks


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

That's where it gets difficult.Depending on your cattle,conditioning,vaccinations,breed,even number of cattle.A larger group brings more.You can get a range from the markets posted but to get top dollar you need a large group of vaccinated,weaned,bunk broke cattle,preferably all black.

you could maybe sell for so much off the top price for the weight range.

A lot of times the smaller groups can bring 5-10 per hundred less then the top sellers.


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## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

www.ams.usda.gov is a website that has reported sale prices from certain auction barns in I think 28 states. Gives a good idea of what cattle are selling for. Though feeder calf sales are a bit slow here this time of year. I couldn't figure out how to post a link to the page on that site that has the state by state listing.

You could also look at some of the internet video auction sites and see what cattle are selling for. Though most of those are load lots and tend to bring higher prices because of that.

www.northernlivestockvideo.com is one I look at sometimes and am thinking of listing a couple pot loads of steers on there.

As Swmnhay said, there are lots of things that influence price too. He pretty much summed it up. Casterating and dehorning are two really important steps to get a good price. Can't count how many times I've seen bull calves or calves with horns get docked 10 to 20 dollars per hundred. Proper vaccinations at times too will really get a better price.


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## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

I guess Indiana isn't listed on www.ams.usda.gov but maybe the auction barns in the surrounding states will get you in the ballpark on the prices.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

you could watch some video auctions that may be closer to you.

Google,

DVAuctions

cattle USA auctions


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

swmnhay said:


> you could watch some video auctions that may be closer to you.
> 
> Google,
> 
> ...


I really enjoy the DVAuctions. I try to check in on sales every day when I can. Not always possible. It certainly lets a person know the market in real time.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Tim/South said:


> I really enjoy the DVAuctions. I try to check in on sales every day when I can. Not always possible. It certainly lets a person know the market in real time.


It sure is nice to be able to watch a auction anywhere without spending the time driving there.Sure is a nice way to get a feel of the market.


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