Price of bred heifers/cows?

[tom4018]

To me it does not seem like the falling feeder prices have hurt the bred heifer prices much. I just can't seem to get the $1800-2500 bred commercial heifers to pencil out over retaining my own heifers.
At what price point does it pay to keep your own over buying bred ones? Best deal I have found is a second calf cow about 3 months bred for $1800, not went to look at here yet though. Not really wanting to buy a cow from the sale barn even that I have luck with it about 2 out of 3 times.

 

[fnfarms1]

I think the bred heifers prices will catch up but people selling individually don't adjust prices as quickly as a sale barn that's dependent on the buyers/markets driving prices.

 

[bigbull338]

heres how i figure things.it takes 3yrs from birth to weaning the kept heifers 1st calf.so say the heifer is replacement quality her value is $1500.now you add in $1.50 a day for 3yrs thats $1600 is raising cost.so at the end of 3yrs you have roughly $3100 in that heifer.now you could spend that money and get a $3900 return for the 3yrs you lost raising that heifer.so youve made $900 over 3yrs.

 

[tom4018]

heres how i figure things.it takes 3yrs from birth to weaning the kept heifers 1st calf.so say the heifer is replacement quality her value is $1500.now you add in $1.50 a day for 3yrs thats $1600 is raising cost.so at the end of 3yrs you have roughly $3100 in that heifer.now you could spend that money and get a $3900 return for the 3yrs you lost raising that heifer.so youve made $900 over 3yrs.

I guess I figure it differently. We calve them at if all goes right, so hopefully selling a calf when they are 2.5 years old. I don't figure the time they are on the cow as extra cost. I figure that the calf would have sold for $800 at weaning(current market here), so $800 plus about $1000 for 2 years upkeep. So I figure I got $1800 in here at selling her first calf. To me the $2500 heifers just don't pencil out, I got to feed them 4 or 5 months before the calve, so at least $2650 or so in them. I might make a $1800 heifer or cow pencil out. Maybe I look at it wrong.

Who knows how the marker will be the next few years. Heifers are cheap at the sale barn now, sold some yesterday that averaged less than $800 a head for 550# calves, #1 heifers.

 

[Aaron]

Always pays to raise your own. Problem with many is they sell their seconds and thirds as breds. Neighbor does that, scratches his head why I wouldn't possibly be interested in his breds. I tell him that a live calf is not my only requirement. I want the heifer to raise a top-notch calf that fits in with the rest of the herd, not some half-dead runt. My 2nd's and 3rd's go to the feedlot, where they should be.

 

[JSCATTLE]

I figure my replacements this year would have sold for 750 to 800 at the barn .. judging from the others I sold that day .. from weaning breeding i have about 200 dollars in feed and ryegrass seed/ fertilizer per head .. January calves go with the bull and cows April 1.. the next fall I pull them and keep them in a stockpiled coastal field that gets over seeded with ryegrass. . By Jan it's 50 /50 ryegrass and clover.. after they calve I put them back on the farm where they get mineral and grass / hay for the rest of their days .. I don't figure mine on cost per day like you guys do .. because I would own the land with or without out cows .. this years heifers should cost me 1500 by the time I sell a calf ..

 

[1wlimo]

It is a quality and quantity thing. If you have good home grown heifers then that is the way to go. If you need more, or better quality then better to look outside, and may be take a long term view on the cost, higher priced bought in heifers this year to allow for breeding your own in future.