JMJ Farms":3ybjt2wn said:
I have the opportunity to get into the seedstock business by buying an established operation. The current owner is having to liquidate for reasons that can't be avoided. I'm not gonna list individual prices for all animals. I'm also not gonna disclose the breed bc I want unbiased answers. It is a very common beef breed. The breeding strategy was sound and animal EPDs look good. Not extraordinary but above average. I am also fond of the breed. Any inputs or constructive criticism is welcome.
Yearling heifers $1000/ea
Yearling bulls $1000/ea
2.5 year old bulls $1500/ea
3.5 year old bull $1500/ea
13 year old cows $800/ea
3 year old pairs $2000/ea
Various other middle aged and cows with minor problems are available.
I'm definitely buying all 3 older bulls. Thinking of buying the yearling heifers and starting slow. Thoughts on this or other options?
Backing up a couple of points others have said ...
1 -- As soon as those critters get off the trailer, they're yours. Anything you sell that comes from those cattle will begin bearing your reputation, and not the reputation of the one selling them to you.
2 -- Selling seedstock can be a very (!!) competitive business. This is both good and bad.
3 -- Other than them dying, the worst thing that happens is you make an enormous amount of ground beef and sell it off the farm.
4 -- If you want to grow your numbers, and if it's not too late to sex the pregnancies, I'd give serious thought to asking to have all the pregnancies sexed and buy any female carrying a heifer. On the flip side, if you think you're going to be a bull-selling-machine, buy all females carrying bull calves. Same thing applies to buying pairs. Get the heifers if you're growing your herd; get the bulls if you think you're going to have a market for them.
5 -- The old girls are a steal!! Even the ones that aren't trouble free ... get their calves on the ground and if they can't make it with their calf, sell them and buy a nurse cow until they can wean (wean them early at around 4mo; you can creep them along after that, and by the time they're old enough to breed, they should be fine).
6 -- Regarding the yearling heifers, I'd be inclined to buy them all (if your checkbook can handle it) and run them all in a very tight breeding window (possibly starting with AI) of maybe 45 days, keeping the breds and selling the opens ... or, absent that, you could maybe get a gate cut based on whether or not they have an active CL? If they do at this age, then they definitely will when it's time to breed them. I believe differently than many, that fertility is more heritable than is commonly believed -- if it weren't, then I don't understand what I see when I look out at nature.
7 -- If it's got a wonky temperament, do not buy it regardless of the price ... unless you're planning on taking it straight to the butcher. Bad temperaments is the quickest way to get a bad reputation as someone selling breeding stock.
8 -- If you buy a ton of his herd, ask him if he'd give you whatever leads he has on selling breeding animals; maybe even offer him a referral fee if any of them turn into customers in the next year? If he'll agree to something like that, he may give you an even better deal on whatever animals you buy.
9 -- If you have time, test all females for neospora; don't buy any that have it. There is no cure and it can wreck havoc on herds ...
10 -- If any of the pairs are both nice critters in their own right and are bred (to a bull you like), I think that's a really good price.
Feel free to contact me privately if you'd like to talk about any specific thoughts I have about narrowing your choices among the younger animals.
Good luck to you!
