Cow Top Potential

[Stepper]

At what stage in a female bovines life is it worth the most as far as dollar value ? I am guessing when it is a heavy bred 3 year old cow fixing to calf ?

I am talking about the average bovine female ? Not any picticular breed.

 

[msscamp]

I don't think a 3 year old is proven - too many of them are still a little freaky and have problems. I would say 4 years old, or maybe even 5 year old. By that age they have proven themselves to be good mothers, good milkers, capable of getting the job done, and being able to take care of and raise a good calf.

 

[Stepper]

msscamp,

I agree with you on everything you pointed out. But i guess i should have worded my question a little different. What i am tring to find out is at what point in its life would it be most appt to bring the most money at a sale barn.

 

[msscamp]

I suspect you're going to get as many answers to that question as there are posters. Every person has a different game plan, and no one female bovine creature is going to fit into all of those plans.

 

[cfpinz]

While I personally don't agree, the folks in my locality must place the value of a cow highest before her first calf and subsequently lower each year thereafter. At least that's the case with all the bred heifer sales around here.

cfpinz

 

[bigbull338]

While I personally don't agree, the folks in my locality must place the value of a cow highest before her first calf and subsequently lower each year thereafter. At least that's the case with all the bred heifer sales around here.

cfpinz

a cow will bring the most money from 4 to 7 yrs old.because at that age she has had 3 or nore calves an bred back timely.

 

[3MR]

While I personally don't agree, the folks in my locality must place the value of a cow highest before her first calf and subsequently lower each year thereafter. At least that's the case with all the bred heifer sales around here.

cfpinz

You guys pay more for a heifer than a cow or what some might call a 1st calf heifer?

 

[cfpinz]

The bred heifers around here will outsell bred cows by a good margin. What I was trying to say is that I don't agree with this, an older cow is worth more to me. If you'll watch, a good many of those higher priced bred heifers go into herds of less than 30 head where the owner more often than not has little concern for profit, ie tax deduction. These are the same folks that like to tout their expensive cattle rather than prove they can raise good cattle. Anyone can buy expensive cattle, few can raise good ones.

cfpinz

 

[Cowdirt]

While I personally don't agree, the folks in my locality must place the value of a cow highest before her first calf and subsequently lower each year thereafter. At least that's the case with all the bred heifer sales around here.

cfpinz

You guys pay more for a heifer than a cow or what some might call a 1st calf heifer?

3mr, there are many folks at times in the business of selling bred heifers. Most of those same folks wouldn't want the risk and aggrevation associated with keeping them on their place. On the other hand, once a cattleman gets his first calf on the ground from a heifer and she does a good job, she rarely goes to market for several yrs. I guess what I'm saying is that, except in special cases, only those culled for one reason or another are found at the sale. If good 3 and 4 yr. olds regularly found their way to the sales they would bring more than bred heifers.

 

[3MR]

When you guys say sale, do you mean "sale Barn". I was thinking a breeders sale. At a sale barn I can see them going for less, I certantly cant see it at a breeders sale. Why would you pay more for an unproven comodity?

 

[Cowdirt]

When you guys say sale, do you mean "sale Barn". I was thinking a breeders sale. At a sale barn I can see them going for less, I certantly cant see it at a breeders sale. Why would you pay more for an unproven comodity?

3mr, I agree with you. I'd go with a proven commodity. When I referred to "sale", I meant sale barn or private treaty. I'm in the commercial side and am not that knowledgeable about the registered business. My experience has been that one will be a long time picking up many young,"known commodity" cows at a sale barn or private treaty. Being human, I think suppliers for breeder sales don't put their best in their sales. I know I would keep the best for myself until I had all I could handle. JMHO.

 

[dun]

In this area there are Special Stock Cow Sales every month at each of the sales barns.
Typically the hioghest sellers are heifers with calves, second highest is closeup 4rd stage heifers.

dun

 

[MikeC]

At the regular cow sale here folks continually week in and week out pay more for a close heifer than they will for an older cow (3-10 years) with a calf at side. Go figure.

 

[cfpinz]

In this area there are Special Stock Cow Sales every month at each of the sales barns.

dun

At most of those type sales around here, the vast majority of the cows being sold belong to the market or one of it's resident traders, whatever they could pick up cheap and polish. The rest are usually culls from local cattle folk who wish to jump on the bandwagon. The only time I'll buy from one of these sales is when someone is selling out completely for health reasons, sold the farm, etc.

cfpinz

 

[dun]

In this area there are Special Stock Cow Sales every month at each of the sales barns.

dun

At most of those type sales around here, the vast majority of the cows being sold belong to the market or one of it's resident traders, whatever they could pick up cheap and polish. The rest are usually culls from local cattle folk who wish to jump on the bandwagon. The only time I'll buy from one of these sales is when someone is selling out completely for health reasons, sold the farm, etc.

cfpinz

Kind of depends on the sale barn. One has nothing but junk that I wouldn;t crap on the best of the ones there. Another has some decent stuff but a lot of junk, another has usualy pretty good stuff. They're well known and folks that have decent stuff usually take them there even though it's a long drive.

dun

 

[Bama]

Highest point around here is a cow with a great first calf by her side, and her heavy bred back to the same bull. It slowly declines from here. After about 10 yo it sharply declines.

 

[*Cowgirl*]

I'd say 5-6yo

 

[Moocow11]

The bred heifers around here will outsell bred cows by a good margin. What I was trying to say is that I don't agree with this, an older cow is worth more to me. If you'll watch, a good many of those higher priced bred heifers go into herds of less than 30 head where the owner more often than not has little concern for profit, ie tax deduction. These are the same folks that like to tout their expensive cattle rather than prove they can raise good cattle. Anyone can buy expensive cattle, few can raise good ones.

cfpinz

same here you can sell a cow for 800$ and then you can sell year daughter for 1300

 

[plbcattle]

To me a 5 year old is at her proven peak. Most top donors sell around 7 years old. She needs to have raised at least 3 calves that are top notch. Then if you flush her it will take a couple years to get those calves up and grown. So that puts her aound 7 years old. Some of the young open ET heifers bring top dollar. People think they are getting new and fresh genetics. You are starting to see more and more yearling heifers bring good money. The pedigree needs to be new genetics to do this.

 

[dun]

You are starting to see more and more yearling heifers bring good money. The pedigree needs to be new genetics to do this.

Andthey don;t even need to be good genetics, just hyped

dun