Bottle calves-how much $ would you make?

[carla]

I have a chance to buy all the Holstein bull calves{$125.00} that I want to raise on a bottle. By the time you have the milk replacer, feed and other such costs, what do you think the profit margin would be when I sell a 500-550lb calf? I probably could raise several a year. I know that you probably wouldn't make a lot, but would it be worth my time? Thanks for your help!!!

 

[dun]

I have a chance to buy all the Holstein bull calves{$125.00} that I want to raise on a bottle. By the time you have the milk replacer, feed and other such costs, what do you think the profit margin would be when I sell a 500-550lb calf? I probably could raise several a year. I know that you probably wouldn't make a lot, but would it be worth my time? Thanks for your help!!!

Go to the sale barn and see what kinds of prices those kinds of calves are bringing.
If you figure your labor at zero and have no health problems or deaths you will at least break even.
A friend of ine has done it for years, raising a dozen or so calves each year. He sees it as a savings account.

dun

 

[carla]

Dun,
Do you have any idea of how much your friend has invested in the calves that he buys? Not counting what he pays for them, that could change so easy from dairy to dairy. I actually live right between two different dairies that sell all there bull calves. I know about how much milk replacer and medical costs that I would need, but I am not that good at figuring how much ground feed and grass that they would consume before selling. Thanks for all your help!!!

 

[dun]

Dun,
Do you have any idea of how much your friend has invested in the calves that he buys? Not counting what he pays for them, that could change so easy from dairy to dairy. I actually live right between two different dairies that sell all there bull calves. I know about how much milk replacer and medical costs that I would need, but I am not that good at figuring how much ground feed and grass that they would consume before selling. Thanks for all your help!!!

Till weaning with no sickness he figured around $65, but he got his feed at the dairy for cost and that helped a lot. A bag of milk replacer runs around 45 bucks, probably around 6-7 for hay, grain around 25, water I'ld guess around 10. Anyway that's about what it ran for me for the last pair of oxen calves I started. This year ir will probably be less because of the lower cost of grain (bulk rather then bag), hay is hard to figure because they don;t eat all that much until I put them on pasture.

dun

 

[sca10010]

Dun:

Anyway that's about what it ran for me for the last pair of oxen calves I started.

Dun, I have raised and trained oxen for nearly 40 yrs. I really enjoy them. Check out

http://www.lsc.vsc.edu/personal/student/ada11090/pic/

This is a site my son has.

 

[Medic24]

Hey Carla, good luck with your venture.
Although I think perhaps at 125 bucks apiece, it's a bit high to start out, UNLESS they are supreme calves, sale barns here are around 35-75 dollars right now, the very best maybe a bit more.

Buy only the best all milk protein replacer at 45-48 dollars per bag, buy grain in bulk.

Keep in mind that (my opinion) prices for finished Holstein calves and cattle seem to be more volatile then regular beef breeds. They are usually the first to go down, and the last to come back up during swings in the market prices.

If you lose more then 5 % of your calves then you start to directly hit up against any profit.

Sale of beef from these cattle bring the very best return.


Watch you markets closely.

 

[milkmaid]

I generally figure $45/bag of milk replacer, need one, sometimes 2 bags per calf, depending on how much you feed. If the calves are on pasture you won't have to pay for hay, but if they aren't...I fed almost 2 ton to three calves one winter. Bought them as day-olds in October, fed through Aprill or May, sold May or June at 400lbs or so. I figure 3-4 ton per head of adult horses or cows over the winter (Oct/Nov-April), so a half-ton per calf should be adequate for the same time frame. Considering that they eat more as they get older. I also figure 400lbs at 6-8 months.

All that said, I usually figure $100 for the calf, $100 for hay and grain, $100 for milk replacer (numbers rounded up), sell at a dollar/pound = $400; I usually make $100-$200 per calf.

 

[jerry27150]

holstein calves must sell good out there

 

[milkmaid]

I sell mine private treaty as grass calves. I wouldn't get that much if I ran them through the auction.

 

[jerry27150]

o k

 

[Medic24]

Sold seven yesterday to a pen hooker at an average price of 102.00lb.
They were holstien steers weighing 200 to 300 lbs @. They brought 105.00 later in the sale. we both did ok.
I got cash, he maybe made some extra on weight and price, and he paid the sale bill.