Calf sale results

I got my check and statement from the livestock auction. 

From pulling them in my stock trailer I knew the cattle were heavier.  Last year the nine calves weighed 4335 pounds.   This year the nine calves weighed 5310 pounds.  Last year the heifer's average weight was 488 pounds.  This year their average weight was 588 pounds.  Exactly 100 pounds more.   Last year the steer's average weight was 474 pounds.  That was the average weight sold at auction; Dan bought my largest steers and they weighed over 500 pounds each.   This year five of the six steer's average weight was 595 pounds.  Again about 100 pounds more.  A difference this year is most calves were born about 10 days earlier and I sold the calves two weeks later than last year.

The sixth steer's weight was 570 pounds.   Which brings me to prices.  Prices were higher this year than last year, though still not as high as two years ago.  Still, a nice improvement.

One steer sold for less money, which was a surprise.  The black steer, Sugar's calf, was separated from the other steers and sold separately.  While I got $1.625 a pound for the five steers (and I was told that was a little higher than usual for 600 pound calves); I only got $1.11 a pound for the black steer.  51.5 cents a pound less!!  Today I called the auction to learn why.  I was told the steer was a poor quality steer.  Again a surprise as several people who had seen the steer this Summer thought it was a good looking steer.   I was told it was short, and his weight for his size was considered high.  He mentioned bloating, though he said my steer was rounded on both sides and not just one side as with bloating.  Since the steer wasn't obviously fat, the buyers thought it was poor quality due to the size versus weight ratio.

Anything to knock the price lower.   But seriously, 51.5 cents a pound less?!  The buyer got a great deal.

I'm no expert but I still think it was a good calf.  The auction suggested I get rid of the cow if she produces calves like this.  Well, the calf was from an unknown bull as I bought Sugar last Fall.  Next year Sugar's calf will be Buddy's calf so I'll be interested in seeing how that calf looks and how much I get for that calf.  I think part of the situation was that the other five calves looked like Buddy and this was a different looking calf.