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January 2023 01/05/23 11:48:00 AM
1-31-2023
January comes to an end tonight. It has sure been better weather in Southeast IA than across northern Nebraska or South Dakota. It has really been winter in that country! We got down to zero last night but make it back to 20 today and warmer for the rest of the week getting to 46 on Saturday. I don’t mind moderate temperatures but sure need the mud to stay away. The forecast looks like a very slight chance of moisture in the next week and likely to stay froze up at night.
Saturday was a regular sale with 200 hogs, 350 sheep and goats and 300 cattle. The hog market saw fat hogs selling from $50 to 56. Sows made a strong move up to $54 on the better sows over 500 pounds. Just a few pigs again with most at 75¢ a lb.
The sheep and goat market had orphan lambs up to $80 and bottle kid goats in the $40 to 70 range. Market kids sold up to $3.35 a lb. on some weighing 47 pounds. Heavier kids ranged from $2.00 to 2.45 a lb. Cull nannies brought $1.15 to 1.25 and big billies ranging $2.10 to 2.30 a lb. Lambs were steady to softer. 50-pound lambs brought $2.40 a lb. and the better 70 to 80 pound lambs were up to $1.85 a lb. Ewes brought from $90 to 1.10 and weigh up bucks were at $1.11 a lb.
The hedge post market saw only moderate demand. Lines were from $5 to 15 and corners sold from $15 to 25. Phillips sold all the small squares and misc. items that included rabbits and a few puppies. Jimmy had the lead on the puppy sales this week, marketing 14 head of blue heeler, aussie shepherd, collie, rat terrier cross pups. Jimmy has a strong passion about dogs in general and really exceeded his expectations in marketing this pen full. I told him we might just start a monthly dog sale!
The cattle market had a few dairy cross calves selling from $100 to 200 and straight Holsteins from $50 to 100. A few groups of feeders had very good interest with 550-to-700-pound steers garnishing the most activity at $1.89 to 2.05 a lb. 450-to-550-pound heifers in small packages brought $1.65 to 1.75 a lb. Weigh cows were higher with the top big cow at $99.50 and the bulk of the fat cows were $80 to 90 a lb. Lean cows were in the $80’s with thin, full, or crippled cows mostly in the $60’s. Bulls ranged from $90 to 1.21 a lb.
We are calving everywhere right along this week. The calving barn at home was full last night when I visited at 7:00. Becky went out at 9:30 to check and move one out of the calf warmer. I hadn’t had time to settle in and I hear the door open, “I need some help.” I am on the way! She had two new calves, another calving, but claiming a calf on the cornstalks and a heifer calving that had rolled over on her back! This heifer was the first priority! Her calf was out to the eyes, so I helped get it out and out of the way. We put a rope on the heifer’s bottom front foot and was able to top her over to the right side. She thrashed into the corral panels and got up right and didn’t feel that this was her happy place and wanted out and away from us! So, we emptied out some calving pens and moved all the new pairs into the stalls as well as the one trying to calve. In just about and hour and a half all was good and I was back in bed. I went back at 2:30 and this lady still didn’t want to accept her calf or clean it up. I gave it some milk and went back to bed. At 5:30 I went back out and found two more new ones. My motel was running over now! The calf on the heifer that was on her back was hungry again and the heifer wouldn’t slow down so the calf could nurse. I wasn’t real sure how she would take it but I slipped in easy, pulled the pen gate over a little to corner her up and she let him nurse! Yahoo that was big! This mild weather is sure a gift for us, as we can kick pairs out farther. Hoping for another 10 days of this to get us thru the big rush!
Have a Dandy Week!
1-24-2023
Saturday kind of surprised us with three inches of snow! The forecast had called for a little, I guess it was right this time. It warmed up in the daytime and a lot of the snow is gone, making it very sloppy. It needs to melt a little more so when it gets cold it will freeze the ground better. The forecast calls for a gradual cooling for the next week and another chance of snow towards Saturday. Lows early next week are getting close to zero again. Figures, that is generally my busiest week of calving!
The sale this week had a good run of hogs. Pigs sold at $39 for some 38 pound pigs, and $76 for some weighing 83 pounds. Fat hogs were $56 to 58. Sows were mostly $30 to 40 on those weighing under 500 pounds and $37 to 41 for over 500 pounds. There was not much interest in piggy gilts, ended up going by the pound at $38.
The sheep and goat run was just under 500 head. 40 to 60 pounds kids were $2.60 to 2.95 a lb. A few 75-pound kids brought $2.55 a lb. Nannies ranged from $1.15 to 1.40 a lb. Big billies were mostly $1.90 to 2.30 a lb. Lambs from 40 to 60 pounds sold at $2.20 to 2.80 a lb. A nice group of 94-pound lambs brought $1.62 a lb. and lambs over 100 pounds were from $1.15 to 1.40 a lb.
The outside sale was loaded up with hay again this week. Small squares of hay sold mostly $4 to 7. Straw brought $4.50 to 5.50 a bale. Big round bales were pretty much $90 to 135. Several big square bales of alfalfa grass hay brought $55 to 100 per bale. Big rounds of cornstalks were $50 to 55 and big rounds of straw were $50 to 65 a bale. The hedge post market remained steady with not quite as nice of quality this week. The New Holland spreader brought $2000 and the 3 pt bale unroller brought $1000. It was nice at 11 out front and there was a big crowd outside again.
The cattle sale totaled nearly 1300 head this week. Baby calves perked up a little to $300 to 450 for the better beef calves. The feeder cattle market was very solid considering a lower fat market and some really tough yard conditions in western Iowa and Nebraska. Lighter steers under 600 pounds were from $1.90 to 2.35 and some 680 pound steers topped at $1.93. A fancy group of Angus steers weighing 733 pounds brought $1.86 a lb. Heifers sold steady under 650 pounds. The bulk of the 450 to 550 pound heifers sold from $1.75 to 1.90. A fancy group of Hereford heifers brought $1.60 weighing 684 pounds. Weigh cows were higher with better yielding cutter cows at $75 to 82 and fat cows from $80 to 90. Bulls sold from $90 to 1.10 this week. We are still selling nearly 200 head each week.
Sunday was busy loading out. My Sunday help was absent, sick or no shows. So, Colby bailed me out by coming down to get everyone loaded. I got there at 7:30 a.m. and loaded one pot and one gooseneck and got the call from north of town that there were cattle out. Lucas came from the north and I came from the south and we walked them back with one dog. Becky called while I was in hot pursuit and said the new calf we had laid in ditch, no mom around. So I coached her into getting them together as I hurried back to catch up loading hay and cattle! I was sure glad to get finished up Sunday night!
I started off with three nice heifer calves at home out of first calf heifers. Luke and Cody have started as well. Ted & Rachelle will likely kick off later this week.
Bull shopping season is started already. Inquiries as well as guys picking out Hereford bulls to sire in their breeding program this spring.
A regular sale coming up this Saturday to wrap up a big January.
Have a Dandy Week!
1-16-2023
The weather has been cloudy and a little chilly the past week. It did moderate and warmed into the 40’s and 50’s on Sunday and Monday, it sure felt good for the middle of January! We had a little shower of rain early with some thunder and lightening even. By late morning the sun came out and it stayed nice all afternoon. The forecast calls for moderate temperatures and some rain chances all week long. It sure is not a bad thing to miss a rain this time of year!
Saturday was another busy sale. We were much better staffed this week and it sure made a difference. The hog sale only had 125 head. Sows sold up to $53 on sows over 500 pounds. Lighter sows were $38 to 45 a cwt. Butchers ranged from $50 to 60 and the big boars were mostly 10 to 12 cents. Not much test on pigs.
The sheep and goat sale had a strong run and a steady market. Goat numbers were up, and demand was good for replacement does. Kid goats sold at $3.00 to 3.55 a lb. weighing from 40 to 60 pounds. 70 to 90 pound wethers topped at $2.90 on the better Boer crosses. Replacement does sold from $300 to 435 a head. Nannies with kids at side brought $147.50 count noses. Lambs weighing 40 to 70 pounds brought $2.25 to 2.85 a lb. 70-to-90-pound lambs were at $1.70 to 2.10 a lb. Fat lambs brought $1.24 to 1.36. Ewes were mainly $1.03 to 1.11 a lb. Big bucks brought $1.07 to 1.15.
The outside sale had a pretty large run of hay again this week. Small squares sold from $4.00 to 11.00 a bale. Straw and stalks brought from $3.00 to 5.00. Two big loads of firewood brought $150 per load. Hedge post quality was dang nice this week and the market rewarded the good kind. Several good corners brought $50. Line posts were mostly $8 to 20. The Takeuchi loader brought $19750 and drew a lot of interest.
Big bales of hay were very steady with last week on a very similar bale count. The best round bales were at $150. The bulk of the hay was $90 to 120. Smaller bales from $60 to 80. Straw round bales brought $45 to 55 and cornstalk bales from $35 to 50. Big square bales were $70 to 130. Big squares of wheat straw brought $35. A very large crowd was on hand for the outside sale this week. The hay sold mostly within 100 miles of Keosauqua. Hay was brought in from IA, IL, MO, and WI this week.
The cattle sale had a bigger offering of bred cows including five complete dispersals. We are still fighting to find good value for bred cows. The top 5 to 7 year old black cows in the third period brought $1750. Many cows sold from $1200 to 1500. 20% of the second period cows sold by the pound and only a few first period cows went home. The weigh cow market was steady on a big run again this week. The top cows were at $85 to 90. 3- and 4-year-old red and black open cows weighing 1090 to 1210 brought $95 to 1.12 a lb. Average lean cows were mostly in the middle $60’s. Bulls sold from $75 on small thin bulls to $98 on the top lean bulls.
Last week I went to the National Western Stock show for a couple of days. The weather was snowy and chilly on Wednesday and not much was going on in the yards. Thursday and Friday it was much better, and the snow melted off. Numbers of cattle are starting to come back after the past couple of years of being very small to nothing. Construction seems to be very slow over the past year as nothing has changed or started over the last year. The plan is to have it ready by 2025. They better get moving or that is not going to be possible.
We ate at Texas de Brazil restaurant one evening. We got in early and had a great meal. A big salad bar to start then meat is carved off skewers at table side! There were all types of red meat and chicken. The lamb, beef and pork were all good, I missed the chicken! Carrot cake for dessert made me miserable but man it was good! I got home after a nice flight home and turned in early to be ready for Saturday! The girls and I had to have some catch up time! We are not used to being apart as much as we have been the past couple of weeks, so we found some Grandpa time to catch up!
A really nice run of feeder cattle is lining up for next week as well as a big run of hay again!
Have a Dandy Week!
1-9-2023
The first full week of January has been very mild. We have been from 30 to 50 degrees for highs and 18 to 35 for the lows. A few cloudy days but more sunny days all week. It has been really pretty the past weekend and today. The forecast looks mild for the up coming week with rain chances on Thursday.
Saturday was a beautiful day. We started early and sold until late Saturday night! The hog sale had a good offering of butchers, light hogs, and sows. We were short of feeder pigs. Fat hogs sold from $57 to 62. Sows were $44 to 54 for all weights.
The sheep and goats rolled in as we were selling hogs. We thought we would have 400 and totaled 860 head! 50-to-70-pound kids were $2.70 to 3.40. Heavy kids ranged from $2.40 to 2.75. Big nannies sold from $1.40 to 2.50 a lb. Nannies going home for replacements brought $300 to 400 per head. The lamb market was solid with the top 51-pound lambs bringing $3.15 a lb. 70-to-80-pound lambs were $2.00 to 2.45 a lb. Ewes by the pound were at $1.07 to 1.40.
We were down about nine crew members on the start. I am very thankful for a few volunteers from the crowd that pitched in and helped us get going!
The outside sale had a big run of hay again. I took into the 900 big bales and Philip dove into the 1600 small bales. The market held on the small bales from $4.50 to 10.50. Straw bales sold from $4.50 to 6.00. Big bales of hay ranged from $70 to 140 on net wrapped round bales. Big squares ranged from $70 on grass to $140 on some 3rd cutting alfalfa. Straw round bales were mostly $60 to 65 and corn stalks were from $37.50 to 50. There was a huge crowd around the outside sale. It took about 45 minutes to sell the big bales.
The cattle sale had baby calves selling $50 to 100 for dairy and the best beef calf brought $300. Not a test on bred cows. The feeder market was steady to $5 higher from two weeks ago especially on five weight steers. Light five weight steers started off just over $2.00 a lb. and finished at $2.25. Heifers that weight ranged from $1.75 to 1.90. Six weight steers topped at $2.06 and seven weight steers topped at $1.80, even on some weight 790 pounds. Six and seven weight heifers topped at $1.74 to 1.70 respectively. Weigh cows were higher by $1 to 4. Bulls topped at $1.01.
It was a long sale for sure. We sure appreciated the buyers being patient and the crew getting everything thru the ring and loaded out again!
I was able to get to Oklahoma City a couple of days last week to the Cattlemen’s Congress. The shows were very strong in numbers and quality. The highlight for me was the pen of 3 heifer show. Matheny Herefords of May’s Lick, KY had used our herd sire GO King E33 and brought three heifers by him to the show. They were name Grand Champion Pen of 3! They then offered pick of the heifers in the national sale and that heifer topped the sale at $57,000!
The crowd attendance was up a bunch, and the general attitude was very strong. Cattleman and women were feeling the relief from drought and the strength in the market was sure noted around the barns and the sales!
A special cow sale this coming Saturday.
Have a Dandy Week!
1-2-2023
Well since the last news the weather has sure been extreme in both directions. It went into a deep freeze below zero for three days with seriously nasty winds that were rough on machinery and beast. By Christmas day it was better and last week we hit 64! A 180-degree swing in those six days was sure big. We had two light snows thru that time period but all is gone by now and most of the frost is gone already. A chance of some rain or snow tonight and tomorrow but mostly mid temperatures going into the ten day forecast.
Saturday was good to get back into the routine with sale! It wasn’t horrible to not have a sale last week when it was so cold! The hay sale had 150 head of everything. Fat hogs sold from $65 to 75, sows were mostly in the $40’s and pigs were scarce but would sure bring 90 cents on the few we had. Eight big boars were up to $20 on all of them.
The sheep and goat sale saw 450 head. Demand was sure good just not the wild high market many folks have been hoping for! Light lambs were still over $3.00 a lb. on the best. 70-90 pound lambs ranged more $1.85 to 2.50. Pound ewes sold at $85 to 95 and bucks were $98 to 1.10 a lb. Goats weighing 50 pounds topped at $3.40 and 80 pounds kids were $2.32 a lb. Nannies were mostly $1.20 to 1.45 and big billies were up to $2.50 a lb.
The outside sale had a nice large run of hay to end the year with. Small squares sold mostly $5 to 8 with an $11 top. Straw small squares were $5.50 to 7.00. Big rounds were mostly $100 to 155. There was a pile of brome hay rounds that did bring more than the rest. Big squares sold from $75 to 150. Straw rounds sold for $65 and corn stalks were mostly $60 to 65. We sold 610 big bales this week.
The cattle sale had baby calves from $50 to 100 on Holsteins and $100 to 250 on beef calves. There were over 50 calves that weighed under 350 pounds. Most sold by the head at $400 to 700 per head. A nice selection of bred heifers led off with four black white face heifers due on February 10th that brought $2550. Other packages sold from $1850 to 2150 for heifers. Middle aged bred cows ranged from $1450 to 1650. There was sure stronger interest for breeding stock to end the year! Feeders were in good demand. Weigh cows and bulls were higher. More cows were in the low $70’s than were into the middle to low $60’s. I am expecting the cows to move on up over the next month.
With the mild weather, we have been able to haul some manure and get cleaned up again. I am sure glad for that and it made it so much better for the cattle. I picked up a couple of good hands to help with this task. This afternoon I took a call from one of them that he had hit a continuous panel and wondered where to find a panel to fix it. Well my vision of what happened wasn’t the same as what I found when I drove down for a look to see what we needed to fix it. The young man had completely backed thru the panel and sheared off a square hedge post! So, I came and got a new panel, put in a temporary post and brought the bent one to the sale for Saturday. It is repairable! I never growled at him. I am just glad I have someone willing to set in the saddle and get it done. Besides I would have a long history of tearing up stuff that I doubt he can ever match!
I am going to try to get to Oklahoma City for the Cattleman’s Congress a couple of days mid-week. It should be an exceptional show.
A big run coming for the first sale of 2023. The feeder calf sale will have some good ones!
Have a Dandy Week!
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