So it’s spring, which means it’s time to buy more calves. Last year’s babies are now 600 pounds, and will be 900 or so pounds in the fall. We love having steers around.
Has the price of beef in the store been going up? If not, it’s headed that way. Last year we paid $35 for each calf, about 10 days old. This year the price is $100 apiece, and the dairy farmer gave us a break. He could sell them at the livestock barn for nearly $200. Holy smokes. I don’t know what’s going on, but when farmers are willing to pay $200 for a calf barely a week old, it’s only because they expect to make lots of money on the finished animal.
Here’s one of the little cuties.
And we’re finally learning how to make videos, and I posted our first one on youtube this morning. I feel so proud, yet it was ridiculously easy, so I don’t know why we haven’t done it before. Below is the link to a very short video Melissa filmed this morning.
We have to keep the calves separate for awhile…otherwise they will suck on each other’s… boy parts…. When it warms up mid-morning, we open the barn door and let the sun in. I can’t wait until a week from now, when I start letting them out to play. Another opportunity for video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=devs9FmM3-c
Enjoy!
6 Responses
We bought a couple of week old Jersey bull calves to raise as steer at $5/each…. I still can’t belive it, as most of them around here go around $75. Piglets are horribly expensive these days too!
And for the record, mine try sucking on the boy parts too. Sheesh!
Wow…still pretty cheap for our neck of the woods. Here your lucky if you get them for 200 apiece. The ones even auctioned at the salebarn are bringing anywhere from 250-350. I always wonder WHY also…since it takes alot of work, milk and time to raise one to market weight. Sorta a backward deal unless you sell it for 4X’s the money and that doesn’t happen!
Inflation???? Not according to the Feds ya know!
(bangs head against wall)
I’m stunned at the range: $5 to $200. I wish I knew enough about the market to understand this. My previous life as an economist is threatening to rear its ugly head.
The boys get so excited now—after they finish their bottles, I rub their heads and they jump around in their pens. Can’t wait to let them out in a few days for their first romp.
SO cute!! Catherine, I visited your farm a few years ago to buy lamb. I’ve read your books, farming and non, and now I’m going to be one of those “Encore Career” types and hope to buy a small parcel and raise some chickens for eggs.
If you hear a loud yell for help about 30 miles south just outside the big city, you’ll know I’m in it knee-deep 🙂 And you can smile at the thought that you helped make it sound like it’s worth doing.
cjw, so you’re really going to take the plunge, huh? Chickens are a great way to start. In fact, raise some extras for us—our hens are getting geriatric, but neither of us has the time currently to tend baby chicks.
Seriously. Let us know when you start!