Management factors affecting selling prices of Arkansas beef calves.

The objective of this study was to determine how management factors affected the selling price of beef calves. Data were collected from January 1 to December 31, 2005 at fifteen Arkansas livestock auctions. The database consisted of 52,401 lots consisting of 105,542 head of cattle representing 18.2% of the total calves sold. Information was collected by experienced livestock market news reporters and included body condition, castration, horn status, fill, health, and individual or group selling. Each factor was analyzed using GLM procedures using weight as a covariate, and least-squared means were generated and separated using the pdiff option. All prices are based on dollars per 45.45 kg of live weight. Body condition affected selling price (P < 0.0001) with very thin, thin, average, and fleshy and fat calves selling for $119.55, $116.80, $118.14, $112.28 and $101.98, respectively. The selling prices of steers, bulls and heifers were different from each other (P < 0.001) and were $124.20, $117.93 and $112.81, respectively. Polled calves sold for $3.70 more (P < 0.001) than horned calves. Fill affected selling price (P < 0.0001) with gaunt, shrunk, average, full and tanked calves selling for $119.63, $120.22, $116.77, $110.05 and $92.80, respectively. Healthy calves sold for $118.21, which was higher (P < 0.001) than dead hair ($105.55), stale ($100.01), sick ($80.22), bad eye(s) ($104.39) or lame ($84.74) calves. Calves that were announced as preconditioned sold for a higher price ($122.36; P < 0.001) than healthy calves. The selling prices of calves sold as singles, groups of 2 to 5 head or groups of six or greater were $117.26, $120.12 and $122.61, respectively (P < 0.001). Cattle classified as calves sold for $118.73, which was higher than cattle classified as yearlings ($116.89; P < 0.001). Beef cattle producers can greatly influence the selling prices of their calves through managing calf body condition, castration, horns, fill, health and group selling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]