Safe to buy feeders at auction?

[ksmit454]

Our local livestock auction is hosting their feeder sale coming up on August 10th. I'm looking to buy 6 feeders for next year. I have always bought from local people, but haven't found any feeders yet. The neighbor that raises cow calf pairs didn't get around to banding any bull calves (he's an older gentleman). Another man I used to buy steers from recently passed and his son sold the herd. Thought I might try getting them at the special feeder sale. Thoughts? I have never bought from the sale mainly because I don't want to deal with bringing in diseases/sick cattle. I've always raised good quality angus. I figure if auction is not a good idea, ask around some more from the local people who raise cattle near me.

 

[A.J.]

There are no guarantees, but I'd say most of the calves at the feeder calf sale will be from local producers and preconditioned and graded, so there should be less chance of bringing sickness in than from the regular weekly sale. Even if you don't buy any at the sale you might be able to make some new contacts there that you could buy from off the farm.

 

[50/50Farms]

You should be safe if you know what to look for.

 

[SBMF 2015]

If price isn't your main concern try and find 6 in a group that have had 2 rnds of shots and are long time weaned.
If that seems to expensive, try picking up singles off of groups that have had 2rnds and long time weaned. A lot of producers have a couple calves every year that just won't fit a group. Wrong color, a little older or a little younger. Nothing wrong with them, they just don't fit.

 

[Dsth]

did you ask your local veterinarian if he/she knows of anyone selling feeders? feed store is also a good source for recommendations. good advice above if you end up buying at auction.

 

[MurraysMutts]

I'd buy the lil bulls from your neighbor and run em thru the chute. (Bull calves are cheaper than steers anyway)
Castrate em. Vax em. Worm em.

And git er dun!

 

[Son of Butch]

I'd buy the lil bulls from your neighbor (Bull calves are cheaper than steers anyway)
Castrate em. Vax em. Worm em.

I agree with buying the bull calves from the older neighbor.
But there is a cost to castrating (set back in weight gain) vaccination, labor ect.
that make buying bull calves vs steers about the same when all is said and done.

 

[50/50Farms]

I agree with buying the bull calves from the older neighbor.
But there is a cost to castrating (set back in weight gain) vaccination, labor ect. that make buying bull calves vs steers about the same when all is said and done.

The weight gain setback won't be a huge margin or long lived.

 

[Son of Butch]

Our local livestock auction is hosting their feeder sale coming up on August 10th. I'm looking to buy 6 feeders for next year. I have always bought from local people, but haven't found any feeders yet. The neighbor that raises cow calf pairs didn't get around to banding any bull calves (he's an older gentleman). Another man I used to buy steers from recently passed and his son sold the herd. Thought I might try getting them at the special feeder sale. Thoughts?

Yes it is safe to buy feeders at sale barns.
Know going in that well attended special sales bring the strongest prices, so there is a price for the convenience of filling your needs there.
Make sure when buying animals split off from a group it's a legitimate reason, such as age or color and not because of health concerns. Or you might be bringing home 1-nut stags or 'lungers.'

p.s.
buying the neighbor's bull calves might be the best option.

 

[Son of Butch]

The weight gain setback won't be a huge margin or long lived.

How do you know, without knowing the weights?
not long lived doesn't mean it is not with out cost.

 

[50/50Farms]

How do you know, without knowing the weights?
not long lived doesn't mean it is not with out cost.

Well, first off, because if they're old enough to be worth buying as feeders then they've already kept those things on through one of the most important periods to have them (in my opinion, which is shared by many). Secondly, I never said "without cost" at all, I just said not a huge margin or long-lived.

 

[Travlr]

Our local livestock auction is hosting their feeder sale coming up on August 10th. I'm looking to buy 6 feeders for next year. I have always bought from local people, but haven't found any feeders yet. The neighbor that raises cow calf pairs didn't get around to banding any bull calves (he's an older gentleman). Another man I used to buy steers from recently passed and his son sold the herd. Thought I might try getting them at the special feeder sale. Thoughts? I have never bought from the sale mainly because I don't want to deal with bringing in diseases/sick cattle. I've always raised good quality angus. I figure if auction is not a good idea, ask around some more from the local people who raise cattle near me.

Why not buy the calves from the guy that never got around to banding them? Easy enough to do the job yourself and you would be doing the guy a favor if you didn't discount them for such a simple procedure. If he's willing to take unbanded bull calf prices you are money ahead.

I'd ask your vet if he would loan you a crimper rather than banding or cutting. Less trauma and I doubt there would be any set back at all.

 

[Son of Butch]

Well, first off, because if they're old enough to be worth buying as feeders then they've already kept those things on through one of the most important periods to have them (in my opinion, which is shared by many). Secondly, I never said "without cost" at all, I just said not a huge margin or long-lived.

My original point was... there is a reason why bulls are cheaper than steers.
IF you read my posts you'd see I recommended buying the bull calves.
Just don't fall for the premise the lower purchase price = free money as it was implied by another poster. It's like the lucky guy who brags of winning $100 on the slot machine without mentioning the $80 he spent to do it, they're only fooling themselves.

 

[50/50Farms]

My original point was... there is a reason why bulls are cheaper than steers.
IF you read my posts you'd see I recommended buying the bull calves.
Just don't fall for the premise the lower purchase price = free money as it was implied by another poster.

Yes, I can see that you suggested that. I'm not the OP, I'm perfectly aware of the realities of time and expenditures in animals that have to be castrated later in life or reworked because you cannot verify vaccination records. Assuming that you and I are both aware and up to speed, then you also know just as well that it's not a huge deal and just part and parcel.

In addendum, even if it balanced the scales to be equal to the cost of the preconditioned steers of a stranger, I'd rather buy the bull calves of a man I've done business with before as the OP has stated.

Hope I don't come off wrong, none of this is said with any hostility.

 

[Son of Butch]

I'd ask your vet if he would loan you a crimper... I doubt there would be any set back at all.

I disagree.
Purdue University says the earlier the better, but to wait until the calf has a belly full of colostrum.

p.s.
I'm a fan of cutting, but I'm okay with banding if you don't know what you're doing.

 

[Travlr]

I disagree.
Purdue University says the earlier the better, but to wait until the calf has a belly full of colostrum.

p.s.
I'm a fan of cutting, but I'm okay with banding if you don't know what you're doing.

I doubt you disagree if we are talking about the calves being discussed... We aren't talking about newborns, but already weaned calves. And I'd agree, the earlier the better.

As to method? Older calves can be done safely by cutting an crimping. I've banded bigger calves but it get to the point where it's pretty iffy. I'd use a crimper mainly for the "set back" mentioned, but cutting is perfectly acceptable.

If we disagree I don't see where. Just general preferences.

 

[Ky hills]

We've bought almost all our of feeder calves through the sale ring. Run them through a chute and work them, most of the stockyards vets around here will do it at the yards. The vets will have a protocol of vaccinations and could also give them a shot of Draxxin.
We've had overall pretty good luck buying calves through the ring, with what I have bought as well as what a buyer has bought for me.
I would advise to keep them up in a small lot that you watch them for a couple weeks and feed them, to get them used to you, before turning them out on much of a boundary.

 

[farmerjan]

We buy quite a few bull calves in the 4-6 wt range at yards. It does not take that much in a band, a few minutes time through the chute, and vaccinations. We figure somewhere in the neighborhood of maybe $20 / head ... that is still less than buying steers of the same age/weight/quality.
If I had a neighbor that would direct sell me a group of bull calves, for around the going bull calf price at the sale, and do the work myself, I would jump on it. They do not have the exposure to disease by coming directly off the farm to my place.
The ones from the sale barns have more risk for diseases, but at that weight and weaned, are less susceptible than buying younger ones pulled right off a cow.
Most feeder sales have certain requirements for the calves to meet anyway. Most of ours here have a 30-45 day weaning, at least one round of certain vaccines, things like that.
I would buy at a feeder calf sale and keep them up for 1-2 weeks where you see them everyday, make sure they are eating, , no respiratory issues, and then go on with them.

My preference would to be to buy the neighbors bull calves if presented with all the choices...work them and keep them in the 2 weeks for observation, and go from there.
By the way, we use the Callicrate bander on everything of any size, they ALL get a tetanus shot as well as blackleg on the first trip through the chute... we wait for 1-2 weeks to do more vaccinations since their immune systems are stressed just with the banding and moving to a new place... then find that we have much better luck with the vaccinations after that. PLUS, we give an A&D vit shot , for help with the immune system for pinkeye resistance, or Multimin to help boost the body's ability to function.

 

[Dave]

I bought my first feeder calf at a sale in the spring of 1968. I was 17 years old. Sitting by myself at the auction. You have to start somewhere. Over the years I have had less problems with sale yard feeders than those bought in the country and country cattle will generally cost more.
Call the sale yard and ask to talk to the manager. What are their requirements if any for calves coming to their "special sale". What do they announce.
Go to the sale as often as possible before you plan to buy. Listen and watch.
If you are bidding and don't understand the auctioneer make him slow down. Cup your hand to your ear like you are having trouble hearing.
Watch to see who is buying calves like you want. Watch them. If possible sit beside them.
Look for droopy ears. Sunken eyes. Heavy breathing. How well do they move. Avoid those calves.
If a calf looks to be selling real cheap there is a reason. Why don't the big boys want it?
Buy weaned, double vaccinated calves and when you get them home vaccinate them again. Vaccine is a whole lot cheaper then one sick calf. Or as Gcreek says, vaccine is cheaper than whiskey.

 

[SBMF 2015]

I doubt you disagree if we are talking about the calves being discussed... We aren't talking about newborns, but already weaned calves. And I'd agree, the earlier the better.

As to method? Older calves can be done safely by cutting an crimping. I've banded bigger calves but it get to the point where it's pretty iffy. I'd use a crimper mainly for the "set back" mentioned, but cutting is perfectly acceptable.

If we disagree I don't see where. Just general preferences.

Have you ever seen yearlings clamped? (I'm guessing that's what you are referring to as crimping) if not done right their scrotum can swell like a volleyball. The calves walk sore and bow legged for a month. If it hurts to get up and walk they tend to not go to the bunk as much.

I don't care if their two days old or two years old cut them or band them, but throw those emasculatomes away.