Baby calf prices

dhermesc · Apr 2, 2012

Anyone buying or selling baby bucket calves?

Around here it seems on Craigs list anything that's kinda black like an Angus is $400+.

Some Holsteins are in the $200 range, and for some reason Jersey bull calves are almost as high.

One brother watched sale barn calves go close to $500 a week ago at an evening sale. I picked up a couple at the sale barn last Friday for $235 (very nice two week hold Angus heifer) and $275 for a day old baby bull calf - the first two sold that day. The rest of them went in the $320-$360 range and that was in the middle of the day when most non-farmer types were at work.

I crossed my fingers and prayed they were healthy and so far they have been.

Chris(WA) · Apr 2, 2012

Times change. I can remember when you could not give away holstien bull calves.

Anonymous-0 · Apr 2, 2012

They are getting up to $600 here in Western SD.

NEcasepuller · Apr 2, 2012

$500.00 at sale barn in southeast Nebraska.

Ron/PA · Apr 2, 2012

There was a year, that for every 4 we took, they'd give us a bag of milk replacer, this year we paid $180.00 for Holsteins.

Bruce from Can. · Apr 2, 2012

We have 8 Jersey bulls right now ,and I would be tickeled to get fifty bucks each!!

rrlund · Apr 2, 2012

Click the link and scroll down. $150-200.
United Producers

Old Bob · Apr 2, 2012

In our area, west central Arkansas, dairy farms used to be every where, not now, only 3 or 4 left. Baby calves were abundant. I have raised more than my share. Saw them high, saw them cheap. At one point they were so cheap, they would not pay the commission for selling them at the sale barn. Story goes, a farmer pulled up to a restaurant to eat lunch, had a set of cattle racks on his pickup. When he came out of the restaurant someone had left 2 baby calves in his truck. Cattle are at an all-time high, but you can write it on the wall, they will be cheaper.

donjr · Apr 2, 2012

Wasn't too many years ago, I heard of a guy who went to the auction with a few calves and got a bill for selling them. Proceeds didn't cover the fees. Another guy couldn't get a bid, so threw his calves back into the truck, went to a reataurant next door, and got some supper. When he came out, there were two more calves in the truck than he left the sale barn with---

Super Steve · Apr 2, 2012

where in Canada are you?

rrlund · Apr 2, 2012

It's always been my experience,when they're cheap or free,they'll be worth a fortune when they're finished. Buy'em high and they won't be worth a darned,price wise,when they're finished.

farmer boy · Apr 2, 2012

Too bad you"re so far away. I"m half interested in them calves.

Bruce from Can. · Apr 2, 2012

100 miles northeast of Toronto Ont.

Traditional Farmer · Apr 2, 2012

Exactly right,I've made some good $$$ over the years buying calves when they were bringing next to nothing by the time they're in the 1000lb range prices will be back up.Those high price calves today might not bring what they cost today when they weigh 1000 lbs.

johndeereman · Apr 2, 2012

I just walked in from the sale barn here in north east pa Holstein calves bought to go for veal was 85 cents to $1.50 per pound

Formerly PaMike · Apr 2, 2012

I was at a big feeder sale last friday night. NICE 1000lb holstein steers were bringing $1.03/lb. 475 lb holstein steers were at $1.23. I packed up and went home. I will sell all my hay, no reason to feed high price hay to high price cattle, then lose my shirt. My pastures will be stocked light this year.

Anonymous-0 · Apr 2, 2012

I raise cows and calves on my ranch. Its usually a break even venture. I had a friend who owned a feed lot in Walsh, Colo. He talked me into putting 100 heifers in his lot. He bought the cows for me,fed them,and pastured them and sold them for me. I had one that died and I butchered one,I paid off the note and had $2500 profit. Best I ever did. Roy

spped · Apr 2, 2012

i would not buy to many day old bull calves.They should have colostrum for a good three days.I have a lot of trouble with calves that have not after they get around 300 pounds.Best thing for you to do is drive around and find a guy you can trust.look around his place bucket calve can be tricky to raise if not started off right.We have about hundred amish here so it is easy to find calve but hard to find one that have been taken care of.

tjdub · Apr 2, 2012

> I can remember when you could not give away holstien bull calves.

Me too. In fact I think it was only 3 years ago

Fordfarmer · Apr 2, 2012

Calf prices are high here (n/w WI) too, but not quite as high as what you're seeing. It's due to the numbers of cattle liquidated when hay supplies dried up last year. Everyone who has (or hopes to have) adequate feed is planning on cashing in on high beef prices.
I sent 3 bull calves, 3-6 days old, to market last month. 115, 118, and 134 pounds. (too big!) Got a little over $500 for the three... and I'm happy with that.

Nebraska Cowman · Apr 3, 2012

Here is yesterday's report for McCook NE, You can see why if a man is expecting $1000 for a calf next fall he is willing to pay pretty good for a baby calf now.
Feeder Steers Medium and Large 1
Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price
6 330 330 220.00 220.00
6 372 372 221.00 221.00
59 412-440 430 200.00-209.00 203.69
33 460-463 461 190.50-192.00 191.06
19 517-519 518 179.50-185.00 181.82
54 550-575 561 171.00-178.00 174.48
69 618 618 170.50 170.50
86 737-744 738 152.50-161.75 160.02
5 1026 1026 132.00 132.00

dhermesc · Apr 3, 2012

The little bull calf was given colostrum when we got him home. The first day or so he was pretty "sleepy" acting. Not much walking or playing but not really looking sick. Yesterday and this morning he's very active (chasing my son when he came into the pen with a bottle) and appears to be well on his way.

formenwhogrow · Apr 3, 2012

IMHO, there's just too much risk in paying that kind of $$ for calves that age, especially at a sale barn. Too many unknowns. Did it get colustrum? Vaccinations? What did it pick up and bring home from the sale barn? Genetics? With input prices where they are right now, farmers cannot be too cautious about how their $$ is spent. Again, just my 2 cents.

dhermesc · Apr 3, 2012

As posted below I made sure the little bull calf got colustrum when he came home. I was only looking for some for my sons to raise for 4H and to keep them busy this summer. I know what my costs will be - 100% loss. When the calves are sold my son's put the money in their accounts.

Last year the scours problems were terrible. We only had three, lost one and treated the other two (actually pretty good calves) for two months before they finally stayed healthy.

Mike (WA) · Apr 3, 2012

Can't imagine paying over $2 a pound for 4 weight steers. Is this finally the "bubble" that will never burst? Kinda like the dot coms, and real estate?

A savvy cattleman in my area says that everybody falls in love with cattle when they're high, and just can't get enough of them. Then when they hit the skids, they hate 'em, and can't get rid of them fast enough. He'll be way down on numbers this year, having sold them for a fortune, and will buy back in when they get cheap, which they always do.

Baby calf prices

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