We sell young feeder calves ready to enter a feeding program or continue in a feeding program. These animals are typically aged 8 to 20 months and have been weaned, vaccinated and backgrounded and developed on pasture with supplemental feed. Older/larger animals have already been on a full finishing feed program. They are priced on a per-lb. live weight basis, which price varies based upon (1) the percentage of Wagyu genetics in the animal and (2) the price of same class (weight and sex) commercial feeder calves. The methodology for determining “commercial feeder calf” pricing varies based upon weight class. For younger/smaller cattle, the USDA weekly cattle summary report for Texas, or the similar Cattlefax report, adjusted for market price changes since the date of the most recently published weekly report, is typically used. These reports provide pricing for steer/heifer class and by weight class, for the Texas region. For older/heavier animals, the national feeder calf futures pricing is sometimes used. Animals can be picked up at our ranch by appointment, and delivery is available for an additional cost. Our feeder calves are substantially all steers (vs. heifers) and are developed and raised in a pasture environment with supplemental free-choice minerals and with daily supplemental feeding that includes brewers grain, dried distillers grains, corn, rice, cotton seed, other grains and grain processing by-products such as wheat midds and grain dust, hay, alfalfa, liquid feed that contains molasses and corn gluten, and a vitamin/mineral supplement, as well as free choice vitamin/mineral supplement. For older/heavier animals that are already in a finishing program the feed ration includes corn, rice, brewers grain, dried distillers grains, as well as free choice 6-month-old+ hay and/or rice straw, and a mineral supplement that does not contain vitamin A.
Animal Type
Premium
F1 (50% Wagyu genetics). These animals are sired by a registered, 100% fullblood Wagyu bull and are out of Angus, Angus+ and Brangus type commercial cows. Finished for F1/50% Wagyu quality beef on an all natural (no implants, hormones or antibiotics) usually requires around 2-4 months longer than for an Angus-type animal, or around 22-26 months of age. We have very few F1 feeder animals available compared to past years, as we own very few non-Wagyu cows and therefore produce very few F1 calves, and we produce far more higher percentage, purebred and fullblood Wagyu calves.
$0.30
F2 (75% Wagyu genetics). These animals are sired by a registered, 100% fullblood Wagyu bull and are out of an “F1” cow (as described above). These animals will produce higher quality marbling, as well as more consistent marbling, as compared to beef from F1 animals, although they will grow somewhat slower and therefore take longer to finish. Finished to “Wagyu quality” on an all natural (no implants, hormones or antibiotics) typically requires around 2 months longer compared to an F1/50% Wagyu animal, or around 24-28 months of age.
$0.50
F3/F4 (87.5% to 93.75% Wagyu genetics). These animals are sired by a registered, 100% fullblood Wagyu bull and are out of an “F2” or “F3” cow. These animals will produce meaningfully higher quality marbling, as well as much more consistent marbling, as compared to beef from F1 animals, although they will grow slower and therefore take longer to finish. Finished to “Wagyu quality” on an all natural (no implants, hormones or antibiotics) typically requires around 4 months longer compared to an F1/50% Wagyu animal, or around 26-30 months of age.
$0.70
Purebred and Fullblood Wagyu. These animals are sired by either a Fullblood or Purebred Wagyu bull and are out of a Fullblood or Purebred Wagyu cow. These animals are guaranteed to be DNA verifiable to their Fullblood/Purebred parents and are guaranteed to be registerable with the Amercian Wagyu Association as either a Fullblood or Purebred Wagyu animal (which requires DNA parent verification). These animals, if fed properly, can produce substantially higher quality marbling, as well as substantially more consistent marbling, as compared to beef from F1 animals, although they will grow slower and therefore take longer to finish. Finished to “Wagyu quality” on an all natural (no implants, hormones or antibiotics) typically requires around 6 to 8 months longer compared to an F1/50% Wagyu animal, or around 28-34 months of age. There is a meaningful “jump” in the price premium for Purebred/Fullblood feeder calves because (1) they must be produced using a Purebred/Fullblood cow, which cows are substantially more expensive than other types of cows, or through embryo transfer, which is even more expensive; and (2) they are born smaller and grow slower, so they achieve more of their growth later in life (in the feed lot after they are sold as a feeder calf) and therefore they are typically smaller at any given age as a feeder calf, and thus are typically sold at a lighter weight when sold as a feeder calf. We have limited supply of Purebred and Fullblood Wagyu and sometimes have no availability.
$2.00