price check dexter heifer (registered)

bknthesdle · #1 10/08/14, 02:38 PM

I'm looking a buying a registered dexter heifer. Appx 4 months old. Halter broke and DNA'd. What are the going rates for a heifer like this?

G. Seddon · #2 10/08/14, 03:12 PM

Prices will vary across the country.

I would not sell a calf at four months; it is too young to be removed from its mother.

MO_cows · #3 10/08/14, 03:48 PM

At 4 months, the calf hasn't developed enough to decide if it's worthy of registration. And if it was weaned that young, would take a lot of supplemental feed so what's the point.

I would expect a calf like you described, registered, DNAd, weaned and halter broke, to be more like 10-12 months old. Maybe weighing 450 pounds? I would be surprised if you could buy her less than $1000, since a 450 pound feeder calf is worth that much. From a real reputation herd, the top end quality stock of the breed? Tell your checkbook to brace itself!

bknthesdle · #4 10/08/14, 08:58 PM

I am wrong on her age. She is 6 months old.

idigbeets · #5 10/09/14, 05:41 AM

$1.50-2.50/lb depending on location and quality of animal IMO.

genebo · #6 10/09/14, 10:18 AM

Most likely the Dexter heifer you are looking at is intended to be a family cow. It does not sell by the pound, It is miniature in size and sells for a price "per animal", usually determined by comparable sales of like animals.

The going price for Dexters varies across the country, depending upon their availability, but would always be expected to bring more than a beef steer. Maybe closer in line to a dairy heifer or a good beef brood cow.

You are buying a dual purpose animal that can give a moderate quantity of excellent milk while simultaneously raising an outstanding beef calf for your own use. All with a very low rate of milk-related diseases and with about 1/2 the feed consumption of a full sized breed.

It is not comparable to any other single purpose bovine.

In Virginia, where I am, a heifer such as you described will sell for about $1000 to $1800 depending upon her conformation score (how well shaped she appears), how free she is of any visible defects, such as long feet or high/low tail set. Her price will fluctuate up or down depending upon how many different DNA tests she has had and the results of those tests. PHA free is expected, PHA positive is a big price knockdown. A2/A2 milk is a price booster.

Then there is the matter of training. There is a big difference in price between a field heifer that has not been patterned to human handling and a gentle potential milker. Expect to pay more for those that have been halter trained or trained to a lead rope.

Be sure to go visit the heifer before you buy, to look her over carefully and insure that she is gentle and can be handled. If you intend to milk her, you will spend a lot of time with your face pressed against her flank. Make sure you like each other.

idigbeets · #7 10/10/14, 05:43 AM

I beg to differ. Plenty of animals are sold by the lb, even those destined to be family pet/milk cows.

copperhead46 · #8 10/10/14, 08:23 PM

In this part of the country, you are looking at $900.00 to $1800.00. It's a huge price swing, depending on her lineage, color, and the farm selling her.

blessingsfarms · #9 10/15/14, 05:47 AM

Copperhead and Genebo will not lead you wrong and my advise
is to decide on qualities you want and pay the price. There are a lot
of opinion out there. We have what has become known as Traditional
Horned and love them.

G. Seddon · #10 10/15/14, 07:49 AM

bknthesdle, if you haven't yet made a purchase, please be sure to read the Buyer's Checklist on the ADCA website (www.dextercattle.org). Make sure the animal(s) are registered, if that is what you want, and most importantly, tested, and that you get the paperwork with all results. Hate to say it, but there are less than honest people out there who will take your money and never follow through on the paperwork.

Ceilismom · #11 10/15/14, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by G. Seddon

bknthesdle, if you haven't yet made a purchase, please be sure to read the Buyer's Checklist on the ADCA website (www.dextercattle.org). Make sure the animal(s) are registered, if that is what you want, and most importantly, tested, and that you get the paperwork with all results. Hate to say it, but there are less than honest people out there who will take your money and never follow through on the paperwork.

Ain't that the truth. We bought 4 nice young cows and 3 heifers from a lady that this very thing had happened to. She spent a very frustrating year trying to get these animals registered, but never succeeded.

G. Seddon · #12 10/15/14, 03:59 PM

The person you bought the cows and heifers from should have contacted her regional representative who could have intervened and helped with obtaining the registrations. It might not be too late, depending on the situation, but it's worth a try. Your regional director is Becky Petteway; you can look up her contact information on the adca website.

So sorry that you and the seller had this experience. It's maddening.