# Selling Calves after holidays



## C & C Cattle and Hay (Sep 6, 2011)

I've got 20 head of 5 weight calves ready to go to the sale. Should I sell them the first returning week after the holidays which will also be first sale of the new year or should I wait for the second week once everything has gotten back in the groove of things? Just curious it might not make a difference but thought i'd get some opinions. Trying to get as much as possible.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

I am not sure it will make a difference.

Normally I wait until late February on anything I did not sell in early December. This is not a normal market year and prices are setting record highs.

Unless there was bad weather predicted for one week over the other then it would be a coin toss for me. I do not like to sell calves if they are going to be shipped when a cold front is headed through the western states. The order buyers for those areas may not be as eager to bid high, cuts down on the competition.

We sold 14 4 weight weaned calves the second week in December and I felt like a bank robber.


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

Up here the last few weeks of the year calves sell hot. Its because guys have to get rid of money for tax reasons. Went to a sale today and stockers sold really strong. Others closer to you can tell you better what to do but thats my experience here.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Does your sale barn have a Feeder Special sale.They tend to draw in more buyers.

Sometimes a holiday week the stands get pretty bare as a lot of guys are just to busy to go to the sale.


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

I'm facing the same question. I have 8 bred cows and 7 calves I want to get rid of. Weather will be chancey over the next month, so I'm trying to figure when I want to ship them.

I've noticed that there is often a counter-cycle at our local auction house. Low volume = High prices this week; next week high volume drives prices lower.

Ralph


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## C & C Cattle and Hay (Sep 6, 2011)

rjmoses said:


> I'm facing the same question. I have 8 bred cows and 7 calves I want to get rid of. Weather will be chancey over the next month, so I'm trying to figure when I want to ship them.
> 
> I've noticed that there is often a counter-cycle at our local auction house. Low volume = High prices this week; next week high volume drives prices lower.
> 
> Ralph


Yes this is exactly what I'm trying to predict but it's just impossible I guess!


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## C & C Cattle and Hay (Sep 6, 2011)

swmnhay said:


> Does your sale barn have a Feeder Special sale.They tend to draw in more buyers.
> 
> Sometimes a holiday week the stands get pretty bare as a lot of guys are just to busy to go to the sale.


No, they just sale everything on the same day.


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## C & C Cattle and Hay (Sep 6, 2011)

ontario hay man said:


> Up here the last few weeks of the year calves sell hot. Its because guys have to get rid of money for tax reasons. Went to a sale today and stockers sold really strong. Others closer to you can tell you better what to do but thats my experience here.


Our sale barns have been closed since Dec. 17 and will reopen after the holidays on Jan. 7 so what I was wondering was if they haven't bought anything since the 17 maybe they may be out to buy more calves on the first week but I don't know. Just trying to weigh my options!


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

Ya that might be the case you might have been better to sell on dec 17 its hard to tell. Not like that was much help lol.


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## C & C Cattle and Hay (Sep 6, 2011)

Well we were going to then my dad came down with double pneumonia and it's hard to catch calves by myself sometimes. I don't know I may wait and watch the first week who knows!


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Good attitude C&C....I always trust that there are reasons for delays.

Regards, Mike


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## hog987 (Apr 5, 2011)

At least in my area, if I want to get a good buy on a few calves the first sale of the year is the one to do it on. I have done that several times over the last few years. The second or third sale things tend to pick up again. That is just in my area yours may differ


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## barnrope (Mar 22, 2010)

Good question...I was trying to figure out what to do when a neighbor stopped and asked to buy them. Sold 8 steers and 2 heifers, he came and got them and helped sort and load, weighed 675, got 1.65 for them. Another neighbor said he got a pot belly of steers in last week at 525 average weight and he gave 1.85 for those delivered. Don't know what they will do next week and the week after. The first sales after the new year will likely be either really hot or really cold, ....or for that matter they might stay stable, sorry, had to throw that one in too.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

With all of our local sales being closed 2 weeks for the holidays there is a good bet some are running behind on cattle. Buyers will need to make a pay check.


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

Did you sell your calves yet?


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## C & C Cattle and Hay (Sep 6, 2011)

Sold them yesterday they averaged about 525 lbs. Heifers brought around 1.70 lb and bulls brought 1.80 per lb first time I have ever sold calves straight off the mommas for over 900$ on average!! Sold 20 head it was a nice check I ain't gonna lie!!


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

Cant complain about that.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

C & C Cattle and Hay said:


> Sold them yesterday they averaged about 525 lbs. Heifers brought around 1.70 lb and bulls brought 1.80 per lb first time I have ever sold calves straight off the mommas for over 900$ on average!! Sold 20 head it was a nice check I ain't gonna lie!!


I was wondering if you sold them and how you did. It is nice when you get a check that makes all the effort worth while.


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## C & C Cattle and Hay (Sep 6, 2011)

Yep got 20 more to go in March I hope prices stay steady!!


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

They should only go up I figure.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

C & C Cattle and Hay said:


> Yep got 20 more to go in March I hope prices stay steady!!


I have 17 from last years crop. 10 the next round, the other 7 after that. New calves have been born the last two weeks.



ontario hay man said:


> They should only go up I figure.


I am crossing my fingers that the public does not mind continuing to pay for beef. They will be the ones who decide the price ceiling.

Fed cattle jumped up $3 this past week, $13 gain for the last month. Cautiously optimistic concerning the future.


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## Dill (Nov 5, 2010)

Our auction house is behind. I was impressed to see 1.25/lb for steers last week. That kinda price is closing in on what I net selling halves.


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## bluefarmer (Oct 10, 2010)

Last week sold 515# steer 199.00 an it was red the black ones sold better than that


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