# Calf Prices!



## TJH (Mar 23, 2014)

On Wednesday I sent 18, that averaged 485 lbs to town. Yesterday the field man brought the check and my jaw hit the ground. It was a hundred short of 22K. I just stood there reflecting how in my lifetime dad thought he was in tall cotton if he got sixty nine cents. Don't know how much longer this is going to last guys' but damn enjoy it.


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## barnrope (Mar 22, 2010)

Had a neighbor put in baby Holstein bull calves a couple weeks ago. He paid $625 for them. Things are getting crazy!


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## snowball (Feb 7, 2015)

Every thing I've seen and read points to steady prices at this level. makes up for the years and years of busting our butts for a good year at making 50. bucks a head most the time glad if ya broke even .. And I'am enjoying right now...


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

The big benefit of fall calves is the high spring prices.

I sold some this week that averaged 390 lb., averaged $3.15 per lb.

We worked the wet calves 2 weeks ago, tags, first round of shots and dewormed. I have the best calf crop I have ever had.

We have been moving pairs to their summer pastures. Glad not to be feeding hay anymore. Spring calving is under way.

It is hard to believe we are all making real money with cattle now. I can well remember the days when we prayed to make a profit.

Life is good.


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## IH 1586 (Oct 16, 2014)

I wish I was still milking with what I heard for milk prices and calf prices. I remember being happy to get anywhere near $100 for a bull calf and when it was bad a couple of dollars.


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

Sold some 3 weeks ago. Heifers, 450#, brought $2.54.

Ralph


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## snowball (Feb 7, 2015)

Are you for real ..Tim/south 3.15 for 390 lbs... That's great.... Been a heck of a long time come'n though...down fall is look what it cost's now to buy the factory that makes the calf


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

IH 1586 said:


> I wish I was still milking with what I heard for milk prices and calf prices. I remember being happy to get anywhere near $100 for a bull calf and when it was bad a couple of dollars.


Vet was out the other day and said milk had plummeted to $16 or $17.

My wife remembers some dairy farmers just shooting bull calves rather than waste the time and money taking them to the sale barn. She and her Dad never done that, she always managed to get at $20-25 out of their Holstein bull calves. She knew certain people that would always take hers.

I think she and our son have 36 calves on the ground now with 2 more to come. They're talking about taking a load in a week or two. They won't sale on Holidays, around here they never seem to do as good on Holidays.


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## snowball (Feb 7, 2015)

IH 1586 said:


> I wish I was still milking with what I heard for milk prices and calf prices. I remember being happy to get anywhere near $100 for a bull calf and when it was bad a couple of dollars.


I don't know much about milking, I don't really even follow the milk prices , I hauled a load of Holstein fat steers for a neighbor he told me milk was 16. a hundred but the steers bought 1.56 and were about 1500 lbs I could tell he thought he was step'n in high cotton. that steer price look pretty appealing to me


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

I sold five calves about a month back. 4 steers averaged 563#s @ $249.81 for $1408 and heifer weighed 490#s @ 257.50 for $1262.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

One thing I like about the calf market is that I finally got pd from the nieghbor.He's always been slow paying and had gotten worse.Anyway I seen the trailer backed up to barn last winter on sale day so I called him a little later when he was sitting in sale barn and reminded him I would like to get pd.


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## snowball (Feb 7, 2015)

Kinda Like the old joke "I'll pay ya when I sell my calves " reply ...When will that be ?.  . answer. " I'am not sure plan on turning the bull out next week"..... :mellow:


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## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

These prices sure make ranching a lot more fun. Kinda nice to make my payments and have some leftover at the end.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

snowball said:


> Kinda Like the old joke "I'll pay ya when I sell my calves " reply ...When will that be ?.  . answer. " I'am not sure plan on turning the bull out next week"..... :mellow:


These type promise to many people the same thing.Check doesn't go far enough.Banker is first in line.


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## TJH (Mar 23, 2014)

We all got pretty lucky here this week. The ranchers in the Flint Hills of Kansas are now buying to put them on that excellent native grass now. I've heard it said that the calves will put on 3.5 to 4 LBS a day there. They also are paying premium for light weights, saying it's cheaper to put it on than buy it on. I was going to keep mine till they hit 7 weight, sure glad I didn't.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

One of my 5 calves weighed 700 #s. After one views the significant lower price between a 700 # and a 600 # It will force you to sell the calves at a lighter weight.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

snowball said:


> Are you for real ..Tim/south 3.15 for 390 lbs... That's great.... Been a heck of a long time come'n though...down fall is look what it cost's now to buy the factory that makes the calf


These were really nice framed black Brangus/Angus cross calves. I was doing a double take at the price.

Here is the state report for the sale this week.

http://www.cattle.com/markets/barn_report.aspx?code=MG_LS154

It is easier to ship light calves, more per load. Stockers want to put the weight on themselves. I am willing to let them.


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## Dill (Nov 5, 2010)

Wow, haven't seen prices like that around here. If you want drive on out and I'll sell you a couple hereford feeders for that kind of cash.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

I'm not a cattle guy but neighbour said he took a few dairy culls/bulls to auction just because he had room on his truck, hadn't had colostrum or milk replacer. Fetched 200$ a piece. Usually get 25-50$ around here.


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## Bgriffin856 (Nov 13, 2013)

Sent four Holstein bull calves last week weighed 100-114 prices avg 4.80 a pound. Almost unbelievable


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## Bgriffin856 (Nov 13, 2013)

Even with the big drop in milk prices dairy heifer prices are still high and beef is down some from what it was


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

My neighbor friend just sent me a text. He got his check in the mail yesterday. He sold some calves Thursday, had one smaller 250 weight calf in the group bring $4.25 lb.


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## snowball (Feb 7, 2015)

Tim/south that is 1062.50 That is just plain Flipping nutts !!!!


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## Waterway64 (Dec 2, 2011)

They certainly aren't paying much to carry calves to heavier weights. Mel


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

No matter how sharp the pencil is I can not figure out how a 250 lb. calf is worth $4.25 per pound.

I do understand the light weight calves bringing a good bit more than the heavier calves. A stocker can put weight on a calf for 50 cents of pound gain. That is cheaper than paying $2 a pound at the sale barn.


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## Dill (Nov 5, 2010)

Report I saw on friday is growers went from 2.50-5 at the Flame in Mass which is our "local" cattle auction. Unfortunately they don't put how many lots anymore. Thinking about sending a couple feeders (500-600)lbers to a feeder sale early next month in VT. For that kind of money no sense in growing them another year for direct market.


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

We saw a 140# calf bring $4/lbs this afternoon.


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## JMT (Aug 10, 2013)

Getting ready to wean calves. Averaging around 500 lbs, plan was to wean on pasture and self feeder, then switch to limited hand feeding and pasture. Works great to get over stress and put on cheap grain. Feed has been pre purchased and is in the bin.

This talk of a premium for light weight calves has me questioning my plan. Thinking about selling right off the cow with one round of vaccines (maybe two rounds with the second given at round up). Just leave the feed in the bin for later or buy some more bred heifers and supplement them. Have about 17 ton of feed in the bin.

Will have to check out the local market closer and make a decision. Not sure what way to go, but with great prices and cheap gain there is hardly a wrong decision.


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## bbos2 (Mar 20, 2015)

I'm glad cow calf guys are making some well deserved money. My dad cow calved many years. We now buy holstien feeders. 200-1400 or 15. Makes feeding a little tighter of a margin. But still manigable.
I'm glad everyone in the cattle industry is making money. Seems like a lot of years guys were bustin there butt, maybe loosing money, to supply cheap food for a whiney consumer who complains about implants, animal well being, organic Fed, water quality, and the list goes on. All the while they were stuffing their face with cheap food. Sorry for the rant just things that roll around in my head


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## TJH (Mar 23, 2014)

Don't wait JMT. Pulled mine off the cows 20 minutes before they were put on the trailer. It seems that they would rather have the light weights than the worked stock this time of year. Just be careful and don't get'em to big and put yourself into the slide area.


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## snowball (Feb 7, 2015)

I'am worried that we are posting on here like kids in a candy store with a pocket full of change.. I'am happy for all of us again been a long time coming.. I'am down to the tail render cows calving some old some with bad bags some with breeding issues the kinda that I was load up and head to the sale barn with.. Morel of the story I like to replace the dead beats with good cows as I try to keep a certain number of cows at all times the ones that leave are cows that usually sell at # price plus what the calve is worth if they are paired .. anyway I just walked though them and picked out the last calf heifers you know what I mean LOL... called the sale barn and asked what good 4-7 yr old cow/calf pairs were bring'n .. I drop the phone and waited for the EMT's to come and revive me... 3500- 4200 you buy a 5 yr old cow /calf pair @ 4000. even with these calf prices She toast buy the time you get her paid for.. what if she goes tits up on you next yr ? I've been in this business for 30+ yrs and have cried about this before when bred hfs reached 1000. and then again @ 2000 by the time they hit 3000 i was bragging about how I was keeping nice heifers replacements out of cheap cows Now I don't know how I can justify a 4000 dollar 5 or 6 yr old cow.. I sometimes wonder if we are just trading more $ across the table.. I know uncle Sam like it though.. I do realize my feed cost are still low right now and that does help.. but still the cost for the cow as increase faster than the calf she raise's I'am just not sure what to think .. Still like the idea that 500 lbs calves are 1600. though


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

I am replacing my cull cows with young wet bag cows that have been pulled down some. They sell by the pound.

There is a guy renting a lot of pasture up the road from us. He is a cattle buyer and has put 120 momma cows he bought over the winter on the rented land. Some of those cows were so thin I was not sure they would make it through the winter.

I looked at them today with the land owner. They look like replacement cows now. Only a few that have not blossomed.

One cow he pointed out was bought thin and weighed 760. She is 1100 or better now, looks like she never missed a meal.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Tim/South said:


> I am replacing my cull cows with young wet bag cows that have been pulled down some. They sell by the pound.
> 
> There is a guy renting a lot of pasture up the road from us. He is a cattle buyer and has put 120 momma cows he bought over the winter on the rented land. Some of those cows were so thin I was not sure they would make it through the winter.
> 
> ...


hey musta been fed with aome horses I see around... Sad.


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## snowball (Feb 7, 2015)

I need to be careful what and how I post in this I just came in from spending most for the day tagging new calves and work a group of replacement heifers also was up for 4 hrs last night on a time consuming brith maybe was a little tried and confused in my earlier post about the high priced cows.. but all that aside I heard and saw my neighbor all day doing recreational tillage and pulling gas on a his fields that he rents next to me all the equipment is almost new along with a new pickup parked and I watched the coop hauling 6or7 tanks he was at it for about 12 hrs so I'am thinking while it's almost 80 and pretty dry and the weather here next week is suppose to be cold and wet.. the money his burning up sitting in the seat.. to raise 3.50 corn on a farm that at best will grow 150 bu. corn and the rent is close to 200 a ac. I said to myself It sure is nice to walk in the house dead @ss tried and smelling like cow s...t knowing I'am no the downhill side of calving season thinking each calf I tagged today is a money maker, and I hope my neighbor keeps up the work growing that cheap corn for those high priced calves of mine .. It's the first time that I can ever remember feeling that way I always went to the house wishing I was in the tractor seat .. Sorry for the long post for the short point


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

deadmoose said:


> hey musta been fed with aome horses I see around... Sad.


It was a tough winter here in respect to hay. Some folks just plain ran out of hay before they began searching.

I believe there will always be some people who do not need to own any livestock. I have never understood why some people wait until the cows are poor before selling. An empty hay barn is not going to grow hay, sell the cows while they have condition and will bring good money.

Minerals, grass and deworming will do a make over on a thin young cow.


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## snowball (Feb 7, 2015)

Tim/South said:


> It was a tough winter here in respect to hay. Some folks just plain ran out of hay before they began searching.
> 
> I believe there will always be some people who do not need to own any livestock. I have never understood why some people wait until the cows are poor before selling. An empty hay barn is not going to grow hay, sell the cows while they have condition and will bring good money.
> 
> Minerals, grass and deworming will do a make over on a thin young cow.


Tim/South your right about some people not needing to own livestock.. That pisses me off bad when you drive by a place and you can see the sorrow in the animals eyes.. sometimes it's so bad they don't even have the energy to go though the junk fence that is keeping them in the starvation pen . you can tell the animals would ask you to "Please Shoot Me so ICan Just die a faster Death.. I get mad just thinking about it


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## Bonfire (Oct 21, 2012)

Hauled a load of calves to Lynchburg last week that sold 4-13. Here's my avg's:

Steer

Wt: 496

Prc: $260.66

Hfr

Wt: 493

Prc: $226.38


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## Sd1030 (Feb 4, 2015)

Bonfire was that lynchburg va? Also were those angus calves or another breed?


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## Bonfire (Oct 21, 2012)

Sd1030 said:


> Bonfire was that lynchburg va? Also were those angus calves or another breed?


Yes, Va. Yes, Angus base. 3 way cross bull. Mostly blk face. Couple white/motley face. One smoke exotic.


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## Sd1030 (Feb 4, 2015)

Ok thanks, sounds like you do good then. Im thinking about selling there, i have 3 hereford x gert steers along with some angus x gert. How do you think the herefords will do there?


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## MScowman (May 18, 2011)

Just sold some yesterday-

Str avg: 608#-$2.31

Hfr avg: 471#-$2.51


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## Bonfire (Oct 21, 2012)

Sd1030 said:


> Ok thanks, sounds like you do good then. Im thinking about selling there, i have 3 hereford x gert steers along with some angus x gert. How do you think the herefords will do there?


If they're black, they'll do well. If not, it depends. Do they have some frame and good muscle?

The best would be if they were weaned for 45 days.


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## Sd1030 (Feb 4, 2015)

Two of the three have a good build, one not so much.


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## MScowman (May 18, 2011)

Bonfire said:


> If they're black, they'll do well. If not, it depends. Do they have some frame and good muscle?
> 
> The best would be if they were weaned for 45 days.


And I'll add, they should be given at least a 1 round of shots(IBR, Black leg, BVD-BRD, and wormed) at minimum.


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## Bonfire (Oct 21, 2012)

MScowman said:


> And I'll add, they should be given at least a 1 round of shots(IBR, Black leg, BVD-BRD, and wormed) at minimum.


Check. I agree.


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## Sd1030 (Feb 4, 2015)

Thanks for the info yall


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

Got $550 for a 2 day old Holstein bull calf that weighed 100 pounds


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Good deal endrow.


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## Bgriffin856 (Nov 13, 2013)

snowball said:


> called the sale barn and asked what good 4-7 yr old cow/calf pairs were bring'n .. I drop the phone and waited for the EMT's to come and revive me... 3500- 4200 you buy a 5 yr old cow /calf pair @ 4000


I think this is what happened to snowball...


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## Bgriffin856 (Nov 13, 2013)

endrow said:


> Got $550 for a 2 day old Holstein bull calf that weighed 100 pounds


Dang that's good. Seems if they are 100-110 they bring the most per pound. Last ones we sent three weighed 98-106 got over $4 pound one weighed 124 got 3.30 a pound. All were less than a week old. Prices were down a bit


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## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

I must have got a bargin if I bought 250 lb holsteins for $2.67/lb. Thats only $667 each. Thats only $167 more for an extra 150 lbs. They were castrated and dehorned too..


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## bbos2 (Mar 20, 2015)

PaMike said:


> I must have got a bargin if I bought 250 lb holsteins for $2.67/lb. Thats only $667 each. Thats only $167 more for an extra 150 lbs. They were castrated and dehorned too..


I think u did very well with those! If you had a potload you could contract for a very good profit today


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## Bgriffin856 (Nov 13, 2013)

PaMike said:


> I must have got a bargin if I bought 250 lb holsteins for $2.67/lb. Thats only $667 each. Thats only $167 more for an extra 150 lbs. They were castrated and dehorned too..


I have yet to figure how it pays to raise them to that size and sell them. Good deal for you though Mike!


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## Bgriffin856 (Nov 13, 2013)

Sent a 90 pound b&w Holstein bull calf 3 weeks ago and got 5.95/pound


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

Needed to move some cows off a leased pasture and sold 8 large black bull calves. Had no facility there and had to set up temporary panels to move them. Calves had not been worked and got bigger than I normally keep them.

Averaged 570 lbs @ 2.45 lb.


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## bbos2 (Mar 20, 2015)

Just bought some holstien bull calves... Definitly more then I'd like to pay but there is still some room for profit if managed closely


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

bbos2 said:


> Just bought some holstien bull calves... Definitly more then I'd like to pay but there is still some room for profit if managed closely


I have seen week old beef calves bring $400 - $500.

Unreal.


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## Bgriffin856 (Nov 13, 2013)

Sent a 88 pound r&w Holstein bull calf two weeks ago. $6 a pound 

Pure craziness imo

I'll take it though glad im on the producing end


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## Colby (Mar 5, 2012)

Kinda backed off on calves after opening back up this week. 5 weights only averaging 2.10


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## urednecku (Oct 18, 2010)

I started to sell calves about 3 weeks ago, but found a cow down trying to have one. Long story short, she pinched a nerve, but she had the calf. $450 cash for him.

Finally got to sell this last Mon....str avg 203, avg price/lb was 477.

Hfrs avg 378, (all were older, couple were yearlings) avg 216.

I was a little disappointed on the heifers, but satisfied with the steers! Top price was a 190#, brought 5.30/Lb!


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