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Posted by Lonny (Member # 19) on September 02, 2014, 04:11 PM:
My small herd is going to the sales yard this Friday, hopefully for a little profit.
Luckily, no loss this year due to bears, wolves, coyotes, lions, or rustlers. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
[ September 02, 2014, 04:17 PM: Message edited by: Lonny ]
Posted by Dave Allen (Member # 3102) on September 02, 2014, 05:06 PM:
Very cool Lonny. I hear beef cows are bringing crazy money nowadays.
Good luck !!
Posted by Lone Howl (Member # 29) on September 02, 2014, 05:13 PM:
They look delicious!!
Posted by Dave Allen (Member # 3102) on September 02, 2014, 05:30 PM:
Lol, sippin' a Miller with boneless ribs grilling as we speak.
Yum !!
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on September 02, 2014, 06:15 PM:
That's some good looking stock, Amigo!
Posted by Lonny (Member # 19) on September 02, 2014, 07:16 PM:
My dad has been a small-time cattle guy for 50 years and has never seen prices like they are now.
I would have bought a few more steers to raise this summer, but got cold feet because the initial investment was so high and the chance the price could drop. God forbid having one die.
Anyhow, life is good at the moment for these guys. Eat grass, lay in the shade, and go to the pond for a drink. If they only knew where they will be 6 months from now.
Posted by DAA (Member # 11) on September 03, 2014, 03:17 AM:
Have to agree - they look like some tasty beeves!
- DAA
Posted by Paul Melching (Member # 885) on September 03, 2014, 03:28 AM:
I've always wanted to do that Lonny , I envy you great looking cattle. Raised 1 steer for 4-H, Back in 1965 or 66 grand champion feeder stock. Sold to Ralphs mkts. in Calif. Leonard will recognize that name. Lots of people buying grass feed here in Az. direct before they end up in a feed lot getting filled with crap and hormones. Are you grazing on forest service land?
[ September 03, 2014, 03:29 AM: Message edited by: Paul Melching ]
Posted by Lonny (Member # 19) on September 03, 2014, 04:43 AM:
Paul, It is private land, but is a small piece and some of it is timbered so not all of the property has grass enough for grazing purposes.
I also have good memories of 4H.
Posted by booger (Member # 3602) on September 03, 2014, 05:45 AM:
Lonny,
Good looking calves! Looks like Red Angus???
Grew up on a farm myself and used to have a small cow herd with my brother in law.
4-H was a big part of my life growing up. It is sad to see the 4-H programs struggling right now.
Prices are just crazy now, and I think they will be for quite some time. With the drought here, alot of the 'calf factories', i.e. cows, were sold off and slaughtered.
A cow/calf pair that used to sell for around $1,000, are now bringing $3,000 to $4,000.
Cattle out of the feedlot are bringing $1.50 per pound, an all time high, which means the cattle are bringing $1,875 to $2,300 on the hoof.
Guess that is why hamburger is $5.00 per pound at the store....
[ September 03, 2014, 05:46 AM: Message edited by: booger ]
Posted by Lonny (Member # 19) on September 03, 2014, 03:34 PM:
Yep Booger, those are Red Angus. I buy them from a guy who has a small cow/calf operation and that is the breed he runs. He calves in the fall, and I bought them last spring.
Coming from one owner is sure nice because they haven't been run through the sales yard and seem to stay healthier. They are also weaned and used to each other and people when I get them, so the transition for the calves is pretty painless.
I paid $2.00 a pound and they were right at a 600 pound average last April. Hopefully if prices hold, they will sell for right around $2.00 per lb, but now weigh close to 900.
We'll see on Friday.
Posted by KaBloomR (Member # 4252) on September 03, 2014, 07:52 PM:
Good luck on the sale, Lonny. Looks like prime + eating.
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on September 04, 2014, 07:46 AM:
Way, way beyond my comprehension, raising animals. I have a friend from high school, actually joined the Army on the Buddy Plan. Anyway, he lived out in Aqua Dulce and we used to go in halves on mostly bacon hogs and turkeys and Holsteins. He always fed them top quality chow, no hormones, etc.
In our experience, it wasn't a money saving situation. At the time, they were practically giving away turkeys. (Bronze breasted) Then there was driving them to the slaughter and one of the neat things (pork) was the cold smoking, which took two weeks. Absolutely the finest textured hams, ever! But, we smoked damned near the whole thing and had to wrap it while the butcher was cutting; you know 2 hams or three?
The beef, considering that it was byproduct of the dairy industry, was actually very good, for the same reason, no hormones. It was just a hobby thing, Dick's wife called him a gentleman farmer and those were good days. He has since moved way up in Washington and I don't see him very often these days. Sure used to hunt birds a lot, before and after the Army. Best friend I ever had. But, damn, it's a long drive!
What were we talking about? Oh yeah, exactly everything I know about "country farming" and it ain't much! Right now, I'm thinking, (let's see) I counted ten critters? How are you going to get them to the auction?
Good hunting. El Bee
edit: I used to have something to do with the biggest abattoir operation in Vernon, years ago. Almost all cattle, the target weight was 1,000 pounds. On the other hand, if people saw the butchered dairy cows hanging in the cooler, with the weird yellow tallow, what McDonald's buys.....
[ September 04, 2014, 07:57 AM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
Posted by Lonny (Member # 19) on September 04, 2014, 03:51 PM:
I have a guy who runs cattle the next property over who will haul them. I help him with his cattle and he hauls for me in trade.
Sounds like you got a pretty good handle on the basics of it Leonard. Dairies in these parts used to give away baby bull calves at times when I was a kid.
Whether or not raising your own is a moneymaking deal kind of reminds me of raising chickens. You can go to the store and buy a whole roasted chicken cooked for about $6.00. Or you could raise your own, butcher, pluck, etc.. and still have to take the time to cook it. In my mind it isn't a money saving deal if you make anything above minimum wage.
But I get the whole doing it yourself, do it the way you want, know where it came from thing. Kind of like thinking hunting for meat somehow saves money.
Posted by Az-Hunter (Member # 17) on September 04, 2014, 05:38 PM:
I remember those dairy calf bargains too Lonny. Although not free, the straight run dairy bred bull calves were five bucks apiece, and the ones that had beef bull breeding were double, ten bucks for a calf.
They were all just days old, so we spent lots of time bottle feeding them till they got on solid feed.
Not the best beef in the world, they were meant to make milk, not meat, and even the T bones had some "tooth" to them.
Posted by Lonny (Member # 19) on September 04, 2014, 06:20 PM:
We used to have half-a-dozen dairies within 15 miles of our house. Not a one is in operation anymore.
When we were kids, dad would let us each get a dairy bull calf and bottle feed it like you did Vic.
I still remember the first time bottle-feeding a calf and holding the bottle tight against my gut as the calf drank. About that time, the calf gave one of those snaps of the head like they are prone to do when nursing... Felt like I took a punch to the gut from Mike Tyson.
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on September 04, 2014, 06:35 PM:
I think I know where all the Dairies went. Just over the NM border before you get to El Paso on I-10, there are many Dairies and they have not been there long. Used to be they left Chino for Visalia. Don't know, anymore?
Good hunting. El Bee
edit: by the way, what happened in Dairy Valley/Fountain Valley is basically; some contractor built a small development right downwind of the dairies. In short order, they were able to have an election on ways to deal with the stink, knowing full well that it was there long before they bought a house across the street.
So, this being a fair country, the vote turned out to be about 500 against the farmer and (like) 6 votes, for status quo. And, they were very proud of the democratic process at work.
This was the same process that closed San Gabriel Gun Club in Fish Canyon. After moving in, they voiced concerns about stray bullets, never mind that it had never happened. But, you have to admit, it's possible, right? Fifty year operation closed down, democracy in action. LB
[ September 04, 2014, 06:44 PM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
Posted by Dave Allen (Member # 3102) on September 04, 2014, 06:59 PM:
We have a fair amount ? I guess, of dairies around here.
Many are owned by former Kalifornian's. We call many of 'em the Dutch Mafia.
Not really bad guys, just a little different. A little more uptight than most, and like to come across as high rollers.
Plus they have those damn, Forage Harvesters/Choppers. Mark knows, almost as bad as combines. (edit) maybe worse..Lol Sorry LB, I'm doing the farmers only talk, about equipment...
[ September 04, 2014, 07:03 PM: Message edited by: Dave Allen ]
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on September 04, 2014, 07:28 PM:
Yeah, I know. City folk just don't get it. I've seen the commercials.
edit: by the way, that scary shark program is being rerun right now on Discovery.
[ September 04, 2014, 07:30 PM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
Posted by Lone Howl (Member # 29) on September 04, 2014, 08:26 PM:
Forage harvesters (choppers) are king here. Used to be cotton pickers but then cotton prices plunged. And then, all the Dutch dairy man that lived down in L.A sold their small dairies for big money because of urban sprawl,headed here and built huge ass dairies and million dollar homes.
Now they are going broke.And a gallon of milk is 5 bucks!
Dave, yep, a lot of those guys are some of our old customers from here in the valley. Just had one move there a couple months ago. They just got sick of Cali...and they loved to hunt so apparently Idaho was it for them.
Mark
Edit..yes those Dutch guys can be pretty arrogant, for sure.
[ September 04, 2014, 08:28 PM: Message edited by: Lone Howl ]
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on September 05, 2014, 08:35 AM:
Maybe? Yeah, from what I know, they are certainly clannish? My sister was married to one; her third or fourth, not sure?
Tell, you what though. I have passed through The Netherlands a couple times and seldom experienced a more friendly everyday citizens. They are said to be the tallest people in the world? That's saying something when you consider those African tribes.
And, KLM is a good airline. They have not lost my email in fifteen years. I get promotions from them all the time.
Good hunting. El Bee
Posted by knockemdown (Member # 3588) on September 05, 2014, 10:57 AM:
Historically, my 'goomba' friends would have our dairy farmer neighbor raise up a bull calf for us to butcher over the winter. The meat was just OK, but it sure was a fun & rewarding experience! It wasn't like these guys couldn't afford to buy store bought beef, they did it on principle...
Also, I useta go up Palm Sunday weekend every year, with my buddy's father. We'd get a buncha lambs from down the road, slaughter & butcher 'em all. Then, pack the coolers full of fresh lamb for the greenhorns back at home to enjoy, the following Easter Sunday. I'd keep 1/2 lamb for my family, too...
Come to think of it, I've been lucky enough to have been a part of quite a bit of that kinda stuff. Rabbits, chickens & roosters, lambs & goats, pigs & cows, we've done our share of 'old school' protein procurement. Sure glad for those experiences, cuz I'd otherwise not have had the opportunity to enjoy that part of Life...
Beautiful animals, Lonny! Good luck with the sale!!!
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on September 05, 2014, 11:08 AM:
He who shall not be named had a typical comment; said they were on the light side. I don't know? These are NOT feedlot animals. They look damned healthy, to me.
Those hides would tan up real nice. A guy told me, (he had 200 cows) that you really can't fight it, the best prices are black angus. Period.
Good hunting. El Bee
Posted by Lonny (Member # 19) on September 05, 2014, 07:42 PM:
Well, they weighed an 850 lb. average and sold for $2.08 per pound. Considering I paid $2.00 when I bought them, anytime you can sell for more than you paid and they put on 250 lbs a guy can't complain at all. High was 2.14 and low was $1.98 for steers in the 8-900 lb. range.
Your right Leonard, they will go to a feedlot somewhere and get finished out. Black Angus or Angus crosses are bringing the best money around here also. I know a couple diehard Hereford ranchers who even though they have really nice cattle will get a nickel or more less than the price for angus stuff, but they have been Hereford families for 70 plus years and are stubborn about changing.
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on September 05, 2014, 09:02 PM:
Many years ago, we used to prowl along the border between Tucson and Tombstone, I think the very early seventies? But, the range cattle in them parts, at the time was Bhrama. Supposed to tolerate the heat better, they said?
I don't know how to spell it, but the best looking cattle (in my humble opinion) is the Charlea. <That don't look right, but it's as close as I can get phonetically. Kind of a creamy white, taller than most other breeds. To my mind, a beautiful animal. And, I haven't seen one in a long time?
Good hunting. El Bee
edit: PS congratulations on the sale. Now go buy a new gun!
[ September 05, 2014, 09:03 PM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
Posted by CrossJ (Member # 884) on September 06, 2014, 05:17 AM:
quote:
Black Angus or Angus crosses are bringing the best money around here also.
This same trend hurts you on the front end of your stocker business.
quote:
I know a couple diehard Hereford ranchers who even though they have really nice cattle will get a nickel or more less than the price for angus stuff
Spade Ranches ran a four breed rotation in their 10,000 head operation. It consisted of Angus, Simmental, Braunveih, and Hereford. For years the idea of removing Herefords from the program was discussed. They never did because, during the harsher years, or in the tougher environments, the Herefords would wean more live calves than the others. Even at $5/cwt discount.....live is more profitable.
Lb.......its Charolais.....they are a breed originating from France. They were originally used as a draft breed primarily.
Brahman is the other word you are looking for....and yes, very heat tolerant.
Posted by Lonny (Member # 19) on September 06, 2014, 06:47 AM:
Cross, when you mentioned "tougher environments and harsher years" that is exactly the reason these ranchers stick with Herefords. They winter their cows on the breaks of the Snake and Salmon Rivers where minimal winter feeding is needed. But the ground is steep and to some extent remote. Cows need to be able to calve successfully on their own. Herefords seem to last longer on the steep stuff and do better calving.
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on September 06, 2014, 07:30 AM:
Well shit. Now we can expect Geordie to handle all the cattle genealogy and take Dan, (the man)'s place as spelin police.
Good hunting. El Bee
edit: So, why did I once see Brahman down along the border in the first place and (apparently) they didn't work out? Actually, as I remember, lurking around and paying scant attention, (in my "abattoir" days), we did used to get a few Brahman much later, although I have no idea where they were coming from?
I hope the "run on sentence" POLICE don't bust me on that one!
Sudden thought: Vic is a local Tucson boy, he should know what I'm talking about, even though he was just a child, back in the day?
edit: I just remembered something kinda humorous. Occasionally, we would get in a truckload of bulls for slaughter. Mixed. But all the other breeds would gang up on the smaller Herefords and try to fuck them! I always felt a little sorry for them. So innocent, they were!
[ September 06, 2014, 07:49 AM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
Posted by Dave Allen (Member # 3102) on September 06, 2014, 09:23 AM:
Lonny, congratulations Big Guy !!
Mark, it's kinda funny how this Kalifornia-Idaho dairymen connection works. I bet, I could rattle off names you would recognize ?
Anyway same thing here million dollar houses, their kids driving fancy lifted pickups/ high dollar SUV's ect..I'm not envious or anything, I just crack up inside, when, I say sorry the office has you guys on cash now.
To be fair though, lots of dollars going out this time of year and no crop/milk checks coming in.
On a side note when everything gets screwed up here, where's everybody gonna' go ?
Posted by trapper2 (Member # 3651) on September 06, 2014, 10:28 AM:
Geordie, are you talking about the spade over in new mexico? if so I am reading a book you would like, its by the manager of the bell back from 40's to the 70's after the bell busted up. they were a big Hereford outfit to. my wifes granddad was the wagon boss on the bell in the 60's and it was his book, pretty neat the history of that outfit
Posted by CrossJ (Member # 884) on September 06, 2014, 10:35 AM:
Yes Ryan......Chappel Spade. Several people I know have or do work for them. We used to grow heifers for them. I knew the manager and asst manager real well. Neat history. Are you talking about the cross bell? The Mullendores? I would like to read the book regardless.
Posted by Dave Allen (Member # 3102) on September 06, 2014, 01:25 PM:
Not to interrupt, Geordie and Ryan's conversation, as, I'm a little cloudy as what they're talking about. Carry on men.
One the subject of cattle. I've spent many hours reading and re-reading a few books about the cattlemen of this area. Meaning S/W Id & SE Or, fascinating reading.
Many of the original ranches back then, the late 1800's were ran by what they say were cattle (barons) are still running under the original names.
Alvord Ranch, Mann Lake Ranch, Whitehorse Ranch, for example. These are in SE Oregon above Nevada.
They say the (P) Ranch in the same area, just on the north side of Steens Mountain, ran 100,000 head of cattle. It was ran by a guy named Pete French.
The other ranches mentioned were operated by a guy named John Devine. Who ran an equal amount of cattle on the south side.
Lot's and lot's of stories associated with these guys, and how that portion of the west was settled, or un-settled if you will.
It's still pretty frontier if you ask me. I love reading talking real west history.
[ September 06, 2014, 01:32 PM: Message edited by: Dave Allen ]
Posted by trapper2 (Member # 3651) on September 06, 2014, 02:39 PM:
no not the cross bell, the bell ranch at bell new mexico, got their own post office, at one time it was over 700,000 acres, they spilt it in the 40's I believe. the spade was one of the pieces that sold, it was what they called the bell farm. the conchas lake is on part of the old ranch.
we took a field trip out to the spade when I was in college, that was a nice ranch, you still take in cattle for them? if you don't have anything to do come down, I got a load of 250 wt hfrs out of ne miss you can watch for me
don't worry dave, I'm alittle cloudy about what I'm talking about most of the time, ha
[ September 06, 2014, 02:41 PM: Message edited by: trapper2 ]
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