Record feeder price

[rrlund]

Wow! A group of 74 feeder cattle went through the sale at Blue Grass Stockyards in Lexington Tuesday, average weight 704 pounds. They brought $402 a hundredweight. Somebody had to write a check for $209,425.92 for them. I finish all of mine, but if I had to pay that kind of money for feeders, I'm sure glad I get mine just by pasturing cows and feeding hay to them over the winter. I think if somebody drove in and offered me that much for my calves, my feedlot would be empty next year. The whole "bird in the hand" thing would be an awful temptation.

 

[Steve in VA]

Wow! A group of 74 feeder cattle went through the sale at Blue Grass Stockyards in Lexington Tuesday, average weight 704 pounds. They brought $402 a hundredweight. Somebody had to write a check for $209,425.92 for them. I finish all of mine, but if I had to pay that kind of money for feeders, I'm sure glad I get mine just by pasturing cows and feeding hay to them over the winter. I think if somebody drove in and offered me that much for my calves, my feedlot would be empty next year. The whole "bird in the hand" thing would be an awful temptation.

Prices here in SW Va are crazy high too.

 

[DoubleR]

Wow! A group of 74 feeder cattle went through the sale at Blue Grass Stockyards in Lexington Tuesday, average weight 704 pounds. They brought $402 a hundredweight. Somebody had to write a check for $209,425.92 for them. I finish all of mine, but if I had to pay that kind of money for feeders, I'm sure glad I get mine just by pasturing cows and feeding hay to them over the winter. I think if somebody drove in and offered me that much for my calves, my feedlot would be empty next year. The whole "bird in the hand" thing would be an awful temptation.

I went to the Producers Auction in Mi Monday just to spectate. I watch the market and wasn't surprised at the prices except for the day old deacons,. 1350 for one that could drop over dead in a day or two and there was more than one at that price. I need to get a 1/2 dozen or so 500lb feeders in a few weeks and not looking forward to writing the check.

 

[JOCCO]

Wow! A group of 74 feeder cattle went through the sale at Blue Grass Stockyards in Lexington Tuesday, average weight 704 pounds. They brought $402 a hundredweight. Somebody had to write a check for $209,425.92 for them. I finish all of mine, but if I had to pay that kind of money for feeders, I'm sure glad I get mine just by pasturing cows and feeding hay to them over the winter. I think if somebody drove in and offered me that much for my calves, my feedlot would be empty next year. The whole "bird in the hand" thing would be an awful temptation.

I am not in the cattle business but good god were the plated with gold? What is causing this? I remember days you could get cattle for next to nothing. Though not top specimens or breeds. Would investing in a bull be wise?

 

[rrlund]

I am not in the cattle business but good god were the plated with gold? What is causing this? I remember days you could get cattle for next to nothing. Though not top specimens or breeds. Would investing in a bull be wise?

We sure try to buy bulls that have the genetics for the conformation that the buyers want.

 

[Steve in VA]

I am not in the cattle business but good god were the plated with gold? What is causing this? I remember days you could get cattle for next to nothing. Though not top specimens or breeds. Would investing in a bull be wise?

I believe its a lagging indicator. Prior year's sales driven by weather and feed availability has depleted the available stock. But I could well be wrong.

 

[rrlund]

I believe its a lagging indicator. Prior year's sales driven by weather and feed availability has depleted the available stock. But I could well be wrong.

Cattle numbers are the lowest they've been in 73 years. Lowest since 1951.

 

[joeysmith]

The whole "bird in the hand" thing would be an awful temptation

Took it a couple years ago thinking the same thing
Can't bring myself to get back in yet.
Basically giving hay away just to keep the ground for when I bite the bullet to buy a few

 

[cjunrau]

I am not in the cattle business but good god were the plated with gold? What is causing this? I remember days you could get cattle for next to nothing. Though not top specimens or breeds. Would investing in a bull be wise?

Not likely as bulls are over priced and can be nothing but meat in 2 years. M dad paid $16000 for a bull. he got a stick shoved up beside the sheath and spent a fortune on vet bills hopeing to use him yet.

 

[JOCCO]

Cattle numbers are the lowest they've been in 73 years. Lowest since 1951.

Around me dairy and beef have been in a very long term decline. There is very little of it now. There is also no raise my own cow or two and sell one. Same for hogs. Also when they sent them to the butcher the bill is steep. We used to do our own. last livestock was gone by 1980 at our place. We still had draft horses too. They are out of favor around me very few of them now. So as you can see i am not in tune with that stuff.

 

[rrlund]

Around me dairy and beef have been in a very long term decline. There is very little of it now. There is also no raise my own cow or two and sell one. Same for hogs. Also when they sent them to the butcher the bill is steep. We used to do our own. last livestock was gone by 1980 at our place. We still had draft horses too. They are out of favor around me very few of them now. So as you can see i am not in tune with that stuff.

So you didn't keep the horses to pull the manure spreader to haul the horse manure?

 

[JOCCO]

So you didn't keep the horses to pull the manure spreader to haul the horse manure?

No The times were changing no need for horses. Gramp died too, families were getting smaller also. You could buy stuff cheaper than all the upkeep. I bought the land later on. Everything was just me and dad, the others had moved on in life. As for the horses they were still used in logging up till the early 1970's. Dad took care of them for the paper company too. Bet you would not last long having to board half dozen teams, shoe them, medicate them as well as work them too! Oh sheep were prevalent too back them not any more. Good god we had several wool mills all gone now.

 

[JOCCO]

So you didn't keep the horses to pull the manure spreader to haul the horse manure?

Mom used to say keep the horse so you can cut hay to feed it!

 

[ChasK]

Wow! A group of 74 feeder cattle went through the sale at Blue Grass Stockyards in Lexington Tuesday, average weight 704 pounds. They brought $402 a hundredweight. Somebody had to write a check for $209,425.92 for them. I finish all of mine, but if I had to pay that kind of money for feeders, I'm sure glad I get mine just by pasturing cows and feeding hay to them over the winter. I think if somebody drove in and offered me that much for my calves, my feedlot would be empty next year. The whole "bird in the hand" thing would be an awful temptation.

I only have a dozen stock cows, but some are dairy so I buy calves for the ones I don't milk. I penciled out I'm better selling 15 feeders instead of feeding them out. (Which I used to do.) But I also have to by my corn, not hay. The same goes with feeder lambs. I sell close to 100 a year, but only get them to 60-80 Lbs not the typical 110#. I average better per lamb with less input.

 

[GermantownGreen]

And to also say, that's why there is a glutten of corn and beans/ bean meal with less animals being fed. Just wait, 2026 will be less crop prices than now? Think it over..... GG Wes

 

[Vito]

Randy,

With that big a capital outlay what will they sell for finished?

Vito

 

[Buckhammer]

Cattle prices rise by taking the stair steps. But when they fall they use the elevator shaft.

 

[rrlund]

Randy,

With that big a capital outlay what will they sell for finished?

Vito

That price meant an average of $2830. June 2026 fat cattle futures closed today at $232. If they were contracted for that and averaged 1500 pounds, that would be $3480. I suppose with a high volume in a feedlot, it might be doable. That's $650 a head. If you were buying for $1000 and selling for $1650, that might look pretty good. They're doing better than that at the sale barn. UPI in St Louis Mi topped at $260 Monday for fats. Cass City topped at $254 Tuesday.

 

[38 Sears Roebuck]

Well, I guess it's going to be awhile until I can afford a Delmonico cut steak.

 

[rrlund]

Well, I guess it's going to be awhile until I can afford a Delmonico cut steak.

Ironically, we've been having to buy steaks. All we have left is burger. The wife called the two slaughter houses that we use, six weeks ago. The earliest we can get one in for ourselves is December 29. I've been eating a lot of hamburger steaks.