Reasonable Pricwe for Cattle

[cowpoke]

Unclipped calves and calves that havent been on creep [IF] you can pick them out turn out the same and usually better than overclipped ,hot fed young calves.I know of more than a few instances where a younger or greener calf was bought at a sale barn that brought 10 times its first cost after being clipped.The problem is so many people have to see them clipped and fat in order to make a decision or how high the price is too see if anyone else likes them.It is the same in most anything from cars to girls and for the girls boys.Shine ,clothes and make-up are nice but its way more important to have the base item be as good as the outside.True cattlemen and women know good cattle period and dont need extra fat or glamour shots.I know it not always possible but the best place to see a calf is on his mother in a pasture or have a knowledgeable cattleman help you.People that make a living in the real world cattle business dont need a PHD to know what it takes.The minute you purchase your project thats when hard work and doing things right gain you an advantage .The hair will grow back ,but excellent structure and quality stay the same.I have yet to see a price tag on a calf in the ring. This year at our State Fair a young man with an averaged priced steer that had been well taken care of won and I thought it was good for everyone .

 

[ZNT]

If you want to get the best value for your dollar, you need to avoid going to the big names.  There are literally hundreds, if not thousands of smaller breeders that raise and sell just as good of quality of calves as the calves from the big names.  Many of the high dollar steers and heifers that the jocks are peddling actually came from a small breeder, and maybe went through several hands before making it into the barns of the big boys.  Chambero is 100% right on about not going out and looking for the super fluffy, mini fat steers that have been in the coolers for the last couple of months.  

I can sympathize with you jbzdad.  We have posted countless numbers of reasonable priced cattle in the classifieds with no PM's or calls.  Many of these same cattle would be selling for 2-4 times the amount we are asking if they were standing on someone else's place.  Secondly, there are plenty of cattle out there that the jocks and big breeders will not even consider marketing, and it's not due to quality, it is because it is not out of one of their sires, or the small breeder does not spend enough at their sales.    

 

[knabe]

zane, that heifer you have is awesome.  you need to get one of those two guys who have montego semen to put her in their string.

if that's not an option, beg chris black or kristy collins or someone like that like hartman used to do.

 

[ZNT]

zane, that heifer you have is awesome.  you need to get one of those two guys who have montego semen to put her in their string.

if that's not an option, beg chris black or kristy collins or someone like that like hartman used to do.

We currently have 2 yearling heifers that we have for sale.  Not sure which one you are referring too, but both are pretty awesome.  The Breathe Easy heifer truly does have the potential to be a big time steer, or steer sire producer, and our Deuces are Wild heifer, out of our Audrey donor, has a pedigree that is completely stacked, and the look to go with it.  I am really surprised they are still at my place, but hopefully the right people come along this fall.  There is no sale barn in their future.  They will get bred and calved out before that ever happens.

Thanks for sending me pics of your heifer.  There are a lot of good things about here.  Definitely can produce some good ones.  Just have to find the bull that complements her the best.  But isn't that the challenge for all of us in this game we play.

 

[everybreedcounts]

I totally agree that show cattle are always wayyyy to expensive. if you think about it, they are all just meat. a $10000 jackpot champion is not going to taste any better then a market price feeder steer. i think all the high prices are outrageous. is it really worth spending all that money on a steer or heifer? i think not. for me, reasonable prices range anywhere from $800 to $3500. the price for an average show steer should be $1000 to $1600, and for maybe a division champion, $1700 to $2500. for a grand champion, maybe $2600 and up. the breeder i go to sells his steers for really reasonable prices, what nice show steers should be sold for. last year i got a really awesome purebred shorthorn for $2000, but he was worth more like $3000-$5000. This year i got a shorthorn maintainer cross, a really awesome steer for $2500, but anywhere else he would go for $5000 to $7000. hope this helps. if you search hard, you can get really good deals

pictures: the red paint steer is the purebred shorthorn and the sold red is the shorthorn cross.