What is a reasonable price?

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 1:22 pm

Can I have your views please on what is a reasonable price for well fed and well cared for unregistered Dexters.

John C · Post by **John C** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 1:31 pm

From a thread that I put on here last week, you can see how suprised I was at both the quality and the amount of meat I'm going to get when I pick it up a week on Monday.

She was an unregistered ordinary sort.

I'd say meat money at least, and that thats not an inconsiderable amount.

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 7:07 pm

Hmmm. 48 viewings and only one reply.

Come on, what is reasonable for an unregistered in-calf Dexter with well-grown calf at foot? £10 ? £75 ? £150 ? £250 ? £350 ? bearing in mind that she really cannot go to slaughter until the calf she is carrying is born and weaned.

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 7:31 pm

Sylvia

Could the animals be registered? If so, how much would it cost? Then I suppose the price could be the normal one for a registered, less the cost? Not my best idea probably?

Normal commercial black and white cows go for about £400-800 don't they? So another suggestion is about half that plus something for the calf (£1 a kilo?)? I wouldn't pay much if anything for the in-calf bit, just the cow and calf.

Alternatively, just a wild guess, £250-300 for the cow, and if the calf is about six months old, then about £100?

I'm really guessing.

carole · Post by **carole** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 9:53 pm

HI Sylvia
I know how you feel when you have many views and no reply, so here is my reply for what its worth.

We bought a registered cow 6 year old and her 3 month old steer calf both of whom looked very much the part. They were bought at auction in Holsworthy at a Rare Breed sale and we paid £375 for the cow and the calf.

Its not exactly your situation but its a reply with a price, hope this helps.

Carole

John C · Post by **John C** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 8:46 am

By coincidence, I had a phone call last night from a friend who attended our local market at Bryncir this week. Much to my suprise some Dexters had actually been sold there. He said that a Dexter Bull was sold for £40.00. That a calf which he described as being a bit on the thin side went for £20 and he said that a cow went for a similar sort of price.

Thank goodness I bit the bullet and went on a 250 plus mile long trip to take my heifer for over 30 month slaughter.

jeanthomas · Post by **jeanthomas** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 9:33 am

Hi Sylvia,

Here in Suffolk I purchased a 20month heifer (registered) back in May. I would certainly not describe her as my ideal dexter but having said that she had a good pedigree, and I was desperate for some fresh bloodlines. I paid £285 which seemed very fair.

I wish you luck at your sale and hope you acheive better prices than those quoted on John C's post!

jean

John C · Post by **John C** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 10:35 am

The point I was making is the obvious one and that is that Dexters don't sell well through mainstream markets.

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 12:59 pm

I am aware of this John C and it is a situation that Dexters have to overcome if they are ever to be taken seriously now they are off the rare breed list. Unless it is possible to drag them out of the 'show, pets and smallholder' classification and into the viable farm animal category I can't see much chance for developing the breed to be honest. There has been some discussion on this site as to why there is quite a turnover of bigger breeders coming in and quickly giving up. If there is no outlet for spare animals through local markets it is pretty obvious why and new buyers of Dexters should be aware that they are only suitable as 3 or 4 pets producing a bit of beef for family and friends.

John C · Post by **John C** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 2:00 pm

There's got to be a market for Dexter beef, the problem is finding the market.

There's a large country estate that we visit about 90 miles away. If I tell you that they were selling locally caught rabbits for £4.85p each (No transport costs there then) and fresh Norfolk Turkeys at £11.50 p a kilo, you still wouldn't believe what there beef was selling at.
They had the right spot, the right set up and most importantly the right supply of cliental.
Without the right marketing of your product and that isn't easy or cheap, it must be nigh impossible to get a decent return on your stock. I'm glad that we only produce one carcasse a year.

Louisa Gidney · Post by **Louisa Gidney** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 2:38 pm

A couple of years ago I sold privately an AppC cow, in calf, with registered heifer calf at foot for £400 the outfit. I would expect unregistered stock to make less money.

Peter thornton · Post by **Peter thornton** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 5:43 pm

Sylvia

It would be great if it were possible to get even a reasonable price at a local market but let's face it. It isn't going to happen.

Why is someone going to buy an animal that will produce less meat and cost the same to slaughter?

Because of the quality of the meat? Yes, IF THE BUYER IS IN THAT MARKET! But he's not, he's there to buy "normal" cattle and his supermarket is not going to charge any more for Dexter meat. That's the reality.

Which is why Dexter owners need to sort their market out well before it's time to send them.

Dexters ARE a niche market, we just have to both accept it and to exploit it.

An aweful lot of us are in the position you describe. 3 or 4 "pets" producung for family and friends. (Although everyone seems to end up with a herd of 9-12!) Very few breeders have had a large herd for longer than, say, 10 years.

But lets not be negative, enjoy them for what they are!

Peter

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 6:42 pm

Well Peter, that gives me just about 3 more years to reduce this herd from what could have been a herd producing about 30 animals for meat a year back down to the 3 or 4 pets we started with. Anyone want to buy about 25 registered Dexters?

welshdexterboy · Post by **welshdexterboy** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 11:54 pm

Hi Sylvia just to let you know that the sale was advertised down here in the Western Telegraph specifying dexters for sale. This, hopefully will attract a few extra people coming for the dexters. All you need are two wanting the same ones and you will have a good sale. Your remarks about the size of herds is interesting as I feel you need to be a size where you can be your own boss i.e. sell your own meat. All the best for your sale. Rob H

welshdexterboy · Post by **welshdexterboy** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 12:00 am

What is a reasonable price is like asking how long is a piece of string? The animal is worth as much as you are willing to pay or how much you think you want. Obviously if you feel your cattle are worth loads more than is reasonable then you will get no buyers and vice versa. I cant therefore give you a price without seeing the animal and its history. Sorry it's not much use.