Forecasting cattle prices are not that difficult, as the demand for high-quality cattle prices is always accurate.
While the demand for cattle is consistent the same cannot be said about the price of the cattle, as they always manage to change from one day to another without any signal.
People who are in the profession of selling cattle may know all the major moves that go on in the market, as for the goat cost, mule cost etc etc. But for a newcomer, this can get overwhelming. As people don’t want to lose money on anything that will cost significantly less the day after.
The cost of the cow is determined by its weight and size. If you are looking for a baby cow that is only a day old. Then you will need to spend some extra care and work to make sure they stay healthy and grow up to be a productive cow.
Table of Contents
How much does a cow cost?
An older cow costs more, the price of the cow will be judged by its weights. Some cows cost little, for example, a dairy yearling will cost around $450 to $600. The beef price will differ from one to another. The cost of heifers beef will go from $2,500 to $3000 the purpose of the cow will also be different based on the breed.
Factors that impact the price of a cow
Mainly two factors impact the price of a cow, one is dairy and the other one is beef. A cow can be used for dairy purposes or for beef. Individual cows will cost more, that is why many people who are interested in owning a cow, tend to buy them in pairs.
The cost of calf generally gets done by CWT, which is a unit of measurement that stands for 100 pounds. A beef cow CWT will stay between $135 to $165.
A calf that has more weight will cost more in return. A 500-pound calf will cost somewhere around $700. A matured cow will cost more as it will weigh somewhere around 2000 pounds. You can expect the price of these mature cows to be at $4,000 to $5,000.
A pair of calves will be much cheaper than getting an individual animal. The seasonal trend of cattle prices changes every year.
Each year sets a new record for beef production. All economic forecasts have suggested a rise in cow demand in the next year. Which will make the cattle prices more expensive. The demands are not slowing down, all the predictions have the number up by a mile compared to the previous year. White the high demand comes to a more steep price tag on cows.
How much does a baby cow cost?
Baby cows come around $650 to $700. They need the attention of the owner all day because baby cows tend to have a high mortality rate. 5 -6-month-old cows will be more efficient and stable. These are the reasons why they are so expensive in the market.
If you are searching something small to grow you can consider to take another animal that require you less money, is the case of the lamb where the cost are nothing compared to the a baby cow
Cost of cows in the current market
The most popular cows in the market are dairy cows. This cow will cost $900 and in some cases over $3000.
Yearlings and calves are less expensive compared to the prices you will see on matured cows.
But the handling and the attention will be less on a mature cow compared to a baby yearling. The high mortality rate amongst calves is one of the reasons many people switch to a more mature cow rather than raising one from scratch.
Another aspect of matured cows that is a bit expensive compared to their young version is how they are fed. A bottle-fed cow behaves differently than a cow that has been hand-raised.
The hand-raised cow will be far more expensive and friendlier with people and strangers. Cows sold are counted on their weight, each pound will cost $1.05 to $1.35. Lactating dairy cows will come at $1,500 to $2,100.
These are the elements that will have an impact on the overall price of the cow. In some cases, you will see a far lower price attached to the cow than its average cost. Here you will need to check for its weight, productiveness, and breed formula to decide whether the animal will be suitable for your farm or not.
List of Dairy Cows cost in the market
There are different dairy cows in the market, each one will have its own unique perks and price attached to them.
They come in a variety of sizes and with their unique perks to make the farm more productive.
Jersey Cow cost
compared to other cows in the market, jerseys are smaller in size but they do make great milk. If you are planning to use the cow for daily purposes. Then having a jersey cow would be great, as they are known for their milk delivery. Price – $1,400 to $1,800
Brown Swiss cow cost
This breed is known for its gentle behavior and it is one of the oldest dairy animals on the list. Price – $2,000 to $5,000
Dexters cow cost
They are much smaller in size but they make great meat. Dexters are suitable for anyone who wants to get beef production. Dexters are known for their tester meat.Price – $1,500 to $2,000 (Some people have bought dexter at a cheaper price range between $800 to $900 but that is a rare instance)
Guernseys cow cost
if you are looking for a cow that doesn’t have too much space in your farmland and fits in everywhere without any problem. Then guernseys are just the ones you need as they are smaller in size. Price – $1,400 to $2,000
Hereford cow cost
They are known to be a great provider of milk and they mature earlier than other breeds. They are also known for their longevity. Price – $1,600 – $2,200
Holstein cow cost
This cow carries double duty, as they are great at providing milk and while at the same time can be used for beef. Price – $1,000 to $1,200
| Jersey Cow cost | $1,400 to $1,800 |
| Brown Swiss | $2,000 to $5,000 |
| Dexters cow | $1,500 to $2,000 |
| Guernseys cow | $1,400 to $2,000 |
| Hereford cow | $1,600 – $2,200 |
| Holstein cow | $1,000 to $1,200 |
The cost are similar to the buafalo cost with the difference that there are more types of cow on that case.
These are the different types of cows available in the market. Each one of them has its own uniqueness and perks that will make cattle production successful.
First, you have to identify what type of cow you will need for your farm. You can either go with a cow that produces high-quality milk or can be sold for beef production. Different types of cows come with different types of properties and weights.
A cow that weighs more and is mature will cost a lot of money compared to younglings. Now that you have an idea of what kind of cost attached to the cow breeds.
It is time to take a look at the maintenance cost of the cow. Just like every other pet animal in the planet, cows need their daily maintenance to stay healthy and have a fun mood all around. Some of that aspect can be genetic.
As we know that cows who have bottle-fed will be more shy and nervous around people. But overall maintenance of the cow will have an effect on their productivity and the resistance to disease in the air.
Cow maintenance cost Then vs Now
15 years ago, a cow’s maintenance cost $400 per cow but in the last few years, the market has changed drastically.
Nowadays the average maintenance cost will come at $900 per year.
Which is a 225% increase compared to the number 15 years ago.
The annual cost of maintaining cows will be 50% or more than the annual cost. When you calculate pasture, cornstalks, and hay market value, the feeding cost for each cow will be more than $500.
Feeding Requirement for cows
Generally, it is known that a cow will cost somewhere between $500 to $1000 to meet all their upkeep regularly.
Buying a cow and raising it will require extra land of grass. 2 to 5 acres of grassland will be perfect per cow. Raising a cow will be considerably less expensive than getting a fully built one.
If the sole purpose of raising cows is for meat production, then 30 to 40 pounds of hay per day will help your cow to be strong and efficient.
A dairy cow can eat 100 pounds per day without any trouble. Hay will be one of the major food for the cow, it will cost $1000 a year to maintain the hay in the farmland. But if you have land full of grass, then it will be significantly lower than what it would cost for hay.
Grassland for cows will cost somewhere between $200 to $300 per cow. Which is very cheap compared to the number on the hay prices per year.
Proper healthcare cost for cows
Now it is time to focus on the healthcare cost of cows. Skipping this part of the cow maintenance will cost the owner heavy damage.
The average cost for cow medicine and vet charges will be $108, the critical time period for cows comes pre and post-calving.
Here precision feeding and good management are required to minimize the problems that appear on the surface. But sometimes outside forces can get hard to control and they will find a way to affect the cow and her lactation. There is where the owner needs to switch to protocols to minimize ketosis, milk fever, abomasum, and others to restore the animal to its maximum standard.
If any metabolism problem persists then vet visits are required to further the treatment. The cow’s health will be at risk if any of the precautions are not taken at the right time.
Nutrition Requirement cost for cows
Proper nutrition is also essential for the cow’s growth, as it will be critical for all stages of growth and increase of performance.
The owner needs to get the pre-weaned calf in a healthy state, after the calves are weaned the nutrient demand will rise.
Every cow has their own protein intake to restore a proper level of energy in its body. Proper health care and good nutrition are staples for good daily production.
The only way animals like cows can reach their true potential if they have their essential needs. Many cow owners follow steps to maintain the health of a cow without damaging it.
Keeping track of cow behavior
They develop standard operating procedures on vaccination and boosters for animals. To keep track of the vaccinations, they create a record-keeping program via software.
In the record book, they track the data of products used, duration of use, improvement, or negative effects on animal and milk production. And lastly, they summarize the treatment to discuss their potential health problems. Monitoring cows is a great way to keep track of every activity since the day of medication.
A good way to know what is wrong with the cow and the changes in productivity will come from the record book.
This is the reason why many owners and farmers like to track every usual and unusual behavior of cows they have on their ranch.
After each month, they summarize the record book and discuss with the veterinarian for a possible solution for the problems.
This is how you maintain the cow’s health on a regular basis.
Things you can do to raise the cow’s productivity
The average cost of veterinary medicine changes per cow will fall from $88 to $126. There are other things you can do to raise the overall comfort for cows.
One of the major changes that you can bring to cows to increase their productivity is by allowing them to rest longer.
Resting time for cows will raise the milk production and also at the same time decrease the feeding cost. Adding designed stalls will also lead to better productivity. Have direct access to clean water for all the cows in the yard, so they will have low stress that won’t hinder the performance.
Conclusion
The price tag on a cow depends on the weight, size, and maturity of the animal. Getting a youngling will cost less, but it will take time for them to be a full-grown adult. Getting a mounted cow will cost more and at the same time, they will bring plenty of benefits to the wonder. But the key to having healthy productive cows is to maintain them properly every single day.
