Cow-calf producers anticipate that it will be harder to sell these calves. They also drink around 8% of their body weight daily in milk (or milk replacer.) This cost adds up.īecause they require more work – and have a higher mortality rate – you can sometimes get them at a significantly cheaper price – around $30 to $60 per calf. It will need to be bottle-fed since calves need milk until they are four months old. How much is a baby cow? There are a lot of variables that go into this – namely, the breed, size, and age of the calf.Ī day-old calf will require more work on the part of the buyer. While you might pay a bit more for premium breeds, they might also be easier or harder to find depending on where you live (and availability can drive the price up or down, too). Some of the most desirable cattle breeds to raise for beef include Black Angus, Hereford, Red Angus, Texas Longhorn, Highlanders, and Charolais. A full-grown beef cow can cost up to $5,000!Īgain, this price gets impacted by the breed. If your heifer gets bred, it may cost more than one and a half times what a non-bred heifer does.

There are some exceptions to this, though. So if the CWT for a cow is about $135 to $165, you’ll pay around $750ish for a 500-pound calf. Beef cows are priced based on their weight, with the standard unit of measurement being CWT. Consider the ongoing cost of raising cows, such as cow feed, cow water, healthcare, labor, cow depreciation, marketing, and surprise medical costs.īeef heifers – females – will usually cost around $2,500 to $3,000 per head. They eat a ton of food! So – remember that the initial cost of your cow isn’t the only expense. Mature Charolais cows can weigh well over 2,500 pounds. Let’s dive deeper into the intricacies of cow pricing.

There are a few other nuances when it comes to cow pricing. Cow/calf pairs can save you money compared to buying individual animals. You can even purchase cow/calf pairs for a cow-calf enterprise. Often, you can buy cows in larger groups or breeding pairs to save money. You can also buy cows based on the weight, with sellers usually charging by the hundredweight. Calves cost less than both bulls and cows. When we say cow, we refer not just to females (who are, technically, cows) but also to males (bulls) and calves.īulls tend to sell for more money than cows. Where you live will also play a role in how much you pay to buy a cow. The actual cost will depend on the breed, gender, and weight of the cow. This cost delta is a wide range, of course. Best Books and Learning Resources for Raising New Cows and Calves!Ī cow costs between $2,200 and $5,300.

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