Feeder calf sale sees strong sales

Prices were strong as last week’s feeder calf sale at the McMinnville barn. Prices on the 600-700 lb. #1 steers ranged from a dollar and a nickel up to almost one dollar and a dime per pound. The same sale in June of last year the price for the calves in this weight range was 101.50-103.50.
Prices are higher despite corn prices and transportation increases. Fall and early winter fed prices are encouraging some buyers to bid calves up.
Feeder calf sales like the one here in McMinnville offer producers the opportunity to get a higher price for their calves because they are grouped for load lots. There were almost 3,500 calves sold at the June sale last year. Almost three times more than went through the ring last week.
Prices are listed below for the black, black white face and Charolais cross calves:

Steers: Med and Lg 1
300-350 lbs 131.00
350-400 lbs 130.00
400-450 lbs 119.00-130.50
450-500 lbs 120.50-130.50
500-550 lbs 122.50-125.75
550-600 lbs 112.75-115.50
600-700 lbs 105.75-109.85
700-850 lbs 103.75-106.00

Heifers: Med & Lg 1
300-350 lbs 108.00-110.00
350-400 lbs 109.00-110.00
400-450 lbs 105.00-109.00
450-500 lbs 104.00
500-550 lbs 100.00-102.50
550-600 lbs 100.00-101.00
600-700 lbs 97.00-102.00
700-850 lbs 92.50-94.25

Steers: Med & Lg 2

300-350 lbs 123.00-124.00
350-400 lbs 123.00-125.00
400-450 lbs 118.50-124.50
450-500 lbs 114.00-119.00
500-600 lbs 110.00-116.00
600-700 lbs 100.75-102.00
700-850 lbs 97.25-100.75

Heifers: Med & Lg 2
300-350 lbs 100.00-102.00
350-400 lbs 103.00-107.00
400-450 lbs 106.50-107.50
450-500 lbs 99.50-105.00
500-600 lbs 99.75-103.50
600-700 lbs 93.50-95.50
700-850 lbs 82.50-88.00

You’ve still got a coupla weeks to sign up for the special TDA Preconditioned, Age and Source Verified Feeder Sale scheduled for August 13 at the local barn. Calves in this sale qualify a producer for up to $750 from the TN Department of Agriculture. Calves must be weaned and vaccinated with a two shot program and they must have an electronic identification tag. The enrollment deadline for this sale is June 20th.
Contact Michael Simpson at 212-1347 for more information.

WORMS IN THE CORN
You may find some minor damage by European Corn Borer but they will not cause any real damage to corn. One good thing to remember is, if you plant early use a Bt resistant variety to for European Corn Borer control; if you plant late use a Bt resistant variety to control South Western Corn Borer. It appears that we have much lower pest populations according to trap data than last year. According to Dr. Charles Patrick, UT Insect Specialist it may still be early for outbreaks to appear. We just have to wait and keep watching.

PESTICIDE DISPOSAL
Clean, empty plastic pesticide containers can be taken behind the Sanitation Center on Belmont Dr any Wednesday between the hours of 7:30am and 2pm. Containers must be triple rinsed, with hard plastic caps removed.
They will also take 30 gallon poly barrels. Used rubber tires may also be taken to the same place, at the same times. If you have questions or need more information call Steve Hillis at 473-6874.

SOYBEAN RUST SEASON
TN farmers report having two thirds of the full season soybeans planted and with good weather this week a bunch more will get planted. As we start harvesting wheat its just a few weeks before we’ll be planting double crop soybeans. Prices look good and if we get some rain this week everything will look good in the fields as well.
With the high value of soybeans it’s especially important that we get a good fungicide spray on the soybeans to protect them against leafspot disease and soybean rust. Yes, the threat from soybean rust is still out their and this disease is one that farmers need to stayed tuned in to.
Each week you should turn to the internet to get up to date on the latest soybean rust threat.
Soybean rust was reported on kudzu in Mobile County, Alabama on June 7th. The disease had previously been found on kudzu in Mobile earlier this year but those infected plants were destroyed. Rust was reported on kudzu in Lafayette County, Florida on June 6th. Since the beginning of 2008, soybean rust has been reported on kudzu in one county in Alabama; ten counties in Florida (two of these counties had reports on coral bean and snap bean); three counties in Louisiana; one county in Mississippi, and three counties in Texas. Reported infected kudzu sites in many counties have been destroyed. Rust was also reported in three states (5 municipalities) in Mexico on yam bean and soybean. These too have been destroyed or are no longer active, except for the recent find in Chiapas.
Soybean sentinel plots have been established throughout the Gulf Coast region, and in many parts of the lower Midwest. Additional rains throughout most of the soybean growing region could favor rust development especially in locations in the south near sources of infected plants.
This is the report from the national Soybean Rust Hotline found at www.sbrusa.net or you can call the TN Soybean Hotline at 1-877-875-2326.
Check out the sites every week and be ready to spray those soybeans when the time is right. It will pay off with higher yields. Give me a call for more information.