Bottle Calf Question

[nycowgirl]

I'm curious to know at what age (or weight) are you selling the bottle calves to see the best return on your dollar? What do you figure your profit range is per calf?

Thanks!
Amy

 

[shorty]

If feeder prices are good we sell them at 400-500 lbs. if not we finish them . I rather sell them as feeders because it's a faster turnover.

 

[milkmaid]

Same here. Anywhere from 350lbs to 450lbs and around 5 months of age. Kept one up to 650 but that was an exception and I wouldn't do that again. I would have been better off selling at the higher price-lower weight than to keep him longer like I did.

 

[bigbull338]

the best time to sale bottle calves is 4 to 6 months old.after 6 months the profit margin goes down.

 

[RichieMaGoo]

I like to sell mine between 500-600 lbs. At that weight, it's still cheap to put weight on them, and you only get a few cents less per pound than for 400-500 lb. calves. This way, it seems to maximize my initial investment in the price of the calf, and expense of the milk-replacer. I come out making between $175 and $250 per head profit (the difference within that range is determined by what I had to pay for the calf and the market price when I sell him).

Alot of people say that you maximize your profit when you sell between 350-500 lbs.- and that would be true if you figure it only on cost of feeding grain and hay- but when you add in the initial investment of the price of the calf and the milk replacer, I feel that those latter expenses are better ammortized when you sell 'em in the 500's.

 

[nycowgirl]

Thanks for all the helpful replies. I have been helping a friend raise bottle calves and he usually keeps them to sell for meat. We were trying to figure out if we could make a profit taking them to auction. It looks like it's worth a try. We also don't have the expense of milk replacer as we milk 2 cows daily with the old belly milkers. Milking once per day we get enough milk to raise 4 calves of varying ages at one time. This is such a great site- I can't tell you guys how much you have all taught me!
Amy