# Sticky  Beef- "The Cattle Report"



## Vol

Tim/South forwarded to me this excellent piece of beef cattle information and insight. Be sure and read about the live cattle market reporting daily beginning on Jan.2, 2013....interesting concept by a MIT grad student about getting a more accurate daily read instead of waiting for Friday. Thanks Tim, excellent suggestion and a great piece of information. I pinned this link so that beef producers can come here every day and check a live market/futures daily beginning Jan.2, 2013 and get other pertinent daily information.

Regards, Mike

http://www.agcenter....ttlereport.aspx


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## tnwalkingred

[sub]Mike,[/sub]

[sub]Thanks for the link. I just applied for an operating loan and if I get it I will be running a small cow/calf operation as well as background some steers. It looks like these numbers project taking a 750 lb steer and growing him for 150 days. I plan on buying steers around 400 lbs and feeding them out for 90-120 days for with ADG of 2. I wonder if one can expect the same results on the lower weights? If so I may just need to buy more mama cows! LOL[/sub]

[sub]--Kyle[/sub]


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## Tim/South

Right now I feel good about the future again. It seems the feedlots are gaining confidence and standing stronger. i believe once the corn harvest predictions are made then cattle prices for fats will continue to get better.


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## Vol

tnwalkingred said:


> [sub]Mike,[/sub]
> 
> [sub]Thanks for the link. I just applied for an operating loan and if I get it I will be running a small cow/calf operation as well as background some steers. It looks like these numbers project taking a 750 lb steer and growing him for 150 days. I plan on buying steers around 400 lbs and feeding them out for 90-120 days for with ADG of 2. I wonder if one can expect the same results on the lower weights? If so I may just need to buy more mama cows! LOL[/sub]
> 
> [sub]--Kyle[/sub]


Kyle, when I kept beef, the most consistent money I made is when I bought steer calves at 4 weight and sold them at about 7 1/2 to just under 8 weight.

Regards, Mike


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## Vol

Tim/South said:


> Right now I feel good about the future again. It seems the feedlots are gaining confidence and standing stronger. i believe once the corn harvest predictions are made then cattle prices for fats will continue to get better.


I agree Tim. I believe beef people are in for some favorable time.

Regards, Mike


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## bluefarmer

Be careful how you read figures,pencils can say anything the pusher wants!!!!!


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## Tim/South

bluefarmer said:


> Be careful how you read figures,pencils can say anything the pusher wants!!!!!


True. Stats are only as good as the statician.
One number that can not lie is the number of cattle in the U.S. is lower then it has been since 1952. At some point the packers are going to have to compete for the available cattle being sold. This weeks show list was lower than it has been in two years.

The shenanigans and politics have kept the prices low all winter.
If I ran a feed lot I would take the mindset of a pretty girl in a short dress. If you want what I got, you are going to have to get off the wallet.


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## Tim/South

Vol said:


> I agree Tim. I believe beef people are in for some favorable time.
> 
> Regards, Mike


I read that if we kept every heifer and heifer calf those heifers produced, it would take 5 years to rebuild the herd. I doubt that is going to happen.
Since cash crops can purchase affordable insurance it is being said that some of the cattle farms that had to sell their stock are going into corn. I can not blame them. Guaranteed money.


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## tnwalkingred

Mike,

Thanks for the tip on your experience with buying the 4 weight steers! Hopefully I can find some "consistent money" somewhere in the farming world. Right now the only consistency is that it's always going other places other than my bank account! LOL

Tim/South,

I too feel good about the beef market (if I didn't I wouldn't be endebting myself like I'm going to). With the numbers being at a all time low and the demand for beef not looking to dwindle anytime soon I expect beef prices will remain high for the foreseeable future. The biggest question in my mind is with the rising price of grain is there really going to be "fat" market. Big prices at the sale barn are great but big prices at the feed store, not so much!

--Kyle


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## Tim/South

Fats may not increase at the rate the ground beef and lesser cuts will. America is addicted to fast food and the burger market will always be there.
Three of the four major packers showed profits of 500 million dollars in their beef divisions last year. They may have to buckle down and only make 400 million this year. The farmer can not be expected to make all the concessions.


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## CockrellHillFarms

One other point I would throw in there if your buying cattle for weight. You also need to look at their composition, stance, length, girth, etc. Just like people, some cattle are better suited to gain weight verse others.


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## Tim/South

CockrellHillFarms said:


> One other point I would throw in there if your buying cattle for weight. You also need to look at their composition, stance, length, girth, etc. Just like people, some cattle are better suited to gain weight verse others.


A great point and one often over looked.
Years ago I bought calves by mostly weight and price. I learned that frame was more important.
You can buy a 450.lb calf that will top out at 900 lbs. A better framed calf at 450 lbs will make it to a 1250 lb. fat with no problem.
Both will eat the same amount of feed. One will make you money. The other will be lucky to break even.


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## Vol

Tim/South said:


> A great point and one often over looked.
> Years ago I bought calves by mostly weight and price. I learned that frame was more important.


For steer calves, health and frame are the most important consideration. I guess I assumed that most fellas on this site would have a idea of the importance of length of frame. It is critical for weight gain and buyers will dock you hard on the shorts or compacts.

Regards, Mike


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## tnwalkingred

Thanks for all the insight guys. I won't come on here and pretend I know everything there is to know but I did learn a thing or two down the road and in my Master Beef Producer Class. Probably the most enjoyable class I've ever had in my life!

--Kyle


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## Nitram

Vol said:


> For steer calves, health and frame are the most important consideration. I guess I assumed that most fellas on this site would have a idea of the importance of length of frame. It is critical for weight gain and buyers will dock you hard on the shorts or compacts.
> 
> Regards, Mike


So true! Raising cow/calf I have tried to remove all short coupled cows as the buyers prefer the long legged long bodied calves. Although I have had shorts that would gain over the summer and weigh in the same lose money on the sale.


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## Vol

tnwalkingred said:


> Thanks for all the insight guys. I won't come on here and pretend I know everything there is to know but I did learn a thing or two down the road and in my Master Beef Producer Class. Probably the most enjoyable class I've ever had in my life!
> 
> --Kyle


Yeah and now with your Master Beef certification you are eligible to receive a 50% contribution in state monies from the value added program for haybarns and cattle working equipment and this year they added ag sprayers to the mix.

Regards, Mike


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## tnwalkingred

Mike,

The TAEP program has really done well. I plan on applying for it come June. I built a 40 x 60 hay barn last year out of my own pocket and I hope I get approved to build a 20 x 60 shed off one side this year with a 50% cost share. Which program are the sprayers covered under?

--Kyle


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## Vol

tnwalkingred said:


> Mike,
> 
> Which program are the sprayers covered under?
> 
> --Kyle


Same program....just added this year.

Regards, Mike


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## bluefarmer

Where do I find out about this program, or is it confined to certain states?


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## Vol

TAEP stands for Tennessee Agriculture Enhancement Program....other states could possibly have a similar program.

Regards, Mike


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## bluefarmer

Thanks vol


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