CLub Calf sale??? Or.....opinions please

OH Breeder · Sep 21, 2009

I was driving back to Ohio this past weekend from Iowa. I purchased some calves out there. On the way back I had time to think about the sales and how they were handled.After spending the morning trying to get halters on the new calves I wanted to collect some opinions.

When I sell a calf, I give a rope halter with the calf and if it is a child a can of Revive. Not a big deal. But, when I was picking up the calves this weekend, I didn't even get a feed ration from some. I was told just feed them feed. Is the feed ration that secret they can't even give me a half sack to mix with my own feed if they don't want to divulge the "feed ration". No rope halter and some where EXTREMELY green. Now, I can see when someone has a pasture sale they are in the rough but when they have a "club calf" sale, then to me they should be broke to tie and halter. Maybe it isn't a big deal but whats a $6.00 halter when you spend a few grand. Maybe I am being too picky and whiney. I am thinking when you go to some of these sales maybe we should be asking will the calf have seen a halter and use to being touched?

One gentleman I purchased a heifer from on Steerplanet gave me hay, feed, and a halter. The heifer I bought from him couldn't' have been nicer and more pleasant. He was TOP NOTCH. HWX Cattle in Illinois.

LittleHeifer · Sep 21, 2009

OH Breeder said:
I was driving back to Ohio this past weekend from Iowa. I purchased some calves out there. On the way back I had time to think about the sales and how they were handled.After spending the morning trying to get halters on the new calves I wanted to collect some opinions.

When I sell a calf, I give a rope halter with the calf and if it is a child a can of Revive. Not a big deal. But, when I was picking up the calves this weekend, I didn't even get a feed ration from some. I was told just feed them feed. Is the feed ration that secret they can't even give me a half sack to mix with my own feed if they don't want to divulge the "feed ration". No rope halter and some where EXTREMELY green. Now, I can see when someone has a pasture sale they are in the rough but when they have a "club calf" sale, then to me they should be broke to tie and halter. Maybe it isn't a big deal but whats a $6.00 halter when you spend a few grand. Maybe I am being too picky and whiney. I am thinking when you go to some of these sales maybe we should be asking will the calf have seen a halter and use to being touched?

One gentleman I purchased a heifer from on Steerplanet gave me hay, feed, and a halter. The heifer I bought from him couldn't' have been nicer and more pleasant. He was TOP NOTCH. HWX Cattle in Illinois.

(clapping) I completely agree with you. I know that if I am going to a sale like I would think that they would be halter broke.And when it comes to some of those people that yes their rations are secret because they think(this is my opinion) that if they tell then they wont win. Its a huge thing around here. Newbies aren't welcomed very easily especially if they are any good. If your in the bottom then you are ridiculed and if you are in the top then your the worst thing on the planet. My first year as a newbie I wound up with beginers luck and won second in my class against kids who had shown since they were knee high to a grass hopper and I made some real enemies. In my opinion being firends with peoplelike that is ridiculous. I always try and help the newbies out. People treat my like I'm crazy but I don't care I think its only right to help everyone out. I've done this and made alot of good friends by doing it. I mean whats the point of showing if you can't have fun? isn't that what we're there for, to have fun, enjoy ourselves, get to knowone another, ect. yeah I know theres the getting to know what breeds are winning, improving our herds ect ect but I could care less about that. I go to have fun with my cattle and my friends and plain out enjoy myself. Anyone whos thinks and or tells me that cattle are all business not pets to play around with in my opinion is dead wrong and in my opinion dont need to be around cattle let alone in the show ring.Sorry I hear enough of this from horse people I really dont need to hear it everywhere else. I have fun with my cattle and I get close to them, yes even my steers-even though people say that it is stupid especially when they will be meat in a little over a year-because you know what I'd rather enjoy what I do and have fun while I'm doing it than doing something I don't like and wasting my life away. -Sorry I went off into a rant there, but I really get tired of people acting like I'm an idiot for loving my cattle and enjoying what I do even if it means alot of crying in the end. IT IS WORTH IT- to me anyway. so theres my two sense.Sorry to rant on your post OH Breeder.
Little Heifer (angel)

farmboy · Sep 21, 2009

last year we bought a calf and a fella who didn't even sell the calf who was a 3rd party (we picked the calf up at his house, he didn't sell it) gave us a couple square bales of the good stuff to get the calf started. then we bought a few calves from LT and we got the best feed mix we have ever used and still are using. Then i have had people offer to give me the halter but i know i have 10 or 15 laying around here i could so i just have them keep theirs.

worthabit · Sep 21, 2009

OH Breeder-- I would say actions speak louder than words and you probably know who you will be giving repeat business to. I try to treat others like I would want to be treated.

Show Heifer · Sep 21, 2009

I give a halter, bag of whatever feed they are eating, usually bedding for trailer if they do not have any, a follow up phone call to make sure calf is doing ok, then a call during late fall to see how the show season went.

That being said, When I was growing up I bought unbroke, sometimes not weaned calves and actually broke the calves myself (I mean, it is MY project). I then tweeked rations my entire career until I think I have one I like.

So my question is: Whatever happened to the kid doing th project from start to finish? Is that too old school?? Expecting too much? Or is stuffed and fluffed the only way some folks know how to "see" calves anymore?

jackpotcattle · Sep 21, 2009

SH i just have to comment on what u said about ppl only being able to see cattle fluffed and stuffed.and how i couldn't agree with u more. We were one of the first ones to clip our calves for our pasture sale up here in SD and boy did ppl go off on us because we were making it too much work. Well after a couple yrs of us outselling them now if you don't clip your calves it is hard to get ppl to stop. I still like going out in the pasture and seeing a fur ball and being able to tell how good he is under all that hair. Just makes me like em more when I get em clipped up.

As far as the original post, most everybody up here sells calves in the pasture on the cow and have 50-100 calves in their sales, so breaking them to lead is not gonna happen. We sell most of our calves to Traders, but we take care of any families that buy from us and offer any help we can. But I would agree that those ppl who wash them frequently should have them broke. I know of a few places that just run them thourgh the chute to wash them and they never see a halter. These calves are normally tame and not hard to break, but they are not broke when they are sold.

simtal · Sep 21, 2009

I'd say the diet these babies are on isn't any big secret. I'd say people don't want the hassle of getting some feed out of the bin and putting in a bag.

OH Breeder · Sep 21, 2009

Show Heifer said:
I give a halter, bag of whatever feed they are eating, usually bedding for trailer if they do not have any, a follow up phone call to make sure calf is doing ok, then a call during late fall to see how the show season went.

That being said, When I was growing up I bought unbroke, sometimes not weaned calves and actually broke the calves myself (I mean, it is MY project). I then tweeked rations my entire career until I think I have one I like.

So my question is: Whatever happened to the kid doing th project from start to finish? Is that too old school?? Expecting too much? Or is stuffed and fluffed the only way some folks know how to "see" calves anymore?

First let me say. WE don't mind breaking calves at all. I am not sure if that statement is a generality or directed to me.We also don't mind coming up with a ration of our own. I built a wash rack for the kids so they can wash and blow everyday. They do it all because I have spent a million plus dollars in reconstructive surgery and prefer to stay in one piece. THEY do it themselves and I am proud of them for that. I saw every calf I bought in a pasture on a cow. I did not see them fluffed and puffed. BUT when you advertise club calves that indicates (to me) you are paying a premium for a calf that has been handled or worked a bit. Maybe that is where I am confused. If you are going to run a 100 head into a chute then call it a pasture sale and NOT club calf sale. If you buy a car that is advertised as "loaded" but comes with crank windows and no A/C I bet you would be disappointed. BELIEVE ME we don't mind putting in our time in the barn and working calves. It is just a pet peeve.

I don't want to name names because it ain't worth it but if anybody is interested just PM me and we can discuss off line. I figure repeat business will speak for itself.

I bet that when you were a kid showing( SH) that there weren't as many "show calf" places to go to. (I think you are close to my age) There are 100's of breeders it seems like they're breeding some pretty good stuff. I would think sellers would be looking for an advantage in folks purchasing there product. Again, maybe this is where I am confused. ???

LittleHeifer · Sep 22, 2009

OH Breeder said:
Show Heifer said:

I give a halter, bag of whatever feed they are eating, usually bedding for trailer if they do not have any, a follow up phone call to make sure calf is doing ok, then a call during late fall to see how the show season went.

That being said, When I was growing up I bought unbroke, sometimes not weaned calves and actually broke the calves myself (I mean, it is MY project). I then tweeked rations my entire career until I think I have one I like.

So my question is: Whatever happened to the kid doing th project from start to finish? Is that too old school?? Expecting too much? Or is stuffed and fluffed the only way some folks know how to "see" calves anymore?

Click to expand...

First let me say. WE don't mind breaking calves at all. I am not sure if that statement is a generality or directed to me.We also don't mind coming up with a ration of our own. I built a wash rack for the kids so they can wash and blow everyday. They do it all because I have spent a million plus dollars in reconstructive surgery and prefer to stay in one piece. THEY do it themselves and I am proud of them for that. I saw every calf I bought in a pasture on a cow. I did not see them fluffed and puffed. BUT when you advertise club calves that indicates (to me) you are paying a premium for a calf that has been handled or worked a bit. Maybe that is where I am confused. If you are going to run a 100 head into a chute then call it a pasture sale and NOT club calf sale. If you buy a car that is advertised as "loaded" but comes with crank windows and no A/C I bet you would be disappointed. BELIEVE ME we don't mind putting in our time in the barn and working calves. It is just a pet peeve.

I don't want to name names because it ain't worth it but if anybody is interested just PM me and we can discuss off line. I figure repeat business will speak for itself.

I bet that when you were a kid showing( SH) that there weren't as many "show calf" places to go to. (I think you are close to my age) There are 100's of breeders it seems like they're breeding some pretty good stuff. I would think sellers would be looking for an advantage in folks purchasing there product. Again, maybe this is where I am confused. ???

OH Breeder- Again I 100% agree with you. I have broke my calves every year. Its not a big deal but seriously if I am buying from a club calf sale I kinda expect that those kinds of calves have been a least worked with a bit. Usually I get my calves right out of the pasture and halter break them from scratch and they become gentle but its nice to know that if your gonna pay a high price for a cow that that cow will be good. I know that with the price we are paying for our heifers this year the seller we are getting them from is going to break and clip the cattle for us. I know that all the 'Club Calf' sales that I have been told about have calves that are broke and clipped because thats what gets people to buy. SH there is nothing wrong with buying cattle that are 'stuffed and fluffed' once in a while. but I agree with you that kids need to take car of their own cattle. Most of the kids do that around here but I do know some that dont touch their cattle till like a week before some dont even see them till then and some dont even see their cattle till the day of weigh in then their parents/trainer take care of their cattle the entire time and they only touch them when their ready to show, even though it clearly states in the rules that the kids must take care of their own cattle up to loading them onto the trailer. that was really hard this year. us kids had to walk them up into the kill trailer. :'( lets just say I cried really hard for a couple days. hmmmm that went way past what i originally intended to say. night
Little Heifer (angel)

Dusty · Sep 22, 2009

To me "Club Calf Sale" means cattle bred for the showring. If you want one that is already broke, clipped and what not you can buy one from one of the trader sales later in the fall. There are some breeders that will have calves broke and they will usually tell you which ones are broke and which ones have a little too much "personality" for a younger showman. As far as feed goes, most breeders will make reccomendations on what kind of feed to feed or what company to go through.

vc · Sep 22, 2009

Most calves I have seen that have been worked with are only broke to tie. Calves are rinsed, clipped, and tied. I would guess that should be enough to find out if the calf is workable or not. If you cant rinse it or tie it, it should not be sold to a kid for a project.
Back in the day, all are calves had just been weaned and where in large pens with 50 other scared calves. You walked through them, sorted out 5 or 6 head, the ranch hands separated them out for you to get a closer look, you picked the calves you wanted out of those. they ran them through a shoot, but a halter on them and on to the trailer they went.
We paid 10 cents over market for their troubles.
Took my first year to learn that the high headed, cool looking calf that was always out front so you could see him was not the one you wanted, only took broken hand and 3 cracked ribs to figure out he was not going to the fair. He got worse over time not better.
That is the benefit I see with calves that have been worked with, if the breeder is truly in it for the long haul and knows the calf is an orangutan they are shipped well before anyone sees them.

CLub Calf sale??? Or.....opinions please

Help Support Steer Planet:

OH Breeder

Well-known member

LittleHeifer

Well-known member

farmboy

Well-known member

worthabit

Well-known member

Show Heifer

Well-known member

jackpotcattle

Well-known member

simtal

Well-known member

OH Breeder

Well-known member

LittleHeifer

Well-known member

Dusty

Well-known member

vc

Well-known member

Latest posts