Originally Posted by Backwards cowboy
Originally Posted by cartervj
Calf prices are another reason herds are not being rebuilt.
Like one old fellow said I’ve never sold a calf for $2800 so I’m selling all my calves. He was telling everyone in the waiting room that would listen. Hard not to hear him from all his excitement.

BIL has Ben talking about it for several years so I’ve been asking friends that have cow herds. One fellow told me about his cousin that sold off his calves late summer and was almost half a million. It wasn’t as many calves as I would’ve thought to bring that price. He’s running around 1000 head.
Even talked to a former member on here for several hours about it

Everything is stupidly priced. Fencing is ridiculous, everything associated is.

Replacements are being sold off because of the high prices they bring.



I hold back replacement heifers, just put four in a pasture to be bred this fall yesterday. Have 10 more that im holding back right now. One guy in a waiting room , doesn't make up the industry. Neither does one guy pisting on a forum! Its complex. But no matter what you think the reason is, the solution is not buying from other countries, and its not having the government set the prices!


Just because you’re holding replacements doesn’t mean everyone is.

That’s one of reasons for low herd numbers being said across numerous ag talk shows

Most guys I know used to hold heifers back now they hold just what they need to maintain their herd.

Every one of them say they making bank while they can to make up
One guy I know well and has been in cattle all his life. He has downsized to concentrate his efforts. He’s older now concentrating simplifies his life and right now maximizing his investments. That’s another angle not discussed. How many new cattle farmers is there. Johnny told me fended pasture is going for over 5k and acre. I’d just starting out with nothing the numbers don’t jive to startup. Look at row crop land in the upper Midwest. I doesn’t make sense

I’d say that’s another replacement rate to be considered.

My nieces husband and family used to run a large operation. Now they’re down to around 20 head and maintain that because farm taxes are much cheaper than prime real estate for development. They turned their pastures into lots and have made serious bank. That’s another factor as to why herd numbers are trending downward.

This is also a liberals dream. Don’t they want lower cattle numbers to fight global warming

“Socialism only works in two places: Heaven where they don't need it and hell where they already have it.” ― Ronald Reagan