Buying from us
How to Buy Cattle From Us — Start to Arrival
Buying breeding stock you have not stood next to takes trust. Here is exactly what happens, in order, with nothing left vague.
- 6 stepsEnquiry to arrival
- 25%Deposit, refundable 48h
- 48 hoursInspection on arrival
- 48 statesWe deliver to all
Find the animal
Browse cattle for sale by breed or by type. Every listing shows age, weight or height, registration status, and price. If nothing on the site fits, tell us what you are building — herd size, ground, climate, whether you are keeping replacements — and we will point you at animals that suit, including ones not yet listed.
Ask everything
Ask about the dam's record, why the animal is for sale, temperament, feet, and anything the photos do not show. We would rather answer twenty questions now than have a cow come back.
Reserve with a deposit
A deposit of 35% of the purchase price holds the animal and takes the listing down. It is fully refundable for 48 hours — long enough to sleep on it — and after that it becomes non-refundable, because from that point the animal is off the market and we have turned other buyers away.
On a first purchase we are glad to take a smaller holding deposit first, so you see the receipt and the paperwork arrive before more money moves. Methods are on the payment methods page.
Paperwork and pre-movement requirements
Interstate movement is governed by USDA rules, and states add their own entry requirements. We handle all of it — we book the vet, obtain the certificate of veterinary inspection, and arrange any testing your state requires. The cost is passed on at exactly what the vet charges us, with nothing added. If an animal fails a required test, the sale is cancelled and you get everything back, deposit included.
For registered animals we file the transfer as soon as the balance clears. Associations typically take two to four weeks and post the papers to you directly.
Balance and collection
The balance falls due before transport is booked, and within 14 days of the deposit unless we have agreed a payment schedule with you. Once it clears, we book transport or you arrange collection — see shipping and delivery.
Arrival
Have a pen ready with clean water and shade, separate from your existing herd. Give a new animal two to three weeks to settle and quarantine before turning her out with your cattle — long enough for anything she is carrying to show itself, and long enough for her to work out where the water is. Tell us if anything looks off in the first days; we would rather hear from you early.
Judging a listing
What to look at before you commit
Feet and legs
Structure decides how many years a cow stays sound. Ask for a photo from the side, standing square.
Udder and teats
On any female that has calved. A broken-down udder means a calf that does not nurse well.
Body condition
For the season. A cow carrying too much in September and a cow too thin in March both tell you something.
Age
Ask for the birth date, not "about four". A year either way changes what she is worth.
EPDs
On registered stock — calving ease first if you are buying a bull to use on heifers.
Disposition
Every one of our listings says how the animal handles. If a listing anywhere is silent on temperament, ask why.
Before you buy
Questions worth asking anyone
- Why is this animal for sale?
- How did her dam perform, and is the dam still in the herd?
- Has she ever needed help calving?
- What has she been fed, and what will she need at my place?
- What health work has she had, and when?
- Has she been treated for anything that would matter to me?
On the day
What comes with the animal
- A written bill of sale identifying the animal, the price and both parties
- The certificate of veterinary inspection required for the journey
- Registration papers and the transfer, on registered stock
- A record of vaccinations and any treatment given
- A note of what she has been eating, so you can transition her feed rather than change it overnight
Common questions
Questions before you commit
Can I visit before buying?
Yes, and we encourage it. We are at Rochelle in McCulloch County, Central Texas. Get in touch ahead so someone is here and the cattle are where you can see them properly.
What if the animal is not as described?
You have 48 hours from arrival. If an animal is materially not what the listing described — wrong age, an undisclosed problem, a temperament we did not warn you about — send us photos and tell us. We will either collect her at our own freight cost and refund you in full, or agree a price adjustment with you, whichever you prefer. We have no interest in a buyer keeping a cow they feel cheated on.
Can I buy several head?
Yes, and it changes the price per head — three or more and we quote the lot rather than the animal. It also cuts your freight substantially, since the cost of a load is spread across more head. Tell us how many and what you are trying to build.
Start with what is on the ground
Every animal is listed with its age, weight, registration status and price. Nothing is hidden behind an enquiry form.