Heavy bred cow price

[Ky cowboy]

I've been trying to find some nice older bred cows to keep for a couple of years till I lose a lease farm. What's a fair price for older hvy bred 1300lb black cows.

 

[Lazy M]

Three weeks ago I bought a group of 15 thin 4 and 5 yr olds; bred 7-9. Double wormed and vaccinated them and they're already starting to shape up. 4 have calved. Paid $850/hd.

 

[Dave]

There is 82 of those out in my pasture. They were purchased between November 11 and January 21. 6 of them have already calved. The majority will calf between now and the end of March. There is a lot of broken mouth cows but not all. As a group they averaged weighing 1,219 pounds. They averaged costing $657. Never paid over $750 a head. The ones bought on January 21 included 6 "full mouth" cows bred 7-8 months. Those 6 cows cost between $700 and $750 a head. There was 2 at $700 that weighed 1,100 and 2 at $750 that weighed 1,370. Can't remember what the other two weighed and cost but they were between these other 4.

 

[Ky cowboy]

There is 82 of those out in my pasture. They were purchased between November 11 and January 21. 6 of them have already calved. The majority will calf between now and the end of March. There is a lot of broken mouth cows but not all. As a group they averaged weighing 1,219 pounds. They averaged costing $657. Never paid over $750 a head. The ones bought on January 21 included 6 "full mouth" cows bred 7-8 months. Those 6 cows cost between $700 and $750 a head. There was 2 at $700 that weighed 1,100 and 2 at $750 that weighed 1,370. Can't remember what the other two weighed and cost but they were between these other 4.

I bought 1 the other day reasonably priced. The last sale I went to they were going for $1100+, and were wild. Called about some larger groups today they were $1200 all 6-8 months bred. They're more optimistic then I am for fall prices

 

[kenny thomas]

I always tried to buy at $50 over kill price.

 

[gcreekrch]

Was watching an internet sale in Alberta today, saw a handful of big, heavy cows sell for less than meat price. They were fleshy too. Some sales way high, some really cheap, no sense to it at all. Will take a run at some heifers on Saturday and then some cattle at the local sale next Thursday.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I've been trying to find some nice older bred cows to keep for a couple of years till I lose a lease farm. What's a fair price for older hvy bred 1300lb black cows.

Don't know what fair is.
U of Ky has a spreadsheet on their site to calculate return. You put in costs and calf price and no. of calves and it spits out a (small) return.
Good cows here are U$S 1100 to 1400. The spreadsheet says that is too much.

 

[Dave]

What I didn't say earlier is how many times I came home with an empty trailer. Figure out what you can afford to spend and still turn a profit. If they sell for more than that, it cost less money to drive home empty than it does to fill the trailer with over priced cattle.

 

[Muletrack]

What I didn't say earlier is how many times I came home with an empty trailer. Figure out what you can afford to spend and still turn a profit. If they sell for more than that, it cost less mo

I've been trying to find some nice older bred cows to keep for a couple of years till I lose a lease farm. What's a fair price for older hvy bred 1300lb black cows.

It's risky unless they are dirt cheap. I haven't had any luck trying to get a second calf out of a short-term cow. At a recent N.D. sale summer calvers could be had for around $1300. To go less than $1000, they would have to be smooth or broken mouth. Good running age cows about $1550.

 

[Dave]

It's risky unless they are dirt cheap. I haven't had any luck trying to get a second calf out of a short-term cow. At a recent N.D. sale summer calvers could be had for around $1300. To go less than $1000, they would have to be smooth or broken mouth. Good running age cows about $1550.

I have made good money for years buying broken mouth cows in the winter. Ship the cows directly to the plant in mid August. Calves are 45 days weaned the end of September when they leave. Had one of those older cows calf this morning. BWF cow had a solid red bull calf. I looked back at the records. She cost me $519 on November 11 when I bought her. She will kill for more than I paid for her. I will have $352 in feed and pasture against the calf who will be worth? But certainly more than $352.

 

[Ky cowboy]

I have made good money for years buying broken mouth cows in the winter. Ship the cows directly to the plant in mid August. Calves are 45 days weaned the end of September when they leave. Had one of those older cows calf this morning. BWF cow had a solid red bull calf. I looked back at the records. She cost me $519 on November 11 when I bought her. She will kill for more than I paid for her. I will have $352 in feed and pasture against the calf who will be worth? But certainly more than $352.

I've been going to the sales when work permits, I'll keep looking and hold out for better priced. I did get a 7+ bred solid mouth hereford for $925 few weeks back. She weighed 1400lbs

 

[Muletrack]

I have made good money for years buying broken mouth cows in the winter. Ship the cows directly to the plant in mid August. Calves are 45 days weaned the end of September when they leave. Had one of those older cows calf this morning. BWF cow had a solid red bull calf. I looked back at the records. She cost me $519 on November 11 when I bought her. She will kill for more than I paid for her. I will have $352 in feed and pasture against the calf who will be worth? But certainly more than $352.

Can't beat $519 very easily! You'll definitely make money on that deal. When I first started fall-calving I bought a few late breds to get my numbers up, but would have been far better off to do what you are doing. Thinking about pulling the trigger in that direction this year as I have more pasture than hay land. Most likely on June/July calvers.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I have made good money for years buying broken mouth cows in the winter.

What would you estimate as the winter price difference between BM and SS in your market?

Does this change noticeably in the spring?

 

[Dave]

Here is my $519 cow with her calf at about noon yesterday. At 7:00 this morning he looked more red than he did at noon. But it had just stopped snowing so he was wet. In the morning I was thinking she was bred to Red Angus. In the afternoon I am going more with Charolais. No matter, healthy calf.

 

[Dave]

What would you estimate as the winter price difference between BM and SS in your market?

Does this change noticeably in the spring?

Probably $100-150 difference. By spring (April) it is almost all pairs and I am not on the market so I am not at the sale. April is brandings almost daily and turn out.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Sold a trailer of aged colored May calving cows this week. They went for U$S 1075 to 1225.

Kill market is hot here since they are shut down in the south. Fed cows up to U$S 0.79. Any thing decent is in the 60s.

 

[Luckiamute]

Here is my $519 cow with her calf at about noon yesterday. At 7:00 this morning he looked more red than he did at noon. But it had just stopped snowing so he was wet. In the morning I was thinking she was bred to Red Angus. In the afternoon I am going more with Charolais. No matter, healthy calf.

For $519 and some hay, I think you ended up with a pretty nice pair. That's how you make money. Nice job!

 

[Stocker Steve]

It's risky unless they are dirt cheap. I haven't had any luck trying to get a second calf out of a short-term cow. At a recent N.D. sale summer calvers could be had for around $1300. To go less than $1000, they would have to be smooth or broken mouth. Good running age cows about $1550.

Getting a second calf is mostly about feed.

Those running age cows must be part Brimmer and calve into their 20s to make a good profit.

 

[Dave]

That $519 cow would be my cheapest cow of the bunch. #13 was $580, #14 was $600, #25 and #40 both cost $700. All 5 have calves on the ground. The highest price cows here this year cost $1,560 That was times 130 head that were all 3 and 4 year olds. Same guy sold 83 bred heifers that brought $1,350 which was the highest priced heifers I saw.
There are some out here that would make another calf but I am pretty cutthroat when doing this deal. Come the middle of August they will all get a trip to the plant. Next winter I will start with a new bunch.

 

[MurraysMutts]

That $519 cow would be my cheapest cow of the bunch. #13 was $580, #14 was $600, #25 and #40 both cost $700. All 5 have calves on the ground. The highest price cows here this year cost $1,560 That was times 130 head that were all 3 and 4 year olds. Same guy sold 83 bred heifers that brought $1,350 which was the highest priced heifers I saw.
There are some out here that would make another calf but I am pretty cutthroat when doing this deal. Come the middle of August they will all get a trip to the plant. Next winter I will start with a new bunch.

Dave, I am considering sticking to that philosophy. My brahma didnt give me a live calf this year. Her first was good. So now I've had her 2 seasons for nothin! I kept her bull calf.

I bought another with the brahma, she HAS given me a second calf. Pretty good one too.

My Rosy has a real nice heifer calf. My intent was to calve her out and sell em seperate. I gave somewhere around 500 for her. She was called 7 years old.

This newest one I gave $480. She was called 5 years old. Be a bit b4 she calves.

Somehow or another I get caught up in it and decide I want another calf out of em. I'm considering gettin while the gettin is good.

Besides. I rather enjoy going to the sales and buying a couple like that occasionally. I've actually given thought to doing that exclusively at the lease place and not have to feed em thru the winter!