# What to charge for dexter steer calves?



## Dexter (Sep 27, 2008)

I have two 8-9 month old dexter steers that are becoming real teenagers, and I am not currently fenced well enough to allow these habits to spread to the older cattle.
Butchering now would be a shame. Any idea how to sell them? They could easily spend the summer on someone's pasture, and really another summer after this would be even brighter.
Any idea as to what sort of pricing would they be worth?

I have no way to weigh them here.
Thanks!


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## francismilker (Jan 12, 2006)

Just my opinion here........so don't take it the wrong way. Any steer of any breed is a terminal animal without any chances of breeding and reproducing; therefore, he would only be worth salebarn price by the pound. Whether he's an angus, hereford, or dexter he's still headed for the freezer. (That is unless he is "finished" and ready for butcher.) (Then, it would be around $2.25 per pound hanging weight.) Just my two cents.


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## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

Unfortunately at most sale barns, buyers aren't familiar with Dexters, therefore you won't get top dollar. I would advertise them on Craigslist. When you get some enquiries, then you can set a price. Whatever feeder calves are bringing per pound in your area is what you can start at, but you may have to go lower.


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## Dexter (Sep 27, 2008)

Thanks for the responses.
Yes I was planning to advertize in Craigslist/Kijiji where I will likely find a buyer looking for this sort of breed to raise on their small acreage.
Is over $1.00 per pound reasonable? I will estimate them at 400 pounds, and any less than $400 will not likely turn a profit due to our long hay feeding winters of the breeding cattle.
I suppose I am looking for a realistic approximate pricepoint to start at, if anyone can throw a number out there?


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## Farm 36 (Mar 21, 2009)

Welcome to the reality of the cattle bussiness . I sold my Jersey steers that were in good shape with fat filling in the tailhead for .65 and I was happy and made money . I know beef breed get a dollar or per pound and holstein steers get .70 to.75 . That is what the market is around me . But you can get more and you can get less .


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## genebo (Sep 12, 2004)

Dexter beef is of excellent quality. You should be able to get more for a Dexter steer than a steer of any other breed, providing you can find a knowledgeable buyer.

The usual markets for steers know nothing of Dexters, and will bring low prices.

Sorry I can't give you any prices, but your market in B. C. is entirely different from mine, in Virginia.

Genebo
Paradise Farm


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## francismilker (Jan 12, 2006)

Genebo, 
What percentage of Dexters slaughtered would you say grade "prime" as compared to angus or other beef breeds? I've heard different folks promote different breeds over the years but I rarely see any breed promote their product to the extent the angus folks have in the past few years with their "certified angus beef" campaign.


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## genebo (Sep 12, 2004)

Francismilker,

Few Dexters will grade prime. Prime grade means that it has the highest fat content. Most Dexters are going to be grass fed and they have a natural tendency to produce leaner meat. Almost all your prime beef has been heavily fed on grain to put on fat.

They marble well and are tender, but their leanness and naturally darker color keeps them from grading high by industry standards.

I had my bull tested for quality and tenderness. He tested high in these categories and in feed efficiency. Yet he tested lower in his ability to put on fat. 

Here are some Dexter T-bones, ready for the grill. I served one of these to a visitor. He liked the taste and tenderness so much that he bought two steers from me.










Note the low amount of trim fat and darker red color. These were from a grass fed 27 month old steer.

It's hard to fault the Angus people for their advertising campaign. They're responsible for pulling us through the "mad cow" scare and help keep beef prices up.

I have a friend who breeds his Angus cows with a Dexter steer. All the offspring are 1/2 Angus, with black hides, and are polled. He sells them as Angus at the market and gets top prices for them. They qualify as "Certified Angus Beef", but taste better. He sells most of his beef to private buyers for even higher prices than he can get at the market.

Genebo
Paradise Farm


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## francismilker (Jan 12, 2006)

Genobo, When do I need to show up for supper? Those are some mighty fine looking grass-fed steaks! Thanks for the info.


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## RosewoodfarmVA (Oct 5, 2005)

Dexter said:


> Thanks for the responses.
> Yes I was planning to advertize in Craigslist/Kijiji where I will likely find a buyer looking for this sort of breed to raise on their small acreage.
> Is over $1.00 per pound reasonable? I will estimate them at 400 pounds, and any less than $400 will not likely turn a profit due to our long hay feeding winters of the breeding cattle.
> I suppose I am looking for a realistic approximate pricepoint to start at, if anyone can throw a number out there?


I cannot imagine $400 cost for hay in a steer! If you have to make that much to break even I would suggest either finding a way to reduce feed costs or find another market such as breeding stock sales or such. No cattleman I know makes money by buying all his feed, Cows are for the man who has large quantities of feed available at little to no cost. Buying feed and then expecting the market to pay higher prices to support that will leave you with an unsaleable animal. While Dexters may have high quality meat, we are talking on a per lb basis, not a per animal basis, meaning that a lb of Dexter may be similar in quality to a lb of Angus or other grassfed beef, so there is no reason anyone should pay a higher per lb price for Dexter than any other steer of good quality. 

On our local craigslist, Raleigh Nc, the animals that sell are heifers and bred cows, at .90 to 1.00 a lb. Steers are much less than that, I occasionally see steers for .40-.50 because people need to get rid of them and cannot get buyers at higher price. I do not say this to discourage you, only to help you realize that the market for a steer is butcher beef only, no one wants a steer pet (sometimes people will advertize one as a pet only as they bottle raised it and don't want someone to butcher it) and no farmer will buy a steer when he can raise his own; you are stuck with someone who does not have his own herd, yet has the necessary setup to fatten that steer then butcher him. What I'm saying is that if you had a heifer or even a bull you may get 1.00 a lb for it because people will add them to their herds, but with a steer you will do well to get perhaps .80 lb. I don't think you will get any more on a per lb basis than what the local market for feeder steers will pay...Dexter or not.


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## Dexter (Sep 27, 2008)

Rosewood, that is why I ask.
I sell papered breeding stock on a small scale, and naturally have steers left over. Heifers and grown steers are worth significantly more here.
My ballpark of $400 includes the fact that there is a cow and bull required to keep year round, and they require feed, fence, and TIME.
And often small scale farmers forget to add in their time- dragging down prices for everyone.
.40c a pound, yes it is time to get out of the cattle business!


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## copperhead46 (Jan 25, 2008)

I guess they would be considered "feeders" and most of the ones around here go for about a dollar a lb. You're right about people not figuring the time, and expence of keeping the parents of said steer, they all take money. It's a shame you don't have a way to keep the steers to butcher size, I sell them as fast as I get one ready, grass fed and and all natural, folks love them. 
P.J.


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