Buying Feeder Calves vs. Momma Cows

[bauerlivestock]

Hi everyone! New to the forum and looking for some advice on which way to go. We currently have 4 heifer calves that we bought with cash that won't be ready to breed for about another year. We own the land our house is on which we have 30 acres right now. We recently got a farm loan and were able to get a tractor so we're ready to buy some more cows. I am talking to a guy selling 3-in-1 bred pairs. The mommas are 3-4 years old and bred it SimAngus bulls from New Day Genetics. They have heifer calves at their side. We would be able to get 3 bred pairs for $13,360. I'm wondering, would it be more profitable in the long run to buy the bred pairs, or since they're going to be bought with a loan would we be better off buying feeder calves and selling them? We are just getting started with cattle, we bought 3 head of dairy steers when we first bought our place and sold them for a profit. We now have the 4 heifer calves but won't be able to breed them for awhile yet. I am nervous about buying these bred cows on a loan and we lose one of them or something like that, especially since we are still learning. I know that can happen with anything, but just seems more common with calving vs just with having feeders. We do have good neighbors who run cow/calf that I know if we did have issues we could go to them, but just wanting some advice and to see what the best way to go would be. Just wondering what you have all found to be more profitable?

Thank you! Any advice is appreciated!

 

[bird dog]

$4450 pairs are to expensive to start out with. Stay with something cheaper until you get more experience. I would buy some old(er) short bred commercial type cows that will calve in the fall. Where are you located?

 

[bauerlivestock]

$4450 pairs are to expensive to start out with. Stay with something cheaper until you get more experience. I would buy some old(er) short bred commercial type cows that will calve in the fall. Where are you located?

Thanks for the feedback! I am located in Southeast MO, around West Plains area.

 

[Dave]

$4450 is mighty expensive for pairs unless the calves have some real growth. I don't find the 3 in 1's to be a good deal very often. You are a long ways from me. Last week at the sale here pretty decent full mouth pairs with younger calves sold for $3,100 to $2,800. I always figure a cow with a bull calf is worth $100 more because a steer will out sell a heifer by $100. It is getting late for bred cow demand here. 7 and 8 month bred cows were $1,800 to $2,200. Mostly big cows with attitude. Sold for marginally over kill price. Nothing I would want to bring home. People just don't run fall pairs here so the few short breds all went to the kill buyers by the pound.

 

[Stickney94]

A couple questions for you to help members answer:

1. How experienced are you with cattle?
2. What is your goal/market?

 

[bauerlivestock]

A couple questions for you to help members answer:

1. How experienced are you with cattle?
2. What is your goal/market?

1. Honestly, we are not super experienced with cattle. We just bought our first cattle last year and are learning on them. I have been helping our neighbor work cattle when he works his so I am learning - but not experienced at all with calving which is what scares me about spending all that money on bred cows. Especially since it will be a loan. Which is why I am leaning toward getting some feeders to keep gaining experience and then we can sell them and put the money toward the loan. And maybe buy one or two older bred cows in cash.
2. Goal would be to grow our herd and keep any heifers we had and sell the steers. Or if we bought feeder calves to sell them and put that money toward the farm loan.

 

[Stickney94]

1. If you are not familiar with calving I'd say get your feet wet with some feeder cattle.
2. Your 30 acres -- is it mix of pasture and cropland? all pasture? How much in Trees and shrubs? Do you have working facilities/barn? Buying some feeder cattle and letting them graze/grow on your 30 acres spring to fall and then selling them on in the fall is likely a place to start (then you don't have to worry much about any winter feeding/waterers freezing. Others can explain that market better than I.

Be careful with the old adage buy low and sell high -- this market right now seems like the antithesis of that. Good luck!

 

[bauerlivestock]

Thanks so much I agree! I am thinking maybe we'll buy some feeders and then pay cash for an older cow
Our ground is all pasture, it's fenced and everything. We have a small section of timber but not much maybe 1/4 acre. We have a chute and working pens so we'll be fine to work the feeders.

Thanks for all your input!!

 

[M.Magis]

I tend to think buying 3 in 1s or pairs is a good option for beginners. You're buying a cow that you know can physically have a calf, and is also willing and able to take care of it. Thats worth something in my book, I've seen enough heifers that couldn't. That being said, thats way too high.

 

[coachg]

I agree with M Magis ; but that is about $1400 too much in my book . 3 in 1's are a good way to go but at a more reasonable price. With this market they may not be out there !

 

[wbvs58]

If you do go cow calf, how are you planning on getting them bred in the future?

Ken

 

[BC]

On 30 acres, you will be limited yo how many cow-calf pairs you can run. What is the stocking rate in that area?

 

[Brute 23]

My only advice is buy what you can afford to pay for, not what the bank will lend on.

 

[bauerlivestock]

If you do go cow calf, how are you planning on getting them bred in the future?

Ken

For the time being, our neighbor has offered to let us breed our cows to his bull, or we would AI until we had enough cattle for it to make sense for us to have our own bull.

 

[bauerlivestock]

I agree with M Magis ; but that is about $1400 too much in my book . 3 in 1's are a good way to go but at a more reasonable price. With this market they may not be out there !

Thanks - I'd love to find some 3 in 1's but that is what they seem to be bringing around here. I haven't found much for cheaper than that. So I think we may end up going with some older bred cows and maybe a few feeder calves.

 

[NIdahoShorthorns]

Thanks - I'd love to find some 3 in 1's but that is what they seem to be bringing around here. I haven't found much for cheaper than that. So I think we may end up going with some older bred cows and maybe a few feeder calves.

It's high but it's not unreasonable, if they are good stock. What's better IMO, is that it seems the seller is local and willing to be a resource to you. This is much better than buying form out of the area. I doubt this seller will assist with anything that comes up should you buy cheaper cows from somewhere else. It's hard to put a price on good, local, relationships.

 

[blackladies]

Just paid $1600-1900 for bred red heifers and a 5 year old cow in southwest mo a few weeks ago. Just remember the market can tank at anytime so figure that into what you're paying for and borrowing. Learning on expensive cows makes mistakes more expensive.

 

[ClinchValley86]

Id buy some breds, or I'd buy some 800 lb heifers ready to breed. In my opinion that's the good buy right now.

Problem with buying heifers to breed is that I wonder why they're being sold and not being bred by the person selling them. But... the same can be said for the bred cows too. And the 3-n-1's.

I got started with buying animals out of two gentleman's herd dispersal. They were both getting out due to health reasons/retiring. So the animals weren't culls. The men were excited to know they were going back to pasture for breeding purposes.

 

[Warren Allison]

Hi everyone! New to the forum and looking for some advice on which way to go. We currently have 4 heifer calves that we bought with cash that won't be ready to breed for about another year. We own the land our house is on which we have 30 acres right now. We recently got a farm loan and were able to get a tractor so we're ready to buy some more cows. I am talking to a guy selling 3-in-1 bred pairs. The mommas are 3-4 years old and bred it SimAngus bulls from New Day Genetics. They have heifer calves at their side. We would be able to get 3 bred pairs for $13,360. I'm wondering, would it be more profitable in the long run to buy the bred pairs, or since they're going to be bought with a loan would we be better off buying feeder calves and selling them? We are just getting started with cattle, we bought 3 head of dairy steers when we first bought our place and sold them for a profit. We now have the 4 heifer calves but won't be able to breed them for awhile yet. I am nervous about buying these bred cows on a loan and we lose one of them or something like that, especially since we are still learning. I know that can happen with anything, but just seems more common with calving vs just with having feeders. We do have good neighbors who run cow/calf that I know if we did have issues we could go to them, but just wanting some advice and to see what the best way to go would be. Just wondering what you have all found to be more profitable?

Thank you! Any advice is appreciated!

Do you have working facilities to handle them with? Pens, corrals, head gate, squeeze chute, etc?

 

[M.Magis]

Thanks - I'd love to find some 3 in 1's but that is what they seem to be bringing around here. I haven't found much for cheaper than that. So I think we may end up going with some older bred cows and maybe a few feeder calves.

Is that what they're bringing, or is it what people are asking? Prices advertised on Facebook and Craigslist are often the "I don't want to sell it" price. Low $3k range is the most I've seen better quality pairs sell for locally. And frankly that's more than I would be comfortable with.