# Sold my Calves



## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

Sold my calves the other day; I was well pleased with what I got. I got a $1.94 per pound for my steers under 500 pounds, $1.69 per pound for my steer between 500 and 600 pounds., and averaged about $1.47 for my heifers.

Got all my cows preg checked and only had one that was open, I have about 5 that are going to be late calvers. I was thinking of selling them, but I think I will just keep them instead. There is no way that I am going to be able to replace them for what I bought them for last year.

All in all yesterday was a good day, but a busy one. I would have liked to watch my calves sell, but we just had to much work to do. We preg checked about 370 through yesterday, of those 18 were mine.


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## hillside hay (Feb 4, 2013)

That is excellent for between the holidays! All black?


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

Most of of the steers were black. I had one Hereford heifer, one red heifer, and the rest were black. The red heifer sold for the least and the Hereford sold for the most out of the heifers. That Hereford sold for $1.51 a pound, would have thought the black heifers would have sold for more than the Hereford.


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## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

Thats good money. I know a couple people with 500 lb steers that were trying to get $1.60/lb for them and they couldnt get them sold..


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

PaMike said:


> Thats good money. I know a couple people with 500 lb steers that were trying to get $1.60/lb for them and they couldnt get them sold..


That sucks. I sold mine at the livestock auction here in Riverton. I know several guys around here that take their calves to Torrington to sell; they usually sell a bit higher there. I am completely happy. Going to try to pick up a couple more cows on Friday.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

Those a pretty good prices. Were they weaned or vaccinated for added value?

I have 25 4-5 weights that we are selling next week. We have not been getting added value for backgrounding at our regular sale barn. A friend and I met with the owner of another sale barn last week. He has buyers looking for weaned calves. We shall see.

This group has been on a self feeder, ryegrass and hay. They are eating 400 lb. per day on the feeder. They look good. I hope it pays off. If not, I may do like the locals and start weaning them in the trailer going down the road.

Funny how this time of year a 4 weight steer will bring almost as much money as a 6 weight.


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

Tim/South said:


> Those a pretty good prices. Were they weaned or vaccinated for added value?
> 
> I have 25 4-5 weights that we are selling next week. We have not been getting added value for backgrounding at out regular sale barn. A friend and I met with the owner of another sale barn last week. He has buyers looking for weaned calves. We shall see.
> 
> ...


The only vaccinations we gave our calve was at branding. We Just took them off the cows on Monday. We had them out on the hayfield. They spent a lot of time eating the Italian Ryegrass, and it was nice and green. We don't really have anywhere where we could wean them. I think next year we are going to use those nose rings; well at least I think so.

I was reading that some university did a study, and the calves would walk about 3 miles per day before being taken off the cow. After being taken off the cow the ones that had the ring would walk about 4 miles per day, and the ones that did not get the ring at all would walk about 12 miles per day. I don't remember what university it was but it was an interesting article.

Good luck with selling your calves.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

We fence wean in the catch pen for 4 days. The calves and Momma cows can still see each other and the stress is much less. The cows will sleep by the pen for 2 or 3 days, then move on. I want to do as much prep work here on the farm as we can, weaning, castration, shots and deworming. When they have settled down we move them to a weaning pasture where I can feed them.

We have a creep panel where the calves can eat while they are on their Momma. It helps get the gut digesting feed so they do not drop off when we wean them. This is the first time I have fed weaned calves free choice for the last 30 days. It has cost but I really like the way theses calves look.

I am a small operator and have the time to do what is needed to add value.


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

This is my first year having cows, so I am learning. Dad was cow foreman for Warren Livestock out of Cheyenne Wyoming in the 60's, and I have an uncle that has been ranching for the last 20 plus years. So I am trying to learn everything I can from them.


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## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

I tried that fenceline weaning last Sunday. One cow fussed all night. And I mean all night..I live 2 houses away, about 1/4 mile away and had to put earplugs into try and sleep...The next night I can the calves into the barn and the cows about 1000 ft away on the next hill over. Problem solved.

Not doing that fenceline thing again..


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

PaMike said:


> I tried that fenceline weaning last Sunday. One cow fussed all night. And I mean all night..I live 2 houses away, about 1/4 mile away and had to put earplugs into try and sleep...The next night I can the calves into the barn and the cows about 1000 ft away on the next hill over. Problem solved.
> 
> Not doing that fenceline thing again..


I would think with that fenceline weaning you would have to have some pretty good fences to keep the calves in.


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## vhaby (Dec 30, 2009)

I'm still leaning. This fall I started feeding alfalfa hay and whole corn to the cows and calves about a week before weaning the calves. This got them accustomed to eating the hay and corn. On weaning day, we separated the cows from the calves and moved the cows to the next pasture, leaving the calves in the pasture they were accustomed to and across the fence from the mommas. I leave a dry cow with the calves to serve as a lead animal to get the calves to water and to the feed. On weaning, I put out bloat guard blocks for a week and just before letting the calves into the standing alfalfa hay field, I put out free choice round grass hay bales to fill their bellies. The calves were first allowed to graze alfalfa for about a half hour and gradually increased grazing time until I would see them lay down (about 2-3 hours.

By following this procedure, filling the calves bellies with corn and alfalfa hay, the calves bawled only one night. The cows continued bawling for 3-4 days. The weaned calves were vac-45ed and sent to a special feeder sale, all except the keeper heifers. The feeder sale required a special vaccination protocol, castration on bull calves, dehorning if needed, and deworming. A special tag provided by the sale was put into the left ear for owner id. At this sale, our calves weight range was from just over 400 to nearly 900 lb and 22 hd averaged right at $997/hd.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

vhaby

$997 average sounds very good. May I ask what sale you sent your calves to?


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## clowers (Feb 11, 2011)

Good question Jim?

Good for you Vince, wish I had a trailer load at that price.


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## vhaby (Dec 30, 2009)

Calves went to the second NETBIO November sale in Sulphur Springs, November 29th.

http://www.sslivestockauctions.com/netbio.html


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

vhaby said:


> Calves went to the second NETBIO November sale in Sulphur Springs, November 29th.
> 
> http://www.sslivestockauctions.com/netbio.html


Vincent, it looks like a good place to sell to me....we used to put our steer calves(750-800#) in a video sale that operated much the same way about having preparation requirements several years ago. It does make a difference in obtaining the highest dollar possible.

Regards, Mike


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## azmike (Jan 4, 2015)

Our Livestock Auctions have been enjoying pretty good prices. We had some baldie steers in this week, pleased with $1.87 on the 4-5 weights. Lots of cattle getting sold because of short rains last summer and not too good of range pastures. We have 3 nice purebred yearling Hereford bulls that I may have to hold for a while....guys don't need bulls when they sell too many cows!


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

azmike said:


> Our Livestock Auctions have been enjoying pretty good prices. We had some baldie steers in this week, pleased with $1.87 on the 4-5 weights. Lots of cattle getting sold because of short rains last summer and not too good of range pastures. We have 3 nice purebred yearling Hereford bulls that I may have to hold for a while....guys don't need bulls when they sell too many cows!


That is good money compared to what 4-5 weights are bringing here. Our prices slow down before Christmas and will not pick back up until late winter.


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## hillside hay (Feb 4, 2013)

Stopped by a local sale barn nearby a boiler job I was doing yesterday. Mutt feeders were averaging .57. Granted they needed some work but that's cheap enough! What a day to not have my trailer. I think what was there was the end result of a lowest price hay buyer ruining some calves. Later in the sale some nice fleshy ones came through. 5 weights avg 1.10


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## Swv.farmer (Jan 2, 2016)

That's cheap.
5 weights around hear are average a 1.47
Scrubs are cheap but they are a gamble you may make money or you may loose money.


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## hillside hay (Feb 4, 2013)

I've considered buying and fattening some here and sending them down the SVA auction barn. Kentucky seems strong too last I checked


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