Placing Classified Ads
You might ask, “Why would I pay someone to advertise my cows for sale?”
Here is what I’ve learned: many breeders are just starting with a few Highlands, don’t have the time to travel to Highland sales events, and don’t have a website & email list that reaches many thousands of potential buyers.
We aim to facilitate the placement of AHCA registered Highlands working to connect buyers and sellers, and providing a structure and advice for successful transaction. We don’t directly participate in or profit from the sale, other than our small Classifieds fee.
You can complete the form below to submit your ad, or read more detail in our FAQs below, or jump over to the Highland Classifieds page to see what’s available.
Classified Ad FAQs
How Can Elm Hollow Help?
I’ve been posting my own calves and cows on my website successfully for years and have visited many classifieds ads pages of other high traffic Highland websites. That has taught me a lot about what makes an effective, manageable classifieds page. I’ve talked with many buyers and heard their concerns about the current problem with scammers in the Highland cattle market. I’ve also talked with many breeders who are just getting started or have only a few Highlands, so don’t want the expense of maintaining a website capable of reaching thousands of people to advertise the calves they produce.
I recently discussed this during a conversation with my webmaster, and we came up with the idea of offering sellers a venue to advertise and realize better prices at very little expense while still having the peace of mind of knowing where their calves are going. Buyers can have more assurance that the sellers are not going to disappear with their money. Elm Hollow Farm will not be involved in the sale, nor will we profit from the sale. The only role our website will play is to provide a place for buyers and sellers to meet.
Why Only AHCA Registered Cattle?
No (CAN BE REGISTERED) Ads will be accepted.
If registration is in process, list the U number that can be used to look up the genetic information in the AHCA herdbook. I will touch base with the AHCA office to check on the progress of the registration application.
We welcome the listings of AHCA registered cows, cow/calf pairs, steers, heifers and bulls. One animal per ad with the exception of Cow/calf pairs. (steers can be registered without DNA submission)
Because only active AHCA members can register a Highland in the herdbook, sellers must be an active member of AHCA. This is one of the main ways we can protect the site from scammer posts. AHCA members may, under some circumstances, post unregistered, pure blooded Highlands, but at this time we will not be listing any cross breeds.
The American Highland Cattle Association has been the most valuable resource we have for learning about the needs and advantages of the breed. In addition to a wealth of research available on the site, there is a breeder directory, and of course the herd book. In the herd book, you can search any registered animal and trace its lineage to determine if it is related to your stock or what colors have appeared in its ancestry.
There are programs for data collection that will pick out the outstanding dams and bulls according to program guidelines. If you are interested in developing a line of cows that routinely produce outstanding calves, other members can see these outstanding characteristics with a quick search of any stock you might have available for sale.
We encourage you to visit the AHCA association website.
Why Not Go To Auction?
You might ask, “Why would I pay someone to advertise my cows for sale?” Here is what I’ve learned: Most Highland breeders start with small numbers of Highlands and usually have full-time jobs to support their addiction to these wonderful animals. They don’t really have time or the means of transportation to take them to a legitimate Highland sale and may not realize the expenses involved in doing so. Highlands do not sell well at a general sale barn and you have no idea what type of home your Highland might end up in from such a place.
Your time (minimum of two days), takes you away from work, requires arranging for the care of other animals on your farm, and that may be expensive. The cost of transport, cost of a hotel, cost of consigning, cost of obtaining a health certificate that is required for all sales etc. might exceed $1000 and you still have no idea who will be buying your animal or how much it will sell for. (I haven’t even mentioned the work of preparing your cow to be presented in a crowded arena with the noise associated with an auction.) If your calf or cow is frightened and acts up, the sale price will go down, and the type of new home will be affected negatively.
How Can We Avoid Scammers?
Scammers have been known to steal registration numbers. Several people have contacted me to ask about some of my cows that were posted for sale on a scam site with their registration numbers. Fortunately, these alert buyers were savvy enough to look up the numbers and see that I was the owner and saved themselves from sending money to the scammer.
I will check the registration of each submitted ad application before posting. The contact information for the advertiser must match what is in the herdbook. We’ll also refuse to work with breeders that we know have engaged in deceptive practices.
What's the Advertising Process?
The basic steps are to…
- Complete the form below.
- Select a Brief or Deluxe ad.
- Respond to our email with photo requests.
- Pay for your ad via emailed payment link.
- Approve the ad proof that Nancy emails you.
- Stay in touch when your Highland sells or its time to extend your ad.
What are Brief and Deluxe Ads?
Deluxe ads can include more photos and information.
The Deluxe ad will also include a newsletter mention equivalent to the format of the brief ad and social media exposure on several Highland cattle pages encouraging visits to our classifieds and see your cow’s information.
A Brief Ad includes a single photo and the follow type of information:
Red Heifer AHCA # 22222
Name: Elm Hollow’s Sample Calf
D.O.B. January 15, 2025 age 8 mo.
$8500 FIRM
Contact: Nancy@elmhollowfarm.com
912-674-8401 call or text.
A Deluxe Ad might include 3-4 photos and the following information format:
Red Heifer AHCA # 22222
Name: Elm Hollow’s Sample Calf
D.O.B. January 15, 2025 age 8 mo.
$8500 FIRM or (highest offer by 10/1/25) or (OBO)
Contact: Nancy@elmhollowfarm.com
912-674-8401 call or text.
Here is a picture of Sample with her dam on the day she was born. Her dam (AHCA #12345) calved independently and Sample was up and nursing within just over 30 minutes.
Sample’s sire (AHCA #67892) is a handsome dude too! With the gentle temperament of her parents, Sample will be a welcome addition to any family’s fold.
What Should Photos Be Like?
Take some good photos of the (sample of show pose) animal you are selling. Pay attention to how they are standing, avoid shadows, the background shouldn’t detract from the subject. Profile photos are good and photos from the side with the head turned toward the camera are good. If including photos of the sire and dam use the same guidelines. You want to mimic a “show” pose, but it doesn’t have to be perfect.
If adding sire and dam photos, you might want to list their registration #s also.
Sometimes you might want to include a photo with a person to show temperament, if so, I’ll need signed permission to post that photo.
Other choices of additional photos might be cute baby photos instead of showing sire and dam, a photo of the registration certificate, or a photo of the calf with a bonded calf in your pasture and you have done a brief ad for hoping they can stay together.
I frequently do that with a heifer that has a steer as her pasture buddy since many people don’t want to invest in two heifers as their first two Highlands.
