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June 2020 06/02/20 4:57:00 PM
6-29-2020
The humidity has arrived here now! We had another inch and half of rain on Friday and it has been hot and humid ever since. Today is right at 90° and we are 66% humidity, but it feels like 100%! We most likely will have another weather event before we are done with this cycle we have gotten into since the hurricane blew up the rain almost a month ago. The forecast says rain chances are higher tomorrow and Wednesday then drier air and more moderate temperatures thru the holiday weekend. Folks are needing another stretch of dry weather to get some hay up again and I have some oats that sure need mowed!
Saturday was one of the larger sales we have had in the summertime. Most weeks we are finished up in the early afternoon. This week it was after 6 p.m. We were not even done with goats by 1:00 again this week! In defense of the crew, the hog sale ran until 11 almost an hour past sheep start time. There is just a bunch of livestock moving thru right now!
The hog sale led off with nearly 400 head of mostly smaller groups of all kinds. The largest group that sold was 40 head of feeder pigs! The market is showing slight improvement this week! It is not great, but to see some strength is a big mental victory for producers. Fat hogs were mostly $24 to 35 and sows topped at $28.50 for 640-pound high quality kind. The pigs from 70 to 100 pounds were mostly $40 to 60 per head. The boars over 300 pounds are still a meager 2¢ a lb.
The sheep and goat sale was loaded up on head count that totaled 670 head. The market is still very, very good on this class of livestock. Typically, there is a lower trend thru the summer months and this year they just keep selling high. The kid goats in the 50-70-pound range are bringing $180 to 240 per head! Nannies were selling from $150 on the rough thin girls to $250 to 280 on a big fleshy doe! The top billy sold at $400 for a 70-pound goat! The lamb market was good as well with 60 to 80-pound lambs from $1.80 to 2.00 a lb. Fat lambs were at $1.52 to 1.59 a lb.
The outside sale had a big variety of merchandise! Small squares of hay sold from $3 to 6.50. Big rounds of full-sized net wrapped hay brought from $37.50 to 55. Corn stalk bales sold at $25. The hedge post market sure was not on fire, however hey way folks were sweating just watching the sale the idea of buying post and putting in fence sure did not seem lie something you would want to do! Lines ranged from $2 to 10 and corners were $10 to 30. The little rubber-tired driving wagon sold for $700. Metal steel posts and multiple items used up an hour outside this week.
There was a good crowd for the sale this week and most were there for the start of the cattle sale! Baby calves sold from $250 to 450 for beef calves and $50 to 150 for the dairy types. Cow calf pairs were in solid demand with all the extra grass around. 5-8-year-old cows with 30 to 60-day old calves brought from $1600 to 1800. Fall bred middle aged cows sold mostly $1300 to 1500. Feeder cattle had some spark also with a group of 849-pound steers selling at $134.35 and the 734-pound heifers sold at $125.50. weigh cows were very steady this week with cows topping at 80¢ with many in the 70’s. Bulls topped at $109.50 on a dandy lean Charolais bull from Craig Swaim at Drakesville! Lean bulls hanging weight is $23 a hundred higher than the fat cattle carcass bid this morning! Folks ask why I get so many bull calves thru here! It’s a wonder anyone works their calves anymore!
Part of the crew is headed to Texas for a getaway. Ted & Rachelle left Saturday afternoon to go visit her Grandmother near Hereford, TX. I looked up the temperature there today. It’s 101° there, YIKES! I always thought Texas was a good place to go in the winter!
Colby is dreaming of floating down the river in his new pontoon boat this week. The problem is the motor doesn’t run and Hannah won’t be able to row them back to the dock!! Oh my, to be young again!
No sale here on July 4th to let everyone enjoy the holiday. I sure hope those in the country that have been up to no good will stop and appreciate our Independence this weekend. In most countries if they behaved like they are here they would be shot or beheaded or maybe stoned at least for punishment for dang sure! This country is our country just as much as theirs. It’s our history that they are destroying and it’s time we put an end to the insanity! Let’s hope and pray we can all enjoy the celebration of Independence of the USA in a peaceful manner and be ready to get back to work on Monday.
Have A Dandy Week!!
6-22-2020
This week the humidity changed to 100% for a few days! A big rain around Van Buren Co on Friday morning dropped over 3 inches! Sunday and Monday had showers again that totaled a half inch. We are soaked up good for now. The forecast calls for a couple more chances of rain this week with highs in the lower 80’s and lows in the 60’s at night.
Saturday started off very warm and humid and it strayed that way all afternoon. All of the livestock made it thru with the exception of one big sow and an off hog, so we were thankful for that. The crew drank plenty of Gatorade and water and they hung in there good as well.
The hog numbers dropped off to half of the past couple of weeks. Fat hogs sold mostly $25 to 30 with a few Berks & Tamworth cross outside hogs selling at $40. The sows over 500 pounds were from $20 to 24 and pigs sold from 50 to 60 cents for all weights and classes under 100 pounds.
The sheep and goat sale had 750 head and the market remained very strong. Lambs from 60-80 pounds were mostly $165 to 185 and fat lambs topped at $135. Kid goats from 50-60 pounds sold at $3 a lb. for the Boer cross and $2.50 on the dairy kids. Nannies and billies were steady with last week.
The outside sale had new crop small squares selling from $3 to 5.50 and some smaller old crop hay at $2.50 to 3.50. T he big round bales of grass were pretty much $40 to 55 for new crop full sized bales. Old crop hay brought $30 to 45 and cornstalks brought $25. The hedge market was steady with a $40 top on corners and line from $5 to 15. Lots of steel posts and misc. items rounded out this week’s outside sale.
The cattle sale had baby calves selling from $250 to 475 on the beef calves and $50 to 125 on the dairy calves. There was not much for breds or pairs. The feeder cattle sale totaled 600 head and the market was good for fats slipping lower and summers full power. Four to five weight black steers sold at $1.80 and $1.74 respectively and a load of black steers weighing 906 brought $1.2410. the heifer market was just as active with a package of 440-pound heifers at $1.60 and five weights up to $1.54. Eight hundred-pound heifers topped at $1.21.
The weigh cows were on fire again this week with six different buyers participating for those 70 cows and bulls. The top cow was at $84.50 with most cows bringing $70 to 75. Bulls were strong with most in the $90 and a top of $1.05. It sure doesn’t seem right that good lean bologna bulls are worth more that choice and prime fat cattle!
Sunday, I went to Ames for a meeting and to watch the IA Jr Hereford preview show. The show had dang good numbers and really nice cattle in it. The kids and parents alike were all very appreciative to be out and competing again this summer! Congratulations to all the winners and all those involved in producing the event!
Colby loaded out at the barn most of the morning and Luke slipped over to a jackpot team roping on Sunday. Curt was figuring out how to get a lame trailer moved off the road and repaired. Ted is planning a get away next week! Gabe took a run to Unionville to see his family. We have had a busy season and they are all ready to relax a little bit this summer!
County fairs get started this week. Some are shortened and abbreviated and some are very much normal county fairs. We want to wish all the kids and families the best of luck. If it is in you, I encourage you to get out and support those kids and families with their projects this summer.
A good run of pairs and bred cows this Saturday. NO SALE on July 4th weekend.
Have A Dandy Week!!
6-15-2020
Wow, this past five days have been gorgeous here! We have been sunny and clear with highs in the 70’s and lows down in the high 50’s at night. The humidity is down and its as nice as it gets for June in Southeast Iowa! The forecast is for a few more days like this but heating up into the upper 80’s and a chance of rain towards next weekend.
Wednesday consignment sale was sure good. It had rained on Tuesday and everyone was out of the hay and crop fields and came to the evening sale! The crowd was actively bidding on all kinds of merchandise that evening. Side by sides and uniloaders were strong ticket items. The Honda Pioneer with some miles and hours on it sold for $4000 and the Polaris brought $5250. Loaders went for $19000 to 20000 for all three rigs. The sale took about two and half hours to get thru all the consignments. Buyers were in attendance from all three states in our area. Colby pretty much put it together and I think he may try another one again this fall.
Saturday’s sale had another large hog run. Butchers are big and getting more challenging every week right now. The top hogs still were over $30 but heavy hogs at 380 pounds only managed $10.50 per cwt or $39.90 per head. That is really uncomfortable for us as marketers and our producers, it just isn’t right that a whole hog will only bring what 10 pounds of sausage costs at the grocery store! The sows were as high as $24 on the top six weight sows but only $12 to 17 on the light weights. Boars remain t 1 or 2 cents a lb. feeder pigs were lower, but still some demand.
The sheep and goat sale remains remarkable strong with over 500 head again this week. Kid goats were around $3 a lb. and nice quality lambs weighing 60 to 80 pounds brought $1.70 to 1.85 a lb. Weigh up ewes sold from $65 to 75. Big billies topped at $400.
The outside sale was full of new crop hay in small and large bales. The little bales sold from $2 to 6.50 with most in the $3.50 to 5 range. The round bales brought from $35 to 50 and averaged $40. Cornstalk bales sold from $27 to 32.50. There was one pile of small string tied round bales that weighed around 400 pounds that brought $10 a bale. Misc. items are finding there way back to the sale now! All kinds of things just like we were selling before March! We finished up shortly after 12 and had to wait on the last few pens of sheep and goats to be sold. The cattle sale had mostly bulls, pairs and fall bred cows. Pairs that were black and 5-8 years old with good March calves brought $1600 to 1750. The fall bred Hereford heifers brought $1300 were due in November. Black middle-aged cows due to calve in September sold for $950 to 1200. Weigh cows caught a new gear this week! Many good cows brought over $70 with some up to $75 to 77! Pound bulls sold mostly $80 to 100.50. the runs are slowing up and demand for hamburger is very good.
We were able to get some hay put up in between sales and boy it was awfully nice and heavy! We have some oats left that need a little more time to get to dough stage before we bale. We should bale some pastures, but my crew is very resistant to baling pastures! We will see how the rest of the week goes.
I shipped yearlings this morning to a Nebraska feed yard and have more going Wednesday to a Northwest IA feeder. The market is sure nothing great, but I am glad to keep them moving!
Have A Dandy Week!!
6-9-2020
Here Tuesday morning we are receiving a rain that will most likely do a lot of good. We are not particularly dry, but a lot of hay has been made, side dress nitrogen has been put on and late beans went in this week, so the rain will sure do some good if it doesn’t get carried away! This is a tropical rain event moving up from the Gulf is what is left of a hurricane. The forecast is calling for 2 inches or so here over the next day or two then it will cool off and be clear the rest of the week.
Saturday’s sale had over 300 hogs again. Fat hogs traded from $21 to 39 a lb. That is a very wide range with the most interest in outside, long tailed pigs. Sows were pretty much steady from $23 to 36 for the over five weights. Pigs in the 50 to 70-pound bracket brought from $35 to 45 and the heavier weights sold from $45 up to 60 this week.
The sheep and goat run finally saw smaller numbers here reaching 400 head for a total this week. The market is still very active for all weights and classes. Kids from 40 to 60 pounds were right at $3 a lb. for the better boer cross kids. Nannies sold from $140 to 200 and the top billy brought $535. Lambs that were 60 to 80 pounds sold from $1.70 and 1.85 and ewes sold mostly from 60 to 70 cents a lb.
The outside sale had a majority of new crop hay this week. Small squares sold from $3.50 to 7.50. Big rounds were from $37.50 to 60. Cornstalk round bales sold from $30 to 32.50 and one pile of oat bales from last year sold for $25 a bale. A light run of hedge posts that had steady demand. The used steel posts sold from $2.75 to 3.50.
The cattle sale had 300 head of everything this week. Baby calves were from $250 to 35 0 for beef calves and $50 to 100 for dairy calves. A few five weight black bull calves right off the cows brought $1.60 and the heifer mates brought right at $1.50. Weigh cows were very solid with the majority in the $60’s. bulls were $80 to 90 this week.
The boys were able to make some hay this week. The alfalfa was barely blooming and went up awfully nice this week. We put it all in the barn and it gives us a nice start for winter feed. The cows and calves are sure enjoying the lush pastures of late spring. The clover has really gone crazy here this spring! In some places the clover is so think it is choking out the fescue! I have seen the first pinkeye and a foot rot or two are showing up in a pasture. It is pretty normal for this time of year, I guess.
The consignment machinery sale is shaping up to be a dandy sale here Wednesday evening at 4 p.m. at the fairgrounds. Becky and the boys have all kinds of pictures up on the website and Facebook. Be sure and check them out and come to the sale Wednesday evening. On site bidding only! Or maybe a phone bid or two! No internet bidding!
Have A Dandy Week!!
6-1-2020
After last week’s cloudy and rainy days, we are grateful for the sunshine! The rain was very spotty around the country last week with areas receiving nothing and m two miles over they might have 1 or 2 inches! A couple of days you could see it raining just south or west of us, yet nothing would ever come by. Thankfully, the humidity left, and Sunday and Monday were just sunny and very beautiful here. The forecast is calling for a big warm up into the 90’s with a chance of rain on Tuesday night into Wednesday. We could miss that one I think and be ok. We have hay down that might bale on Wednesday.
Saturday’s sale was another big sale. We sold 540 hogs, 940 sheep & goats and 1157 cattle. The barn was full for sure. The crew had to really work to keep things moving and find pens to put stock in. The hog market was steady this week with butchers ranging from $25 to 38 with most bringing $32 to 34. Sows sold from $22 to 26 for the heaviest and $15 to 20 on the light weights. Three separate piggy gilts brought $175 to 185 per head. Feeder pigs drifted a bit lower for the most part selling from $41 to 51 for pigs that weighed 62 to 90 pounds. One set of Duroc pigs averaged 120 pounds and brought $90 per head. Boars remained at 2 to 3 cents a pound for ones over 350 pounds.
The sheep and goat run had large and small groups of goats and lambs. The market was pretty steady on everything except heavy fat lambs that were lower. Lambs 50 to 70 sold from $170 to 185 per pound. Kid goats weighing from 50 to 60 pounds brought $135 to 185 per head. We sold a really nice group of 17 white face yearling ewes with 21 speckled face lambs that brought $140 count noses. They were an outfit for sure, great job Roger Clingan.
The outside sale had small squares up to $10 a bale and most brought $5 to 7. Big squares of hay sold from $40 to 55 and big rounds were steady at $40 to 57. The cornstalk bales brought $30 to 35. Hedge posts sold pretty solid with the top corners up to $50 and the best lines at $27. Two new wooden feed bunks sold at $325 each. It was a nice day to be outside for a while!
The cattle sale had an extra-large run in for this time of year. Baby calves sold from $200 to 400 per head. Feeder cattle had a stronger tone to all weights and classes. Fall calves and good groups of yearling heifers made up the bulk of the feeder calf sale. Check the market report for a complete run down. Weigh cows were steady with a $70 top and most cows from $58 to 64. The bulls topped at $1 a lb.
Sunday the boys finished up moving cattle around and split up to relax a little in the afternoon. Luke and his girls made it to a jackpot roping for the afternoon. Colby tried to grab a nap but got interrupted! Ted mowed some hay and Curt got in a little early trucking. I made it around to check all the Hereford cows I have had a couple sore feet already and a sore eye showing up here and there. The grass is darn good, and the cows and calves are filling out really well.
The boys are getting ready for their consignment machinery sale next week on June 10th at 4 p.m. at the Van Buren Co Fairgrounds. They have a large amount of consignments and well be busy checking in all week! See all the early listings here on the website.
Have A Dandy Week!!
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