# Baby Prices (not sure where this goes)



## rittert3 (Nov 18, 2009)

Was thinking about getting a bottle baby might try a goat first but a anybody know what a beef bull <week old would go for pretty sure i can pick up a pygmy goat baby for $15-$20 but i work the cattle sales and to busy to hear what things are going for. Also we don't ever get holstein heifers in just bulls anybody know what a heifer would sell for?


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## no nonsense (Nov 18, 2009)

Huh?

You're not sure where this goes, but I'm not sure where you're coming from.
There's a big difference between a kid and a calf, and they do grow. Maybe some more info on your goal would help us give you more advice.

PS You won't get a beef calf, nor a dairy heifer calf for 15-20 bucks.


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## Imissmygirls (Nov 18, 2009)

off the top of my head, I'd say you will pay 60-100 for a Holstein bull calf, maybe a tad less for a beef/dairy cross ( because they weigh less). Jersey bulls maybe for free at the right time-- but they don't produce much beef. There is a reason for the variety of prices. 
Not many pure beef newborns for sale: their mommas generally keep them.
And heifers- non freemartin? anywhere from $300 on up to $500.


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## rittert3 (Nov 18, 2009)

15-20 was refuring to a goat If I went that route I would raise 2 or 3. I was asking Prices on a beef bull calf idealy a Blk WF which I would sell at about 200lbs or a holstein heifer which I could raise and sell into a good market (latley alot of people in this area have been looking for nurser cows). I would want calves under a week old.


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## rittert3 (Nov 18, 2009)

I work at a couple sale barns and depending on the time of year we seperate bad cows from thear calves just can't hear what they go for from the yard, no business with a dairy bull but if I could bottle raise a nurser cow there would be a better market. 2 weeks ago we sold a bunch of holstein calves that wern't right in the head I don't think they brought anything they were dead weight wouldn't stand or walk and shouldn't have been unloaded. They're always boys boys unless something is seriously wrong.


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## jhm47 (Nov 19, 2009)

Raising those little calves is tricky.  Many that come through a sale barn pick up a virus or bug of some kind and need a lot of tender loving care to survive.  There are unscrupulous dealers in many areas who buy the sick ones and give them massive doses of antibiotics and give them massive intravenous fluids to make them appear healthy for a day or so.  When the unlucky buyer gets them home, they crash, and are usually dead within 24 hours.  

If you can, buy calves fresh off the farm.  Make sure that they have been fed colostrum.  The calves that appear frisky and kick up their heels and buck around a little are usually healthy.  Those that stand around with droopy ears and sunken eyes are to be avoided.


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## Imissmygirls (Nov 19, 2009)

So you re looking for a bucket-fed pure-beef calf, preferably a heifer. 
I'd say _again, off the top of my head_ to expect to pay top dollar for that, more per pound than dairy beef. Reasoning being that at maturity full beef brings more pr pound than dairy beef.  Heifers/bulls should run close to the same price and the price I quoted was for dairy heifers which are sky-high all over.


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## FarmerChick (Nov 19, 2009)

rittert3 said:
			
		

> Was thinking about getting a bottle baby might try a goat first but a anybody know what a beef bull <week old would go for pretty sure i can pick up a pygmy goat baby for $15-$20 but i work the cattle sales and to busy to hear what things are going for. Also we don't ever get holstein heifers in just bulls anybody know what a heifer would sell for?


Does your sale run on your day off?
Or another sale?

best to visit the sale as a participant/buyer and learn the prices in your area.   If you have a day off, then research is your best friend.


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## rittert3 (Nov 20, 2009)

jhm47 said:
			
		

> Raising those little calves is tricky.  Many that come through a sale barn pick up a virus or bug of some kind and need a lot of tender loving care to survive.  There are unscrupulous dealers in many areas who buy the sick ones and give them massive doses of antibiotics and give them massive intravenous fluids to make them appear healthy for a day or so.  When the unlucky buyer gets them home, they crash, and are usually dead within 24 hours.
> 
> If you can, buy calves fresh off the farm.  Make sure that they have been fed colostrum.  The calves that appear frisky and kick up their heels and buck around a little are usually healthy.  Those that stand around with droopy ears and sunken eyes are to be avoided.


The calve have to walk almost a quarter mile from the trailer to their holding pen so I wouldn't buy anything I had to carry around that morning. They do unload cattle that shouldn't be (they are suposed to beable to walk off the trailer) but the nice thing about working there is I get to know which ones are duds most of the baby beefers are pulled off kill cows (is it that hard to train them to take a bottle under 3 weeks old?) The majority of our dairy calves are holstein bulls from the K-state dairy dept. But don't receive much care before they sell them on tuesdays and fridays. And I have no use for a holstein bull/steer anyway.


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## rittert3 (Nov 20, 2009)

Imissmygirls said:
			
		

> So you re looking for a bucket-fed pure-beef calf, preferably a heifer.
> I'd say _again, off the top of my head_ to expect to pay top dollar for that, more per pound than dairy beef. Reasoning being that at maturity full beef brings more pr pound than dairy beef.  Heifers/bulls should run close to the same price and the price I quoted was for dairy heifers which are sky-high all over.


If it is a beefer I would only want a bull calf to be steered (pref. a Blk Baldy) but if it was dairy calf I would only want a heifer.


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## rittert3 (Nov 20, 2009)

FarmerChick said:
			
		

> rittert3 said:
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> 
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> ...


they are my only source of income for a couple more weeks  then moving don't have room for livestock right now but it is a plan in the next couple years. So no way to watch sales right now. I will probably work the sale barns in my new area for a couple weeks but would probably beable to attend after that.


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