Bottle Calves For Sale Near Me Craigslist (2024)

FAQs

Are bottle calves a good investment? ›

It's probably one of the easiest, most inexpensive ways to get into the cattle business. Raising bottle calves will not only get you a herd “on the cheap,” but you'll also make some great memories.

Most calves need only need 2–3 bottles a day. You won't have to worry about middle-of-the-night feedings or early-morning waking; bottle calves eat during the day and sleep at night. They will need only two bottles a day if they are healthy, and the weather is nice.

Your best bet is to find a reliable source that is charging a fair price and acquire your cattle from them. You can find cattle for sale from a local farm or dairy, you can also find many on Craigslist or from a registered cattle breeder.

Providing enough space for each calf in a group is essential. Expert recommendations for usable, bedded resting space vary from 30 square feet per calf to 35 or even 40 square feet per calf. Sufficient bedded area is needed to maintain enough clean, dry resting space.

Calves are assumed to be weaned and sold at an average weight of 550 lbs. In the fourth quarter of 2023, steers in this weight range were selling for prices in the $230's per cwt and heifers in the $200's, on a state average basis.

Based on the current market conditions, that group of 550-weight calves should be worth about $1.33/pound.

You may have heard a rule-of-thumb is that it takes 1.5 to 2 acres to feed a cow calf pair for 12 months. That means we should be able to have 10 to 13 cows. Let's see how this rule-of-thumb holds up. It looks like our rule-of-thumb held up pretty good, 11 cows on 20 acres, is 1.8 acres per cow.

You can source a calf for less than $100 in season (July to November) but prices can be higher depending on demand. Be wary of paying more as it may be more economical to buy a weaner by the time you calculate how much milk powder it will cost to get the calf to the weaning stage.

The best time to sell calves is when the market is high. Traditionally, February and March are the best times of the year. During this time, wheat and oats are readily available for grazing and growing calves.

Do bottle calves need shelter? ›

Provide calves with clean, well-ventilated pens and shelter from the weather. Calf hutches can be purchased or barn pens used to house bottle calves. Individual penning can help prevent calves from sucking one another and Page 2 2 reduce the spread of disease.

When Do Calves Start Eating Grass? Calves normally start to nibble on grass or hay within 1 or 2 days of being born. Calves start ruminating to some degree when they're about 2 weeks old, with their rumen fully developed by 90 days of age.

In the method described by Luilla Thompson, raising bottle calves is an easy way to make a profit while having your own small herd of calves.

If a commercial feed yard owns the cattle it is feeding, it makes money by adding value to the cattle by feeding them to slaughter weight. If the feed yard is feeding cattle for someone else, it makes money by charging fees for the feed, services and facilities it provides.

The best time to sell calves is when the market is high. Traditionally, February and March are the best times of the year. During this time, wheat and oats are readily available for grazing and growing calves.

The weaning program should last 45 days before calves are moved and sold, Banta said. He also recommends that on weaning day only the cow and calves are separated.