Pricing a Dexter heifer

prairiegirl · #1 03/30/12, 08:47 AM

I could sure use some help. We've not sold any of our cows or calves for this purpose and we don't know how to price for this situation. We sell as calves or finish out for meat and sell.
What's a fair price for a Dexter heifer that is a little over 13 months old for the purpose of meat? They don't have intentions of breeding. She's not registerable. I'm not sure how soon they would butcher.
I don't know if location matters in this case, but we are in northern Indiana.

I appreciate your suggestions.

Thanks~
prairiegirl

goodhors · #2 03/30/12, 12:04 PM

Price her by the pound, same as it would cost to buy that amount of meat. What are the local meat prices at the sale barn?

Are you sure you wouldn't make a bit more selling her to breed small cattle? She will be breedable in a couple more months, for a calf in the Spring. Papers or not, a nice heifer, especially one who is friendly to handle, should go for a bit more than meat.

Try Craigslist. I doubled my money on the heifer I sold, from Feb pruchase to sale in Oct. She was a Dexter, registered, POSSIBLY in calf, handled well. No warrenty on calf, but my price was lower than the "for sure" bred, Dexter heifers and cows.

kycrawler · #3 03/31/12, 11:24 AM

in central indiana private sale she should be worth 6-800

Dusky Beauty · #4 04/05/12, 05:51 PM

Any chance she could be milked for a fair amount or does she have that bad dairy prospects? In my neck of the woods dexters are sold as mini milkers and low eaters and do well... a breedable dexter heifer is 800+ (I paid 1200 for a belmont with fabulous temperment)
If they only see her as beef, offer her price per pound.