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Author Topic: The price of a heifer?  (Read 8513 times)

Muc

  • Joined Nov 2008
  • Co Clare, Ireland
The price of a heifer?
« on: February 21, 2010, 10:59:46 am »
My neighbour offered me two heifers (breed unknown, but probably some kind of locally mixed-breed Hereford) for €400 and I give him the use of a four-acre field for a year.
The advantages are that he would be able to nurse me along as I learned about cattle but I don't want to be taken for an ejit.
Anyone know what the going rate is for heifers?

Wizard

  • Joined Nov 2009
  • North East Lincolnshire
Re: The price of a heifer?
« Reply #1 on: February 21, 2010, 11:05:55 am »
Muc in google type Farmers Weekly and go to the markets page all the last weeks market realisations are there in fact all farm produce beef on the hoof pigs sheep corn spuds every thing :D :farmer:
Don't do today what can be put off until tomorrow because today will be yesterday tomorrow

Muc

  • Joined Nov 2008
  • Co Clare, Ireland
Re: The price of a heifer?
« Reply #2 on: February 21, 2010, 11:27:02 am »
Thanks Wizard. That's a great resource.
Average price for heifers was £154 which is roughly €200. So he was doing me no favours and getting free use of a four-acre field as well.
I'll very diplomatically tell him that I'm thinking of a different breeed.
Much obliged.

I'm reminded of that old Percy French song on the Price of a Heifer from pre-PC days, concerning the marriage prospects of Pretty Kitty and Plain Jane.
"The schoolmaster said with a great deal of sense,
We'll reduce the two girils to shillin's and pence,
Add the price of a heifer and Jane will be bound,
To come out on the top be a couple of pound..."


Wizard

  • Joined Nov 2009
  • North East Lincolnshire
Re: The price of a heifer?
« Reply #3 on: February 21, 2010, 11:48:11 am »
I like that muc do you know all of it I have not heard or read it Post it for us please if you do  :D :farmer:
Don't do today what can be put off until tomorrow because today will be yesterday tomorrow

Muc

  • Joined Nov 2008
  • Co Clare, Ireland
Re: The price of a heifer?
« Reply #4 on: February 21, 2010, 12:35:18 pm »
Be warned, if you sing this in your local there'll be a fatwa out on you from the local feminist collective.
You'll have to Google for the tune.

McBreens Heifer lyrics And Music Percy French
 
McBreen had two daughters, and each one in turn
Was offered in marriage to Jamesy O'Burn.
Now Kitty was pretty but Jane she was plain,
So to make up the differ, McBreen would explain.
He'd give the best heifer he had on the land,
As a sort of a bonus with Jane, understand.
But then Kitty would charrum a bird off a bush,
And that left the lad in a horrid non-plush.

 
 
CHORUS:

Now there's no denyin' Kitty was remarkably pretty,
Tho' I can't say the same for Jane,
But still there's not the differ of the price of a heifer,
Between the pretty and the plain.

 
 
Entirely bothered was Jamsey O'Burn,
He thought that he'd give the schoolmaster a turn.
Sez he "to wed Kitty is very good fun,
Still a heifer's a heifer when all's said an' done.
 A girl she might lose her good looks anyhow,
And a heifer might grow to an elegant cow.
But still there's no price for the stock, d'ye mind,
And Jane has a face that the Divil designed."

 
CHORUS:

Now there's no denyin' Kitty was remarkably pretty,
Tho' I can't say the same for Jane,
But still there's not the differ of the price of a heifer,
Between the pretty and the plain.

 
 
The schoolmaster said, with a good deal of sinse,
"We'll reduce the two girls to shillin's an' pence;
Add the price of the heifer, then Jane, I'll be bound,
Will come out on top by a couple o' pound.
But still I'm forgettin' that down in Glengall,
The stock is just goin' for nothin' at all."
So Jim thought he'd wait till the end of the year,
Till girls might be cheaper or stock might be dear.

There's a verse missing - something along the lines of "when he came for Kittey, she was married to McVitty and McGee had appropriated Jane, So whatever is the differ in the price of heifir is a thing that he never could explain". Sorry, you'll have to search the web for it and I should be out fixing a hole in the henrun. Cheers Muc

Wizard

  • Joined Nov 2009
  • North East Lincolnshire
Re: The price of a heifer?
« Reply #5 on: February 21, 2010, 02:01:09 pm »
Thanks muc A true story about a lad my age now dead Hey up Inman wots all this we ear bout you sparkin young Westwood.Is it rait (She was well down the list when it came to looks pore lass the daughter of a well known gentleman  farmer out Glentham way) Bluddy is mate I dont care wot she looks like up front be she'll be well breeched behind when Dad goes  :D :farmer:
Don't do today what can be put off until tomorrow because today will be yesterday tomorrow

Muc

  • Joined Nov 2008
  • Co Clare, Ireland
Re: The price of a heifer?
« Reply #6 on: February 21, 2010, 02:28:17 pm »
...and they say romance is dead.

patmci

  • Joined Jun 2009
Re: The price of a heifer?
« Reply #7 on: February 21, 2010, 10:47:55 pm »
What age are the heifers. I was at the local mart a few days ago and angus crosses and some hereford crosses were making 750 euro at 450 kgs.
If you were to rent the land you should get between 120 and 150 euro per acre for good grassland.

Regards Patrick

Muc

  • Joined Nov 2008
  • Co Clare, Ireland
Re: The price of a heifer?
« Reply #8 on: February 22, 2010, 02:13:36 pm »
Thanks Pat,
By that reckoning it's not such a bad deal and I would have someone to keep an eye that I was doing it right.
Regarding feeding through the winter, my neighbour talks of feeding 'crunch' which he buys but wouldn't it be cheaper to use silage bails? (I'm thinking I could haggle a few of those from him as well).
 He's also offered to spread 'bag manure' for me to bring the grass along. (I would buy it of course).
Regards,
Muc

Barcud

  • Joined Jun 2009
Re: The price of a heifer?
« Reply #9 on: February 22, 2010, 08:06:19 pm »
Sounds like a good deal to me, depending on the age and quality of the heiffers. Are they beef, or dairy cross?
I don't think you can put a value on having someone close by who is willing to offer their help and advice until you feel more competent - everything from injections through to calving, or just the reassurance that things are OK.
I guess if you feel his is that sort then I'd go for it, learn with these two, make your mistakes and then decide on which breed you wish to go with, that's pretty much what we did.
Mike

pankie

  • Joined May 2009
  • Yarnfield, Staffs
Re: The price of a heifer?
« Reply #10 on: February 22, 2010, 09:26:02 pm »
hi just some info for, recently I have brought some young Dexter heifers 2 10 month old which I paid £150 ea for( after spending considerable  time looking around I can say this is a good price) & a 13month old for £275. Hope this helps.

http://www.ukcattleonline.co.uk/beef-cattle-for-sale-c16.html

just look at the prices on this site to see what cattle go for

Muc

  • Joined Nov 2008
  • Co Clare, Ireland
Re: The price of a heifer?
« Reply #11 on: February 23, 2010, 12:26:27 pm »
Thanks guys, after careful consideration (as the politicians say) I've decided to take the plunge and go for it. What I might lose in cash terms will be made up for in having my own adviser on hand.
 My neighbour is impossible to haggle with in any case - no matter what I said, he countered with something like 'we'll not see you stuck' or 'we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.'
Thanks to all for valuable information.
Muc
PS I'll have to change my name now from Muc (Irish for pig) to Bo (Irish for cow).

Wizard

  • Joined Nov 2009
  • North East Lincolnshire
Re: The price of a heifer?
« Reply #12 on: February 23, 2010, 05:38:56 pm »
Go for it muc I hope you have checked his credibility there are so many experts out there.In my world an expert is Ex = a has been and a Spurt = a drip under pressure ;D ;D ;D :farmer:
Don't do today what can be put off until tomorrow because today will be yesterday tomorrow

Muc

  • Joined Nov 2008
  • Co Clare, Ireland
Re: The price of a heifer?
« Reply #13 on: March 25, 2010, 08:51:42 pm »
The two girls arrived today and they're beauties. We've been staring at each other over the fence for hours. My eight-year-old has named one 'Milkshake'.
My neighbour came up trumps and even told me to go and fill my wheelbarrow with his silage whenever I want. I see him checking them when he passes this way and he said that he'll watch them for pests and give them some pour-on when it's needed. I think he enjoys teaching me, a poor ignorant city boy, about country ways.
He said that I should talk to them but he didn't say what their interests are: they don't seem too keen on Darling's budget and they've no interest in football.
Thanks to all posters who helped me make my mind up.

Wizard

  • Joined Nov 2009
  • North East Lincolnshire
Re: The price of a heifer?
« Reply #14 on: March 26, 2010, 07:22:37 am »
What a grand neighbour muc From reading your posts you want to join the countryside not just live in it and your neighbour is encouraging you good.A true story One of my farming friends has given up farming and lets the pasture out to a chap in the next village He was running some 200 mixed beast in the field that runs up to the yard and as you are finding they are quite inquisitive animals I was steaming a 50 TD track prior to removing a couple of cracked links and when I stopped there were a few beast looking at me working .So I passed pleasantry's with them and John came up behind me and said I heard you talking to them Do they talk back.Yes I said Brownie said Hey up here comes that miserable old sod thats allust moanin about us exploring the next field.End of conversation :D :D :farmer:
Don't do today what can be put off until tomorrow because today will be yesterday tomorrow

 

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