# Sale barn today



## COWS (Dec 23, 2012)

Went to sale barn today. Bought some black heifers, average weight 356, average price $1.47. Got 5 today and plan to get more.

At the sale they sold some short cows with long white hair. Some had grown fairly long straight out horns. Prices were about half what the other calves were bringing. Weights were 200-400 pounds. Do these sound like Scottish highland cattle? They were very calm and well behaved. I'm not too familiar with the unusual breeds.

COWS


----------



## WJMartin (Nov 2, 2011)

They sound like Scottish Highland.


----------



## francismilker (Jan 12, 2006)

WJMartin said:


> They sound like Scottish Highland.


That would be my guess as well.


----------



## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

Good lesson to those thinking of owning "non-traditional" breeds or leaving horns on. You'll take a licking when you go to sell. If you are sure, cross your heart, that you'll never, ever market your cattle, then getting docked 75 cents a pound is no concern.


----------



## HuskyBoris (Feb 14, 2013)

I lost about 20 to 30 cents a pound on mine cuz he had horns,,even though they were small,,my Highland/Jersy x is going in my freezer though so I am not to worried about him


----------



## myheaven (Apr 14, 2006)

Hey cows where you from? People are telling me my girls fat and well vetted are too expensive at like .95 a lbs.


----------



## COWS (Dec 23, 2012)

SC. $.95 per pound for what weight? On the hoof or hanging weight?

COWS


----------



## myheaven (Apr 14, 2006)

On the hoof. Replacement vaccinated dehorned dairy heifers. The sale barn is going for $1.45+ my dh sold the cattle trailer so I can't get the to the sale barn. Been attempting to sell in Craig's list. Most want to only pay 200. I won't even make my money back.


----------



## COWS (Dec 23, 2012)

Sounds like you need another cattle trailer. One stockyard I go to is in a dairy area and they will usually have some baby bull Jersey and Holstein calves for sale, but nothing that could be called a replacement heifer, so I have no idea what one would bring.

COWS


----------



## sammyd (Mar 11, 2007)

heifer calves have been going for 150 around here sometimes less than the bull calves.
Once they are up to a decent weight the price comes back.
If I had the facilities I'd keep 'em till they were a month off from springing then ship 'em.
Last fall I shipped 2 bulls one was red and white and one was black, the black one had horns. He brought more per pound than the red and white one.
Anything that looks like a yak brings cull cow prices around here, back before the big beef price rise I watched a herd go through and the guy got .35 a pound for 'em.


----------



## myheaven (Apr 14, 2006)

Oh Sammy I don't want to hear that. I will be moving out of state and need to sell the girls. So I do have to sell them in the next 2 months. I will get my vets advice when she is out here. The sale barn here report was quality heifer 300-700. Depends on weight. Mine are running 475 and up.


----------



## kycrawler (Sep 18, 2011)

good dairy heifers are bringing 50-90 cents here in indiana . with feed prices dropping i may put a hundred head or so on feed till spring even with my move coming up . bought 20 ton of gluten pellets today for $78 a ton when they were up to $165 a ton


----------



## COWS (Dec 23, 2012)

Went to sale barn last 2 days. Saw nothing that could be considered a dairy replacement heifer.

Did see a few Holstein steers sell, 7-900 pounds, 70 to 90 cents a pound which was more than half the price of beef types at that weight. 

COWS


----------



## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

COWS said:


> Went to sale barn last 2 days. Saw nothing that could be considered a dairy replacement heifer.
> 
> Did see a few Holstein steers sell, 7-900 pounds, 70 to 90 cents a pound which was more than half the price of beef types at that weight.
> 
> COWS


And my fil wondered why I didn't buy them cheap jerseys.


----------



## opportunity (Mar 31, 2012)

I have highlands and jerseys left in my herd the Angus sell better in the ring but I get more for the others a freezer animals. We had one cross that my husband made me sell at the ring (she was a mean heifer gored the horse in the neck) we still got .79 a pound. The Angus got 1.35 at the same auction. You always loose if you sell funny at the normal sale.
I'm not sure they would be pure highlands if they are all white it seems to be a hard to come by color but the hair and horns sound right.


----------



## BeeFree (Feb 23, 2004)

We have a couple long horns and breed them to black angus. There calves so far have come out looking like black angus and grow off really fast. Bring Black Angus prices. I have a belted Galloway and have been saving the heifers out of her and have the steer up for meat. Her heifers have had calves and we did sell one of their heifers off, because DH didn't like how she was marked up. We also now have another little steer, so that will be next years meat. I have heard that Belted Galloway makes good meat. We also have black angus, charlais , and a couple other breeds I can't remember the name of.


----------



## SpaceCadet12364 (Apr 27, 2003)

Purebred white Highlands are not a myth....  We have had several. White is not as common of a color for a Highland....Red, Yellow, Black are most common. Brindles, Silver, Dun, White, and parti-color (thats a recent change I guess) are the other colors for Highlands.

Myheaven, you have some time. Try to sell them private party. What type are they, Highland? Or another horned breed?


----------



## myheaven (Apr 14, 2006)

My girls are jersey x holstine. Vet is on her way to dehorn and give shots.


----------



## myheaven (Apr 14, 2006)

Done with shots, dehorning, castrating the boys! I love me vet. Even dehorned my yearling heifer.


----------



## COWS (Dec 23, 2012)

Another trip to sale barn, got 4 more heifers.

Some have asked about dairy heifers. For the first time in memory, I saw a Holstein heifer sell. Weight 555 pounds, price $.50 a pound. Don't know reason for selling, perhaps she was a twin and someone didn't think she would breed. Usually dairies raise the heifers.

A few Jersey steers were sold. 500 pounds for $.55 per pound. 680 pound Holstein steer for $1.00 per pound. For some reason the buyers don't like Hereford calves. 505 pound Hereford heifer, $.96 a pound. Angus heifers were usually $.20 a pound higher.

COWS


----------



## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

While beef calves are sky high, the dairy industry has slowed down. Replacement dairy heifers have less demand, reflected in their lower price. The difference in price between beef feeders and Holstein feeders was once about 15 to 29 cents. Now it is past 60 to 80 cents difference. The public wants Angus, but its all beef to me.


----------



## opportunity (Mar 31, 2012)

SpaceCadet12364 said:


> Purebred white Highlands are not a myth....  We have had several. White is not as common of a color for a Highland....Red, Yellow, Black are most common. Brindles, Silver, Dun, White, and parti-color (thats a recent change I guess) are the other colors for Highlands.
> 
> Myheaven, you have some time. Try to sell them private party. What type are they, Highland? Or another horned breed?


I've seen white highlands but would not expect a group of white ones to go though a sale barn, usually they are in groups with multiple colors.


----------



## myheaven (Apr 14, 2006)

Vet told me to hold them till spring. Price will double for them then. Have another load of hay and feed coming in. I will sell them off as bred heifers.


----------



## bigmudder77 (Jun 9, 2008)

i never liked the taste of angus myself i like jersey the best 

but my friend sold an 11 year old angus cow for 1.35 a pound this summer our jersey cull cows usually only bring around .30-.70 a pound and there not even 11 years old 

alot of farmers sell a bull/heifer twin as soon as the next auction is the odds the heifer will be any good are slim to none


----------



## COWS (Dec 23, 2012)

Last trip to sale barn for a while, got 3 heifers, 2 reds, $1.12 a pound for one 360 pound one, $1.55 for another 360 pound one, both red. Don't know why the price difference. One 385 pound black one at $1.32. Those order buyers bidding with someone else's money are tough to bid against.

Some prices that some may be interested in: 895 pound white face steer, $.95. 650 pound black steer $1.26. 685 pound black heifer, $ 1.13. 660 pound Holstein steer, $.95. 630 pound Jersey bull, $.57. 310 pound heifer with horns, $1.10. 2 Holstein steers sold as a pair, 1360 pounds, $.97. 565 pound Jersey steer, $.67. All prices per pound.

COWS


----------



## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

COWS said:


> Last trip to sale barn for a while, got 3 heifers, 2 reds, $1.12 a pound for one 360 pound one, $1.55 for another 360 pound one, both red. Don't know why the price difference. One 385 pound black one at $1.32. Those order buyers bidding with someone else's money are tough to bid against.
> 
> Some prices that some may be interested in: 895 pound white face steer, $.95. 650 pound black steer $1.26. 685 pound black heifer, $ 1.13. 660 pound Holstein steer, $.95. 630 pound Jersey bull, $.57. 310 pound heifer with horns, $1.10. 2 Holstein steers sold as a pair, 1360 pounds, $.97. 565 pound Jersey steer, $.67. All prices per pound.
> 
> COWS


There is a heap of knowledge in those prices. I would expect they are typical around the country. When buying or selling, you need to understand the hows and whys.
Clearly, having horns hurts the price, so get your cattle de-horned. Understand that those with far more experience than the average homesteader, know that horns are a bad thing on the farm.
Jersey aren't worth much as beef cows. You might love how your Jersey beef tastes, but it takes more feed to raise a pound of Jersey than most other breeds and there is a lot of bone. 
Black sells. Right now, buyers want Angus, so anything black sells higher. They get paid more for finished black cattle than a Hereford or Belted Galloway. 
Younger cattle have more growth potential, so are worth more per pound than bigger, older cattle.
Heifers generally bring less than steers.


----------

