Would you sell one for $800

[OH Breeder]

I was reading a classified and I want to know what some others think. Would you sell a steer calf for $800? Without giving up too much info, there was a case recently where a steer sold for 10,000 and the child never took care of it, beat it and abiused it and it is now in "rehab". My concern is, if someone would do that with a 10k steer what would they do with a $800 one?
If the right kid came to me and I had access to the steer following the sale, I would give them a break.  What about you folks?

 

[clifflem]

We have sold some for that before to good homes.  I think if someone is going to abuse one and not take care of it, that price is the least of their problems.  We've been known to take less for calves if we knew they were going to good homes and would be taken care of and have a chance to win.
$800 is more than market price for a weaning age calf.  I have always operated on the theory that a steer is only worth market price unless you can find someone who will give a premium for him.  The calves we sell this way are out of the pasture, not broke to lead or up on show feed.

 

[showcattlegal]

I will sell one for that to a good home. I did last year and he won our show, he was a clean up bull calf or he would have been more money. I would rather them go to somebody that will take care of them and do the best they can, then to not feed right or take care of them and make me look like i don't have good cattle. But that's just me.

 

[pigguy]

we usually sell our cattle at the sale barn for 800 but they are feeder cattle

 

[red]

I would sell a feeder calf for that price but not a broke, hair worked on steer.
The case you are talking about- certainly there was some prior history?

Red

 

[Show Heifer]

I have a few years ago when the market wasn't as high. But right now, in late Sept or early Oct, my calves will bring 800 at the salebarn off the cow. BUT.....if I have a STEER (not a heifer) that I have worked with (halter broke etc.) and I know a DESERVING kid that wants a calf, then I have my ways of working with the family. I am not in this game to get rich, rather pay my bills and get cheap labor (just kidding on the labor part!!!)
My goal is to sell my "show type calves" for at least $200 over market. My heifers, well, that is another story...... :-*

 

[OH Breeder]

I would sell a feeder calf for that price but not a broke, hair worked on steer.
The case you are talking about- certainly there was some prior history?

Red

We have talked about it Red. The case has arrived. It is a real case. Too too bad. Will fill you in later.

 

[farmboy]

This post was started by me (classifieds) but....Today I got the best calf we looked at for ....850 broke and hairy  (clapping)

 

[OH Breeder]

This post was started by me (classifieds) but....Today I got the best calf we looked at for ....850 broke and hairy  (clapping)

Post some pictures of this hairy beast!

 

[shortdawg]

We bought a Dr. Hook calf one time for $800 and were the only ones to bid on him. He won his class at all the big shows and ended up being in a 3 way tie for 11th place in points out of all the GCCPA steers in the state.

 

[farmboy]

i havent recieved him yet  we looked today, liked what we saw, and gave jimmy simpson $200 down payment and he will haul it out to our place wednsday evening. I got a pic of him from there sale in april (he didnt sell...couldnt believe that  ??? ) in this one he must be about 2 months old ( born 2-16 sale was on 4-13)

as of now, he was in the barn a week and was "puppy dog status" when we arrived and his hair was "sun burned"...but he's got BIG bone and good muscle expression and figured it was a deal, jump on it. Also has a very stylish neck He was a c-section calf (not a MONSTER but...upside down AND backwards)

just as a side note, he also had about 12 beutiful heifers (1200 - 4500 $ for sale) AND a heatseeker x meyer/flush calf that hasnt been weaned yet and a few good lookin hannibal steers and a real nice pale face steer. He's got all of his steers and heifers for sale and you ohio people may want to drob by sometime and check it out.

OH B, i'll have some pics of him whenever i get him and i'll have him at the highland show and brown county and a few other shows if you wanna see him in person ;D

 

[DLD]

Well, with the market as strong as it is, I'd pretty much hold out for a minimum of $1000 these days, but I have sold 'em for $800 and less. I don't honestly think there's much if any correlation in price and a good home, at least in the sense of the animal being kept safe and healthy and cared for. Yeah, I'd agree that at higher figures we'd hope they'd get a home where they'd have some advantages in terms of more skilled/experienced feeders and fitters, but that's just not always the case.

I've still got this thing about thinking that a kid needs to be able to buy one at a figure that they could realistically hope to at least break even on. Of course that's less for a county show kind of steer than for one we think has good potential to do well at a major, but you get the idea...

 

[OH Breeder]

Good photo. WE are all the way up to the northwest part of the state. Brown county and Highland are a little farther south. But, good luck with him. Post pictures when you get'em.

 

[knabe]

just received a phone call from a guy that wanted my heifers.  said he just bought a charolais bull, had 30 acres and wanted to see some cows and watch a cow give birth.  i said no and told him he should cut that bull, rent his pasture, that way he could just have fun.

 

[Showcalves]

We have in the past but not this year.  We've come to the conclusion that we need $1000 for everything we sell.  No calf leaves the farm without being broke to lead and we offer to help clip and fit at a couple of shows for every calf.  Our heifers are the same deal and we're starting them at $1200. 

Melinda

 

[sjcattleco]

just received a phone call from a guy that wanted my heifers.  said he just bought a charolais bull, had 30 acres and wanted to see some cows and watch a cow give birth.  i said no and told him he should cut that bull, rent his pasture, that way he could just have fun.

LOL  I love it!!!  (clapping)

 

[OH Breeder]

just received a phone call from a guy that wanted my heifers.  said he just bought a charolais bull, had 30 acres and wanted to see some cows and watch a cow give birth.  i said no and told him he should cut that bull, rent his pasture, that way he could just have fun.

You are too funny.

 

[shorthorns r us]

everybody has to start somewhere!

 

[knabe]

everybody has to start somewhere!

i agree SRU, but the bull he purchased was from guggenburger and edwards, a charolais, and noted for their size (one cow 2400 lbs), and he wanted to breed the heifers to him.  i just couldn't do it.  i would rather feed them out than put them through that.  there is another guy local who raises a nice herd of more moderate charolais and pinzgauer's.  the next fence over, is a red angus breeder, his cows are a little bit bigger than the tj size.  one guy across the highway from me has some angus cross cows that look to be in the 800 lb range with a bull that probably is the same size as a lowline.  i'll get some pictures, but i commute in the dark so sometimes it's kinda hard, but at least it's interesting to see dramatically different cattle in an area with 12-20 inches rain/year.

 

[shorthorns r us]

i didn't catch the part where he put the cart before the horse or the bull b4 the cow in this case