Interested in Growing Your Cattle Operation? Here are my Tips on Shopping for Cattle
Buying beef cattle can be a daunting task, especially if you're new to the industry. As a potential buyer, it's important to have a good understanding of what to look for and what questions to ask when purchasing cattle, and how to navigate the process from start to finish. In this article, we'll explore the key areas to consider when purchasing cattle and provide you with some helpful tips to ensure you make an informed buying decision.
Understand Your Purpose for Buying Cattle & Do Your Homework
This is the best place to start before you even start looking at cattle, especially if you are just starting your operation. Are you adding to an existing herd, or are you shopping for something specific? What climate do you live in and what sort of barns and pastures do you have? Knowing the purpose of buying cattle will help you to determine what breed of cattle you should be looking for, as well as what age and gender you should be considering. In addition to the budget, you’ll want to do your homework on finding a reputable breeder. Don’t be afraid to ask for references and check out previous cattle that the breeder has sold.
For example, British Whites can be used for many different purposes. We breed them for beef and appreciate that they are docile, good mothers, and easy keepers. While we do show some of them to promote the breed, it is not what we breed for.
Determine Your Budget
Once you know why you want to buy cattle, it's time to think about how much you're willing to spend. Cattle can be expensive, so it's important to set a budget and stick to it. You'll also need to consider the cost of feed, fencing, and other equipment you'll need to care for your cattle if you don’t already have that set up. Knowing your budget can help you to narrow down your options and focus on the best cattle for your needs and budget. A good starting point is to know the current beef price at your local sale barn. This price would be the bottom number of what cattle are worth and breeding stock would be worth more.
Look for Healthy Cattle
When buying cattle, it's important to look for healthy animals. There are a couple of reasons for this even beyond the obvious. First, you never want to bring an unhealthy cow home to a herd of healthy cattle. Second, you don’t want to invest in your operation, then have to drop more money into an animal just to get it healthy again. Getting a healthy animal right off bat will save headaches down the road. Qualities in healthy cattle that you want to look for include a shiny coat and bright eyes, and the animal should be alert and active. You should ask questions or pass on the cow altogether if you see signs of a dull coat, lethargy, coughing, or limping. My recommendation is always to ask the seller about the cattle's history, such as any previous illnesses, injuries, and vaccination history up until that point. Private sales with a vaccine history are always a better bet than unknown sale barn animals.
Ask the Right Questions
In addition to shopping for healthy cattle, you will also want to ask how the cattle are bred if you are looking to get into performance breeding. Taking that one step further, generally, you will know ahead of time if the animal you are looking at is registered, but it never hurts to double-check. If you are looking to purchase bred cows then you’ll want to make sure to ask about calving dates, information on the sire, and how they were preg checked (if at all). Then you will also want to inquire before or during the season depending on when they calve. Typically your options would include weaned heifers, yearling heifers, bred heifers, open cows, bred cows, pairs (cow and calf), or 3-in1 (bred cow with calf at the side).
Plan Accordingly
There are several different times of the year that you can buy cattle, so you will want to make sure that your timeline for buying cattle lines up with the rest of your herd, especially around breeding season. Taking that one step further, if you are looking at cattle in another state, then you will want to make sure that you have shipping arrangements ready to book. I recommend asking for references from friends or local breeders to see who they use.
In conclusion, purchasing cattle requires careful consideration and planning. By understanding your purpose for buying cattle, setting a budget, looking for healthy cattle, asking the right questions, and planning accordingly, you can ensure that you make an informed buying decision that meets your needs and budget.
If you’re looking to expand your operation or start including British White cattle, then make sure to contact us via the button below and we can let you know what we have available or add you to our email list for when we have new cattle available.
