|
Ridgway, IL | Got 2 big shots of rain again this week, but spring marches on. More sunny
breezy days, which is a welcome relief, after a brutally wet winter. This
week, we were able to sort up a big group of 240 heifers we have been
feeding since last septermber. They are contracted to be killed by Tyson in
april. Hopefully they will work with me to ship late in the month, as the
tough winter has slowed their performance... even in confinement. Overall,
the cattle are carrying pretty good flesh. I just sorted by scale weight,
but really the lighter end of them appear to me to be more finished than the
heavier group. This is likely supporting information for garvos, "ship the
light end first" strategy. I am tending to agree with him... another adage
that seems relevant here is "light going in the feedlot, light coming out of
the feedlot". This particular group of heifers comes from a fellow that
starts a lot of 3 and 4 weight heifers... even growing them 90 days to
600lb, then growing them more at my place, I just don't think they have the
stuff to make a pen average anywhere close to 1300lb. I could say for
certain that the number of days it would to get them there wouldn't be the
best use of space. When I placed these heifers, I projected them out at
1200. Given the winter weather and the nature of this pen I think we will
struggle to get there. On the positive side though, the calves were bought
right, and the health on them has been good. We have spent nothing on vet,
other than a Synovex one. We have fed them cheap, pushing hominy and ccds.
We've been able to finally do some pen cleaning, first time in months that
we have been able to do it, and that is also a welcome relief. Tomorrow, we
will be sorting up a bunch of steers and packing them in a little tighter.
This will let us finish cleaning the last of the pens.
Overall, health has just been ok. I started buying light weaned calves 2
months ago, I just saw a wreck waiting to happen trying to start bawling
cattle in this weather. Now that things are straightening out, I am
looking forward to placing some cheaper, lighter calves.
We are positioned long cattle, and relatively short feed. I like putting
myself in position to be buying by products going into this time of year.
Purchases this week include WDG landing at the farm approx. 145/dm ton
compared to 180-200/dm ton all winter. Hominy at 122/ton. April-Sep
soyhulls at 115/ton. 630lb weaned steers at 1.56. 610lb weaned heifers at
1.36.
 (5A372BB8-6028-4E4E-B328-A97893A1EEAC (full).jpeg)
 (27B1BA68-04B2-4824-A00A-60AA46A6A920 (full).jpeg)
 (4BA8B1C8-D871-421B-BEFD-7C9618F7D3A0 (full).jpeg)
 (E9008F16-D0B6-402C-901C-A883B3F61FE3 (full).jpeg)
 (400CE476-DDF0-46C4-88E7-949F4FDE334A (full).jpeg)
 (F8C021EB-6AE2-4087-A339-431162FE4764 (full).jpeg)
 (5A880EC4-3876-4D29-8B12-F61B3042FDCD (full).jpeg)
 (B09D4FF6-D605-44C3-B08E-9FB9364D34CA (full).jpeg)
 (68D2F813-905B-4F48-939C-BB7C328C1F96 (full).jpeg)
Attachments
----------------
 5A372BB8-6028-4E4E-B328-A97893A1EEAC (full).jpeg (189KB - 109 downloads)
27B1BA68-04B2-4824-A00A-60AA46A6A920 (full).jpeg (180KB - 114 downloads)
4BA8B1C8-D871-421B-BEFD-7C9618F7D3A0 (full).jpeg (113KB - 121 downloads)
E9008F16-D0B6-402C-901C-A883B3F61FE3 (full).jpeg (146KB - 97 downloads)
400CE476-DDF0-46C4-88E7-949F4FDE334A (full).jpeg (132KB - 110 downloads)
F8C021EB-6AE2-4087-A339-431162FE4764 (full).jpeg (158KB - 126 downloads)
5A880EC4-3876-4D29-8B12-F61B3042FDCD (full).jpeg (197KB - 110 downloads)
B09D4FF6-D605-44C3-B08E-9FB9364D34CA (full).jpeg (202KB - 134 downloads)
68D2F813-905B-4F48-939C-BB7C328C1F96 (full).jpeg (96KB - 105 downloads)
| |
|
This week at the feedlot
