Cost:

• Slaughter cows with an average weight of 1,200 pounds cost $600 ($50/100 pounds).
• Steers with an average weight of 550 pounds cost $800 ($145/100 pounds).
• Heifers with an average weight of 520 pounds cost $675 ($130/100 pounds).

Expected revenue:

• Expected revenue per cow is $623.
• The assumption is that the calving rate is 90% with a death rate of 2%.

Variable Expenses:

• Variable expense is $556 (Pasture, Hay, Medicine, Salt & Mineral, Supplemental Feed, Interest, & Marketing)
• The expense above doesn’t include labor and land cost

Return on Investment (ROI):

• Return to variable expenses per cow is $67 ($623-$556=$67)

Also Read: How Much Does a Cow Weigh in Pounds? (Beef, Calf, and Dairy)

When deciding the actual cost of a cow, its weight, gender, and breed will be the focus. However, yearlings are usually sold for around $800 to $1,500. The difference in prices of cows will be based on what purpose they are used for, either for dairy or for beef.

Check out the live Cattle Prices.

The weight of the cow is the key factor when it comes to pricing. Cows are also sold in pairs with calves and these pairs are actually less expensive than an individual animal.

Let’s have a deeper understanding of the difference in cows and their prices.

What is The Worth Of A Calf?

The cost of a cow will be determined by its size and its weight. If we talk about a calf that is only a day old, it will require an extra amount of care and work, as you will have to feed it milk from a bottle. They mostly cost around $40 to $50. Plus, they have a high mortality rate.

A 4 to a 6-month-old cow is efficient and stable and that is why it is expensive. Whereas a beef yearly is around $650 and $750 for each calf. Cows that are older will cost more based on what their weights are. A dairy yearling, however, costs little, around $450 to $600 per calf.

What is The Worth Of A Beef Cow?

The cost of beef heifers is around $2,500 to $3,000 individually, with an average cost of $2,800 per cow. The cost of the calf will generally be based on its weight. The unit of measurement used to put prices on cows is CWT, which stands for 100 pounds. For a beef cow, CWT is between $135 and $165. It is an average of $140 per 100 pounds. A calf that weighs 500 pounds costs around $700.

Compared to a heifer, a bred heifer costs more. A bred heifer can cost around $1,300. Meanwhile, mature cows can cost around $4,000 to $5,000 each. A matured cow can weigh around 2,200 pounds, i.e., $1.85 cwt.

What is The Best Breed Of Beef Cow To Raise?

In the United States of America, the most famous breed is the Black Angus. This breed requires extra maintenance and care during the calving season. There are more breeds of beef cows that are great providers of beef, such as:

• Charolais: This breed is heavier in weight, and in winter, their coat thickens.
• Hereford: They mature early and their fattening abilities are great. They are docile and are efficient at milk-producing.
• Simmental: Easy to work with during the calving season. They, too, have good fattening abilities.
• Red Angus: They are docile and have good fat marbling.
• Texas Longhorn: These are survival cows, and they have longhorns.
• Highlands: They have thick coats, and they can easily survive in colder weather. Their meat is lean and marbled.

How Much Does A Dairy Cow Cost?

A dairy cow can cost between $900 and $3,000. This range is dependent on the price of a yearly to the price of a proven family cow. Yearlings and calves are less expensive as compared to matured cows. Moreover, a cow that is bottle-fed and hand-raised will be expensive as they are friendlier with people and can be kept around family.

The cost of Jersey cows can be as low as $1,400 to $1,800.

Cows that are sold by weight usually cost between $1.05 and $1.35 (per pound)

As compared to bred cows, heifers are cheaper; they cost around $500 and $1,000.

The cost of lactating dairy cows is around $1,500 and $2,100.

Bottle-fed, tamed, and hand-raised cows are usually expensive because they are friendly with humans.

Also Read: Dairy Farm Management and Maintenance Software

What Are Some Best Dairy Cows To Buy?

• Jersey: They are smaller in size, and they are great milk providers.
• Brown Swiss: They are gentle and one of the older dairy animals.
• Dexters: They are smaller in size, but they are also used for meat.
• Guernseys: They are smaller in size.
• Hereford: They mature early. They are docile and great providers of milk.
• Holstein: They are efficient milk providers and are also used for beef.

How Much A Cow Costs Annually?

Generally, cows cost between $500 and $1,000 per year to keep. This includes their care and feed. Purchasing a cow and raising it will automatically become less expensive if you have extra land to grass-feed it. 2 to 5 acres of grassland are required per cow.

For meat cows, 30 to 40 pounds of hay a day is required generally. Efficient dairy cows can eat as much as around 100 pounds per day. If you are buying hay for the majority of the year, it will be around $1,000 a year in the feed. If you have land to grass-feed your cows and fulfill their grazing needs, only $200 to $300 will be the cost of a cow a year.

Some other necessary needs include:

• Vet bills
• Hay, Alfalfa, Grain
• Oats, Corn, Barley
• Minerals and Supplements
• Halters and other necessary equipment
• Breeding