# Current slaughter price?



## SilverMaple

What's the current ballpark 'market price' per pound on slaughter horses? 

(No, I'm not sending a horse to slaughter, I'm keeping tabs on what the current price would be if I find a suitable draft/half-draft for what I'm looking for that would otherwise be on a truck to Mexico, and people are often asking others what's a fair price for their horse to ensure it won't end up on a meat truck if privately sold).

I thought this may be a good place to keep that price updated for people who buy at auction, too.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians

There's a lot of variables that go into that. What type of auction, where, time of year, size of horse, training and probably the most important thing, how does it look? I haven't been to a 'low end' kill buyer auction in a couple of years but there's a little bit better auction that focuses on roping, reining and cutting horses that has 3-4 sales per year. If the horse has looks, goes well under saddle and a decent pedigree, it will sell for over $5000 easy. Husband kid safe, add $2500 to that. Money winner at reining, cutting, over $10K for most. That's mostly for geldings. Mare that's a money earner will go for a little less unless the purchaser is also a breeder, then she can hold her own. Anything not under saddle and over 2-3 is less than $2500. Under 2, mare with foal at side (unless there's something really stellar about her or her foal) $1000 or less. Pregnant mare, especially if she's not really reining or cutting bred, $750 or less. Color will always sell, if its really well conformed and doing well under saddle, has earned money or has a good show record, $15K and up. 

The last time I went to a low end auction horses were going through loose for $100 or less, ridden would go up to $500. Rarely someone went through that went up to $1000. I don't think a lot has changed with those numbers. The 'rescue' groups on Facebook that are trying to pay 'bail', er ransom, to the KBs are going for about $400-$900 depending on the horse. That's generally at least twice what the KB paid for the horse, sometimes 3X.


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## AtokaGhosthorse

That seems in keeping with what we're seeing in SE Oklahoma and N. Texas on the horse prices, Dreamcatcher. Husband goes every Monday to the local auction, our cattle 'buyer' goes to a LOT of horse and livestock auctions, talks about the 'going prices', so that sounds about right.


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## SketchyHorse

From what I've seen it looks like $.50/lb is average. Some people have quoted up to $1.25/lb. I'm sure it's highly dependent on the area.

No personal experience as auctions aren't super popular in my area anymore. We're also not near anywhere to make it worthwhile to send 'em off - it would cost a KB a heck of a lot to have them shipped up/down/over than would be worth.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians

AtokaGhosthorse said:


> That seems in keeping with what we're seeing in SE Oklahoma and N. Texas on the horse prices, Dreamcatcher. Husband goes every Monday to the local auction, our cattle 'buyer' goes to a LOT of horse and livestock auctions, talks about the 'going prices', so that sounds about right.


Which auction in SE OK do you go to? The closest low end for me is Bristow. 

I forgot to mention, Joe Simon has a ranch just down the road from me and when he buys direct, if it's a good looking horse with papers, he'll give about $400 to the seller. No papers, not looking good, $250 or there abouts. I drive by there just about 3 or 4 times a week, he's got some really nice looking horses on that place.


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## AtokaGhosthorse

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> Which auction in SE OK do you go to? The closest low end for me is Bristow.
> 
> I forgot to mention, Joe Simon has a ranch just down the road from me and when he buys direct, if it's a good looking horse with papers, he'll give about $400 to the seller. No papers, not looking good, $250 or there abouts. I drive by there just about 3 or 4 times a week, he's got some really nice looking horses on that place.


Husband just hits the local Atoka Livestock auction. They run cattle and some horses through every Monday (I think. It may be every other Monday). They also run tack through - and that's why he's started going. They have a horse auction on a regular basis too, but I don't know when it is... and hubs has not gone. Our buyer does though. He's the guy that owns the 44 Rodeo Company (which is why he hits so many livestock auctions - he's a serious horse trader) He and Hubs will sit around and b.s. and drink a few beers or talk on the phone a lot, so I'm hearing it all when they talk.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians

AtokaGhosthorse said:


> Husband just hits the local Atoka Livestock auction. They run cattle and some horses through every Monday (I think. It may be every other Monday). They also run tack through - and that's why he's started going. They have a horse auction on a regular basis too, but I don't know when it is... and hubs has not gone. Our buyer does though. He's the guy that owns the 44 Rodeo Company (which is why he hits so many livestock auctions - he's a serious horse trader) He and Hubs will sit around and b.s. and drink a few beers or talk on the phone a lot, so I'm hearing it all when they talk.


I know JS bought one of the auctions down south there, thinking it's the one near Sulphur? I've forgotten exactly. There's a LOT of serious horse trader's around here. I have come to understand that while they do a pretty good trade with the meat end of things, it's really secondary to horse trading. They really try to flip more than they ship.


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## AtokaGhosthorse

Sulphur is a good one - a little lady my daughter is friends with buys and sells there. I'd like to go sometime just to see it, but I'm afraid I'd want to bring the hard luck stories home with me. 

And yes, I can't think of a horse our friend has sold for slaughter purposes. If they have a snowballs hope, he'll bring them home, he and his kids, but mostly his kids, will start putting a lot of miles on them so they're worth re-selling. He'd much rather flip them than sell them for slaughter. I have a story about that, but I'd have to tell you in a PM. It involved horse thieves stealing his father's horses, sales to kill buyers, and a little dose of highly illegal southern justice if you will.

Anyway, his horse flipping is how we ended up with Trigger, he came from the Cleburn TX horse auction through him. When he says a horse is a kid's horse though, I learned real quick: He means HIS kids, and his kids spent all day, every day, in a saddle.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians

AtokaGhosthorse said:


> Sulphur is a good one - a little lady my daughter is friends with buys and sells there. I'd like to go sometime just to see it, but I'm afraid I'd want to bring the hard luck stories home with me.
> 
> And yes, I can't think of a horse our friend has sold for slaughter purposes. If they have a snowballs hope, he'll bring them home, he and his kids, but mostly his kids, will start putting a lot of miles on them so they're worth re-selling.
> 
> That's how we ended up with Trigger, he came from the Cleburn TX horse auction through him. When he says a horse is a kid's horse though, I learned real quick: He means HIS kids, and his kids spent all day, every day, in a saddle.


YEAH, there's a HUGE difference between a "kid's have ridden this horse" horse and a "kid safe horse" horse.


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## SilverMaple

I think average in our area is about .60/pound, but don't quote me on that. There's the big Waverly sale in a couple of weeks, and that seems to set the precedent for our state for a few months, it seems.


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## AtokaGhosthorse

Yeah, I should have told him I wanted an Out of Shape 40 Something Year Old Woman with a Tendency to be Klutzy safe horse....

It never occurred to me a kid's horse for his kids and a kids horse for everyone else's kids is not the same kind of horse.


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## AtokaGhosthorse

Back on topic. 

I've noticed a lot of Craigslist ads for the DFW area popping up: I BUY HORSES. There will be a picture of a gorgeous horse at a gallop, mane flying, something like that. Very little information on the ad except it makes it clear the quality of horse doesn't matter.

I'm thinking whoever it is is a kill buyer.

This is one of them. There's more, with different wording, different pictures. I've not compared the contact information yet, just noticed them last night. This one shows up in the Texoma area now...

https://texoma.craigslist.org/wan/d/looking-to-buy-horses/6321193602.html

Edit. Same phone number.

Here's the second ad:

https://texoma.craigslist.org/wan/d/horses/6317258439.html


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## SilverMaple

There's a big KB in this area, too. Local papers and CL ads all say "buying all types of horses; age, breed doesn't matter.' Prices must be decent or he's opening up space, because he's shipped eight or ten truckloads this week according to his neighbors.


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## horselovinguy

SilverMaple said:


> What's the current ballpark 'market price' per pound on slaughter horses?


Monthly "average" figures...
1275 pounds = $625.00 {think that is higher end pricing}
I saw between $310 - $625 for everything from 2 years old to aged horses, 1000 - 1275 pounds.
Of course some go for more, but the majority don't...

I found you a summary breakdown...
_http://colbylivestock.com/horses.pdf_
This makes many cry...and is it any wonder. :sad:
I think the opening information is literally price per pound...so yes, destined for slaughter pricing.
Here is the "copy" of it if you not want to see what "nice" horses sold for..

* Horse Prices*
 Monday, Sept 4, 2017
29 horses sold
packer price-1100-1400#,44-51ctw
packer price-900-1100#,38-44ctw
packe price-700-900#,28-42ctw
packer price-"thin" 10-25ctw
"loose horses"- $50.00 - $450.00
colts & fillies- $10.00- $150.00

I believe "loose horses" are those that are trailered in and dumped by whomever...
They are sold by animal on the hoof...cheap as cheap can be...
So to assure yourself of not attracting the meat buyer, price accordingly or you will have the "flipper" on the doorstep promising everything and destination....death occurring.
:runninghorse2:.....


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians

I don't sell anything under $5K. And even so, I've had a KB want to buy one of my horses. He was offering what I was asking, he wanted the horse for him. I knew who he was and told him she had already sold. I don't care if he wanted her for himself, I know she ultimately would have ended up somewhere I wouldn't send her. I may get peeved and threaten, "If you don't straighten up, you're going to end up a steak in France!" or "Do you know what poutine is? I'm gonna send you where you can find out, if you don't start behaving.", but it's a hollow threat.


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## SwissMiss

@*Drea*mcatcher Arabians, sometimes I threaten my mare the same, by saying "next time DH will get you for the grill"... But that is an empty threat as well, lol.

I think here around (at least last I talked to someone in the "know"), meat prices were about 30-40 cents per pound.


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