A Price for Selling Steers

[30918]

Hello,

We have had interest in selling some young steers (under 12 months) but have never sold before.
We thought the best way was by price per kg as we can weigh them but what price per kg? Also,
if we sold older steers would price per kg be the way and again what price? Thanks for any advice
received.

Trish

[Broomcroft]

Hi Trish

If I were selling them I would be asking around £1.70 per kilo liveweight (or more) assuming they are non-short and the type that will grow quite well. If they are from slender, deer-like Dexters, doubt you'd get anywhere near that figure. I haven't a clue about shorts.

£1.70 equates to what the butcher would pay at the moment for a good quality finished steer or heifer, which at the moment should be around £3.30 a kilo deadweight.

Here's a simple table I use as a reference only, but it's based on £1.75. I produced the figures from my average Dexters and they are correct at the start and end of the table, and what's in between is just simple linear and probably a bit rough and ready.

[Mark Bowles]

You can get weekly prices in the Farmers Guardian last week it was £1.68.45 per kg liveweight for steers. There is no reason dexter prices should be any less, the problem is getting it.
I have been told by a breeder that they got £3.30 per kg deadweight this week from a butcher.

[Broomcroft]

Yes, we're been getting £3.30 deadweight at the moment.

PS. I'd say that if you can get £1.70'ish then you should pay the TB test cost if applicable, and also do the transport which you'd have to have done for the butcher or market.

[30918]

Thank you Mark and Clive for your replies, I have been looking at cattle prices in the markets and as you say its getting them for Dexters, I get the impression from the people that have been interested in buying is that because they are a small breed, the price should reflect this. We are in a 4 year TB area and the cattle were tested in 2009 so thats not a problem.

[Broomcroft]

If you're going to sell at market that's different. I was thinking you were selling privately. Dexters at market IMHO are a lottery and you are unlikely to get the sort of prices I was suggesting unless your local market is very different from ours! Just depends on whose there on the day I suppose, but you could come away with £100 for an animal worth £300.

[30918]

No, were are not looking to sell at market because as you say it is a lottery at what price you get, we have sold commercial breeds at market on different occasions and the price difference have been terrible, these are private buyers but again I still think they think small breed, small price!

Trish

[Jac]

PS. I'd say that if you can get £1.70'ish then you should pay the TB test cost if applicable, and also do the transport which you'd have to have done for the butcher or market.

Trouble is if they are only buying one or two you cannot bear the TB costs on such a small number of animals.
HCC provisional prices 19/07/2011 steers 173.44p/kg

[30918]

Thank you all for your answers and comments. We are in a 48 month TB testing area. Animal Health has confirmed that we don't have to do a pre-movement TB testing so that cost is'nt an issue
for selling. I did have one person who was interested in buying steers make the remark that at his
local market weaned dexter calves made £100 each!!! don't know how old or what weight they were.

Trish

[Jac]

In an ideal world you would have the space to finish your steers yourself and take advantage of the price of the beef. If all you are going to get is £100 for a calf then it isn't worth breeding it. How much did it cost you to feed it's mother and put her in calf?

[30918]

I know what your saying, it obviously cost more than that and we would lose money but unfortunately we lost a lot of grazing land we were renting last year and are having a hell of a time trying to get anymore. In our area all the land is owned by a few farmers and they are nearly all arable. When a famer retires the land mainly goes to someone in the city and is contracted out for arable or a wealthy farmer buys it. We are only small and have alot of catttle due to breeding according to the land we had last year. Haylage and straw is so expensive this year and Dexters though only small do have good apetites don't they!

Trish

[Jac]

Just stuck a couple of steers on the farming ads website. My oh my, are Welsh farmers having a fit at being asked to pay the market price for a Dexter.