one of my friends, parents have a dairy farm,, and they are selling out. They must have 75 working cows,, plus a couple bulls and alot of calves. Im just wondering,, what does a dairy cow go for? I heard "mom" say that they were offered 2,000 for one of their calves. Can a cow cost THAT much???

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), September 01, 2001

Answers

They can now. Prices are VERY high the last few months, and I heard from a buyer this summer that they will be higher this fall. Great time to sell out! Around here dispersal sale prices have been averaging close to $2000. That's averaging, not the highs. I've sold heifer calves, newborns, for close to $500, and I've heard they've gone higher. Even bull calves are running $1.50 and up. Prices are cyclical on cattle (the beef cycle is 8 years) and the foot and mouth disease and mad cow disease in Europe has really done a number to bring US prices up this year. It's all fine with me: I sold a calf several years ago and got the check back from the auction barn for $7.55. I was one of the lucky ones, because some people were actually BILLED by the auction barn for selling the calf and having it go for less than the trucking and commissions. At that time I heard that a man who owned a Jersey farm was simply taking newborn bull calves out and clubbing them, because they were worth negative money. And the hell of it is, those prices will probably come again, and sooner than you think. Your friend's folks are doing the smart thing right now. They'll get double for their herd next to what they would have gotten two years ago. Quite a "stock market". :)

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@nospammail.com), September 02, 2001.

Well gee. I might not be getting my milk cow next year after all.

-- Sojourner (notime4@summer.spam), September 02, 2001.