In the cattle industry, you are either selling cattle by the pound or you are selling cattle or genetics to other ranchers who are selling cattle by the pound. Weights are critical in every stage of the cattle cycle – from a calf’s birth, weaning, yearling and sale weight to mature/gain weights of cows and bulls for monitoring body condition score (BCS).

Cattle producers invest a massive amount of time, effort and money in raising the best calves possible. Whether selling at the local auction barn, a value-added sale, from the farm site, to a nearby feedlot or via another method, the results of their long-term investments depend on many factors.

It’s typical for newly weaned or sale barn-acquired calves to experience multiple stressors simultaneously when brought onto the farm. This might be the first time those animals are introduced to new feeds. In addition to the new diet, there is a new home along with new penmates and a social hierarchy. These changes then can compound on top of the stress of removing the calf from their dam.

As exciting as calving season is, it is also riddled with challenges, including death loss. Now that we are nearing the end of calving season, and pasture turnout is around the corner, what are we going to do with the cows without a calf at side? All potential scenarios boil down to two: sell or keep.

Young Rayburn Smith only had one goal for his life: to live the American dream. To him, that dream was to raise cattle along the Red River, “ranching Louisiana style.”

I know we have all been there: The trucks are loaded and headed to the local sale barn with this year’s calf crop. We waited all year to sit and watch these fancy calves fill the ring and circle around. All our blood, sweat and prayers that went into getting to this beautiful fall day will soon be worth it. Ring full after ring full, we sit and begin picturing the large paycheck we’ll be handing the bank later that afternoon. 

The term “high risk” is mainly applied to calves bought and sold through local livestock auctions or sale barns, although not all these calves are necessarily considered high risk.

While the expressed purpose of hosting a weekly auction is buying and selling livestock, we all know that a good portion of the folks making themselves comfortable in those worn-out bleachers show up with no intention of letting go of a single penny.

Fink Beef Genetics owns about 200 head of mother cows. Each of those, presumably, raises about one calf per year. Yet, somehow, in 2023, the Finks managed to sell more than 600 bulls carrying their herd’s genetics to customers across the country.

Many beef producers use a bull to make sure calves are hitting the ground. However, artificial insemination is a viable option for farmers and ranchers.