I currently spend a lot of time attending weekly cattle auctions within our area. I usually go to two or three of these sales per week. Cattle of all sizes and quality enter the ring for buyer assessment. I truthfully cannot believe what I witness at this time of year. I will guarantee that seed stock producers are their own worst enemy. Case in point; today, it happened to be the turn for Red Angus breeders to take a thumping. A seed stock producer sold through the sale yard six nice Red Angus bulls. All but one of these $700 to $900 feeder bulls went back to the country to be used as breeding bulls.

Seed stock producers need to recognize the impact of selling their cull or left over bulls at the sale yard. I have seen Angus, Hereford, Red Angus and AOB bulls sold at rock bottom prices, some even advertised as breeders. I assume the producer had not considered other outlets.

Please understand that the practice of selling leftover catalogued bulls after a producer sale has the effect of decreasing buyer competition . They just wait to pick up a cheap bull later once it has been transferred to a cattle feeder. I have seen breeders ship their left overs 200 miles away from home making their bulls compete in somebody else’s market. We have even heard comments like: “Joe Blow sure has poor bulls “, of course there is no mention that these bulls were culls purchased at a sale yard.

How would anyone expect to keep bull prices at a profitable level if producers are willing to give away all of the extra effort and expense involved in progressive breeding programs? It is a mistake to encourage commercial cattlemen to wait before completing the purchase of their sire needs.

With the development of bull bander’s and the use of Covexan 8 this situation shouldn’t have to happen. Even if you don’t own this castration tool for older bulls, your local vet should have one. I have personally banded everything that is considered cull or leftover, even coming 2 year olds. Other options are shipping direct to a packer if available in your area or even marketing your young beef bulls for custom butchering which seems to be popular in some areas. It is also possible to contact a cattle feeder and make an agreement that your bulls are not to go back to the country. Then keep an eye on them. Attention! Neutered (politically correct word) feeder cattle are worth more than feeder bulls. Think before you drive down the market value of breeding bulls.

Well, so much for my venting about a real problem facing the seed stock industry. I hope everyone is enjoying Reno or plans to attend depending on when this Angus the Magazine arrives for your enjoyment. The cattle market has sure rebounded from last fall with calves at $1.25 to 1.35 and heavy yearlings are up to $1.03. Black cattle are still bringing top prices.

Graham Hooper
WSAA Director