"Voluntary" cutbacks

[GMN]

The prices are realistic for everyone IMO. If milk isn't worth much why would heifers be worth that much? The problem is too many people think they can raise heifers and sell them for a decent profit. From what I understand, the market is flooded with dairy heifers the way it is.

Is the market flooded with dairy heifers? I don't think so, I think its just the opposite now, people who raise heifers, aren't selling them for these crazy low prices, and why should they? I know several people who raise and sell hiefers, and they are either keeping them and milking them or hanging onto them hoping the prices rebound. It takes x$ to raise any animal, and I don't know of many who will take that big of a loss right now.

GMN




GMN

[TexasBred]

The prices are realistic for everyone IMO. If milk isn't worth much why would heifers be worth that much? The problem is too many people think they can raise heifers and sell them for a decent profit. From what I understand, the market is flooded with dairy heifers the way it is.

Is the market flooded with dairy heifers? I don't think so, I think its just the opposite now, people who raise heifers, aren't selling them for these crazy low prices, and why should they? I know several people who raise and sell hiefers, and they are either keeping them and milking them or hanging onto them hoping the prices rebound. It takes x$ to raise any animal, and I don't know of many who will take that big of a loss right now.

GMN




GMN

When I was dairying a good fresh holstein could be bought for $1200--1500 each.....last couple of years they've been $2500 or more for any kind of fresh cow....now they're back down. When we sold out we averaged $1921 across the board for everything including day old calves and I thought we hit a grandslam homerun considering the breeding we had, the production we had and the up and coming heifers. I just don't think any 3 day old dairy calf is worth $700--$800 nor any run of the mill fresh cow $2500 or more. Especially with $10 milk.....But then I never thought dairy feed would go to $300 a ton either.

[melanie]

Some people must see future somewhere cause heifer calves going up the hill and we got more phone calls for heifers bred 3 to 4 months or ready to breed to ship on the east coast.

[novaman]

The prices are realistic for everyone IMO. If milk isn't worth much why would heifers be worth that much? The problem is too many people think they can raise heifers and sell them for a decent profit. From what I understand, the market is flooded with dairy heifers the way it is.

Is the market flooded with dairy heifers? I don't think so, I think its just the opposite now, people who raise heifers, aren't selling them for these crazy low prices, and why should they? I know several people who raise and sell hiefers, and they are either keeping them and milking them or hanging onto them hoping the prices rebound. It takes x$ to raise any animal, and I don't know of many who will take that big of a loss right now.

GMN

Well I'm in an area where dairy isn't huge but there is an abundance of heifers available. I've talked to more people this spring wanting me to buy their heifers. They aren't taking them to the sale barn like they normally would when prices were higher but they are trying to sell them privately for $1200+. Many producers are deciding to call it quites as well so anybody that quit this year or last are also keeping heifers to sell as bred heifers. I think in a year or so, regardless of the price of milk, the heifer numbers will come back into balance, at least in my area and the prices will stabilize. Another problem I have with many of the heifers on the market is the quality of breeding behind them. Far too many people just throw a decent bull with the cows and have no interest in genetic progress. It's tough to look at a bred heifer and decide whether she is genetically superior. If I were raising heifers with the purpose of selling them as bred heifers I would pay great attention to breeding. Sexed semen is expensive and AI take a bit more labor but I would pay significantly more money for a heifer with a good background and is bred to sexed semen. There are ways to add value to your animals.

[TexasBred]

Never used sexed semen but AI'd everything and developed "cow families". When we sold out we had records on every cow....Papers, production records, breeding and calving records, health records all DHIA records. Folks knew what they were buying and got what they paid for. And you're right...the country is full of black and white junk and all wanting a premium for them. That's probably why they won't sell them at a dairy sale.