Cattle Prices Project

[SulphurLSUVet]

I am doing a project for my Live carcass evaluation class at LSU. I was wondering if anyone could possibly give me an estimate of for the price of cattle. We are to devise a plan to get a loan for starting a cattle operation. For cattle, we are looking to have 1,500 head with 200 cows as (show stock) and the other 1,300 would be for commercial sale.

Approximately how much would 100 head of 3 year old bred heifers run me. I'm looking for enough quality to be able to sale show stock. Also, I may get 5 females for flushing (these females I will pay big $$ for) How much would you sell a cow for that would be of good (flushing) quality. I'm thinking I could buy 100 heifers at different places to build up my (commercial) part of my herd. How much would those run me? Are there instances when you can buy a large number of cattle at a time other than going out of business type instances? I realize that normally, one would start small and have their herd grow, but this is the project and I must do what I can with it.

Thank you for your input, It will help me greatly

 

[EAT BEEF]

You should be able to buy bred heifers for about $1,000 a head,I don't think I would be looking for three year old heifers as a heifer should have her first calf around her second birthday.You might want to go to http://www.cattlerange.com and check out prices.If this project is about makeing money you might do better buying some older cows.

Is the project about club calves or purebreed show cattle? If purebreed what breed.Your almost always going to loose money on show cattle.Only a few make money the rest spend it.Anway if you tell us what kind of cattle your looking for someone will be able to help you with prices or web sites that you can look up sale results on.

 

[backhoeboogie]

You should be able to buy bred heifers for about $1,000 a head,I don't think I would be looking for three year old heifers as a heifer should have her first calf around her second birthday.

I think of heifer to cow as in filly to mare myself. On this forum there are people who call them first calf, second calf, third calf heifers LOL. I think it is sales pitch. I never see it anywhere but here and there are people who are fighting mad about it if you challenge them.

If someone offered me three year old heifer, I would think there is something wrong with her. She didn't get bred. If they offered me a cow who has had one calf, they'd get my attention.

 

[SulphurLSUVet]

I'd be looking to buy 200 club calf quality heifers/cows. Typical breeds, Angus/sim/main/etc.. I could look into buying young cows as well (1 to 2 calves). I was thinking club calf cows would run me $1,000 to $1,200. While the other 1,200 cows would run me about $600-$800? With those, i'm looking to breed for quantity, with enough quality to get by. These could also be Angus crosses.