Price for a 2 month old Hereford Angus mix bull

Bigtime400

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I'm a total noob to cattle. I have 0 experience however my wife was raised on a dairy farm. I am looking into getting a couple bulls for meat but I have no idea what I am looking at to pay for them. They are about 2 months old and from what I remember they have not been weened yet. They are Hereford angus mix. What should I pay? What are they called at that point? Calves? Feeders? I have no idea. Help!!
 

greybeard

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They're just bull bottle calves at that age to me, but some will call them feeder calves.
Price? Hard to say without seeing them, but a healthy looking and mostly black 150lb bull calf with or without a white face can be bought for around $2.25/lb here at any livestock auction. Poor looking ones will run lower..$1.20-$1.30/lb
 

Devonviolet

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I'm not sure what the going rate would be where you are. But, our local dairy sells newborn Jersey bull calves for $85 plus $1/day, that he keeps them. Im not an expert, but I think it's recommended that they get fresh colostrum milk for at least a week. Then you would bottle feed them (2 times a day) until they are ready to be weaned to hay & taught to drink water from a bucket.

The dairy owner does not castrate the bull calves, but as far as I know, it's recommended that they be castrated, if you are growing them out for meat. At that point they are no longer called a bull. They are called a steer. I'm pretty sure it takes 3 years to grow a steer to butcher weight, which will vary according to breed. We have 5 acres & I'm told the most we should graze on our land is 2 head of cattle.

As I said above, our local dairy has Jersey cows. I've never raised up a Jersey steer. But, according to the dairy owner, they produce excellent meat.
 

Bigtime400

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I looked at the equity co op website and it lists a few different discriptions with widely different prices. Trying to find it again but I cant.... I live in southern WI. I am thinking I will get both castrated.
 

greybeard

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I'm not sure what the going rate would be where you are. But, our local dairy sells newborn Jersey bull calves for $85 plus $1/day, that he keeps them. Im not an expert, but I think it's recommended that they get fresh colostrum milk for at least a week. Then you would bottle feed them (2 times a day) until they are ready to be weaned to hay & taught to drink water from a bucket.

The dairy owner does not castrate the bull calves, but as far as I know, it's recommended that they be castrated, if you are growing them out for meat. At that point they are no longer called a bull. They are called a steer. I'm pretty sure it takes 3 years to grow a steer to butcher weight, which will vary according to breed. We have 5 acres & I'm told the most we should graze on our land is 2 head of cattle.
2.5-3 acres/cow-calf pair is general rule of thumb on good pasture late spring, summer, thru early fall. (assumes supplemental feed during winter and early spring)

If I had to wait 3 years to get a steer from the day it hit the ground to butcher weight, I'd be broke and out of the cow business. The Herf/Angus cross BigTime400 is talking about should easily hit 800-1000lbs @ 18 months-2 years depending on how good it's pasture is. He will lose 'some' production time, owing to bottle feed instead of it being on momma.
Cut or band them as soon as you can.
 

Latestarter

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Greetings @Bigtime400 from the front range in Colorado :frow welcome to BYH! Good luck with your potential steer purchase! Love me some well marbled rib eye on the grill :drool:love
 

Devonviolet

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If I had to wait 3 years to get a steer from the day it hit the ground to butcher weight, I'd be broke and out of the cow business. The Herf/Angus cross BigTime400 is talking about should easily hit 800-1000lbs @ 18 months-2 years depending on how good it's pasture is.

That sounds really good, @greybeard!

We bought 1/4 beef, from a friend, who pasture raised 30 head. Not sure what breed they were. But, they were red with white faces. He grew them out for 3 years. That was some of the best beef I ever tasted!

I probably will never do it, because we have 3-1/2 acres, of woods, that needs to be cleared & fenced. But, I have always wanted to raise either Devon beef or Scottish Highland. Don't they mature faster, since they are smaller breeds? What would rule of thumb be for acres/head?
 
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greybeard

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Devon beef or Scottish Highland.
Sorry--I have no personal experience or explicit knowledge concerning those 2 breeds--they are not common here in SE Texas.
 

Bigtime400

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So at any rate... What should I pay for 2 bulls about 2 months old and he thinks 300lbs or so.
 
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