Buying Cattle at a Certain Age

Saint Sonner

Excuse my ignorance but I was looking some help.

When buying cattle I have a little knowledge as in what can be bought and for how much etc. However I was wondering are cattle for sale at any age?

I know for example you might get dropped calf for about 250STG£ and you might have to pay 1300£STG for springing heifer (apologies if figures are off but I hope you know what I mean)

Is it possible to buy something in the middle of this range say for £500-600 or do people tend to keep them to sell them at better margin?

Kovu

Calves will be sold as weanlings at the back end of the year (Sept-Dec) at about 9 months of age, give or take a couple of months. Of course the price will vary depending on quality but you would be able to find animals within your price range at those sales.

You should note that the age of animals can vary hugely at weanling sales too, some animals will be five months, some will be over twelve months, it depends on the seller and how they farm to suit themselves. If you're going buying and unsure about the process, go along to a couple of sales just to observe for a while.

Saint Sonner

Just another one. How much would you be willing to pay roughly for a charlois cow 9.5 years old - scanned showing calf in due in June 2016?

west79

Saint Sonner wrote: »

Just another one. How much would you be willing to pay roughly for a charlois cow 9.5 years old - scanned showing calf in due in June 2016?

You would really be buying by weight there so you need to know the weight of the cow. Personally I would not want a June calving cow and that may be why she is for sale. Has she a calf at foot at present. If not she needs to be minded and not over fed for the next 7 months so she might be too much hassle and she sounds like another guys problem.

Saint Sonner

west79 wrote: »

You would really be buying by weight there so you need to know the weight of the cow. Personally I would not want a June calving cow and that may be why she is for sale. Has she a calf at foot at present. If not she needs to be minded and not over fed for the next 7 months so she might be too much hassle and she sounds like another guys problem.

Sorry - The cow is actually calving early to mid March. Not sure on weight or calf i'll make more inquiries

Kovu

I'd be looking at a number of factors before I bought any incalf animal.

-Why is she being sold?
This could be due to being overstocked & getting rid of older/lower starred animals (Stars are for a current scheme called BDGP)

Why so long to her next calf if she hasn't one at foot right now?
Did she lose her last calf & if so, was it due to calving problems. You most definitely don't want a cow that has a history of calving probems. You'll need to watch her feeding or else she'll be fat as muck next June and could hinder her calving.

What's her quality like?
I'd prob put this as my Number 1 but I like fancy animals. There'll be a big big difference between a chx off a dairy animal and a pb ch cow- Regardless of age.

Docility/General health.
As you seem to be fairly new or at least not a pro at farming, you really don't want an animal that needs its feet done every year, or blind in a couple of teats with mastitis. Likewise, you don't want her to attempt homicide every time you look at her.

Feck, I sound like the harbinger of doom here. Have you had anybody else look at her? Also what's he asking for her, you'll be told fairly lively here if it's too cheap or dear!

Edit- Just see you said March, you can prob dismiss point number 2. Check for a section scar though, often easily missed.

Saint Sonner

Between you and me lads lol - i'm trying to negotiating a good deal with a member of the wife's family - I'll not get talking to him face to face for a few days but he was emailing some stuff he said he could do a good deal on. I just want to be able to know a bit more of what I'm talking about. As I said earlier I meant to say shes for calving in early to mid March.

If she was average weight what would be the estimated price range?

In case anyone's wondering my dad has a small farm and I have limited knowledge but some knowledge on this and wanted to see if I could start buying some stuff in for him.

Kovu

Saint Sonner wrote: »

If she was average weight what would be the estimated price range?

See, that's the bit I'm having trouble with.
Sucklers aren't sold by weight. Dry cows are. Sucklers are more to do with quality, how long they're incalf and general health iykwim. I'm not trying to fob you off but I haven't a clue without seeing her.

Saint Sonner

Kovu wrote: »

See, that's the bit I'm having trouble with.
Sucklers aren't sold by weight. Dry cows are. Sucklers are more to do with quality, how long they're incalf and general health iykwim. I'm not trying to fob you off but I haven't a clue without seeing her.

Oh right - no worries thanks for your help. Would a picture help cause he sent me one. lol

west79

Saint Sonner wrote: »

Between you and me lads lol - i'm trying to negotiating a good deal with a member of the wife's family - I'll not get talking to him face to face for a few days but he was emailing some stuff he said he could do a good deal on. I just want to be able to know a bit more of what I'm talking about. As I said earlier I meant to say shes for calving in early to mid March.

If she was average weight what would be the estimated price range?

In case anyone's wondering my dad has a small farm and I have limited knowledge but some knowledge on this and wanted to see if I could start buying some stuff in for him.

Look at Done Deal you might see a few similar.
I'd say €1100 to €1300 based on what I would pay for a cow that age. If she is a flop I'd want her price back in the factory

Kovu

west79 wrote: »

Look at Done Deal you might see a few similar.
I'd say €1100 to €1300 based on what I would pay for a cow that age. If she is a flop I'd want her price back in the factory

That's prob the best thing to do- however take DD prices with a pinch of salt. ''Aim high'' seems to be the motto there when selling.

Saint Sonner

Just an update lads bought the Weanling Heifer and the wifes family reckon I've got a good deal:

Charlois Heifer born 1/5/15 out of one of their best cows for £490 (£500 less £10 luck penny)

I think it looks good but they reckon they would get £2.30/kilo in open market and they say shes about 350kilos (I'm bad at gauging weight myself)

Just at looking at her I doubt she'd fetch £805 on open market but I still think shes worth a good bit more than the 490 paid.

Willfarman

You may get her a companion. But yes you got a bargain.h

Saint Sonner

Throwing her in with the fathers stock to see how it goes but sure everyone know theres no money in farming!