Fall might finally be here! Calves are showing up at town, football is in full swing, and some snow and temperatures are falling! It’s still amazing how much green grass and green leaves are around. Many pastures around actually look like they’re still growing, and with one to four inches of rain, it could sure continue!
It’s somewhat strange to not see people smiling from ear to ear when we get a good solid inch or two of rain in the fall. What wheat is planted will certainly get to grow, and places where it might have been dusty will now be primed for planting. It’s also interesting how the calf market hasn’t jumped yet with all the moisture. Excellent moisture, wheat coming out of the ground, the spring futures board above $110.00, and calves priced where they can be hedged, what more can we ask for?
It looks like we’re finally seeing a truly weaned calf bring a premium! Weaned calves at Enid Tuesday were bringing $130.00 to $145.00, with the same weight calves off the cow bringing from $115.00 to $125.00. There still seems to be some discrepancy between a steer and a heifer though. The same weaned heifers bringing from $110.00 to $120.00, almost $100.00 a head less than some of the steer mates!
It might be time to think about turning out some six or seven hundred pound cattle. From all the talk around, if anyone grazes wheat, it will be until February and what better way to have a feeder animal than starting with a big one! Not to mention the fact that some of those steers weight 700 pounds are only bringing thirty or forty dollars more per head than their little brothers! The cheapest gain in the world might be buying 100 lbs of calf for $30.00 rather than putting it on for forty to sixty cents a pound!
The overall market is still great! Yearling cattle bringing $105.00 to $120.00, with calves off the cow still bringing over $500.00 a head, and in many cases over $700.00! How can we complain about that kind of market? Fat cattle are doing their usually ring around the posy, with bids starting at $88.00 and ending up at $95.00. Butcher cows and bulls are holding fairly well, with bred cows starting to get higher as the weeks go on. Did we mention that there was two inches of rain in the wheat belt?
There will be lots of excitement happening in Enid over the next few months. Please call or visit if you have any questions!
www.winterlivestock.com, 580-796-2150
Next Tuesday, October 23 at Enid:
Grauerholz Ranch 280 Fancy, Angus sired strs/hfrs, 400-600lbs, vacc.
Marion Caldwell 50 Angus sired strs/hfrs, 350-500lbs
K & M Ranches 100 Angus/Charx strs/hfrs, 600-750 lbs, off grass
October 30, 2007 Monthly special cow sale
November 13, 2007 Weaned & preconditioned calf sale
November 27, 2007 Special bred heifer & cow sale
December 1, 2007 Four C Ranch cow sale
