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Marketing your cull cows

Amanda Nolz

As fall leaves dance to the ground and the grass becomes crispy with the first days of frost, not all is picture perfect along the countryside. For many cattlemen, it’s a time of uncertainty in the beef industry. Everyone is concerned about market trends, commodity prices, and the number one question – Do I expand, maintain or reduce the size of my cowherd?

“We are in unchartered waters with the quickly changing calf price cycle right now,” said Cody Wright, South Dakota State University’s Beef Extension Specialist. “Looking at the quickly changing commodity prices and the current cattle market lows, this is a whole new playing field for cattle producers.”

Wright said that, despite the definite uncertainty, cattlemen need to sit tight and continue to focus on making sound management and marketing decisions to stay out of the red during these increasingly challenging times. An important management practice is taking a close look at your cowherd and making the correct judgments on when to market those open cows.



“The important thing with cull cows is obviously to get them sold at a market high,” said Wright. “Looking at the Sioux Falls, SD market trends, prices seem to be the highest from May to August, then the prices slowly decline until they hit a low in November and December. It’s critical to manage your marketing plans around these highs and lows.”

Wright presented several options to consider when making the best marketing decision for your cull cows.



As fall leaves dance to the ground and the grass becomes crispy with the first days of frost, not all is picture perfect along the countryside. For many cattlemen, it’s a time of uncertainty in the beef industry. Everyone is concerned about market trends, commodity prices, and the number one question – Do I expand, maintain or reduce the size of my cowherd?

“We are in unchartered waters with the quickly changing calf price cycle right now,” said Cody Wright, South Dakota State University’s Beef Extension Specialist. “Looking at the quickly changing commodity prices and the current cattle market lows, this is a whole new playing field for cattle producers.”

Wright said that, despite the definite uncertainty, cattlemen need to sit tight and continue to focus on making sound management and marketing decisions to stay out of the red during these increasingly challenging times. An important management practice is taking a close look at your cowherd and making the correct judgments on when to market those open cows.

“The important thing with cull cows is obviously to get them sold at a market high,” said Wright. “Looking at the Sioux Falls, SD market trends, prices seem to be the highest from May to August, then the prices slowly decline until they hit a low in November and December. It’s critical to manage your marketing plans around these highs and lows.”

Wright presented several options to consider when making the best marketing decision for your cull cows.

As fall leaves dance to the ground and the grass becomes crispy with the first days of frost, not all is picture perfect along the countryside. For many cattlemen, it’s a time of uncertainty in the beef industry. Everyone is concerned about market trends, commodity prices, and the number one question – Do I expand, maintain or reduce the size of my cowherd?

“We are in unchartered waters with the quickly changing calf price cycle right now,” said Cody Wright, South Dakota State University’s Beef Extension Specialist. “Looking at the quickly changing commodity prices and the current cattle market lows, this is a whole new playing field for cattle producers.”

Wright said that, despite the definite uncertainty, cattlemen need to sit tight and continue to focus on making sound management and marketing decisions to stay out of the red during these increasingly challenging times. An important management practice is taking a close look at your cowherd and making the correct judgments on when to market those open cows.

“The important thing with cull cows is obviously to get them sold at a market high,” said Wright. “Looking at the Sioux Falls, SD market trends, prices seem to be the highest from May to August, then the prices slowly decline until they hit a low in November and December. It’s critical to manage your marketing plans around these highs and lows.”

Wright presented several options to consider when making the best marketing decision for your cull cows.

As fall leaves dance to the ground and the grass becomes crispy with the first days of frost, not all is picture perfect along the countryside. For many cattlemen, it’s a time of uncertainty in the beef industry. Everyone is concerned about market trends, commodity prices, and the number one question – Do I expand, maintain or reduce the size of my cowherd?

“We are in unchartered waters with the quickly changing calf price cycle right now,” said Cody Wright, South Dakota State University’s Beef Extension Specialist. “Looking at the quickly changing commodity prices and the current cattle market lows, this is a whole new playing field for cattle producers.”

Wright said that, despite the definite uncertainty, cattlemen need to sit tight and continue to focus on making sound management and marketing decisions to stay out of the red during these increasingly challenging times. An important management practice is taking a close look at your cowherd and making the correct judgments on when to market those open cows.

“The important thing with cull cows is obviously to get them sold at a market high,” said Wright. “Looking at the Sioux Falls, SD market trends, prices seem to be the highest from May to August, then the prices slowly decline until they hit a low in November and December. It’s critical to manage your marketing plans around these highs and lows.”

Wright presented several options to consider when making the best marketing decision for your cull cows.

As fall leaves dance to the ground and the grass becomes crispy with the first days of frost, not all is picture perfect along the countryside. For many cattlemen, it’s a time of uncertainty in the beef industry. Everyone is concerned about market trends, commodity prices, and the number one question – Do I expand, maintain or reduce the size of my cowherd?

“We are in unchartered waters with the quickly changing calf price cycle right now,” said Cody Wright, South Dakota State University’s Beef Extension Specialist. “Looking at the quickly changing commodity prices and the current cattle market lows, this is a whole new playing field for cattle producers.”

Wright said that, despite the definite uncertainty, cattlemen need to sit tight and continue to focus on making sound management and marketing decisions to stay out of the red during these increasingly challenging times. An important management practice is taking a close look at your cowherd and making the correct judgments on when to market those open cows.

“The important thing with cull cows is obviously to get them sold at a market high,” said Wright. “Looking at the Sioux Falls, SD market trends, prices seem to be the highest from May to August, then the prices slowly decline until they hit a low in November and December. It’s critical to manage your marketing plans around these highs and lows.”

Wright presented several options to consider when making the best marketing decision for your cull cows.