Developing replacements
Everyone develops heifers differently. I think the key is to understand what yours truly need, based on your management, marketing, and goals. We breed cattle to work in their environment with minimum inputs. We don't want to select against performance, but we are circumspect about how much performance can cost, and try to supplement only when it is economically advisable. We read BCS and manure as our guide. After a decade of this work, our cattle are smaller than they started, more fertile on less inputs, more docile, better uddered and ultimately more profitable. They excel in grass finishing and direct market programs.
Females for Sale
We are moving from private treaty to two sales per year: April and September. The sales will be online (DV auction) but we will have the cattle gathered for viewing. We have a few one strike bred cows available private treaty, but otherwise mark you calendars for September 2026, date to be announced. We will be offering around 40 bred heifers, 20 bred cows, and 10 young bulls (18-19month old forage developed).
How much to pay for breeding stock?
Anyone looking into getting into the cow business to make money should have a business plan. Am I selling at the stockyard, pot loads, to value added buyers, as breeding stock, or into direct market as beef? Know your expected costs so you can estimate your profits. Buying cheap cows can be a way to make money, but it sometimes can lead to long term problems that aren't easy to fix. My family has spent decades selecting cattle that work in our environment, and I have been honing these cattle for over a dozen years to make them extremely efficient as grass finishers. Spend as much money as your business plan allows to get you as close to your goals as possible. Buy from a breeder who doesn't take better care (ie. more inputs) of his/her cows than you plan to. Buy from as close to your environment as you can. These are a few of the basic rules of importing breeding stock.
2/05/2023--We are entering a period of the cattle cycle that should see very strong prices for 18-30 months. Prices will increase as calf prices skyrocket. Be aware that buying at the height of this run will not make you money. Take advantage of any value propositions, but be aware of the risk and reward of purchasing solely on price. Prices could taper or fall off a cliff like they did in the Fall of 2015. Feel free to reach out to me regarding specific recommendation regarding how to take advantage, and not get taken advantage by, the cattle cycle.
11/01/23--Price update. As stated earlier, prices are strong. We will see fluctuations up and down but should see the trading range quite profitable til at least 2025, as the extended drought is pushing back heifer retention and many older ranchers in the East are 'cashing out'. I expect prices to peak sometime in 2024 and potentially stay high until 2026, but the crystal ball can be clouded by outside noise and the state of the consolidated packer industry.
2/23/24--The crystal ball has been working so far. Prices continue to soar. Look for value propositions. There is still time to sell really expensive calves if you can get them raised, weaned, and moved down the road. A $1500 weaned calf pays a lot towards the price of an expensive pair or heavy bred cow. Unless the unforeseen happens, prices should hold firm through at least spring/summer of 2025, with plenty of room for volatility down and back up, like last fall.
7/31/24- With the exception of a few weeks of retreat, this market has continued to be extremely Bullish. When prices get this high for this long, worry creeps in that we could lose it. Fundamentally, heifer retention has not started yet and therefore the highs should be still in the future. One can still pay top dollar for bred cows if you can sell that calf in 2025 before we lose any steam. Certainly outside pressures could affect beyond the fundamentals, so be cautious in your optimism but presently I'd guess we are looking strong through at least through most of next year.
12/22/24- Amazing that we are still at the top of the cycle! Heifer retention still hasn't begun in earnest, the Mexican border has been temporarily closed due to the screwworm, and the Trump tariff threats to Mexico and Canada tend to suggest this bull market might continue to run through 2025 and perhaps 2026. Take profits where you can, invest in purchases that can add value and have a positive ROI, and remember that the cure for high prices is high prices.
3/08/25- While prices remain sky high, my stomach is starting to get nervous. Fundamentally, we still should have a strong '25 but I worry about dark forces from a consolidated industry. Hopefully we can ride this wave through '26 but I think risk must be assessed. LRP insurance is a good hedge against volatility in the marketplace and can be a great tool to protect your investments.
3/26/25- After watching the local market reports for the past weeks and months, we have edged our prices up to follow what is being paid at the local stockyard. I'm continued to be surprised by the steady rise beyond where I thought the market would settle. Folks out there have some level of confidence that purchases today will create positive returns. Cull cows and bulls have sold locally for $1.50-$2.00+ per pound!
5/14/25- It's still rumbles on. We've had to inch up our prices just to keep up with the stockyards. Folks in the midwest that haven't experienced drought are selling for prices I've never heard of. There's whispers of heifer retention starting or about to start.
7/29/25- The Stockyards surpassed our pricing matrix again so we are continuing to inch up. We've been told heifer retention has began and calf prices are so high that the fall run to sell calves I believe is already happening. Very curious to see where prices go when temps cool. I sold a cull bull in July for more money than I paid for him 4 years ago.
2/4/26- We are not living through a normal cattle cycle! While we have seen volatility we also have seen a recent firming in the market. Heifer retention is still slow and while screwworm threats seem to be looming and overreactive, the fundamentals still point to another strong year of prices. IMO, our eventually cooling off will settle on a higher floor than we started on. Cost of doing business won't allow prices to retreat to previous averages. Fingers crossed we have two more good years. Don't borrow money on that sentiment.
3/27/26- While we are still enjoying these prices, I booked Livestock Risk Protection on my spring steer calves for the first time ever. Cost me right around $80/head, which in a low year might be your profit margin, but as we've been at what feels like the zenith again and again, I can sleep better with some piece of mind. No matter what the market does, I have a profit locked in.
2/05/2023--We are entering a period of the cattle cycle that should see very strong prices for 18-30 months. Prices will increase as calf prices skyrocket. Be aware that buying at the height of this run will not make you money. Take advantage of any value propositions, but be aware of the risk and reward of purchasing solely on price. Prices could taper or fall off a cliff like they did in the Fall of 2015. Feel free to reach out to me regarding specific recommendation regarding how to take advantage, and not get taken advantage by, the cattle cycle.
11/01/23--Price update. As stated earlier, prices are strong. We will see fluctuations up and down but should see the trading range quite profitable til at least 2025, as the extended drought is pushing back heifer retention and many older ranchers in the East are 'cashing out'. I expect prices to peak sometime in 2024 and potentially stay high until 2026, but the crystal ball can be clouded by outside noise and the state of the consolidated packer industry.
2/23/24--The crystal ball has been working so far. Prices continue to soar. Look for value propositions. There is still time to sell really expensive calves if you can get them raised, weaned, and moved down the road. A $1500 weaned calf pays a lot towards the price of an expensive pair or heavy bred cow. Unless the unforeseen happens, prices should hold firm through at least spring/summer of 2025, with plenty of room for volatility down and back up, like last fall.
7/31/24- With the exception of a few weeks of retreat, this market has continued to be extremely Bullish. When prices get this high for this long, worry creeps in that we could lose it. Fundamentally, heifer retention has not started yet and therefore the highs should be still in the future. One can still pay top dollar for bred cows if you can sell that calf in 2025 before we lose any steam. Certainly outside pressures could affect beyond the fundamentals, so be cautious in your optimism but presently I'd guess we are looking strong through at least through most of next year.
12/22/24- Amazing that we are still at the top of the cycle! Heifer retention still hasn't begun in earnest, the Mexican border has been temporarily closed due to the screwworm, and the Trump tariff threats to Mexico and Canada tend to suggest this bull market might continue to run through 2025 and perhaps 2026. Take profits where you can, invest in purchases that can add value and have a positive ROI, and remember that the cure for high prices is high prices.
3/08/25- While prices remain sky high, my stomach is starting to get nervous. Fundamentally, we still should have a strong '25 but I worry about dark forces from a consolidated industry. Hopefully we can ride this wave through '26 but I think risk must be assessed. LRP insurance is a good hedge against volatility in the marketplace and can be a great tool to protect your investments.
3/26/25- After watching the local market reports for the past weeks and months, we have edged our prices up to follow what is being paid at the local stockyard. I'm continued to be surprised by the steady rise beyond where I thought the market would settle. Folks out there have some level of confidence that purchases today will create positive returns. Cull cows and bulls have sold locally for $1.50-$2.00+ per pound!
5/14/25- It's still rumbles on. We've had to inch up our prices just to keep up with the stockyards. Folks in the midwest that haven't experienced drought are selling for prices I've never heard of. There's whispers of heifer retention starting or about to start.
7/29/25- The Stockyards surpassed our pricing matrix again so we are continuing to inch up. We've been told heifer retention has began and calf prices are so high that the fall run to sell calves I believe is already happening. Very curious to see where prices go when temps cool. I sold a cull bull in July for more money than I paid for him 4 years ago.
2/4/26- We are not living through a normal cattle cycle! While we have seen volatility we also have seen a recent firming in the market. Heifer retention is still slow and while screwworm threats seem to be looming and overreactive, the fundamentals still point to another strong year of prices. IMO, our eventually cooling off will settle on a higher floor than we started on. Cost of doing business won't allow prices to retreat to previous averages. Fingers crossed we have two more good years. Don't borrow money on that sentiment.
3/27/26- While we are still enjoying these prices, I booked Livestock Risk Protection on my spring steer calves for the first time ever. Cost me right around $80/head, which in a low year might be your profit margin, but as we've been at what feels like the zenith again and again, I can sleep better with some piece of mind. No matter what the market does, I have a profit locked in.
