Heifer age?

[CanadianCowboy]

Hi all just wondering if you could help me i have 2 questions.

i am about to start off cattle farming and any help would be great,first off.

what age or weight are cows ready to be sold to the packers?

What age can the be bred?

i was thinking gettinf some 400-500pound heifers and fatting them up for a year then selling. i am looking to rent a pasture to start off would this be ideal?
or should i start of with the calving and start a herd. i cam here because you guys are experienced and know your stuff maybel you could help me out it would be great.

Thanks your future cattlemen. :cboy:

 

[AlyssasPride]

I wouldnt buy heifers just to fatten up and sell for butcher/market. If you just want to do that you could buy feeder steers for less that are around 500 - 600 l.b.s. If your just starting get steers first the graduate to the heifers. Lot less to worry about with steers.

 

[tncattle]

I wouldnt buy heifers just to fatten up and sell for butcher/market. If you just want to do that you could buy feeder steers for less that are around 500 - 600 l.b.s. If your just starting get steers first the graduate to the heifers. Lot less to worry about with steers.

You can't buy a 500--600 lb. steer in my area for less than a 500-600 lb. heifer. Also, if you buy good quality heifers you can sell at market or as replacements. Just my 2 c.

 

[LazyARanch]

I have to agree with tncattle.... you can't buy steers around here for less than heifers unless you're buying dairy steers or bull calves instead of beef heifers.

Buy heifers... but if you do, make sure they are ALL heifers, no bulls calves in the mix. That's where you would run into problems. raise 'em, sell 'em, then put the money toward some good bull calves or steers. Work your way up. :nod:

 

[cypressfarms]

what age or weight are cows ready to be sold to the packers?

It goes more by the size than the age to the packers.

What age can the be bred?

They CAN be bred as soon as they come into heat, which will vary on the breed.
Most would agree that around 15 months old or so would give you a heifer calving at 2 years old.

i was thinking gettinf some 400-500pound heifers and fatting them up for a year then selling. i am looking to rent a pasture to start off would this be ideal?
or should i start of with the calving and start a herd. i cam here because you guys are experienced and know your stuff maybel you could help me out it would be great.

Thanks your future cattlemen. :cboy:

Here's where you need to make some decisions. Do you really want to put your hard earned money in the hands of computer advice? Not that you won't get great advice, you need to research this. Have you been to your local stockyard, or where ever you plan to sell? What are heifers and steers bringing? What type of calf brings the most? (Angus, hereford, char. etc) If you don't know this - save yourself some money and study up before you buy anything.

 

[CanadianCowboy]

Thank you very much for your answers so far i aperciate it. i anyone else has ther eopnion please do continue to comment.

 

[AlyssasPride]

Wow its a shame the steers in your areas are so expensive. I can usually find them for a 1/3 of the price of the same weight heifer. Granted most come from the farm and i haul most a relationships ive established 5-6 years ago, but i do get some from auction and there still a lot cheaper. For right now the steers are my bread and butter, until i establish more of a herd only a few older cows and some young heifers and one very happy bull. All the cattle im getting are simmentals or simm crosses.

 

[tncattle]

Wow its a shame the steers in your areas are so expensive. I can usually find them for a 1/3 of the price of the same weight heifer. Granted most come from the farm and i haul most a relationships ive established 5-6 years ago, but i do get some from auction and there still a lot cheaper. For right now the steers are my bread and butter, until i establish more of a herd only a few older cows and some young heifers and one very happy bull. All the cattle im getting are simmentals or simm crosses.

Where are you located?

 

[dun]

I find it interesting that feeder heifers are higher then feeder steers. In MO heifers are around 7-10 lower then equivelent steers
http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ams.fet ... age=Cattle

 

[AlyssasPride]

Southeastern Pa.

 

[tncattle]

I found this, steers don't appear cheaper to me.


http://www.cattle.com/markets/barn_repo ... e=LN_LS180

 

[AlyssasPride]

Im sorry but new holland is a joke with their "special" feeder sales. I have bought a couple there still cheaper than the heiffers of the same weight and i still got the reciepts went to check just to make sure.

 

[tncattle]

Wow its a shame the steers in your areas are so expensive. I can usually find them for a 1/3 of the price of the same weight heifer. Granted most come from the farm and i haul most a relationships ive established 5-6 years ago, but i do get some from auction and there still a lot cheaper. For right now the steers are my bread and butter, until i establish more of a herd only a few older cows and some young heifers and one very happy bull. All the cattle im getting are simmentals or simm crosses.

1. Are you talking beef cattle or dairy steers and heifers?

2. So your saying you can buy the same quality wt. steer for 1/3 the price of the same quality wt. heifer? Example:

500 lb. heifer for $1.05 vs. 500 lb. steer for $0.70

 

[AlyssasPride]

Beef Cattle But its more like 1.05 to .82 on my last purchase .82 for simm cross steer

 

[canadianfarmboy]

I wouldnt mind trading a pot load of heifers any day and in return come away with steers of the same qualitly . On top of that make 30% . When should i send my heifers down :cboy:

 

[Angus Cowman]

I will send ya a pot load of 600lb Black Angus feeder hfrs but they will cost ya more than $1.02

 

[hillbillycwo]

Weaned five heifers Angus crosses last October. They were 475 #'s average and very nice. Sold two a week ago at 787 #'s average and they brought $ .90 per pound. They were weaned on grass, crushed corn/millers grain mix and free choice mineral. After all costs I cleared 216 dollars a head. I am considering keeping my October crop of heifers again and doing the same thing. If, of course, we get enough rain to have the hay and corn costs reasonable. The heifers were sold as yearlings unbred. They were actually 14-16 months old. Good luck in your endeavor.