buying calves that have been weaned at 8 weeks old

[chester1977]

I am in the Shenandoah Valley of VA and there is a gentlemen that sells calves that he says are weaned, off of milk replacer, and only eating hay and grain at 8 or 9 weeks old.

He posts on craigslist a few at a time. I called him today about these that he had listed for my friend that has 5 fenced acres behind his house to see if he would be interested, but he had already sold them. He told me that keeping them longer than 8 or 9 weeks hurts his profit margin, and he has 300 cows ready to calve and he does better to get rid of them early.

I am not familiar with this strategy and was looking to see if any of you worked a similar strategy?

Would you buy calves that young?

http://harrisonburg.craigslist.org/grd/4337608116.html

 

[greybeard]

That, would depend on the price, and what your fireind is going to do with them. I bought 4 heifers last year 7-8 months old and even at that age, it will be difficult to show a return on them.
By the time you get 8 weeks old calves to breeding age, you'll have a lot in them. If he's just going to flip them as 400-600wts then that's different, but your friend only has 5 acres to work with. He'll soon have a bunch of $$ in them if he gets more than a couple.

 

[chester1977]

The plan I envisioned was to let them eat grass on his lot until 500lb or so and sell 3. Then with the remaining two feed out to butcher weight. Selling 1 and then butchering the other for His families freezer.

not looking to go into the cattle business on this transaction, but a way to have a few animals around and get some reasonably cheap (hopefully all expenses paid with the sales), quality beef as an end product.

 

[branguscowgirl]

Better factor in sickness. At that age, anything can happen.

 

[Texas PaPaw]

Those calves look to me like they are calves from dairy cows bred to either hereford or angus bulls but not angus crossed with hereford. The 300 cows are probably his milking herd and the babies are bottle fed milk replacer from the start and the milk is sold. That is normal dairy practice. Those type calves are normally weaned at 6-8 weeks of age. If the calves have been properly managed with all the needed vacinations, would think they would be good to go. That being said there is really no way to verify this. Would want to talk to several previous buyers as references. If he has 300 cows then should be having 20-30 new calves a month unless he has a seasonal operation.

FWIW-those dairy cross calves will always sell at a substantial discount to a good beef calf but their feed will cost just as much and they are usually less efficient than beef breeds.

A person buying those type calves should consult a veterinarian BEFORE buying them and develop a health and nutrition plan specific to their particular operation. This is NOT something to do on the internet.

Remember, "Good judgement comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgement". All (experience)education has a tuition cost. Its just a matter of how much and who it is paid to. If your friend has no experience with these type calves he will have to pay for it somehow so would suggest he start very small so the tuition should be less.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Yes. Neighborhood dogs too. 5 acres sounds like a small place. How many houses around with how many dogs? No momma cow there to ward off dogs?

 

[suzorse]

the closest one is a Jersey as I have 2 right now that look just like it
Suzanne

 

[NCLiz 3]

Those calves look to me like they are calves from dairy cows bred to either hereford or angus bulls but not angus crossed with hereford.

the closest one is a Jersey

Agreed

he says are weaned, off of milk re-placer

Only a fool would take calves off of beef cattle and put them on milk re placer.

I smell a woodpussy in the woodpile.
Liz

 

[fitz]

I would tend to agree that the calves may have some dairy in them chester1977. I don't, but a lot of people do buy dairy bottle babies and raise them to the size you are considering. If they are 2 months old and weaned he has a lot of it done. Sounds like they are priced pretty fair.

However as a disclaimer, I'm one of those fools that will take a beef calf off a cow. If the cow in particular and other conditions require, I'll pull a twin off and sell as a bottle baby. A beef bottle calf sells real well around here.
Good luck with whatever you decide.

fitz

 

[dun]

There are a lot of dairys anymore that don;t bother raising heifers. The breed everything to an angus or Hereford and sell all the claves. 8 week is about the norm for weaning bottle calves. Calves that size and age are going to require grain to keep them grwing, their rumens just aren;t developed enough to get enough nutrition from just hay or grass no matter how god it is.

 

[backhoeboogie]

It is my guestimate that you are paying $1.50 a pound for those calves.

With a lot of work, you could make a little on them. One dies and your profit is lost.

This venture is at a friend's house. What's it gonna cost you in fuel? There goes your profit.

You'll get some experience and education out of this. What is that worth to you? There may be value in it

 

[chester1977]

Thanks for everyone thoughts. I think we are going to buy 4 from him at the end of March.

I have my own cattle, and won't really be working with these at all. My friend is recently retired and because he already has the barn and fence has decided to go about it with him.

What is the worst than can happen? If these four calves to get much to deal with we will sell them.

Be well.

 

[dun]

Thanks for everyone thoughts. I think we are going to buy 4 from him at the end of March.

I have my own cattle, and won't really be working with these at all. My friend is recently retired and because he already has the barn and fence has decided to go about it with him.

What is the worst than can happen? If these four calves to get much to deal with we will sell them.

Be well.

The worst that can happen is they could die. The next worse is they will have no fear/respect for humans and could get a little rough playing with the inexperienced

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Chester, y'all are just on the other side of the mountain from me. It looks like those calves are right around Elkton which is about 20 mins from me. Those calves, at least the brown ones for sure, are 1/2 Jersey. I'm thinking the fellow w/the ad is a dairyman. If those calves have been weaned properly and vaccinated, then they are off to a good start.

With any luck your friend won't have any major health issues to deal with.

Katherine

 

[chester1977]

Chester, y'all are just on the other side of the mountain from me. It looks like those calves are right around Elkton which is about 20 mins from me. Those calves, at least the brown ones for sure, are 1/2 Jersey. I'm thinking the fellow w/the ad is a dairyman. If those calves have been weaned properly and vaccinated, then they are off to a good start.

With any luck your friend won't have any major health issues to deal with.

Katherine

Thanks, we are in Luray.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Thanks, we are in Luray.

Oh, okay. We were over in Luray twice last week.

Katherine

 

[backhoeboogie]

Nice caverns there. Been there once - 44 years ago. Had Blalock kinfolk there back then. They have probably passed on now.

 

[Calhoun Farm]

Any of those with jersey in them won't bring squat at the stockyard. Your friend will be lucky to break even when he sells them. He'd be better off buying beef calves, even if he can't buy many he'll still be ahead. The reason that guy is selling off craigslist is because those calves won't sell for much at the barn.