Help me price my girls, please

[mtnmenagerie]

Hey folks -
We've decided to sell our 3 Jersey cows, and to be be honest - I don't know how to put a price tag on them. I feel like I've come up with a ballpark figure (on the high side, I guess). Anyway, I put them on craigslist - but I wanted to ask all you fine cattle people to help me be reasonable in what to expect. Of course, I know region plays a big part in pricing - I'm just south of Chattanooga, TN.
Here's a link to my ad - if you care to chime in on pricing, I'd appreciate it

http://chattanooga.craigslist.org/grd/2633613055.html

Thanks!

[topside1]

http://www.golsn.com/listings/farm-l...k/2386383.html

Here is an example, like it or not...Topside

[myersfarm]

topside Why have you not grabbed those $850 cows up.....and raise you some babies

[topside1]

TJM, you're right I do need to make some changes, milking these goats by hand is killing my hands....Glad someone is thinking about old Topside.

[Karen in Alabam]

Any bites on the cows? Look like mine, horns and all

How much milk are you getting off them?

[Cindy in KY]

Makes me wish I had a tractor to trade.

Our good friend is raising babies on 3 big Jerseys. He gets 4 bottle babies for each one, lets them nurse 30 minutes am and pm, turns the Jerseys out in the pasture. Babies get feed in the barn and start eating pretty early. He is raising 12 babies every 8 weeks this way. He puts the weaned ones out on another pasture after they are good and weaned. He gets his babies from the same place all the time, so it works great for him. He has 3 fantastic Jerseys, that will take any babies.

Our Jersey Girl is due to calve Thanksgiving, and we are hoping to get some more babies for her, and do it the same as our friend does, since we milk her too. That is a great price I think, they are high up here. Jersey baby bottle girls are $200 to $250. Do you know if your girls were twins or not? You'd get a lot more if they already had one calf and are milking.

[mtnmenagerie]

Originally Posted by Karen in Alabam

Any bites on the cows? Look like mine, horns and all

How much milk are you getting off them?

We've got someone coming out tomorrow to look at them - sounds pretty serious about them (hopefully). That's mostly what inspired this thread... had to see how much I should let him talk me down. lol

Neither of the cows were twins. Both cows freshened 6 months ago. Second time for the 5 year old (Josie), First time for the 3 year old. We were milking Josie up until recently, but now she's just been turned out full time with her 6 month old heifer. I didn't even separate mom and calf before milking, and I was still getting 1 - 2+ gallons per milking - depending on how much our second calf "borrowed"

Thanks for the input everybody!

[cedarcreekranch]

In this area (NE Oklahoma) your prices seem to be right in line or even a bit low. Every once in a while I've seen jersey cows go for less but usually for a reason. Good luck to you!

[oregon woodsmok]

Those are beautiful cows.

Even on the same block, price varies hugely by the quality and condition of the animals and with Jersey cows, temperament is really critical. A safe cow that is kind and can be hand milked sells for a premium price.

Unless there are several cows the same quality as yours priced for much less, I can't see where your prices are low. Even if there is another Jersey offered at the same time for $400, what does she look like? She might not be good for anything but hamburger.

I used to have people come to me and try to get my price down, pointing out another animal that was much less expensive. I'd tell them, "Fine. Go buy that one." And they had always already been to look at that one and it was a wreck, so they didn't want it.

They were just trying to get a quality animal for the price of a worthless one. Then they would end up paying what I was asking.