Do you ever wonder why your neighbor’s cattle are bringing a higher premium than yours? Is it true that hide color is making his cattle more marketable than yours?
Rancher’s Question: I have been told by several seasoned Ranchers that my cattle do not bring as much as their cattle do because I do not sell black hide calves. Is there truth to this?
ASK A CATTLE BUYER…
The answer?
No.
Black hide cattle do not necessarily bring more money in a livestock auction ring than other hide colors. What buyers are actually looking for are high-quality cattle. In this instance, that means cattle that have heavy bones and heavy muscle.
Muscle equals meat. Big bones allow the cattle to grow bigger and carry a heavier muscle.
Heavier muscled cattle will grow bigger and faster and will have better feed conversions. This means the feed they consume will have a higher weight gain and a higher quality end result.
The breeds that are consistent with these high qualities are Charolais, Angus, and their crosses.
TXFRS TIP
If you are not getting a premium as high as you think you should, is it time to reassess your herd?
Heavy bone and muscle will not appear over time. This is something that will come from heavy boned, heavy muscled sires and dames.
Assessing your herd before you make a trip to the sale barn will help you have a better understanding of your herd performance in conjunction with the price you receive. If you need a change in your herd, you may want to start by evaluating the quality of your bull.
Your sire is one of the most critical investments in your livestock operation.
Look for a bull that has heavy bone, heavy muscle, and can travel well on his feet. It can be an expensive process to replace a light-boned herd, but by adding a heavier massed bull, you will be able to take a major step to improve your calf crop.
FIND MORE LIVESTOCK QUESTIONS ANSWERED:
Rancher’s Question: Does it Pay to Cut Bull Calves and Sell Them as Steers?
Rancher’s Question: Is it Worth Backgrounding my Calves to Sell them through a Local Auction Ring?
Our Ask a Cattle Buyer series is designed to help everyday cattle owners get the answers to their livestock market questions. Longtime cattle buyer, Craig Archer, gives you the answers to your market questions from his years in the seat of an auction ring gallery. Submit your questions to [email protected].
*Texas Farm & Ranch Solution, LLC brings you helpful information for your livestock operation. Texas Farm & Ranch Solution, LLC and its associates offer no guarantees of profit from this information. Changes to your operation are at your discretion.
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