Amazed at dairy cattle prices!

[francismilker]

I was just watching the Sulphur Springs, TX dairy sale live on the internet and am shocked at the low prices. I seen Holstein, Jersey, and crossbred breeding age heifers sell for $3-400 each. Open cows and 3-titters sold very cheap as well. One three year old springing holstein that looked very good sold for $975! WOW! What a drop from two years ago.

[sammyd]

Stock up while you can....

[topside1]

Francis I agree. Tuesday I went to auction and bought these beauties at a lot less then I used to paying. At least 150 babies for sale that day...

Agman you may even see a little Angus in the third photo...Folks don't be afraid of the auction......Topside

[myersfarm]

that is were I have bught the 91 heifers I raised this year.....will start selling in June and the last in Sept.

I watch the sell twice a week on Monday and Thursday

I liked the jersey first time heifer with the heifer calf for $650

[myersfarm]

nice calfs topside bet they will make great family cows

I have thought of coming over and seeing that sell


tjm

[sammyd]

dairy calves are up a bit lately but less than half of what they were last year.
Only fitting since the price for milk is about half as well.....
Jersey farmers around here hold onto those heifer calves like nobodies business.
You can pick up bulls for free though.

[topside1]

TJM, if you ever get the urge to come to this dairy barn let me know I'd like to shake your hand. Over 1200 head marching through the sale ring weekly...Topside

[Up North]

Glad you folks can get some cheap dairy animals. On the other side of the coin it is at somebodies expense. Things are pretty rough for dairy farmers right now.

[Jennifer L.]

I had several heifers freshen this spring and I just decided to hang onto them and treat them like beefers and let them raise their own calves. Just didn't seem worth it to let them go for cheap.

Jennifer

[Cheryl aka JM]

Someone clue me in. How do I find out what auctions will have these great calves? I read the thread on buying at an auction. I went to our local auctions several times and never saw young calves~ just older "pasture" cattle~ Big, half wild and not what I was looking for in a first time experience. So I finally found a fellow with some dairy cross calves for sale~ for a higher price than I could afford but I had just gotten my tax return and on the phone he made it sound like these were going to be easy calves as they were "Very close to weaning".......well I paid a premium for 4 calves that are only a couple weeks old each and got sick and refused to eat with 24 hours. I've been to the vet several times and the calves are doing better~ I'm CAUTIOUSLY optimistic that they may survive..........but if I were going to take my chances of winding up with sick calves anyway I might as well go to the auction next time and not pay so much........if I could just the auction with bottle calves!

So~ is there a listing somewhere? Or could someone clue me into where a good sale to check in Alabama or Tn is?

[Wisconsin Ann]

Figures the prices would be down this year. We're finishing up the fences, building pond and outbuildings this year. NEXT year we'll be buying. Look for prices to go thru the roof Spring 2010.

We're seeing quite a few dairy herds up for sale this Spring (local newspaper ads and word of mouth). Haven't been to a local auction yet.

[leefarms]

JM, I live in Addison, AL. I contract dairy calves all off of a closed herd dairy. They want start calving again until Oct. but if you are interested in some day to 3 day old calves I can promise you that you want be disappointed in these calves. I bought 86 bulls last year and lost 1 of them. They go from $50 to $75 each.

[francismilker]

I guess I should have titled the thread "what a shame on prices". I'm totally taken by the fact that the dairyman are suffering these consequences. With milk prices being low selling some cattle at 1/2 price is another hit in the stomach.

[Cheryl aka JM]

Leefarms~ that would be great~ thanks~ I'll pm you closer to the season! I paid $150 each for the bull calves I got~ one of them seems to be doing great but another is the one I figure I am most likely to lose at this point (just got off the phone with the vet~ we think this calf may just be "wrong" ~ having possible small sezuires~ as well as having been sick)

[dosthouhavemilk]

When we gave up the Grade A license in March and sold off 3/4 of the cow herd, we took less than $1,000 a head for mature proven cows in milk (only 1 first freshener remained in the herd that left).
Considerably less than what we sold 7 first calf heifers for last summer.
It is quite sad. More and more small dairy farms are going under in this area. The one we sold those 11 head to lost it's license less than a month later, so our 11 cows, plus the 9 they had milking are at another small farm now until they figure out wether they start back up or not...until then we aren't getting any of the money for the cows. We've set up payment plans to both farmers, but if they aren't receiving a milk check, there is nothing to pay us with....
We'd been milking for over half a century. Still have 7 cows in milk and a number of replacement heifers, just don't have the income anymore.

[Trisha in WA]

Originally Posted by leefarms

JM, I live in Addison, AL. I contract dairy calves all off of a closed herd dairy. They want start calving again until Oct. but if you are interested in some day to 3 day old calves I can promise you that you want be disappointed in these calves. I bought 86 bulls last year and lost 1 of them. They go from $50 to $75 each.

That seems a bit high for dairy bull calves. I bought mine for $5 each. Lots of the dairies around here don't even sell them...they don't get to live to see day 2 as they are not worth the time and energy (their words not mine) to even get to the auction.

[collegeboundgal]

Trisha,

location, location, location. that's about the same prices we get around here in SWMO.

-Melissa

[Trisha in WA]

Originally Posted by collegeboundgal

Trisha,

location, location, location. that's about the same prices we get around here in SWMO.

-Melissa

Melissa,
You must be right. I can't imagine having to pay $75 for a dairy bull calf....unless it was going to be used for breeding of course, then that is a whole other deal. Of course dairies are closing down all over locally, and I would guess the veal market must not be very good either or I would have some serious competition in buying. I also am not buying them by the truck load. I only bought a couple to see how they grow out. So far so good. If all goes well, I will get 5 next time (YAY for a milk bar! LOL).
Trisha

[cjb]

Yeah, of course I bought when my family Jersey cost $1500.

Watch, I'll finally get a heifer this month that will be nearly worthless. Ah well - I will keep her if she's a she anyway

[gone-a-milkin]

cjb, you better just hush! Your new heifer will priceless, no matter her $ value. LOL.