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September 2025 09/02/25 10:18:00 AM
9-9-2025
It sure has been a beautiful week here to start the month of September! We have been as low as 40 degrees overnight with more nighttime lows in the 50’s. The daytime highs have been mostly low 70’s. We did receive 2-3 tenths of rain last Wednesday that helped knock the dust down and freshen everything up again. The forecast looks like it will warm up going into the weekend but cooling off as we get into next week. It doesn't look like there is much chance of rain, but we would sure take a nice one if we could catch it!
Saturday we had an extra-large run of feeder pigs and hogs, with nearly 800 head! The pig market was steady all the way though at just a dollar per pound or $1.10 to $1.20 for the 35lb to 45lb pigs. A few groups were headed back home to feed and bigger numbers were going to the roaster mark in the east! The fat hogs were solid at $0.75 to $0.84. The sows topped at $0.94 on some outside mammoth girls weighing 762lb. We don’t get those kind very often anymore!
The sheep and goat sale had over 500 head again. The kid goats weighing 40lb to 55lb sold from $3.50 to $4.00 per pound for good meat types. A couple 93lb boer wethers brought $3.50 per pound. Nannies ranged from $1.10 to $1.40 per pound. Billies sold at $1.90 to $2.10.
Good lambs weighing 57lb brought $3.15, 85lb lambs sold at $2.25 and a couple weighing 155lb sold at $2.30. Good strong wool type ewes sold at $1.05 to $1.34, and bucks sold at $2.30.
The outside sale had small square of hay selling from $0.75 to $5.75 per bale and 26 bales of wheat straw brought $2.25. Big round bales topped at $40.00. Most round bales were $20.00 to $35.00. Big square topped at $40.00 and 6 big square bales of wheat straw sold at $15.00. Most hay is staying, what I think is, very local.
There was a big run of all kinds of miscellaneous items again this week. A gravity wagon with running gear, probably 300 bushels, sold from 500. A used bulk bin brought $800, used wooden feed bucks brought $110. There was dang sure a variety of items of all kinds out there again this week. Derek is needing off the 20th and 27th, so if you are looking for some ork or practice auctioneering give me a hollar!
The cattle sale had over 600hd. The feeder market is still very strong and solid. Baby calves brought $1000.00 on a few day old black bull calf. Six head of black/white face bull calves weighing 285lbs brought $1700.00 per head. Some 378lb black bulls with nothing done brought $5.05, 440lb blk bull calves handled the same brought $4.95 and 10 head weighing 630lb all black with nothing done brought $4.05. A package of 320lb black heifers brought $5.00, 10 head of unweaned or unvaccinated heifers weighing 528lb sold at $4.00. Yearling heifers averaging 797lb brought $3.51 and 15 head of black/white face heifers weighing 962lb brought $3.25.
Six head of black/white face steers weighing 302lbs brought $1825.00 per head. Some 553lb bwf/rwf steers brought $4.75, 683lb fresh weaned steers sold at $3.80. Some half-blood Corriente steers weighing 745lb sold at $3.20 and 25 head of 871lb black crossbred steers brought $3.51.
Weigh cows remained very steady as we start into weaning time. The top cows were $1.80 to $1.90 with feeding cows, heiferettes and turnouts from $2.00 to $2.75. Bulls mostly brought $2.00 to $2.30 top this week. The cattle sale had cattle shipped to Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota and of course Iowa.
Last week I went to Kansas City for an afternoon at the American Hereford Association. The young breeders conference was going on with 8 young men and women gathered for a week of learning and education of what’s all going on at AHA. It’s in it’s 3rd year now and was a part of the strategic plan while I was on the AHA board. Kevin Schultz and I spent a short time after lunch sharing some marketing ideas and our own philosophies with the group. My portion was focused primarily on the livestock marketing business. We shared ideas and thoughts about how those young breeders would be able to add value to their customers’ cattle. It was a fun day going back to the office to see several of the staff and meeting those young and progressive breeders!
The chopping crew has came and gone this week. We got a nice pile of silage put up. Colby is getting the rye drilled back in so if it rains we will have some nice fall grazing!
Luke and Cody are finishing up preparations for their horse sale this Saturday, September 13th at 1pm in the new indoor area just north of town. There is a big team roping event on Friday open to everyone and will showcase several sale horses. The roping starts at 11am. Lots of parking back there so don’t be afraid to drive back to the facility and watch the sale or the roping!
Have a dandy week!
9-1-2025
Another August has come and gone! As far as August in Southeast Iowa goes, we had it pretty good. We had one week of heat and humidity went, but for the most part we were really good. The last week has just been a peach, cooling off nice and lower humidity with mostly blue skies. The forecast looks much like the same with a chance of a shower on Wednesday this week. Otherwise, the highs are in the lower 70’s and lows are down to 50’s at night! A little rain would be good to freshen up the grass and dock the dust down again.
On Saturday’s sale saw fat hogs mostly range from $0.73 to $0.81 with better prices on butchers weighing over 275lbs. Light hogs under 250lb were $0.60 to $0.70. The sows sold from $0.85 to $0.90 for over 500lb and under 500lb brought $0.70 to $0.85. The feeder pigs sold stead on 8-10 groups of 39lb to 85lb brought $0.90 to $1.20 per pound. The demand for all classes of swine sure remain strong for now!
The sheep and goat auction had 450 head that included some nice groups of lambs and goats. Lambs weighing from 50lb to 70lb were pretty sold at $2.50 to $3.10 per pound. Fat lambs sold at $2.20 to $2.30 this week. A group of whiteface and blackface running age open ewes brought right at $200.00 per head.
The kid goats sold from $3.30 to $3.80 for almost all weights of meat type kids. A light weight set of thin crossbred kids sold at $145.00 per head. Nannies were $1.20 to $1.85 and billies brought $2.20 to $2.60 per pound.
The outside sale had good demand for hay, but not much higher prices being paid. Small square bales sold from $1.00 to $4.50. Big round bales of nicer bales sold at $35.00 to $45.00 with most bales selling in the $20.00 to $35.00. Big square bales sold from $40.00 to $55.00 for both grass mix and alfalfa bales. It seems like a few more folks were buying up large quantities of hay to have for winter supply this week. Derek had a good run of miscellaneous items again this week and a good active crowd.
The cattle sale was sure the highlight of the sale this week, featuring pairs, bred and weigh cows. Baby calves sold from $500.00 to $950.00 with a couple bigger calves bringing $1150.00 to $1450.00. We had very good interest in both bred cows and pairs. The top group of 4 black cows with month old calves at side sold at $5000.00 per pair. The bulk of the pairs were 8 years old to aged with newborn to 6 week old calves and all brought $4250.00 to $4700.00. The bred cows were for the most part third period 8yrs old to aged cows and sold for $3100.00 to $3400.00. The weigh cows were fairly steady again on 135 head.
As we start into the fall calf runs there are some pretty unique numbers and scenarios that are bringing thrown around right now. Let’s figure a 400lb steer calf selling at $6.00 per pound or costing $2400.00. Let’s use and end weight of 925lb for this project or adding 525lb to the calf. At an average of 2lb per head of gain to grown him up for the finishing yards to pay a good market price. With the cost of hay, silage, corn or by production for a ration bring less than $0.75 cost of gain. We would be owning the steer close to 260 days. We would have $2920 invested in the 925lb steer by mid may. May feeder cattle would indicate those 925lb steers to be worth $3145.00. That would give over 200lb per head in profit. That’s not bad for what folks feel like is an extra strong value in a 400lb steer calf! With the help of a hedge or LRP you can take some risk management out and get paid well for your hay and feed, not to mention if you have some grass available to capitalize on or keep your cost of gain even lower! It is an unusual and different time in the cattle market for sure! Just understand there remains very good opportunities in the months ahead!
I went through several pastures Sunday evening looking at calves. Boy, they have sure done well since the weather cooled off! I would think in a week or so we will get to weaning some off the cows. I can’t wait to see the weaning weights.
The choppers are coming this week to get silage cut. The corn sure isn’t what it was last year. The southern red rust is being very hard on it!
It is a special feeder calf sale this week, September 6th.
Have a dandy week!
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