slaughtering bred heifers

[Anonymous]

I have seven angus cross bred heifers that I had planned on keeping as brood cows. My plans have changed and I now what to go with all registered stock. The heifers range between 2-4 months along. If I take these to the slaughter auction, what type of penalty should I expect on the price due to their pregnancies. Is there a cutoff time that slaughter cattle buyers will not buy a bred animal such as 6 months along?
Thanks for every one's help

 

[cherokeeruby]

Why sell them for slaughter if there is nothing wrong with them? Are they good cattle that you would feel comfortable selling them as herd replacements? Take them to the salebarn and have the age and pg them.

They slaughter bred cows, someone told me vienna sausages were made from the featuses.

 

[Texan]

.......someone told me vienna sausages were made from the fetuses.

Just the little male fetuses, huh?

 

[cherokeeruby]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

There is nothing wrong with the heifers. I attended the local auction close to me and bred heifers for replacements did not seem to sell too good, may have just been a bad day for buyers. Seems like the slaughter market is more predictable.
Thanks for the reply.

 

[D.R. Cattle]

Keep them until they calve and sell the pairs. No sense in wasting money now that you've come this far.

 

[dun]

Keep them until they calve and sell the pairs. No sense in wasting money now that you've come this far.

I had forst thought pretty much the same thing. But I don't know what his feed situation is. If it's limited and the registered stuff needs it, the commercial stuff might as well go. But I would look for a private treaty buyer before hauling to the sale barn. Then if there is a special sale for commercial breeding stock I'ld haul them there. In this area there are several breeding stock cow sales every month. Different locations, but each of the barns has them as a regular scheduled event.

dun

 

[sidney411]

Where are you located? Here in Houston TX area and surrounding areas there are ads in the classifieds for bred heifers up into the $1000 range, I have seen some for angus-based heifers in that range. Place an ad in the classifieds - you might be supprised at the result. I think it would be a shame to slaughter pregnant heifers if there isn't anything wrong with them. To many people are looking for animals that fit your description.

 

[txshowmom]

If you have enough grass I would definatly keep thwem and sell em as pairs.

 

[hillbilly]

You don't have to calve them out. How much do they weigh?
We are in an extrodinary market right now.
They may bring enough by the pound now, to justify selling.
You could hold them on grass deep into the fall and sell them as 2nd & 3rd period heifers, if they are good heifers, that might make more money.

Hillbilly

 

[txshowmom]

As long as the market stays up you are correct.

 

[Anonymous]

I am located in southwestern Illinois. I don't have a whole lot of grass or hay feed them through the winter until they all calve. Most are in late first/early second stage. I would like to move them before they calve and use my resources--money, grass, hay, etc for more purebred stock.
Thanks for everyone's suggestions.

 

[frenchie]

Not my thing but you could give them a shot of lutalyse and abort them.

 

[la4angus]

I would be inclined to sell them as bred heifers. They are in great demand now that everyone knows there will never be a down day in the cattle market.

 

[txshowmom]

I'd sell them if they were mine.

 

[hillbilly 2]

I would be inclined to sell them as bred heifers. They are in great demand now that everyone knows there will never be a down day in the cattle market.

I like the way you think!

Hillbilly

 

[wilde]

I would definetly fallow the prior sugestion. Bred cows or hiefers are alot higher up here than kill cows

 

[Ann Bledsoe]

I would definetly fallow the prior sugestion. Bred cows or hiefers are alot higher up here than kill cows

Kill cows here in Nebraska are bringing about $50/cwt.
Last Wednesday night, commercial bred heifers were bringing more than the 4 and 5 year old pairs.

Ann Bledsoe