Feeder steers and diamond rings

[morgan in ar]

When my dad was ready to propose to mom, he sold a calf to pay for the ring. It was a modest ring, but good quality with a small diamond and gold band. I think I heard it was about $350. This would have been 1972 or 73.
I've been raising cattle since Dad died in 2009. For the most of the years since, my calves have averaged about $600 each at sale.
Recently, the cattle market has been experiencing record high prices. I took some calves to town last week, and I averaged $1200 each for them.
I've been happily married for 25 years now, so I'm not really up to date on diamond ring prices. I wonder if one $1200 calf today (at record high prices) would buy the same ring my dad bought with one calf in the early seventies.

 

[300jk]

When my dad was ready to propose to mom, he sold a calf to pay for the ring. It was a modest ring, but good quality with a small diamond and gold band. I think I heard it was about $350. This would have been 1972 or 73.
I've been raising cattle since Dad died in 2009. For the most of the years since, my calves have averaged about $600 each at sale.
Recently, the cattle market has been experiencing record high prices. I took some calves to town last week, and I averaged $1200 each for them.
I've been happily married for 25 years now, so I'm not really up to date on diamond ring prices. I wonder if one $1200 calf today (at record high prices) would buy the same ring my dad bought with one calf in the early seventies.

How big are these calves ? Just curios ! Have no idea in diamond prices ! Wife has hers and don’t plan on buying another ! Ha ha ! I’m guessing the answer to your question is no .

 

[morgan in ar]

How big are these calves ? Just curios ! Have no idea in diamond prices ! Wife has hers and don’t plan on buying another ! Ha ha ! I’m guessing the answer to your question is no .

Most were about 450 lbs.

 

[farmersamm]

I don't generally follow the market price...........when it's time to sell, you have to sell.

Took some in sometime back. I never stay to protect them.......whadya gonna do........haul them home again? And, the guy that runs the ring generally gets a good price. Drop them off, grab something at McDonalds on the way home.

Auction was on Wednesday I got the check on Saturday. I THOUGHT THERE WAS A MISTAKE!!!!!!!!

I'm not sure I see these high prices lasting. This is twice we've taken home record checks this past calendar year.

I'm assuming it's fallout from the droughts we've had in recent years. Can't afford a cow for love or money either.

I'm not sure, but I believe there's been record drought in South America too. I own FMC, picked it up when it dropped due to lower sales in South America due to drought.........I won't add to the position till the conditions improve......which reminds me..........have to see what's going on down there. Anyways......this might be limiting the number of imports, further reducing numbers of cattle. Dunno.

I guess you have to enjoy it while it lasts, but don't make bank on it.

 

[Mcrafty1]

Let me start by stating I have zero knowledge of cattle buying, raising or selling. That being said I have read/heard something about there only being four major commercial cattle buying/processing entities left and I think most if not all of those aren't in America. They control the prices and could there be some nefarious reason to want to buy as many of the US herd as they can? to further their grip on the industry? Idk, I'm asking those here that may have heard something similar.

 

[showcrop]

I bought my wife to be a little diamond in 1973 for I think $175.00 so your dad did better. Some twenty years later I had gotten into farming and was making enough money on the side to go out and get her a much better one that set me back $2500.00. A big sparkly one in the middle and a bunch of little ones on a separate band.

 

[David from Kansas]

Don't know anything about diamond prices, but cattle have been doing good for many years. Semi-retired with a small cow herd that I go 50-50 with a son and we have done well. We calve in the fall, wean in the spring, put the calves on summer grass, which I own, sell in the fall and have grossed a little over $2,000 per head for the past couple of years. We market at a local auction but one son sends many of his feeders to the feed lot. If you buy a occasional burger at the fast food joint you can see why beef is so high priced.

 

[Not db4600]

Drought and the winter of ‘22 were tough on the cattle industry. Some were lost and some were moved due to lack of feed. When the on hoof number drops it is brings a shortfall of demand which will drive up prices.
In the mid 80s when dairy was contracting you could bring 3-2 day old calves to market. Walk out the door with $15.00 and find 2-3 day old calves in your truck that someone put there. That is not the case now.

 

[RESLLS]

Bought my girl a 1/8th carat diamond. In 1980 think it was $179. She has since had several, but still has the first. Biggest one was when Montgomery Wards was closing. 1.5 carat vvs1 princess cut stone for $875. Got it appraised for insurance at $6000. Bought a 2/3 c at a pawn shop 6 months ago for 375. So yeah, if you shop your 1200 would buy a decent stone. Vvs1 is very very slight inclusion.

 

[Phill Tibbetts]

My wife's diamond ring was $150 in the late 60's. She's a keeper, been married for almost 54 years. The price of the ring is no guarantee of a successful marriage in my opinion.

 

[Tony in SD]

Miss Candy is a jeweler. I am not but she has taught me a little about precious stones & metals. The prices for diamonds and the prices for a ring vary greatly. There are a bunch of specifications for diamonds. So you can easily buy a large low grade diamond for the same price as a small high grade diamond. This same is true for metals. Gold for instance, is graded for purity. 100% gold is just that but it is very soft so it wears easily. Ring that are an alloy are just as shinny to me and are harder so they dont wear as fast.

Miss Candy has also taught me that every woman has their own idea of the perfect ring. And don’t be surprised when she changes her mind.
The bottom line is. What ever make her happy is the right answer. Even if it takes 2 steers

 

[Loosehandle]

When my dad was ready to propose to mom, he sold a calf to pay for the ring. It was a modest ring, but good quality with a small diamond and gold band. I think I heard it was about $350. This would have been 1972 or 73.
I've been raising cattle since Dad died in 2009. For the most of the years since, my calves have averaged about $600 each at sale.
Recently, the cattle market has been experiencing record high prices. I took some calves to town last week, and I averaged $1200 each for them.
I've been happily married for 25 years now, so I'm not really up to date on diamond ring prices. I wonder if one $1200 calf today (at record high prices) would buy the same ring my dad bought with one calf in the early seventies.

Doubt it, gold was $60 oz in 1972 and now its $2700

 

[john in la]

Let me start by stating I have zero knowledge of cattle buying, raising or selling. That being said I have read/heard something about there only being four major commercial cattle buying/processing entities left and I think most if not all of those aren't in America. They control the prices and could there be some nefarious reason to want to buy as many of the US herd as they can? to further their grip on the industry? Idk, I'm asking those here that may have heard something similar.

While it might be possible to control the chicken or pig market because of the low land use there is no one in the world that could control the cattle market by buying up all the cows.

I have read the figures before but can’t really remember the exact amount but I want to say over 1/3 the land is the USA is devoted to grazing cattle.
We can look at it another way. It takes several acres to graze a cow calf pair and several states have more cows than they have people.
Just not possible for one entity to own that much land.

 

[Smalltowner]

When my dad was ready to propose to mom, he sold a calf to pay for the ring. It was a modest ring, but good quality with a small diamond and gold band. I think I heard it was about $350. This would have been 1972 or 73.
I've been raising cattle since Dad died in 2009. For the most of the years since, my calves have averaged about $600 each at sale.
Recently, the cattle market has been experiencing record high prices. I took some calves to town last week, and I averaged $1200 each for them.
I've been happily married for 25 years now, so I'm not really up to date on diamond ring prices. I wonder if one $1200 calf today (at record high prices) would buy the same ring my dad bought with one calf in the early seventies.

Yea local cattlemen are all smiles around here these days and a fenced pasture of any size has some cows on it. Water is the main problem, or lack thereof, on rented pasture. And $100 a roll hay.
Diamonds? . 300% markup and a frivolous waste in my opinion. Married 42 yrs without diamonds…. But she drives a new GMC and gets whatever else she wants.
The fascination with diamonds has always puzzled me. Gold is a different story.

 

[wp6529]

While there are blips here and there, mostly when you adjust for "inflation" i.e. the stealth tax deflation of the Dollar, most things still cost about the same.

 

[da.bees]

A progression of things drove beef prices up with the latest being discovery of screw worms on cattle coming into USA from South America. Imports were halted pending investigation and implementing additional inspections.

 

[38 Sears Roebuck]

My wife is just as happy(if not more)to have a nice filet mignon once in a while. She's not much of a jewelry lady.

 

[JDNewbie]

According to an “inflation calculator” I found online, a $350 purchase in 1973 would cost $2472.77 in 2024. I have no idea how accurate that is or how inflation affects the gold and diamond markets, but dollar for dollar I don’t think $1200 would buy the same ring today.

 

[farmersamm]

A progression of things drove beef prices up with the latest being discovery of screw worms on cattle coming into USA from South America. Imports were halted pending investigation and implementing additional inspections.

That indeed is news.

U.S. stops imports of cattle from Mexico after detection of New World screwworm

Already high feeder cattle futures jumped Monday and Tuesday. U.S. inventories of beef cattle are at all-time lows, and feedlots have been purchasing Mexican cattle to fill demand.

www.agweek.com

 

[Vito]

Bought my girl a 1/8th carat diamond. In 1980 think it was $179. She has since had several, but still has the first. Biggest one was when Montgomery Wards was closing. 1.5 carat vvs1 princess cut stone for $875. Got it appraised for insurance at $6000. Bought a 2/3 c at a pawn shop 6 months ago for 375. So yeah, if you shop your 1200 would buy a decent stone. Vvs1 is very very slight inclusion

Bought my wife a 1.5 carat diamond ring in 1999. Thankfully her family is in the jewelry business.

Vito