Hay and Cattle prices?!?!

In some ways I feel really lucky. I sold mixed grass small squares in the field all year long for $2.50 a bale(right off the back of the baler, had people lined up, could'nt bale fast enough). I sold almost 3000 bales this way. I only put up about 350 bales in the barn. Now I'm seeing GOOD small squares for sale out of the barn for $3 a bale, give or take 50 cents, and gobs of good rolled hay, 4x4's, 4x5's for anywhere from $10 a roll to $25 a roll. And most of it looks like decent hay. I'm hoping to be able sell the few small squares I've got for $4 a bale, but $3.50 is probably more realistic, unless we start getting A LOT of snow.

I've not really followed cattle prices since I got out of it a few years back. But I've considered with the cheap hay prices maybe getting back in this winter. Just a few head, maybe a few young heifers, 5 to 6 weights maybe, and maybe 3 or 4 steers, one for my freezer, the others to sell in the spring. Maybe keep the best of the heifers(just 4 or 5, just a few to keep me busy) in the spring and breed them back for fall/winter calves. I almost did this the last couple of years, but just couldn't justify it with the price of hay. The few cow calf pairs I've seen seem to be a little high, but again, I've not really been into the prices much lately. Any thoughts??

Casey

Here in MN I've been seeing bred stock cows in the $600 range. I bought two this past weekend that are really nice cows, coming with second calf in the spring, for $500 each. Turned down three so-so cows that were bred for spring calves for $450 each.

Its a case of shooting ourselves in the foot over and over again. Thats one reason Im holding the line on what I sell hay for. All mine is under roof and I'd rather carry it over than sell below the cost of production.

As to cows, decent 7-8 year old stock cows, bred 4-6 months, were bringing in the low 700's at the last cow sale I went to in Lex. Seems a lot of people have plenty of hay and are wanting to feed it since they cant sell it. I passed, heifers right now strike me as the bargain. A good 600 pound heifer can be bought for a shade over 400 dollars. While its true you get a calf out of the cow this next year to sell and the heifer will be two years it strikes me as you are buying that calf along with the cow at 700+. I dont need to buy a job, but it thrills me to no end to see cattle numbers going up. My hay price is the same, good years and bad, with repeat customers getting priority.

Do you have any mixed grass small squares? If so, what are you selling it for out of the barn? I know most people down your way roll most of that hay and only square bale the good stuff. Up here people can't afford to be to picky with there hay. As long as its not full of weeds, its "horse hay". I'll feed what little I've got before I sell it any cheaper than 3.50 a bale, and I'll have to think long and hard at that price.

I agree with you on the heifer vs stock cow. If you're building a cow/calf herd, why start with an old cow that's only got a few years left in her? Not unusual for 8 year old cows to start going downhill, especially in my neck of the woods where terrain takes its toll on brutes. But your prices kinda give me a place to start at. If the economy stays in the crapper, I figure beef prices will continue to fall, maybe some better deals after the first of the year.