Selling Pedigree Bulls

farmer2018

I am new to pedigree breeding and I can't seem to sell any bulls this year, this is my first lot of bulls. I have advertised on Done Deal, Farmers Journal and no luck. No one has even came to see them. Is it down to the weather conditions and fodder shortage no one is buying? When in the fall is the best time to sell?

whelan2

farmer2018 wrote: »

I am new to pedigree breeding and I can't seem to sell any bulls this year, this is my first lot of bulls. I have advertised on Done Deal, Farmers Journal and no luck. No one has even came to see them. Is it down to the weather conditions and fodder shortage no one is buying? When in the fall is the best time to sell?

What age are they. Do you know a local breeder who could pass your name onto people look g for bulls? We don't advertise anymore we have repeat customers but we pass other breeders numbers on if we don't have any. Are you looking too much for them?

farmer2018

whelan2 wrote: »

What age are they. Do you know a local breeder who could pass your name onto people look g for bulls? We don't advertise anymore we have repeat customers but we pass other breeders numbers on if we don't have any. Are you looking too much for them?

18-22 months now. Ya I have done so. I don't think so at prices from 2300-2500. Is it too early yet for buyers for another few weeks?

Zeebsisgone654

farmer2018 wrote: »

I am new to pedigree breeding and I can't seem to sell any bulls this year, this is my first lot of bulls. I have advertised on Done Deal, Farmers Journal and no luck. No one has even came to see them. Is it down to the weather conditions and fodder shortage no one is buying? When in the fall is the best time to sell?

Wording of your ad is crucial, if it doesn’t look like you are willing to negotiate farmers love a deal

charolais0153

farmer2018 wrote: »

18-22 months now. Ya I have done so. I don't think so at prices from 2300-2500. Is it too early yet for buyers for another few weeks?

What breed

farmer2018

Hereford

farmer2018

Zeebsisgone654 wrote: »

Wording of your ad is crucial, if it doesn’t look like you are willing to negotiate farmers love a deal

Have been told by older breeders not to give price until they come to see bulls but most people won't come if they don't know the price.

Mooooo

Would most not be buying bulls in march/ April?

charolais0153

farmer2018 wrote: »

Have been told by older breeders not to give price until they come to see bulls but most people won't come if they don't know the price.

Shur give an idea anywaus. A bit with 2 etc. Around 2.5k etc

whelan2

Always sell a couple of bulls in October /November. No one would be buying at the minute. Then February onwards would sell the rest.

DaDerv

I just rang a fella today about Charolais bull's. Same fella I bought off in the past. He says it's getting busier now. I don't think there is a set time.

I'd rather buy now and have him for a few months before letting him run with the cows. That might not suit everyone though.

Grueller

farmer2018 wrote: »

Hereford

Found your problem.

Grueller

About a months time will see bulls moving about here usually. Hold firm and don't be a soft seller is my advice. Best of luck with them.

Bellview

Noticed last year I soldv3 bulls before Xmas and then rest went in April...which given weather was OK

farmer2018

Grueller wrote: »

Found your problem.

What is the problem?!

Hard Knocks

Is he better to bring to a pedigree / society sale or try sell private?

farmer2018

To be honest I think you are better off selling at a sale because you are done with the animal there and then. Also not having to put up with time wasters selling private. Another thing is you have genuine buyers at sales.

Grueller

farmer2018 wrote: »

What is the problem?!

Twas a joke. The fact that they are herefords.

Hard Knocks

farmer2018 wrote: »

To be honest I think you are better off selling at a sale because you are done with the animal there and then. Also not having to put up with time wasters selling private. Another thing is you have genuine buyers at sales.

But you need to have them looking good & additional feeding

whelan2

farmer2018 wrote: »

To be honest I think you are better off selling at a sale because you are done with the animal there and then. Also not having to put up with time wasters selling private. Another thing is you have genuine buyers at sales.

Are they halter trained? It's a long day out , entry feed, auctioneers fees. Mightnt sell. Amount of time spent halter training...100% better off selling at home, keep bumping the ad up. Lads probably dont have the money but it only takes 1 customer to buy. I am used to time wasters, my line is if you dont buy someone else will, get back to me when youmake your mind up.

The man in red and black

Have noticed Herefords making a big comeback this year on alot of our dairy farms. Lads are bored of Angus and switching to HE. Nice to see them around. Hopefully good news for you with your HE bulls!

farmer2018

Grueller wrote: »

Twas a joke. The fact that they are herefords.

I knew you were:D

farmer2018

whelan2 wrote: »

Are they halter trained? It's a long day out , entry feed, auctioneers fees. Mightnt sell. Amount of time spent halter training...100% better off selling at home, keep bumping the ad up. Lads probably dont have the money but it only takes 1 customer to buy. I am used to time wasters, my line is if you dont buy someone else will, get back to me when youmake your mind up.

The thing is you have a better chance of getting more money at a sale, am I correct?

whelan2

farmer2018 wrote: »

The thing is you have a better chance of getting more money at a sale, am I correct?

I am not sure, alot of the time it's onlythe top prices you are reading, plenty of lower prices too

patsy_mccabe

I'm new to the pedigree game myself, but I find if I get lads to come here, they will buy. As for price, I put it on to take it off. Buyer goes away then happy they have made a good deal for themself.

farmer2018

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

I'm new to the pedigree game myself, but I find if I get lads to come here, they will buy. As for price, I put it on to take it off. Buyer goes away then happy they have made a good deal for themself.

Please explain the price bit?

patsy_mccabe

farmer2018 wrote: »

Please explain the price bit?

Well it's haggling isn't it? Say you would be happy with €2,200 then maybe advertise as €2,400. Then maybe agree at €2,300 with €50 luck penny. Old school, but most buyers will be. They expect to get something off.;)

Last pedigree heifer I bought, we agreed a price with a €50 luck penny. When I went to collect her, he had left the €50 buy also some loose change in an envelope for me. Neighbour met me. He was in hospital.

Mac Taylor

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Well it's haggling isn't it? Say you would be happy with €2,200 then maybe advertise as €2,400. Then maybe agree at €2,300 with €50 luck penny. Old school, but most buyers will be. They expect to get something off.;)

Last pedigree heifer I bought, we agreed a price with a €50 luck penny. When I went to collect her, he had left the €50 buy also some loose change in an envelope for me. Neighbour met me. He was in hospital.

Well crap......last time I buy a bull of you:D

Never wrestle with pigs

Have you got good pictures up on the add? It's amazing how many bad adds you see with bulls standing on rocks or kept in a corner with pallets or galvanise. I just pass them adds straight away.

farmer2018

Never wrestle with pigs wrote: »

Have you got good pictures up on the add? It's amazing how many bad adds you see with bulls standing on rocks or kept in a corner with pallets or galvanise. I just pass them adds straight away.

No the pics are good. What annoys me is lads say I will come there tomorrow I will in the morning etc and then no word..

whelan2

farmer2018 wrote: »

No the pics are good. What annoys me is lads say I will come there tomorrow I will in the morning etc and then no word..

They are probably lads that are selling bulls themselves being nosey. Do you have no time wasters on the ad

farmer2018

whelan2 wrote: »

They are probably lads that are selling bulls themselves being nosey. Do you have no time wasters on the ad

Sure do but it doesn't seem to make a difference!

whelan2

How about putting up posters in local agri store or mart?

Angus2018

I asked around at Tullamore and a lot of people saying it's difficult to sell bulls right now, a couple said return customers had moved to full AI instead.

I buy in the Spring and always go with the same lad since he knows all the breeding history of my herd. With the drought I'd imagine a lot of lads will buy a few days before breeding season for autumn calving this year.

farmer2018

Angus2018 wrote: »

I asked around at Tullamore and a lot of people saying it's difficult to sell bulls right now, a couple said return customers had moved to full AI instead.

I buy in the Spring and always go with the same lad since he knows all the breeding history of my herd. With the drought I'd imagine a lot of lads will buy a few days before breeding season for autumn calving this year.

Was talking to breeders up the north and said this year has been very hard to sell bulls. When in the autumn will be the best time to sell?

patsy_mccabe

whelan2 wrote: »

They are probably lads that are selling bulls themselves being nosey. Do you have no time wasters on the ad

I would never put 'no time wasters please' on an add. Have you ever seen it on a regular commercial add for say a car or house for sale. To me it's bad salesmanship.

Who2

There’s not many lads autumn calving buying Herefords. Next March will be your time when dairy lads start looking. It would also want to be an exceptional Hereford for most lads to give 2500. I know a few lads who ripped the p1ss on price starting out and a lot of farmers won’t go anywhere near them now as they got a name for being too dear for what they had.

Seanhorse91

I've a few pedigree Limousins and Charolais. With the limousines I tend to try breed an animal high on the replacement and easy calving as that's what I feel the strengths of the breed are and why people use them.
My question is, am I wasting my time trying to breed a fairly high replacement Charolais bull? Do people generally buy a Charolais bull to get the heaviest weanling from his/her cows, and discard of these heifers as they are too beefy for breeding?

Mac Taylor

Seanhorse91 wrote: »

I've a few pedigree Limousins and Charolais. With the limousines I tend to try breed an animal high on the replacement and easy calving as that's what I feel the strengths of the breed are and why people use them.
My question is, am I wasting my time trying to breed a fairly high replacement Charolais bull? Do people generally buy a Charolais bull to get the heaviest weanling from his/her cows, and discard of these heifers as they are too beefy for breeding?

I would say you have a unique selling point, best 2 cows we have are sm x ch. the ch bull was high on maternal traits

Seanhorse91

Mac Taylor wrote: »

I would say you have a unique selling point, best 2 cows we have are sm x ch. the ch bull was high on maternal traits

Ya I guess you've choice if there high in both traits. Just looking at Clenagh mischief Ch4367 and he's all terminal. Was thinking of using him in a month or 2 on a cow that calved a few days ago. He'd be a serious weanling producer, if you could get them out😅

Angus2018

farmer2018 wrote: »

Was talking to breeders up the north and said this year has been very hard to sell bulls. When in the autumn will be the best time to sell?

I stay far away from autumn calving so I can't help you there, one season is enough for me. You could also be looking at April when most Spring calving herds will be willing to take a bull. With fodder low on farms a lot of guys will want to push on having a bull as late as possible so they can let them straight out into the field.

On the other hand with the amount of repeats from the drought and trouble trying to detect cows in the first place I can see more people going back to bulls next year.

mycro2013

Sold a few bulls here and farmers seem to have one price for a bull which is 1600 euro.

dodo mommy

mycro2013 wrote: »

Sold a few bulls here and farmers seem to have one price for a bull which is 1600 euro.

A lot of lads expect a bull for nothing.

whelan2

mycro2013 wrote: »

Sold a few bulls here and farmers seem to have one price for a bull which is 1600 euro.

Then they sell him on after a few months for more.....

Cattlepen

Bulls have been hard to sell this year for some reason. Also they all want them for nothing. They expect them for 1300-1600 which is no good. I have angus but I have a feeling the country might be full of black bulls. I

farmer2018

Cattlepen wrote: »

Bulls have been hard to sell this year for some reason. Also they all want them for nothing. They expect them for 1300-1600 which is no good. I have angus but I have a feeling the country might be full of black bulls. I

Unfortunately if you are getting anything under 2000 for a 15 + month old bull you are wasting your time breeding them in my opinion.

Some of the dairy lads seem to be the meanest shower when it comes to buying a bull..

farmer2018

Who2 wrote: »

There’s not many lads autumn calving buying Herefords. Next March will be your time when dairy lads start looking. It would also want to be an exceptional Hereford for most lads to give 2500. I know a few lads who ripped the p1ss on price starting out and a lot of farmers won’t go anywhere near them now as they got a name for being too dear for what they had.

There are alot of poor Hereford bulls making around 2500 at sales, you are looking at 3500 plus for a good strong Hereford bull. Maybe you are talking about selling from home at 2500?

whelan2

farmer2018 wrote: »

There are alot of poor Hereford bulls making around 2500 at sales, you are looking at 3500 plus for a good strong Hereford bull. Maybe you are talking about selling from home at 2500?

If you are new in the game and you haven't sold any bulls at 2500, I'd be lowering my price. How many bulls don't make reserve price and the sales and go home? What makes your bulls better than everyone else's? Been selling bulls here over 20 years. Very rarely have a bull over 15 months. We ask 2000 euro and get as close to that as possible. What is it costing you to feed this for this length of time? We are covering our costs well at the 2k gone out the gate at 15 months. No advertising done here at all. But at the end of the day what would I know...

patsy_mccabe

Ya, lower your price OP and you'll sell. The market dictates the price, not you.
The country is full of pedigree bulls.

farmer2018

whelan2 wrote: »

If you are new in the game and you haven't sold any bulls at 2500, I'd be lowering my price. How many bulls don't make reserve price and the sales and go home? What makes your bulls better than everyone else's? Been selling bulls here over 20 years. Very rarely have a bull over 15 months. We ask 2000 euro and get as close to that as possible. What is it costing you to feed this for this length of time? We are covering our costs well at the 2k gone out the gate at 15 months. No advertising done here at all. But at the end of the day what would I know...

Yes that is true but if you have a good bull you will always sell him. From what I see the quality of bulls at sales last year and this year are very poor, with the handful of good ones. What breed have you?

whelan2

farmer2018 wrote: »

Yes that is true but if you have a good bull you will always sell him. From what I see the quality of bulls at sales last year and this year are very poor, with the handful of good ones. What breed have you?

We have Angus.