Where to buy cows
- Thread starter Headless chicken
- Start date
Don't hold ya breath....
Holsteinfriesian90
Member
- Location
- Cornwall
- Location
- Penzance
I am thinking, and please feel free to critisize here, when buying any animal (whether it be cattle or sheep) it's better to buy direct from the farm and not necessarily the market place. The reason behind this is due to the fact that if bought direct from farm, anything it may have underlying or picked up can only be from where it came from originally, therefore traceable. If bought from market there is a greater risk of the animal picking things up from many different animals, therefore untraceable. Best thing about buying from a good breeder is that you can get to see how the animals perform in their working clothes, you can talk to the breeder at length about the history of that animal/animals and generally get a better idea of how that animal will fit into your system. Markets, although may be cheaper, you tend to be taking a lot of risks with them, because although you may have a rough idea on what the animal is like the rest can be almost like guess work. My advice is find a breeder who is registered with a society, or very trust worthy, and buy from them. Quality and pricing together a good combo 
The only society that farms I buy from ate registered to is the fallen stock society.I am thinking, and please feel free to critisize here, when buying any animal (whether it be cattle or sheep) it's better to buy direct from the farm and not necessarily the market place. The reason behind this is due to the fact that if bought direct from farm, anything it may have underlying or picked up can only be from where it came from originally, therefore traceable. If bought from market there is a greater risk of the animal picking things up from many different animals, therefore untraceable. Best thing about buying from a good breeder is that you can get to see how the animals perform in their working clothes, you can talk to the breeder at length about the history of that animal/animals and generally get a better idea of how that animal will fit into your system. Markets, although may be cheaper, you tend to be taking a lot of risks with them, because although you may have a rough idea on what the animal is like the rest can be almost like guess work. My advice is find a breeder who is registered with a society, or very trust worthy, and buy from them. Quality and pricing together a good combo
- Location
- M6 Hard shoulder
Dont disagree with you at all on that, we've bought off farm or through a market and our take is that we presume to have every disease in our herd that is relevent and vaccinate, test and cull as required. As for being cheaper at market not sure on that oneI am thinking, and please feel free to critisize here, when buying any animal (whether it be cattle or sheep) it's better to buy direct from the farm and not necessarily the market place. The reason behind this is due to the fact that if bought direct from farm, anything it may have underlying or picked up can only be from where it came from originally, therefore traceable. If bought from market there is a greater risk of the animal picking things up from many different animals, therefore untraceable. Best thing about buying from a good breeder is that you can get to see how the animals perform in their working clothes, you can talk to the breeder at length about the history of that animal/animals and generally get a better idea of how that animal will fit into your system. Markets, although may be cheaper, you tend to be taking a lot of risks with them, because although you may have a rough idea on what the animal is like the rest can be almost like guess work. My advice is find a breeder who is registered with a society, or very trust worthy, and buy from them. Quality and pricing together a good combo
Our private buyers never pay less than market price. Why should I discount them? Plus I keep all money, im not giving some of it away to some berk waggling a stick and counting upwards.
Headless chicken
Member
- Location
- West Wales
I've never got on with markets. Some people manage to get bargains there but I always seem to see them go to silly money with some daft twit thinking he's billy big balls paying £1500 for 4th calvers with 3 tits
Let 'em.
I know an I/C hfr is 1k these days but I still don't want to be paying it. I don't know how people do?
Holsteinfriesian90
Member
- Location
- Cornwall
Don't mind buying out of market if it's a dispersal sale but I always think buying private is more genuine least you can see what system they have come from and farmer isn't normally afraid to tell you health status and records etc.
Holsteinfriesian90
Member
- Location
- Cornwall
Headless chicken
Member
- Location
- West Wales
I don't know how they do it either. I can't make it pay at that. I would've loved to have been going to Germany and coming home with a load of flecks and stopping off somewhere and topping up with some jerseys but they're silly money for what they're doing.
More to life
Member
- Location
- Somerset
What's the plan then ?
Your springs sold well for herd aged cows tho, so to add 200 quid and have a cow to Calve in positive seosanality is surly a no brainer?
Buy them at £999...
No, I don't know in all seriousness. Am I holding on to my Dads principles when you could buy decent stock at £500-700 and make some money? Those aren't there anymore but you still need to make some money from the whole job and not just whats in the tank.
On paper i'm ok this year for numbers but if I had another dozen I would be ok-er. Maybe just bite the bullet and pay another 100-200/head to secure the animals I want and see what happens...
You could well be right. I've got someone to ring tomorrow about some NZ style hfrs anyway. In HC's area I think...somewhere in Wales anyway...
More to life
Member
- Location
- Somerset
Golden rule of dairy farming keep your shed full bite the bullet and buy those cows
Ohhhh do let on a bit more.
and ring them today, get the job sown up before somone else does.Ohhhh do let on a bit more.
No answer 5 minutes ago so i'll try tomorrow. Someone in my DG had some for sale so i've just pestered them too
William Mellor
Member
- Location
- Peak District
Those that were advertised in the farmers guardian?