If you need help keeping track of your cattle herd’s health, performance or yield records check out Farmbrite’s all-in-one cattle record keeping and management software. Typically they are more docile to handle than bulls and are most often used for meat production as feeder stock. A bull is a mature intact (not castrated) male who is capable of breeding. Breeding is typically a bulls primary function in a cattle operation. They can be aggressive and are capable of causing injury to any animals and humans that they perceive as a threat. Many people choose to use artificial insemination (AI) for breeding instead of keeping and managing a bull.
They can be bred, used for milk production or sold for meat. A heifer is not typically bred until she is at least 14 months old. It is also common to purchase a bred heifer which will provide a new calf in the spring, is ‘certified’ as a viable breeder and can then be bred again after a rest period. There are a few key things to consider when getting started with your first cattle purchase.
How does pricing work when buying half a cow?
The absolute worst place to buy cattle is at a livestock auction. Of course, there are many fine animals sold at auction every day. The problem, though, with many auctions is that you can’t tell from looking at the cow whether she is sound, healthy, and strong. You just can’t know and it’s a gamble of hundreds of dollars. Another important factor when buying cattle at auction is finding healthy animals.
You can grill them, braise them, or even cook them in a slow cooker with some barbecue sauce. Also, consider what could happen if you were to lose power during storms. Be sure to have a backup plan or you could be out a lot of beef and money. “The money you save is just phenomenal, it really is and it’s an easy thing to do,” said Cedillo. More than saving money, Franklin was impressed with the quality.
How to Buy a Cow in Bulk + Tips & Tricks to Help You Save BIG!
If you’ve never owned cattle before, I’d recommend planning on buying a commercial-beef-cross weaned heifer or a steer to begin with. Typically when you purchase beef directly from ranchers, you’ll have various options to buy in bulk so you can find the best option for you and your family. Your choices can range from one-sixteenth to a whole beef. You can find a few friends and split a whole cow or possibly even find a farm that allows you to buy a half or quarter cow. I really can’t imagine needing an entire cow for one family… that would be enough meat to last you 4-5 years probably.
From there, you can choose to have your processed meat delivered (local customers only), or you can pick it up yourself. So, with her husband and four children to feed, she decided to buy a side of beef or “half a cow”. Be aware that a whole steer provides a lot of beef – probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 400 to 500 pounds. Many (most) ranchers don’t have the ability to deliver or ship that much beef, so be prepared to pick it up. Anybody selling you an animal will likely allow you to visit it before it heads to the butcher. By our choice, we’ve only seen one of the many animals we’ve purchased over the years and that was the hog our friends raised for us.
Still Can’t Find Local Meat?
There are lots of questions and we have assembled this page to give you the absolute
best information possible. If you have more questions feel free to reach out! I want to make sure you get something that you will enjoy and
use.
- Additionally, it’s very easy for a respiratory illness to become pneumonia in young cattle especially.
- When your cow has reached the perfect age and is ready to be delivered to your table, we’ll deliver it to Dunbar.
- The general rule is 28 pounds of meat per cubic foot of freezer space.
- Our processor will then contact you directly and provide you with options on how you prefer your beef to be cut (number of steaks, roasts, hamburger, etc.).
It’s true that a seller may be highly motivated for a quick sale, but an auction house is in the business of making money. Auctioneers want the animals to sell at the highest possible price. It’s good for business and good for their bottom line. Animals that are significantly underbid signal a problem. If you already have a herd of cattle, keep your new auction purchases separate from the herd for a week to 10 days. Talk to your veterinarian about a vaccination schedule.
How to Order a 1/4 or 1/2 a Cow?
The cost ends up being approximately $12 per pound of finished beef, and each half yields approximately 300 pounds of finished beef. Every animal is different, so these prices will vary based on the How to buy a cow weight of the individual animal. There’s usually a “market rate” for buying a steer. Ranchers will almost always give you an estimate of what the hang weight will be so you can figure out the cost.
Deposits are non-refundable if the buyer does not complete the purchase. The description of the bundles represents the target weights of each cut. All cuts varying weight, which can result in a variation in the total bundle weight of +/-10%. All cuts have their exact weight shown on their label. In addition, substitutions of comparable cuts will be made if a listed cut is not available.
How Much Does it Cost to Butcher a Cow?
Some homesteaders are intimidated at the prospect of spending several thousand dollars on animals that are quite large and have their own unique needs. Don’t get me wrong, it is quite an investment and it is a huge step for any homesteader. However, the process of buying a cow or two doesn’t need to be so scary. To help you visualize it, here’s what our refrigerator looks like with a half a cow, about 220 pounds of beef.
- The absolute worst place to buy cattle is at a livestock auction.
- Some customers consider the higher marbling a bonus…I suppose it is perspective.
- These ranchers have raised their animals with great care, and are happy to tell you all about it.
- Ranchers will almost always give you an estimate of what the hang weight will be so you can figure out the cost.
Fixing a problem with a few dozen can be much more difficult, expensive, and time-consuming. However, the milk-cow project has been much more of a money hole than the beef-cow project. My husband teases me about our eight-dollar-per-gallon milk.