High priced heifers....

[tom4018]

A sale earlier this week, they brought good money, got this in a email:

The 2014 "Top of the Crop" heifer sale was held on Tuesday October 21st at Bluegrass Stockyards of Richmond. We sold 87 bred heifers. The sale average was $2660.00 per head. High was $3175.00 and low was $2200.00.

 

[dun]

Asked a friend of mine that auctions a lot of Red Angus what heifers were running. H e says 2900-3300. So the prices you showed are pretty much in keeping with the going rate now.

 

[Nesikep]

Them's good prices... wouldn't mind having a couple dozen to sell

 

[Lazy M]

I guess it's all relative. 10 years ago we were buying good quality breds for around a 1000 and selling their weaned calves for around 500. Now I've been averaging about 1300-1500 for the calves.

 

[bigbull338]

thats comm bred heifers.just think giving $2500 to $3000 for heifers itll take 3 calves sold before they are paid for to make a profit.heck reg bred heifers are bringing $2500 to $4000.but the real kicker is the open reg heifers wich are $2500 to $5000 or more.

 

[Limomike]

yes, commercial bred and registered heifers are running big prices right now. Lots of folks keeping heifers back too.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

I wouldn't call those prices high. There sure not cheap, but they are average.

 

[bigbull338]

the comm prices are so high i dont know how cattlemen make them pay.i know where theres a bunch of yearling reg bulls for $4800 or more for sale.

 

[Stocker Steve]

the comm prices are so high i don't know how cattlemen make them pay.

They don't for commercial cattlemen who do not have free grass and free labor and free pickups.
The big local bred sales are held on Saturdays. The construction workers usually get blamed to pushing prices up.

 

[bigbull338]

steve thats what we call weekend farmers.they go to the sat sales and drive prices up.

 

[Till-Hill]

High priced? Sold 608# calves (5 steers 2 heifers) for $1525/hd today. If i had grass why not buy $3000 heifers. One calf half paid for and she worth dang near the other half to kill!

 

[plumber_greg]

Thanks, Till-Hill. The salebarn bargin hunters are the only ones that post and complain about the high prices. Trying to make $100 a head trading cattle on a small time scale. MO is they never really have anything. If they would pay $3500 for a top of the line herd of heifers sometime, build a herd from them, they would see why those type of cattle aren't too high.
The commercial cattleman can make them pay, that's why people that pay that aren't immedieatly bankrupt. Most of them would cry if they limited themselves to the profit the salebarn hunter did. JMHO gs

 

[tom4018]

Thanks, Till-Hill. The salebarn bargin hunters are the only ones that post and complain about the high prices. Trying to make $100 a head trading cattle on a small time scale. MO is they never really have anything. If they would pay $3500 for a top of the line herd of heifers sometime, build a herd from them, they would see why those type of cattle aren't too high.
The commercial cattleman can make them pay, that's why people that pay that aren't immedieatly bankrupt. Most of them would cry if they limited themselves to the profit the salebarn hunter did. JMHO gs

Greg, I was not complaining and I am definitely not a salebarn bargain hunter. I guess I could have came up with a better title for the thread but mainly posted this for information.

I will disagree with Till-Hill that she would be half paid for with the first calf. It will still take 3 calves to be in the green, as she has upkeep herself. Years ago it was 3 calves when you paid a $1000 for a heifer and got $500 for the calf, just now there is more upfront costs and more at risk.

 

[1982vett]

I think our instincts haven't caught up just yet. The price increase in cattle outpaced our ability to trust today's market.

 

[bigbull338]

tom i dont know about that.i bought a pick of 3 bred reg heifers back in may for $2400.i shouldve taken them all.but money was tight and the other 2 wouldnt calve till dec.that heifer calved 3wks later with a heifer calf.i can easily sell her calf for $2500 to $3000 in jan.but im keeping her calf.so yes she paid for herself with 1 calf.she wouldve made another $1500 above heifer price if it was a bull calf.because i was wanting a bull calf.

 

[tom4018]

tom i dont know about that.i bought a pick of 3 bred reg heifers back in may for $2400.i shouldve taken them all.but money was tight and the other 2 wouldnt calve till dec.that heifer calved 3wks later with a heifer calf.i can easily sell her calf for $2500 to $3000 in jan.but im keeping her calf.so yes she paid for herself with 1 calf.she wouldve made another $1500 above heifer price if it was a bull calf.because i was wanting a bull calf.

I am talking about commercial, that is what the sale results were. You have to feed her a year before you can sell a calf and there is no gaurantee that you do get one. It still pencils out to about the same amount of time it did years ago, just more upfront cost and that make for more risk. The market in your area is probably better than here.

 

[tom4018]

I think our instincts haven't caught up just yet. The price increase in cattle outpaced our ability to trust today's market.

Very well said, easier to go down than anything else.

 

[bigbull338]

ok lets use your comm heifer.now im talking about the cost to raise that heifer for 3yrs before you can sell her calf.every1 here on CT uses $1.50 a day to carry a heifer.so in 3yrs you have $1800 in that comm heifer if she weans calf.

 

[Stocker Steve]

The commercial cattleman can make them pay,

Harlon did a cash flow projection on buying breds a couple months ago. He did not show a profit till you sold a cull cow.

 

[Limomike]

ok lets use your comm heifer.now im talking about the cost to raise that heifer for 3yrs before you can sell her calf.every1 here on CT uses $1.50 a day to carry a heifer.so in 3yrs you have $1800 in that comm heifer if she weans calf.

I dont think it would be $1.50 a day for the whole 3 years.. my heifers just rely on mama and grass for 7 months of that time.
To me its good to do both. Keep some back and buy some. I think it can make sense to buy a few if they are bred and from someone reputable, and if they are around $2400-3000. HIgher than that, and its hard for me to justify.