Steer Price

[cowboybecoachin]

It depends on your goals. We attempt to keep our steers and heifers reasonably priced. But you will not get our best calf for sale barn prices.
However, you can get a very good calf in the $2000-3500 if you know what to look for and where to look. And it can be fun and rewarding  to take a 'steal" and beat the high-dollar calves.
Had some calves we sold in the $1750-3500 range beat some calves costing $25,000 this spring.
Someone made a good point that sometimes the high-cost calf also comes with a lotta extras, as in halter-breaking,  fitting, breeding, etc.
What most people spend also depends on their pocketbooks. If  a rancher whose primary business is not the ranch, and he had a good year financially, the calf can be a tax write-off.
Another good point is how bad do you want to win? Sometimes winning trumps the other points, especially if you have deep pockets.
Probably the saddest thing I see is families not properly caring for the calf, regardless of price.
i will close with this statement:  If anyone wants to pay us MORE for a calf, we will TAKE IT!  (Ha Ha)

 

[irh]

I'll tell you what it takes more to win our county fair, the average first 5 is $5000 to probably $10000.  We have a very competive fair, plus knowing all the judges also helps win a show. 

 

[shortyjock89]

Well i like just to go out and have fun when showing cattle we raise good cattle but its more about going out and having fun then winning all the time, i mean it is nice to win but its more of going out and having fun that's how i was brought up. I have had champions through my years but we don't spend lots of money on steers we pay more for heifers. Again this is how i was brought up and anyway we raise some very good steers and heifers, i don't care what anybody says.

I can totally understand wanting to have a good time, and not spending a ton of money to do it, but I kind of look at our show string like cars: Heifers can be like minivans or a nice sedan...maybe not the fastest or the fanciest but they'll getcha where you need to go and look nice....a steer is like a Hot Rod...win or lose, it's gonna be a heck of a ride!

 

[herefordfootball]

I've got news for you on the whole making money thing on a steer selling at county fair. ITS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. You are going to get at least 1000$/per year/per calf in feed and hay. This doesnt include vet bills. Spend what you want on your steers, but you can find just as good as quality in a 600$ steer as you can a 2500$ steer.  We paid 600$ for a simmi bull calf right out of the pasture, never been touched or worked with. Then paid $1400 for a chianina steer with clubby bloodlines. The simmi was out of just a plain sim cow and clean up bull. The Simmi was Champion Simmental steer and the Chi just won his class. It takes a good eye to pick one out that will grow right and finish at the right time, we got more luck than skill in that situation I think. lol

Overall it just depends on how much you can lose while still getting the best calf possible and staying in you're given price range.

 

[HT]

I bought a county fair steer for $600.00 this past year he was a Kadabra and he was amazing. he ended up winning res champion steer and i won showmanship with him. I bought a calf last year, I paid $1,100 for him he didn't do crap at the show but he was grand champion carcass and weight gain. Then i bought a state calf this year for $550.00 and he got third in his class and 9th overall carcass.. this is just my last two years. I have bought calves from $500-2000 and i have always found that our cheeper calves do better for some reason, shop around and get the best deal!!
Hope this helps

 

[afhm]

Spend a little bit of money and buy a good one to start with and you've got half the battle won before the fair ever rolls around.