Local source for cattle

[Central Fl Cracker]

Fortunately I have 2 big cattle operators next to my property. One has 2,000 ac. 1 mile down the road and the other one is right next door and has about 1,000 ac ranch. I know the gentlemen that has 2,000 ac. but have not met the adjoining propert owner of 1,000 ac yet. My ? is they could probably be a good source of bred cattle or stockers but how do you work out a price. Since they could practically walk their cattle to my property you surely would not pay auction prices so how do you figure the right price to offer them.

 

[Mahoney Pursley Ranch]

When I buy the seller usually tells me what he is asking and we go from there.

 

[D.R. Cattle]

Being able to ride the cattle over to you ain't gonna save you any money. When we sell truckloads the buyer takes the cattle at the loading chute.

 

[Central Fl Cracker]

I thought shrink and delivery should save me money.

 

[D.R. Cattle]

I thought shrink and delivery should save me money.

We allow for shrink but never get involved in delivery unless we retain ownership. I suppose it's all in the negotiation. What type cattle are you looking to buy? Maybe some of the fellers will chime in with current pricing.

 

[Central Fl Cracker]

Baldies. I have decided to start out small but do cow/calf and a few stockers.

 

[Howdyjabo]

Private treaty expect to pay MORE than stockyard prices.
Unless you are buying ALOT.Its a pain to deal with individuals and small sales.
But its worth it for you to pay more-- just to keep the cattle from going thru the sales -- extra stress and exposure.

 

[D.R. Cattle]

Good quality bred heifers expect to pay $1000/head or more. Straight heifers breeding age good quality $750 and up. Me personally I wouldn't balk at the price as much as long as I knew the stock came from a good trusted supplier. And the good deals will allow a gaurantee. If she won't breed up take her back and trade her in.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Those folks likely want to keep what's bred, especially if its heavy bred. I figure they culled back when the cows were heifers.

You might try getting some good heifers that they cannot breed back because of inbreeding.

If someone wanted me to round up cattle on a place like that, so that they could pick a few, it would only be as a favor. You may have better luck if you tell them you'll wait until they are working their cattle.

You'd better have good fencing. Cows tend to want to get back "home". If home is just across the fence...

You will have a good source of history for those cows if it works out. Those folks have known your cows genetic traits for a few generations. Sometimes they are so big that they won't bother with a cow that has individual needs. Could be that you would get some of those if you have the time to take care of them. You can get some good offspring. You'd better know what you would be getting yourself into tho.

 

[stocky]

I would go to your neighbors and tell them what you are looking for and ask if they would be willing to sell them to you. If the answer is yes, then ask them how much they would take for the cattle. This would be the starting point in the negotiations. If the answer is no, that is the end point of the negotiations. It is to your advantage to buy from them, if the cows are honest cows and not junk or culls. You can afford to pay more for the farm fresh than for the cows through the auction. Good cows will generally cost you more through the auction than they do on the farm, though. There have been several times that I have bought complete herds and sold off the calves and grouped up the cows and made quite a bit of money at the auction over what I paid the individual for them. However, if the neighbors will sell you a small number of cattle, you will pay extra, most of the time.