From the Barns: Sale went well

We are nearly a month now post-inaugural production sale. All the nervousness and concerns were brushed aside, as the sale in all facets turned out to be a great success. The weather was super nice, a large crowd was in attendance and we had a good number of registered bidders on hand, as well as many online. Twenty-nine bull lots averaged almost $7,700, and the 20 females that sold were at $7,600.

The cattle sold into six different states. Online bidding really helped bolster the sale, but I was pleasantly surprised that so many “local” producers pulled their stock trailers along to the sale and many of the cattle were loaded and went to their new homes that day. That tells me that these outstanding genetics are going to stay relatively close and I think that is a positive for improved production in the surrounding area.

Me and a few of the boys were working in the back keeping the cattle going into the sale ring and then out, and the nuts and bolts of that went quite smoothly, so again we were blessed and fortunate that this first sale went so well. Looking forward to doing it again next year.

Spring calving is winding down, but not completely over. Still have seen good results and mostly problem free, so that is another blessing right there. We spent a few days in April pregnancy checking the fall calving herd. Conception rates on the cows was exceptional. Best I have seen in some time. The heifer rates were varied and not as good. Keeping in mind that some heifers were strictly AI bred and we try to keep a short breeding season, I think explains some of it.

However, some of these heifers that were open and in outstanding body condition and that ended up exposed to a cleanup bull but still didn’t get pregnant makes us scratch our head. It seems as though we are doing everything right, nutritionally and healthwise. I just have to believe that some heifers aren’t fertile and will never cycle and breed. I wish more research would be done to figure why that happens to producers and what, if anything, could be done about it.

The open heifers are now in the feedlot. They, along with a few pens of big yearling steers, have been implanted, dewormed and given an electronic identification tag this past week. Also check weighed and they are looking really good. Those cattle should market in 75 to 120 days.

We also got in a few days ago a super-nice set of unweaned calves out of Tennessee, off one farm. Sired by bulls we have raised and sold. They always feed and kill really well. Got some other local calves that should be arriving here in the next day or two.

The wheat grazing has almost played out, but we have been really pleased with the grazing days that we have gotten from it and the number of cattle that we have been able to run. It stayed dry enough that we didn’t pug up the fields too bad, but we had enough moisture at certain times that kept the forage rejuvenated and in a continual growth mode. Mostly breeding stock and replacements were on it, but I think it is going to prove very cost effective and what we needed.

We are ready hopefully tomorrow to start planting a summer annual mix of sorghum-sudangrass, buckwheat, sunn hemp and cowpeas. Going to plant a third of the acreage, then come back in a week or two and sow the remainder.

I wanted to do this a week ago, but we got 1.5 inches of rain and it has just been too muddy to try to get in the field. In addition, soil temps may not have been where they needed to be, so maybe the delay will be a good thing. Anxious to get that seed in the ground and hopefully have some good summer grazing.