| | In a survey earlier this year, BEEF magazine found that 30% of the respondents bought bulls from September through December. Bull sellers are a savvy lot, and 42% of the Seedstock 100 have a sale in the fall.
Of those who bought replacement females, 42% were in the market during the fall. In fact, bred and commercial heifer demand is highest this time of year. Savvy seedstock producers also know that one way to be successful is to satisfy your customers’ demand. Based on these findings, it appears buyers and sellers are matching up pretty well.
Here’s a quick roundup of conditions as we enter the fall sale season. Kim Ford at Cross Diamond Cattle Company, Bertrand, Neb., says October is a busy month preparing for their December 10th sale. They have a well-planned schedule to get the bulls semen tested, trimmed, photos taken and then video shot of the bulls. They sell a longer aged bull, so the later sale date works for them.
Eagle Pass Ranch, Highmore, S.D., had a September sale in Dos Palos, Calif. The sale went well, says ranch owner AJ Munger. The topic of discussion this fall has been on the availability of feed and grazing leases, he says.
Indeed, weather and markets dominate the discussion any time beef producers gather. Grass conditions are generally good across the country except for a few areas where it’s been dry. And in some of those areas, fall rains have raised spirits and perhaps set the stage for a better green-up next spring.
But close behind the weather and markets are discussions about all the advances that have and will happen in the world of cattle genetics. Use the Seedstock 100 and Seedstock Directory as your guide to genetics suppliers who can help you solve the genetics maze and keep your cowherd moving forward. | |
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