Cost of Old Bull

dezeeuwgoats · #1 07/20/06, 10:25 PM

Hi, I posted this question on another thread, but wanted to get it up front. A friend of mine has an older jersey bull that she wants to sell. The other thread was saying that older bulls make fine hamburger. So, what I'd like to know is - how much per pound for old jersey bulls? He is an unregistered miniature - so not as big as a full grown jersey. I'd like to make a reasonable offer - but not get taken for ride either.
thanks;
Niki

james dilley · #2 07/20/06, 10:38 PM

Maybe 15 cents A pound on the hoof ,As it may only dress out to 65% And it can be used for roasts and Steaks too. just adjust cooking time..

Ronney · #3 07/21/06, 07:17 AM

Most New Zealand bull meat ends up in the States for hamburger beef no matter what age or breed they are. I recently sent off a 5 year old bull that weighed out at 927lbs and received $1,210.19 for him - this equates to about $1.30 per lb. Even allowing for the exchange rate, 15c per lb might be a little on the light side?

Get hold of your local stock agent or abbotoir and find out what they're paying.

Cheers,
Ronnie

Hammer4 · #4 07/21/06, 09:38 AM

Check what slaughter cattle are getting per pound at your closest stock auction yard. That is basically hamburger price.

http://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/SJ_LS110.txt

That is a link to the St Joseph Missouri report, Slaughter bulls were going for 52 - 61 cents a pound. Can you get a tape around the bull to get an estimage of weight? A Dexter bull will range from 800-1200 pounds full grown, some might be bigger. I am sure a full grown Jersey bull can be closer to 2000 or more. So I guess the bulls weight will depend on how 'minature' he is.

michiganfarmer · #5 07/21/06, 09:42 AM

Id say $.50/lb live weight

agmantoo · #6 07/21/06, 09:47 AM

$.50 live weight is on the money.

Oxankle · #7 07/21/06, 03:48 PM

Agman:

Will the commercial buyers pay full bull prices for a miniature? I've never seen one on the market, but I've seen a dwarf or two and they did not sell well.
Ox.

dezeeuwgoats · #8 07/22/06, 02:16 PM

Yes - I was wondering if being a miniature would affect the meat prices - that's one of the reasons I asked here. The dwarfs I've seen go through go for next to nothing. Now this guy is nowhere NEAR the size of a full grown, 6/7yr old jersey bull. I'd say 'maybe' pushing close to 1,000lbs - but probably a bit under. Also, he's got a large bump/growth/abcess on his face that he's lived with for years. It's not open and doesn't seem to ever really bother him.

Thanks;
Niki

ozark_jewels · #9 07/22/06, 03:28 PM

I am having a hard time understanding why the price *per lb* would be any different for a miniature vs standard?? I mean, your still going to get the same general type of meat to bone ratio and its going to be the same quality, no matter the size of the animal.

I would think it would be the condition and age that would make the difference??

Hammer4 · #10 07/22/06, 04:35 PM

ozark, that's like trying to figure out why steers with black hides are selling for more per pound these days ( at least around here ) than other colors....I guess the angus beef advertising is paying off or something. They all are the same on the inside, other than a bit of marbleing or tenderness difference I guess.

I think mostly the price is discounted at a cattle auction, as the buyers may not want to spend much on a 'dwarf' or minature as it is out of the range of what they normally buy. A private sale is different, if someone wants a minature jersey, then they most likely will get the 50 cents a pound mentioned above...

ozark_jewels · #11 07/22/06, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hammer4

ozark, that's like trying to figure out why steers with black hides are selling for more per pound these days ( at least around here ) than other colors....I guess the angus beef advertising is paying off or something. They all are the same on the inside, other than a bit of marbleing or tenderness difference I guess.

I think mostly the price is discounted at a cattle auction, as the buyers may not want to spend much on a 'dwarf' or minature as it is out of the range of what they normally buy. A private sale is different, if someone wants a minature jersey, then they most likely will get the 50 cents a pound mentioned above...

Yeah, thats my thinking......

dezeeuwgoats · #12 07/22/06, 08:33 PM

"wanting' a miniature jersey is one thing - but buying one for meat, and not for breeding is another. I'm simply not interested 'enough' to pay over what he'd bring at auction. I should find out what the jersey steers/bulls are selling for at the local auction. If my memory serves me right it was nowhere close to .50 per pound. The ones I saw were young - weighing in the neighborhood of 600-700lbs, were full-size jersey breed, and I'm pretty sure they went for .30+ per lb. I thought, that perhaps since this bull is far past 'prime', is a miniature, and has that blemish that it might effect the price. I've 'overspent' on enough animals, I'd like to be smart about this.

Thanks everyone for all your input. I think I will call that auction! I'll let you know what I hear.

niki

agmantoo · #13 07/22/06, 08:44 PM

with a growth on his head he will sell as if he is going for dog food but will end up as burger. Less than 30 cents a lb IMO. Blemishes give the buyers the right to steal or so they think.

ozark_jewels · #14 07/22/06, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dezeeuwgoats

I thought, that perhaps since this bull is far past 'prime', is a miniature, and has that blemish that it might effect the price.

Yes, thats my point. He should go for the same price as auction prices for others that are in comparable condition. The fact that he is a miniature should not affect his slaughter price *per lb*. You only pay for as many lbs as you get. His facial blemish would not affect the way I would price him for meat.....your not going to eat the face and you said he has had it for years. Your not buying his genetics, your just buying his body. I'm not suggesting you pay more than he's worth, but if its price per lb your paying, he should go for the same as a standard bull in comparable body condition and age.

ozark_jewels · #15 07/22/06, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by agmantoo

with a growth on his head he will sell as if he is going for dog food but will end up as burger. Less than 30 cents a lb IMO. Blemishes give the buyers the right to steal or so they think.

Yes they do. But if I was buying a bull for meat, off the farm, with a harmless facial blemish....I would not try to pay less for him because of it. Its not going to affect the meat and he is worth just as much for meat for a private individual, as if he had no blemish. If someone tried to talk me down on him because of it, and he was mine, I'd just keep him and eat him.

And no, Niki, I am not saying thats what your trying to do.

dezeeuwgoats · #16 07/23/06, 03:53 PM

My friend told me that she'd like to sell him - cheap, because she knew she couldn't get much at auction. The reality is that miniatures do not bring the same market price as full size cattle when sold for meat. Here, dairy cattle go for FAR, far less than beef cattle,even though they are all going for meat. I know it is due to percentage of dressing out - but it appears the price is even lower than that, really.

I do want to make a fair offer, but I'm also not going to be taken advantage of. When I call the auction (not sure if they are open tomorrow), then I can find out what she'd get there. Since the bull is older - I don't think she's going to be able to market him to just anyone - there's just not a whole lot of interest, even 'privately'. That's part of the reason I asked - I've never bought anything that wasn't in prime condition, young and healthy. She doesn't need the meat herself, as she has a 19month old jersey x steer that they will be processing for their own use soon. So if she accepts my offer - I'm doing her a service also. If it isn't than she just won't accept it, plain and simple.

I'd like the whole deal to be beneficial to both of us, and I think it can be. If healthy, yearling jersey steers are going in the .30 cents a pound range here - then I think it is reasonable to offer her less for a 6+ years old bull that is past his prime. If she doesn't like my offer, she can always say no. I agree with paying the same price as animals the same age and in similiar physical condition.

I sure didn't mean to offend anyone here. I guess it's the age old controversy of what the seller thinks the animal is worth, and what the buyer is willing to pay - what the market will bear. It is really more of a personal question than I realized.

niki

dezeeuwgoats · #17 07/23/06, 04:01 PM

Is it 'normal' in other geographical locations for the prices between beef and dairy cattle, going for beef, to have such a wide discrepancy? Is it simply due to the jersey breed being viewed as undesireable because of the yellow fat? Jersey steers - even in excellent condition, are the bottom of the barrel here, price-wise.

A beef steer can go for over a dollar a pound here, a jersey steer in the 'same' condition (not exact weight, but clear-eyed, healthy etc) will go for maybe $.35 a pound. Surely it isn't ALL dressed weight percentages? That's too wide a spread! Even hostein steers are higher.

Niki

kgchis · #18 07/23/06, 08:43 PM

I was at the sale a couple weeks ago. I saw about 6 old bulls sell for hamburger. The cost was between .40 and .45 per lb.

65284 · #19 07/23/06, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ozark_jewels

Yes, thats my point. He should go for the same price as auction prices for others that are in comparable condition. The fact that he is a miniature should not affect his slaughter price *per lb*. You only pay for as many lbs as you get. His facial blemish would not affect the way I would price him for meat.....your not going to eat the face and you said he has had it for years. Your not buying his genetics, your just buying his body. I'm not suggesting you pay more than he's worth, but if its price per lb your paying, he should go for the same as a standard bull in comparable body condition and age.

The main reason minis are discounted so heavily at sales is economics. The packers want a certain size to fill a box. It costs them just as much to kill and process a small animal as a standard size one and there is a lot less yield, and odd size cuts to deal with. They just don't want the smalls and since they buy almost of the slaughter cattle they set the price.

ozark_jewels · #20 07/23/06, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 65284

The main reason minis are discounted so heavily at sales is economics. The packers want a certain size to fill a box. It costs them just as much to kill and process a small animal as a standard size one and there is a lot less yield, and odd size cuts to deal with. They just don't want the smalls and since they buy almost of the slaughter cattle they set the price.

Yes, I know about why they do it at sales. I was saying that it really shouldn't affect "on the farm" pricing.