Buying and reselling holstien bull calves

[Beefy]

holstein bull calves can be had here on any given saturday for 25cents - $10.00 per head.

 

[hillsdown]

holstein bull calves can be had here on any given saturday for 25cents - $10.00 per head.

Beefy the market fluctuates on the price of them depending on the strength of the beef industry and the dairy industry ,both which are not very well right now. The dairy especially for most around the world except for those still with quota system. Read the link 3way posted as it goes into that ...Holstein is also the most popular dairy breed, thus there will be more of them to be found.

In 2002 4 day old Holstein bull calves were going from anywhere from 250-300 a pop here and it was not because the buyers were being duped into thinking that they could make a profit.. ;-) The markets fluctuated all the time as most who have been around dairy will know.

 

[MF135]

Dairy breeds are docked. They do bring less per pound.

I have been watching this thread with interest, thought a few times about jumping in, but it seems like people might start jumping up and down here pretty quick. In my experience with raising calves, what MF135 says here is so. Also in my experience, they do not finish out as fast as the beef calves, and they are more fragile as bottle babies. I quit buying them long ago (I won't usually even buy dual purpose breed calves). I am NOT knocking dairy breeds ~ but I have raised plenty of bottle babies for the purpose of reselling, and I just feel my money is better returned to me buying the beef calves.

$$$$$$$$$$

Here is a link to almost everything you ever wanted to know about this subject. Read it and weep or rejoice depending on what side of the argument you fall.

http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/dairybeef.html#profits

Holsteins, in particular, are valued by meat packers because of the consistency of the breed. They have uniform rates of gain and feed conversion and show predictable carcass characteristics in terms of yield, grade and cutability. (6) However, Holsteins tend to be discounted in comparison to traditional beef breeds.

Holstein beef is leaner than most beef, which is important to consumers interested in a low-fat diet—yielding a carcass with 25–30 percent less trimmable fat than beef breeds. (7) "Because they are leaner than traditional beef breeds, dairy-beef steers usually will not produce an acceptable quality carcass if slaughtered beyond 18 months of age." (8) However, dairy breeds tend to marble well since fat accumulates inside the muscle instead of outside. In fact, Jerseys marble better than British or Continental beef breeds. Holsteins also marble well and can produce prime carcasses. (4)

Dairy steers have a rate of gain similar to that of traditional beef breeds, but are 10–15 percent less feed-efficient than beef breeds due to higher maintenance requirements. (5) Holsteins do not yield as well as traditional beef. (9) The dressing percentage of finished Holsteins is less than beef steers since Holsteins have higher ratios of offal and bone, and the carcass itself is worth less since it has more bone than beef breeds.

You highlighted the wrong information. Here let me show you.

 

[MF135]

holstein bull calves can be had here on any given saturday for 25cents - $10.00 per head.

Beefy the market fluctuates on the price of them depending on the strength of the beef industry and the dairy industry ,both which are not very well right now. The dairy especially for most around the world except for those still with quota system. Read the link 3way posted as it goes into that ...Holstein is also the most popular dairy breed, thus there will be more of them to be found.

In 2002 4 day old Holstein bull calves were going from anywhere from 250-300 a pop here and it was not because the buyers were being duped into thinking that they could make a profit.. ;-) The markets fluctuated all the time as most who have been around dairy will know.

Maybe so. The question is, "How much more were the beef calves bringing." Proportionally more is assure you.

 

[longtimelurker]

Okay Massey tell me how you are going to work your way back to even after the $68 day one loss?

 

[3waycross]

Maybe what should happen here is people actually READ the entire piece of work and draw their own conclusions. Nobody needs to be told what to think. The info is there take it or leave it.

 

[hillsdown]

holstein bull calves can be had here on any given saturday for 25cents - $10.00 per head.

Beefy the market fluctuates on the price of them depending on the strength of the beef industry and the dairy industry ,both which are not very well right now. The dairy especially for most around the world except for those still with quota system. Read the link 3way posted as it goes into that ...Holstein is also the most popular dairy breed, thus there will be more of them to be found.

In 2002 4 day old Holstein bull calves were going from anywhere from 250-300 a pop here and it was not because the buyers were being duped into thinking that they could make a profit.. ;-) The markets fluctuated all the time as most who have been around dairy will know.

Maybe so. The question is, "How much more were the beef calves bringing." Proportionally more is assure you.

Actually you are wrong as it was mostly beef guys buying them, also there were many bottle operations before the BS happened with a packing plant which if you do some research you will find out what really happened to bring the prices down..

 

[hillsdown]

Dairy breeds are docked. They do bring less per pound.

I have been watching this thread with interest, thought a few times about jumping in, but it seems like people might start jumping up and down here pretty quick. In my experience with raising calves, what MF135 says here is so. Also in my experience, they do not finish out as fast as the beef calves, and they are more fragile as bottle babies. I quit buying them long ago (I won't usually even buy dual purpose breed calves). I am NOT knocking dairy breeds ~ but I have raised plenty of bottle babies for the purpose of reselling, and I just feel my money is better returned to me buying the beef calves.

$$$$$$$$$$

Here is a link to almost everything you ever wanted to know about this subject. Read it and weep or rejoice depending on what side of the argument you fall.

http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/dairybeef.html#profits

Holsteins, in particular, are valued by meat packers because of the consistency of the breed. They have uniform rates of gain and feed conversion and show predictable carcass characteristics in terms of yield, grade and cutability. (6) However, Holsteins tend to be discounted in comparison to traditional beef breeds.

Holstein beef is leaner than most beef, which is important to consumers interested in a low-fat diet—yielding a carcass with 25–30 percent less trimmable fat than beef breeds. (7) "Because they are leaner than traditional beef breeds, dairy-beef steers usually will not produce an acceptable quality carcass if slaughtered beyond 18 months of age." (8) However, dairy breeds tend to marble well since fat accumulates inside the muscle instead of outside. In fact, Jerseys marble better than British or Continental beef breeds. Holsteins also marble well and can produce prime carcasses. (4)

Dairy steers have a rate of gain similar to that of traditional beef breeds, but are 10–15 percent less feed-efficient than beef breeds due to higher maintenance requirements. (5) Holsteins do not yield as well as traditional beef. (9) The dressing percentage of finished Holsteins is less than beef steers since Holsteins have higher ratios of offal and bone, and the carcass itself is worth less since it has more bone than beef breeds.

You highlighted the wrong information. Here let me show you.

I actually hi lighted the right areas that no one had touched on before on this thread as if you search it, this has been beaten to death many many times before, you are just copying the rhetoric which Nova has been trying to get you to understand every time he types it out.. Perhaps now you understand what he said about carcass size and bone mass of the Holsteins.

 

[VanC]

I've read that between 5 and 10% of beef produced in the U.S. comes from Holsteins, and it's not all ground beef, either. I doubt that the people feeding them are doing it just for the fun of it. People who know what they're doing are making money.

 

[MF135]

I've read that between 5 and 10% of beef produced in the U.S. comes from Holsteins, and it's not all ground beef, either. I doubt that the people feeding them are doing it just for the fun of it. People who know what they're doing are making money.

Clearly there is money to be made in either bottle feeding holsteins or beef calves to a 5-6wt. The realization is that, under the same conditions, there is a greater margin with the beef calves

Okay Massey tell me how you are going to work your way back to even after the $68 day one loss?

The initial loss will more than be compensated by a higher daily gain and and the 10%better feed efficiency in the beef calves. Not to mention getting $.20+ difference at mkt.

 

[longtimelurker]

Okay Massey tell me how you are going to work your way back to even after the $68 day one loss?

The initial loss will more than be compensated by a higher daily gain and and the 10%better feed efficiency in the beef calves. Not to mention getting $.20+ difference at mkt.

No your beef calves were $68 in the red compared to the holstein calf on arrival day already accounting the + fat market difference. How do you plan on over coming that deficit?

 

[MF135]

Okay Massey tell me how you are going to work your way back to even after the $68 day one loss?

The initial loss will more than be compensated by a higher daily gain and and the 10%better feed efficiency in the beef calves. Not to mention getting $.20+ difference at mkt.

No your beef calves were $68 in the red compared to the holstein calf on arrival day already accounting the + fat market difference. How do you plan on over coming that deficit?

I'm not sure what you're saying. The initial cost on day one is 2X for the beef calves. That's a ($50) in the red for a beef calf on day one. This is then more than compensated.

 

[AngusLimoX]

Why is it that the price of drop calves varies so much - supply and demand.

Why would they be $250 - $300 in some areas? - Veal demand.

In dairy beef the saying is - "When the beef industry gets a cold, the dairy beef industry gets pneumonia".

If you have the skills and facilities to have the little begars do well for the first couple months, and you picked them up for next to nothing - watch out! But you have to know your numbers and C.O.P.

I think I would be marketing direct to a packer if I went this route in a big way.

 

[chippie]

My BIL has a dairy. He said that right now it is hard to give the Holstein bull calves away. They sell for about $5.

I recently sold a fairly chunky jersey steer. He weighed 375 lbs. He brought 40 cents/lb. The same weight beef calves were bringing a little over $1.00 lb.

When it comes time to sell, you will not get the same price as the beef breeds. For one thing, Holsteins are big boned, tall cattle. For commercial purposes, by the time the steer is at the ideal weight for harvesting, it will be way taller than it's beef breed counter parts. That affects how it hangs on the floor.

Our children participated in livestock judging contests. Very often a tall well built steer will be knocked to the bottom of the class because it is too tall.

If you can raise them and sell privately as some do here you may do OK. However the dressing percentage on a Holstein is not as good as a beef breed.

We eat a lot of Jersey and Holstein meat.

 

[longtimelurker]

My BIL has a dairy. He said that right now it is hard to give the Holstein bull calves away. They sell for about $5.

I recently sold a fairly chunky jersey steer. He weighed 375 lbs. He brought 40 cents/lb. The same weight beef calves were bringing a little over $1.00 lb.

When it comes time to sell, you will not get the same price as the beef breeds. For one thing, Holsteins are big boned, tall cattle. For commercial purposes, by the time the steer is at the ideal weight for harvesting, it will be way taller than it's beef breed counter parts. That affects how it hangs on the floor.

Our children participated in livestock judging contests. Very often a tall well built steer will be knocked to the bottom of the class because it is too tall.

If you can raise them and sell privately as some do here you may do OK. However the dressing percentage on a Holstein is not as good as a beef breed.

We eat a lot of Jersey and Holstein meat.

Frame size is manipulated by diet in calf fed holstiens.

Calf fed holstiens will only be slightly taller at finish after proper finishing.

Dreesing % is slightly lower in calf fed holsteins compared to beef breeds because of offal.

Why would anyone sell to the end user pricing by live weights anyway? Dressed pricing is the honest way for both parties involved.

It seems that most people don't even know what a calf fed holstein is, what it looks like, what and how it is fed, how it will convert, how it will gain, how it will dress, or how it will box. But still consider them junk cattle. I like seeing that however, while you all complain about barely breaking even with your superior beef breeds, how you need to really pinch your pennies to make it. I make really good money on the cattle you know nothng about and are to good to own.

 

[AngusLimoX]

Frame size is manipulated by diet in calf fed holstiens.

Calf fed holstiens will only be slightly taller at finish after proper finishing.

Dreesing % is slightly lower in calf fed holsteins compared to beef breeds because of offal.

Why would anyone sell to the end user pricing by live weights anyway? Dressed pricing is the honest way for both parties involved.

It seems that most people don't even know what a calf fed holstein is, what it looks like, what and how it is fed, how it will convert, how it will gain, how it will dress, or how it will box. But still consider them junk cattle. I like seeing that however, while you all complain about barely breaking even with your superior beef breeds, how you need to really pinch your pennies to make it. I make really good money on the cattle you know nothng about and are to good to own.

Don't paint us all with the same brush there longtime. I'll bet the OP and others would be very interested in hearing how you manage your dairy beef. I am currently working up a business plan to exactly what the OP is considering. In my area it is the HUGE fluctuation in purchase price of calves that can wreck you.

I was considering paying for semen costs if the dairy used my choice of BA bull on the calves that they were going to sell to me. Am I nuts? I thought that would knock most of the horns off, and I can tag them angus if I decide to send some to the barn.
As you said lurker, I would then sell pots of finished direct to the packer and be paid for the hung animal.
As I pencil it so far, I like it. Will help the dairy I deal with as well.

 

[chippie]

Frame size is manipulated by diet in calf fed holstiens.

Calf fed holstiens will only be slightly taller at finish after proper finishing.

Dreesing % is slightly lower in calf fed holsteins compared to beef breeds because of offal.

Why would anyone sell to the end user pricing by live weights anyway? Dressed pricing is the honest way for both parties involved.

It seems that most people don't even know what a calf fed holstein is, what it looks like, what and how it is fed, how it will convert, how it will gain, how it will dress, or how it will box. But still consider them junk cattle. I like seeing that however, while you all complain about barely breaking even with your superior beef breeds, how you need to really pinch your pennies to make it. I make really good money on the cattle you know nothng about and are to good to own.

Please tell me how you feed a Holstein steer to put on the muscle and weight without growing to it's potential genetic height?

Also, you should read more posts by people who do sell their meat to individuals. Many of them sell by dressed weight, and some even include the processing and kill fees.

Who called them "junk cattle"?

BTW, I have two Holstein steers that I am feeding for butcher. Our daughter's Jersey cow raised them and now they are weaned. Out on grass and getting a little feed to keep them coming up and to finish them.

ETA: Years McDonalds was the biggest buyer of Holstein beef. I don't know if they still use Holstein or not.

 

[longtimelurker]

Please tell me how you feed a Holstein steer to put on the muscle and weight without growing to it's potential genetic height?

Calf fed.

No different than over feeding young beef calves without growing frame first.

 

[chippie]

What is calf fed? What do you feed and how much? I am not familiar with that term.

 

[longtimelurker]

What is calf fed? What do you feed and how much? I am not familiar with that term.

After weaning the calves are implanted, put on a full feed corn and protien supplement pellet diet. Fed that way until finished. Haven't seen one close to the 59 pipe in a very very long time.