Help Interpreting Livestock Auction Results

[jode]

Hello, I am trying to determine what cattle are typically being valued at in my area and while I think I understand the auction results, I'm not sure because they seem kind of strange - for example:

A 1300 lb "slaughter" cow is said to bring in $45/100 so that would be $585 for the cow

A 600 lb steer is said to bring in $121/100 so that would be $726

Is the difference the TYPE of cattle being sold in each of these categories or are more massive cattle really worth less in this market? Or am I reading something totally wrong?

In the end, I'm trying to find out what the optimal selling weight is for cattle in my area. If anyone here has any thoughts on the value of cattle, feel free to chime in. I am selling/trading a stock trailer and had a guy offer me three "six to seven month old black bull calfs that are a brangus and polled herford cross" I'm thinking his offer is a little lite if those calves will only sell for $600 a piece after spending an entire summer fattening them up...

[jode]

Just got another offer to trade for three:

good weined brangus heifers. They weigh between 350- 500 lbs.They have had all their shots and wormedand ear tagged and are curently on winter oats and hay

Oh what to do, what to do....

[lasergrl]

the first one is an probably an old spent dairy cow mst likely only good for hamburger/dog food. so less value. the second one looks to be a prime steer ready for slaughter so a better/prime price. sound right?

[ksfarmer]

I sold 3 older cull beef cows weighing 1000lbs to 1300lbs today for $38 to $42/100. These cows will make hamburger but not choice steaks. Someone will put the 600 lb steer in a feedlot and take him to 1200 lbs or so, sell him for $90/100 or a total of around $1100, and he will make a lot of choice and prime steaks.(Prices and weights may vary)

not sure where you are but brangus cattle aren't popular in my area. I wouldn't give a total of $1200 for the 3 heiffers. And, the bull calves may not be worth $400 each.

[agmantoo]

My experience with Brangus is such that if they were free I would not have them. I do not know what goes wrong in that cross but these are the craziest most dangerous cattle I have ever been around.

[Tom in TN]

Jode,

I have no experience with Brangus cattle, so I have no opinion about their disposition. I raise black Angus calves and sell them at the sale barn when they are 6 to 7 months old. I live in Middle Tennessee and there aren't any packing plants around here, so the market is for calves that are bought by buyers who immediately ship them to the mid-West to feed lots for finishing.

Around here, 350 - 400 pound good looking calves sell for around $.75 per pound ($75 per hundred weight), so they typically bring around $300 each.

Around here, 600 pound steers typically bring around $.60 per pound, so they would go for $350 - $400 each.

The ideal sale weight is 425 - 525 pounds. They would go for $.65 - $.70 per pound, so they also would bring around $350 - $400 each, but they'd be younger than the 600 pound steers so you'd have less invested in them.

All of this also depends on the conformation of the animals. Fat animals, short animals, skinny animals, etc. would bring less.

Good luck on your deal. Depending on the condition of your stock trailer, the offers may or may not be very good.

Tom in TN

[haypoint]

Around here 6 month old, 600 pound steers were selling around $90 to $110 a hundred. That is for beef, mostly Angus, healthy and vacinated.

[myersfarm]

A 600 lb steer is said to bring in $121/100 so that would be $726


that seems high right now in any area 600 lb ers in most areas I checked were in the $100 to $106 thats was the best number 1 's
to me $726 is a $100 to high for what they are bring


tjm


seems me and haypoint and I were thinking the same thing at the same time

[francismilker]

I've had the same experience with Brangus lately. I've got some angus/brangus cross cows in my beef pasture that aren't fairing too well at the sale barn as compared to their lighterweight angus counterparts. Even with using an angus bull on them they are still showing too much ear and sheath to suit the buyer's fancy. I've always like having a small amount of Brahman in my cows. It seems to give them the ability to graze less than desirable grasses and brushy areas and still gain well. But, with the calves I'm selling being less than 3/8 brangus and still taking such a beating, I'm planning on slowing dropping a few head at a time and replacing them with angus as the market on replacement cows nears the top of their annual rollercoaster ride.
I must say though, I've never had too many problems with them being wild or crazy. It's the limousine cows in my area that have the reputation for being wild eyed and bushy tailed.

[jode]

Originally Posted by myersfarm

A 600 lb steer is said to bring in $121/100 so that would be $726

that seems high right now in any area 600 lb ers in most areas I checked were in the $100 to $106 thats was the best number 1 's

I certainly could be wrong - I am having trouble with these sheets. See the following website - that is where the numbers came from:

http://www.ntxe-news.com/cgi-bin/art...4880&printer=1

[BrokeFarmer]

That report is a little hard to read for me. here is a link that you might find handy, the reports are easier for me to read http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ams....CattleAuctions

Hope this makes it easier for you.

[ksfarmer]

Originally Posted by jode

I certainly could be wrong - I am having trouble with these sheets. See the following website - that is where the numbers came from:

http://www.ntxe-news.com/cgi-bin/art...4880&printer=1

That link brings up quotes from June 17th, 2006. Prices then are worthless now.