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September 2020 09/02/20 10:52:00 PM
9-28-2020
Last week was a very warm and mild week of weather. It was very nice here in Southeast IA. We received an inch and seven tenths of rain Sunday afternoon and evening. It made it pretty wet by evening but it’s getting dried off already. I would guess by tomorrow afternoon combines will be rolling again. The forecast is calling for highs in the 60’s maybe 70 and the lows in the 40’s & 50’s this week. The grass has sure gotten good again in our pastures.
Saturday’s sale saw a big run of hogs again this week with 485 head. Fat hogs were mostly $40 to 44. We had a few more overweight hogs up to 365 pounds that brought $23. We haven’t had many of them for several weeks and I was surprised to see some this week that heavy. Sows fell back to a $28 top and most light sows were only $20 to 24. Big boars sold at $1 to 3. Feeder pigs were selling from $15 on a 60-pound pig up to $39 on pigs that averaged 114 pounds.
The sheep and goat market was active on 400 head. Goats weighing 50 to 60 pounds remained at $3 a lb. or better. Billies and nannies sold steady. Lambs weighing 60 to 70 pounds brought $2.00 to 2.10 a lb. and 100-pound lambs were selling at $1.50. Ewes were bringing 70 to 85 cents a lb.
The outside sale had a very nice sample of hay in small squares that sold from $3 up to 6. Big round bales of decent grass hay were $45 to 55. Big squares of alfalfa second cutting sold up to $72 on 3X3X8 bales. The first stack of fresh baled corn stalks sold for $35. Logan was back on duty to help with the auction duties out front and stepped right back in the groove! Pretty wide variety of merchandize again this week. IH 14-foot disk sold for $1500, an old flare box and gear bought $750. The AC snap coupler blade brought $300 and mums sold from $8 to 12. A light run of hedge posts, but I am looking for a bigger run next week.
The cattle sale had baby calves selling from $40 to 85 for dairy calves and up to $350 for beef calves. There were a few packages of cows with calves at side. Cows run mainly 5 to 8 years old and had month old type calves. The market was mostly $1600 to 1750 on them. The cows in the third period that were 5 to 8 years old sold from $1450 to 1550. One small package of cows due to calve in March that were 6 to 8 years old sold for $1100.
The feeder cattle sale had a short offering after last week’s special. Demand sure seemed steady on what was in the run. Weigh cows sold down slightly with the top cows up to $70. Most of the cows were in the low $60’s. bulls were also softer with a $90 top. I expect the weigh cow market to continue a seasonal slide for the next 60 days.
Becky took her folks to a wedding west of Omaha on Saturday. Her niece was married Saturday evening and they attended the ceremony and reception. Curt and Lauren were able to attend the reception also and everyone made it home Sunday evening.
Colby and Luke got chores finished and then went to a roping Sunday afternoon. They had a good day and ended up high team in first place! I told them when they left no to give back all they had brought home last month. I’m not sure they listened but I gave them the pep talk anyway!
The car show settled into the Roberts building parking lot next door to the sale barn Sunday. I was loading out around and not paying much attention to them. About 10:30 a small older fella stepped in the office an asked if I owned the place? He didn’t look like FBI or IRS, so I said yes. He started telling me about his 1941 Plymouth that he had checked into the car show and after he was parked and set up his Trump 2020 flags the officials asked him to take the flags down or leave! So, he wanted to know if he could park on our side of the street right across from the car show. I said well sure you can. So, he parked on the corner next to the driveway and set up his flags and his cut out of President Trump! Folks stepped across the driveway all afternoon to get their pictures taken in front of the car, the flags and the cut out. I think the ole boy had a grand afternoon at the car show!
I hope to finish planting some rye this week and we need to move cornstalks off the field. I sure was glad to get them baled up nice and dry!
Have a Dandy Week!
9-22-2020
We have gotten into my favorite kind of weather! Cool nights in the 50’s and warm up in the afternoons to 75 and clear, except for some smoky skies! It has been a gorgeous week after the rain fell, the grass has greened back up and it is trying to grow again. The forecast looks to be more of the same for the rest of this week. The sunsets have been really awesome with the smoke and haze from the western wildfires putting a filter on the evening sun. It has made for a truly beautiful crimson cast in the evenings.
Saturday’s sale was really big this week. The hog sale started a little early as we tried to get a running start and it was not enough! We had almost 500 head this week. We finally had some rally to the butchers and sows prices. Fat hogs topped at $49 with most in the $40 to 44 range. Sows weighing over 500 pounds made a strong move up to $40 to 45. Pigs were still trudging along, but I hope to see them gain some momentum over the next few weeks.
The sheep and goat numbers went back over 800 head and the market was sure higher on lambs. $2.10 to 2.35 was the range on 60 to 70-pound lambs. $1.75 to 1.90 caught the bulk of the 80 to 90-pound lambs. A good group of hair ewes that were 5 and 6 years old and ready to breed sold for $125 to 140. The goat demand was steady at $3 a lb. for the majority of the kids weighing 40 to 60 pounds. Nannies were solid from $185 to 2255 per head. Billies were mostly selling at $300 to 00 per head. A large crowd Saturday enjoyed the morning sale.
The outside sale had an average quantity of hay. Small squares were sold from $3 to 6. The first cornstalk small squares sold at $3.50 per bale. Big round bales of hay sold from 30 to 52.50. A very good assortment of hedge posts this week. The market was strong on sawed posts and just mediocre on the rest. There was plenty of misc. items to fill up the parking lot out front. I have lost my touch selling pups. Three little cross breed pups , I wasn’t able to even get a bid on them! Sure hope Logan makes it back next week!
The cattle sale ran 1380 head thru on a pretty Saturday afternoon. Baby calves sold from 200 to 350 for beef calves and $25 to 75 for dairy calves. There was not much test on bred cows or pairs. The feeders took off strong with a package of 275-pound black calves selling at $650 per head. Some 420-pound black steers there were weaned and vaccinated sold at $197.50. Some 500-pound steers topped at $1.70. A load of 807 crossbred yearling steers brought $1.43 and a load weighing 943 sold for $1.31. A load of all black steers that averaged 1036 pounds brought $1.29. The heifer market was also strong with some weighing 300 pounds at $500 per head. A group of 407-pound heifers that were weaned and vaccinated sold at $1.67. The top 520 pounds black white face heifers sold at $1.50 and some weighing 765 pounds sold at $1.35. Weigh cows and bulls were steady with 125 head thru the ring.
Sunday the boys held their annual pasture roping at Luke and Cody’s. It was a very pretty afternoon out at the farm. After a hamburger lunch they boys roped much of the afternoon. They even had a few spectators pull in and watch out of the back of their pickups. They finished up with supper outside and it sure put a proper cap on a beautiful afternoon with family and friends.
This week we hope to bale some cornstalks and get them hauled home. The corn appears to be really good and is pretty dry. I sure will be glad to get it baled up while the weather is still so nice.
A cows and pairs sale comping up Saturday the 26th and a feeder calf special on October 3rd.
Have a Dandy Week!
9-14-2020
The drought is over in Southeast IA! Cody dumped out 6 tenths more rain Sunday morning and if she did the math correct that’s 8 inches for the week! We didn’t have very much run off as most of it soaked into the cracks and the hard-parched ground. As usual the last 6 tenths made it the muddiest! By today after two days of sunshine you could get around pretty well on the high spots. The forecast looks to be beautiful thru the week with highs into the low 80s and upper 50’s for the lows. The rain was truly a blessing for us. It has already turned the grass and clover green in the pastures. The hay fields will be good to get ready for winter. The late beans will really be good and just cleaning the dust off everything was badly needed.
Saturday was a regular sale with the advertised cows moving to the 26th with muddy conditions stopping them from coming into the sale. The hog sale had a good sized run of all classes. The fat hogs continue to sell in the mid $30’s this week. Sows topped at $24.50 and pigs were 30 to 40 ? a lb. for most weights.
The sheep and goat sale totaled over 400 head and at least the goats were steady at $3 a lb. for 40 to 70-pound boer kids and nannies at $150 to 220 per head. Billies were $300 to 425 per head. Lambs weighing 50 to 60 pounds were $2 to 2.10, while the ones weight 70 to 90 pounds were $1.75 to 1.85. Fat lambs were from $1.20 to 1.27. Weigh ewes were 70 to 85 ? unless the were real fat.
The outside sale had a smaller run of hay in the wet sloppy conditions. Small squares of hay were $4.50 to 5.50 on the better alfalfa and $3 to 4 for the grass mix bales. Big round bales were $40 to 47 on grass hay. There were no alfalfa big bales this week. The hedge posts were the highlight out front this week. Good lines sold from $15 to 24 on the better quality and $3 to 7 on the smaller and poorer quality ones. This was the largest number of posts we have sold all summer and made for a very active market. A few mums sold from $5 to 9, they were just not quite blooming yet!
The cattle sale had Holstein baby calves bringing from $25 to 75 and the beef calves sold from $150 to 275. A few pairs did arrive and had solid interest. A bob eared Red Angus 1st calf heifer pair with a black calf brought $1550. A little package of 5 to aged cows with calves sold at $1635. Bred cows in the third stage ranged from $1000 to 1450. A sprinkle of first period spring bred cows were at $900 to 1050.
A lighter run of feeder cattle had 300-pound black bull calves at close to $2 a lb. and a few odd yearling steers weighing 835 pounds brought $1.34. Weigh cows totaled about 90 head and 17 bulls this week. The market held steady with last week with the top cows in the middle $60’s and the bulls up to $94.
Sunday, I loaded out a little after chores and then met a gentleman in need of Hereford bulls, he bought two! Then I loaded out trucks again Sunday evening. The guys had taken most of Sunday to go fishing or horsing around!
Friday four of us hooked onto trailer and moved 80 big heifers. It was shortly after lunch and less than 10 miles from home and three out of the four of us had to visit with the same DOT officer! We were being good guys and only got a few warnings for some nit picking things that I should probably tidy up! Namely insurance card, registration, license plate, etc.! I always enjoy those visits as generally all peace officers are curious of the market report and how things are going at the sale barn!
I hope to wean more calves this week, get the rye planted and haul manure.
A special feeder sale this weekend will have fancy calves and yearlings both.
The boys are hosting their annual pasture roping at Luke and Cody’s next Sunday afternoon. If you are in the area stop by!
Have a Dandy Week!
9-7-2020
Dry, hot & windy pretty much sums up our last week of weather. We were back in the 90’s a couple of days and winds that continue to dry out pastures and crops at a rapid pace. The forecast is calling for a chance of rain tonight and tomorrow and a big cool down. The high temperature is expected to be in the 50’s and breezy tomorrow and Wednesday, it will sure be a big change.
Saturday’s sale had a standard hog run and the market was sure steady. Fat hogs were in the middle $30’s, sows were in the $20’s and a few pigs sold from $15 to 32 per head. I sure hope the pigs pick up in value as we go into fall!
The sheep and goat sale had 400 head again this week. The market was steady on goats with 50 to 60-pound kids over $3 a lb. for the good meat type kids. The top 120 to 140-pound wethers sold for $285 to 315 per head. Nannies brought $150 to 200 for cull does that were good quality. Lambs weighing 50 pounds sold from $2.07 to 2.10 a lb. and 70 to 80-pound lambs were from $1.70 to 1.85. Fat lambs were up a little at $1.26. Old cull ewes ranged from 70 to 85? a lb.
The outside sale had a pretty sizable quantity of both small squares and big rounds bales. The market held very steady. $1.50 to 3.50 on the average grass small squares and $4.00 to 6.00 on the premium quality grass, alfalfa bales. Big round bales topped at $57.50 with almost half of the big bales reaching $50. The
7 bale inline hay trailer brought $4500, the post pounder sold for $900, an older cattle chute brought $900, the 16-foot bumper livestock trailer brought $650 and the old 4-wheeler brought $1700. Mums have not got much traction yet only bringing $5 to 8. Logan is settling into the auction duties out front extremely well and I was sure glad he was back to work this week.
The feeder cattle sale had a few lighter yearlings that came in off dry pastures and just a few new crop calves. The top 625-pound steers sold at $1.55 with most from $1.45 to 1.50. The heifers that size ranged from $1.30 to 1.42. 800 pound steers sold from $1.27 to 1.37 and seven weight heifers brought $1.25 to 1.32. Weigh cows topped at $74 with most cows in the mid $60’s. There were 25 pound bulls this week that ranged from $80 to 95. The sale ran until 5:30 Saturday afternoon.
The custom chopper arrived Thursday evening about 8:00 p.m. They ran until 11:30 or so then started at 8 a.m. Friday again. They still had a full day Saturday to finish, so we changed out help and Curt, Luke and Ted stayed on the silage pile so we could finish up Saturday around 9 p.m. The corn was mostly really good, I thought. We had one number that sure didn’t excel! I guess we would have run out of room in the bunker if it all would have been good! It’s a good feeling to get that project wrapped up and have all that feed on hand to get thru the winter!
Today was the Iowa State Hereford Show held at Adel, IA. Lauren rode up with me to watch the show. There were nearly 80 entries from five states exhibited at the event that took the place of this year’s Iowa State Fair show. It was a darn good show and a beautiful day for the event. We made it home by 4:30.
A regular sale coming up this Saturday.
Have a Dandy Week!
9-2-2020
The last week of August continued to be very hot, it was into the mid 90’s and very dry. We finally broke out of the high temperatures on Saturday and it has been nice the past three or four days even catching a shower here yesterday. It looks like this week will be warm but not so nasty hot. There is not much of a chance of rain in our forecast for the next week.
Saturday had a big run of hogs with over 400 head thru the ring. The market is steady to better on all classes. Fat hogs hit $45 on the Berks & Herefords! Most butchers sold $35 to 37. Sows were scarce with one group of 14 head that averaged 580 pounds at $27. The top pigs averaged 90 pounds and sold for $40 per head.
The sheep and goat sale had 400 head also this week. That market is also holding very steady. Kid goats will still get to $3 a lb. for the top end kind. Big billies were $300 to 400 and nannies ranged $170 to 225 on the better Boer cross does. Lambs topped at $202.50 for some weighting 50 pounds and the 70 to 80-pound lambs sold at $1.75 to 1.85 a lb. Ewes sold for $70 to 80 and bucks were $85 to 95.
The outside sale had plenty of hay again this week with 1400 small squares and 375 big bales. Small squares were $2 to 3.50 for grass hay in a light bale up to $5 and 6 for the alfalfa third crop bigger tight bales. Big bales topped at $62.50 with most of it in the $40 area. Big squares were $42.50 to 57. There was no straw this week, I sold the hay and Logan was back to help sell out front. Luke and Logan took off on the misc. items. There was quite a bit of that this week! The stock trailer sold at $800 and the NH one row chopper brought $550. The new wooden feed bunks brought $200 each. They stayed busy working thru inventory until 1:30. It was a pretty day outside and a good crowd was around to participate.
The cattle sale had a few middle-aged black pairs selling from $1650 to 1775. Some fall bred middle aged cows were bringing from $1400 to 1600. Older cows still fall bred brought from $850 to 1200. A pretty light test of feeder cattle after the last couple of weeks of larger runs. Weigh cows were close to steady but maybe ready to start a seasonal decline. The top was at $71 with the majority in the middle $60’s.
Sunday was the IA Hereford tour in Western IA. Ben dropped me off at the Audobun airport at 7:50 where I met Joe Rickabaugh. We arrived at Weise and Sons operation at 8:15 on a truly beautiful clear & crisp Sunday morning. After introductions we viewed some cattle and were able to visit with a few folks. There were folks from IA, MO, NE, SD, and MN as well as a couple of IL transplants! The second stop was at the Templeton Rye distillery. Wow was that impressive to see and hear all the family history from prohibition times to present and to see the modern production facility. Well worth your time to stop and see if you are ever in that part of the state! Lunch and our annual meeting were held at the Manning Hausbarn Heritage park. Lunch was catered from Lidderdale and was a fantastic roast beef with all the fixings. The election and meeting wrapped up by 1:30 and we proceeded to Wilkerson farms to a confinement recipient herd. It was a pretty interesting stop but sure glad we can run cows out here in our country! The last stop was at Brenton Brothers in Grimes and 2AM Cattle and Simpson’s had their herds on display. I hitched a ride home with Don and Annie and we were back to Fairfield by 8:30 Sunday evening. It was a fun day looking at cattle, some nasty wind damaged corn and visiting with folks from across the Midwest.
Colby & Luke took off Sunday to a team roping at Mercer, MO where they had a little luck and ended up in first place!
There is a Special feeder cattle sale this week. Expecting around 500 head.
Have a Dandy Week!
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