Cow prices and mad cow

In fact over the years I"ve seen baby holstein bull prices go from over $100.00 a head down to, I will give you 10 gals of soured colostrum if you will take this calf and back up again. I have even seen a trailer at the sale barn with 2 baby bulls in it and a sign that said free calves upon arriving at a sale only to see the same trailer with a dozen calves in it when I left the sale. I"ve always just taken this in stride.

So now to my question. Can someone tell me how the recent market has effected the holstein heifer price? I am not talking about a jersey or some other cross heifer as their price fluctuates wildly with the market. I am interested in pure breed grade or registered holsteins. Is the price of baby heifers and springers holding; or has this gone through the floor also? How would you compare prices of today to say 3 months ago in your area?

Thanks
Happy Mardi Gras
John

beef cows: steady
slaughter cows: steady to down .02/#
holstein replacements (cows): fully steady
holstein replacements (heifers): fully steady
feeders: down .10
feds: down .10

All in light test, trending much higher during the week. I went with my neigbor to see about buyin some really good dairy replacements and they were still running over $2000 per cow. He was looking for bargains, sure didnt see any. I tried to buy some 4 weight beef calves this week on the chance that the market would be off, it's only off from the obscene highs of the last 3 months. Wet weather made me make gobs of my alfalfa into silage and I need to do something with it. Can't see paying .90+ for 4 weight steers.

As for our prices, newborn registered heifer calves here were selling for about $30 US last week, bred heifers for $200-250 and fresh heifers or young cows about $180-250. Lots of Holstein heifers going to slaughter or feedlots.