SBMF 2015
Well-known member
One of the local sale barns has a 4-5 year old Jersey cow listed on their sale tomorrow night. Besides the obvious pound price what is she worth to make a nurse cow?
Nurse cow value
- Thread starter SBMF 2015
- Start date
A good nurse coworker is worth her weight in gold.
Is she already a nurse cow?
OP
OP
SBMF 2015
Well-known member
I doubt it. Knowing this sale barn; she could be an Amish homesteader back yard milk cow that the kids can hang off of or a Whitetail deer that someone caught running with their cows. She's probably somewhere in between.
MurraysMutts
Well-known member
You know my feelings on a good nurse cow. If she is "the kind" she will be worth whatever she brings that day.
Is she bred?
Is she in milk now?
When did she freshen?
Does she come with calves on her?
The VALUE is in what she can do, not only this year, but in future years! If done right, the calves will pay for the cow the first year and leave a few bucks in your pocket. It's been proven and I've done it.
Need more information and have to get her bought reasonable. The calves need bought reasonable too. Unless ya have a few orphans. Then it's even more better!!
The upside to already having the orphans is, you can give more for the cow too....
Is she bred?
Is she in milk now?
When did she freshen?
Does she come with calves on her?
The VALUE is in what she can do, not only this year, but in future years! If done right, the calves will pay for the cow the first year and leave a few bucks in your pocket. It's been proven and I've done it.
Need more information and have to get her bought reasonable. The calves need bought reasonable too. Unless ya have a few orphans. Then it's even more better!!
The upside to already having the orphans is, you can give more for the cow too....
OP
OP
SBMF 2015
Well-known member
I haven't talked to the sale barn yet. ( I really don't want to show any interest until I have to) So the info that I gave is what I know about her. 4-5 year old jersey cow. I figure she's worth $1.20 / lb?
Bottle calves worth buying are $3-400 in the off season and $6-1,000 when everyone is calving. If she can raise her own calf and any orphans I end up with plus the Mrs ( with her dairy background) was talking about making fresh butter
I don't know, we're gonna go look at her. She may be walking on skis or not be friendly. You never know at this sale barn.
MurraysMutts
Well-known member
Butter......... mmmmmm!I haven't talked to the sale barn yet. ( I really don't want to show any interest until I have to) So the info that I gave is what I know about her. 4-5 year old jersey cow. I figure she's worth $1.20 / lb?
Bottle calves worth buying are $3-400 in the off season and $6-1,000 when everyone is calving. If she can raise her own calf and any orphans I end up with plus the Mrs ( with her dairy background) was talking about making fresh butter
I don't know, we're gonna go look at her. She may be walking on skis or not be friendly. You never know at this sale barn.
Surely they ain't gonna pound her out if they are advertising her. Take some pics!
mwj
Well-known member
Butter......... mmmmmm!
Surely they ain't gonna pound her out if they are advertising her. Take some pics!
She could sell by the head but the cow buyers will figure the pound price and be the floor for the price.Kill price will always set the bottom if buyers are present.
kenny thomas
Well-known member
If she is good i think she could bring $2 a pound. All according to who is interested that day.
OP
OP
SBMF 2015
Well-known member
farmerjan
Well-known member
Pound price at 1.20 would make her in the 1200 range (avg 1000 lb).... if she has a decent udder, 1500 or more... If she has been used as a nurse cow.. in todays' market 15-2000... Calves here are the same as there.. can find some smaller ones for the $2-400 range... most all that hit 90 lbs and up... especially BLACK ones, are 800-1200.... TOTALLY insane for a 3 day old calf...
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Raising calves on a nurse cow is a lot of work. But so is trying to bottle feed one. And it can take some time and effort to get one to be a nurse cow. But it will be well worth it. Sometimes you get one like @MurraysMutts ' Bessie or my Gail...that will come get a calf and start mothering it as soon as you set it in the pen with her. There is nothing to do as far as grafting, etc! Dunno about Murray, but mine can not be bought. She has earned a spot in our horse and dog graveyard, when her time has come.
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OP
OP
SBMF 2015
Well-known member
Okay @MurraysMutts here's the whole story 
The first version-They supposedly had been milking her then stuck this calf on her .
Second version- She had raised a calf, they weaned it and stuck this orphan on her so she was raising two calves back to back.
What I know for sure-
She's quite. They had her and a six week old hfr calf in a decent sized pen. With a little sweet talking and scratching her hip she was letting me milk her.
I know the sale barn manager and his son ( we may have had a few beers together years ago) I told them what I was there to look at. They said they were going to try and sell them as a pair but had no problem splitting them. I asked if they would weigh the cow up and they said they probably would.
They ran the pair in and asked ( while looking straight at me leaning on the rig) how they wanted to sell them. I said try them both ways I didn't care. So they tried selling the pair. Started at $1,800. Backed up to $1,600, no bid. They split them. Sold the calf for $750. Then they weighed the cow. She weighed 840. Started her at $1.10 and I ended up giving $1.16 for her. $974.
She is supposed to be open. I think we're gonna let her go dry, put on a little weight and try to get her bred this summer.
The first version-They supposedly had been milking her then stuck this calf on her .
Second version- She had raised a calf, they weaned it and stuck this orphan on her so she was raising two calves back to back.
What I know for sure-
She's quite. They had her and a six week old hfr calf in a decent sized pen. With a little sweet talking and scratching her hip she was letting me milk her.
I know the sale barn manager and his son ( we may have had a few beers together years ago) I told them what I was there to look at. They said they were going to try and sell them as a pair but had no problem splitting them. I asked if they would weigh the cow up and they said they probably would.
They ran the pair in and asked ( while looking straight at me leaning on the rig) how they wanted to sell them. I said try them both ways I didn't care. So they tried selling the pair. Started at $1,800. Backed up to $1,600, no bid. They split them. Sold the calf for $750. Then they weighed the cow. She weighed 840. Started her at $1.10 and I ended up giving $1.16 for her. $974.
She is supposed to be open. I think we're gonna let her go dry, put on a little weight and try to get her bred this summer.
MurraysMutts
Well-known member
Shes a pretty girl. Glad she's home!
Personally I'd have bought the pair and let her raise it a while. That one calf would have nearly paid for the pair this fall. But she would need fed some it looks like. A little thin but not too bad. Hopefully she breeds right up for ya.
I bet she's hollaring for her baby already!
Edited to add.
I think u stole her at that price! A hand milking super gentle Jersey for less than 1000 bucks. Super deal!
Personally I'd have bought the pair and let her raise it a while. That one calf would have nearly paid for the pair this fall. But she would need fed some it looks like. A little thin but not too bad. Hopefully she breeds right up for ya.
I bet she's hollaring for her baby already!
Edited to add.
I think u stole her at that price! A hand milking super gentle Jersey for less than 1000 bucks. Super deal!
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OP
OP
SBMF 2015
Well-known member
Thanks. She seemed much more interested in the good hay and scoop of cracked corn she got when she got home than missing her calf. It may be different in the morning when her bag is full. I didn't think the calf was that good, and I thought a little time off would help the cow more in the long term get bred back.
Travlr
Well-known member
She doesn't look very old, either. Might be what they claimed, four or five. Her muzzle is still pretty slim from what I can see.
Looks like a nice cow. I'd probably have bought the pair even if the calf wasn't ideal. Make some of the cow's cost back at weaning. Give the house some butter and make sure she got bred back before drying her up. Sounds like you got yourself a good new family cow. Congrats and I hope you'll keep updating on how it's going with her.
MurraysMutts
Well-known member
Yes!
Can't wait to see and hear how she does.
farmerjan
Well-known member
I think you did just fine. She does look like she needs some feed.
I bought one last year with a small jersey bull calf for $900... she took a 2nd calf but did not have alot of milk so I supplemented him with 1 bottle a day until he was about 5-6 weeks and both calves were eating in the bunk with her. She was open also. She got bred back by the angus bull in there to breed the heifers, and is about 5-6 months now. The calves both still go on her, I quit feeding her grain and the calves will get weaned off her in another month. She has put on alot of weight and looks much better. When she calves in, I will put a 2nd calf on her and see how she does this time around. I think she had been milking awhile and they stuck this jersey bull calf on her to sell her.. and didn't have much milk . Regardless, she has done good, and I think she deserves another go round with plenty of good feed/grass hopefully she will make some milk this next time.
I bought one last year with a small jersey bull calf for $900... she took a 2nd calf but did not have alot of milk so I supplemented him with 1 bottle a day until he was about 5-6 weeks and both calves were eating in the bunk with her. She was open also. She got bred back by the angus bull in there to breed the heifers, and is about 5-6 months now. The calves both still go on her, I quit feeding her grain and the calves will get weaned off her in another month. She has put on alot of weight and looks much better. When she calves in, I will put a 2nd calf on her and see how she does this time around. I think she had been milking awhile and they stuck this jersey bull calf on her to sell her.. and didn't have much milk . Regardless, she has done good, and I think she deserves another go round with plenty of good feed/grass hopefully she will make some milk this next time.
Yes. And especially if he had bought the pair at $1600!
