How profitable is a cow/calf operation?
Based on these assumptions and adjusted for the weaning rate, average calf revenue is $655 per cow.
Table of Contents
How much does it cost to produce a cow?
The total average net cost of production was calculated to be $781.67 per cow, or $144.90 per cwt of production. This represented an increase of 6% over the 2019 total costs of $738.05 per cow.

What is the largest expense in the cattle industry?
The largest expenditures for livestock farms are feed at $55.2 billion (32.3 percent of total), livestock, poultry, and related expenses at $38.0 billion (22.3 percent), and farm services at $18.5 billion (10.8 percent). Together, these line items account for 65.4 percent of livestock farms total expenses.
How much does a show calf cost?
Depending on the breed you select, you are probably going to be looking at a minimum of $5000 for a calf that is of show quality.

How much profit do you make per cow?
Sterling Marketing president John Nalivka projects cash profit margins for cow-calf producers in 2020 will average $51 per cow. For feedyards, Nalivka projects an average profit of $10 per head in 2020, and packer margins are projected to average $281 per head.
What is the primary source of revenue for commercial cow/calf operations?
Weaning Weight of Calves– Weaned calves are the main source of revenue for the beef operation, as such the more pounds available to sell, the more potential revenue is generated.
How many cows do you need for 100 acres?
You should be able to keep between 0.5 and 1.1 cows per acre on average pasture. In general, rotational grazing may increase the cows-per-acre rate up to 30% compared to traditional grazing. However, rotational grazing techniques require at least two paddocks and are usually more expensive.
Do cattle farmers make money?
Cattle ranchers earn almost twice as much as the average American worker, but their jobs are also physically strenuous. Income and profit fluctuates from year to year due to shifting overhead costs, government subsidies and public policies regulating the beef industry.
How much does a cow calf cost?
How Much Does a Baby Calf Cost? A baby cow, or calf, costs an average price of around $150 to $300. This price range depends on its age and whether it’s weaning.
What is the average cost to produce a calf per year?
According to the Livestock Marketing Information Center (LMIC), the national average cost of producing a calf was $883 in 2014. That is only an increase of $73 in the last six years. The one thing I know for sure, is that some producers have a cost of production that is higher than average.
What are farmers biggest expenses?
These include operator labor, machinery, taxes, asset depreciation/capital consumption, rent and interest expenses. Chemicals and fertilizer continue to make up the largest share of on-farm expenditures, up to 17.5%, while fuels remain the lowest share, representing 3% of total on-farm expenditures.
Who owns the most cows in USA?
Texas has the most cattle in the United States followed by Nebraska & Kansas. Texas accounts for roughly 13% of the cattle inventory in the United States. Texas, Nebraska and Kansas account for roughly 27% of the cattle inventory in the United States.
How much is a 2022 cattle head?
At first glance, 2022 cattle prices are higher than 2021. At $140, slaughter steer prices are 17.5% above 2021 prices, but even with higher prices, farmers and ranchers will travel a rocky road to profitability, paved with inflation and higher input costs in 2022.
How much is a cow worth 2022?
Here’s what else CattleFax predicts for cattle price outlook in 2022. Fed steers: $140 per cwt average for the year, with tops up to $155. That’s $300 per head more than last year. Feeder calves: (550 pounds): $205 per cwt average for 2022, up $35 from last year.
What is the most profitable farming?
Top 13 Most Profitable Crops To Grow
- Considerations for Small Farms.
- 1) Mushrooms.
- 2) Microgreens.
- 3) Ginseng.
- 4) Lavender.
- 5) Saffron.
- 6) Goji Berries.
- 7) Wasabi.
What are the 3 types of cattle production?
Several methods are used to organize and classify the types of beef production systems in the United States. The most commonly used systems are cow-calf, backgrounding, and finish- ing operations.
How much does a calf sell for?
What is the most profitable livestock to raise?
Beef cattle
Beef cattle are generally the most profitable and easiest livestock to raise for profit. Beef cattle simply require good pasture, supplemental hay during the winter, fresh water, vaccinations and plenty of room to roam. You can buy calves from dairy farms inexpensively to start raising beef cattle.
How many cows do you need to make money?
As a rough guide, farmers can expect to make a full-time income from a dairy herd of about 60-80 cows, and a beef herd of at least 150 cows.
Which livestock is most profitable?
How do you create a farm budget?
To develop a whole-farm budget:
Inventory the resources available for use in production. Determine physical production data that will be used in the input/output process. Identify reliable input and output prices. Calculate the expected variable and fixed costs and all returns.
What is a whole farm budget?
A whole-farm budget is used to estimate the expected income, expenses, and profit of a given farm plan, to compare the profitability of alternative farm plans, and often to evaluate the effect of a change in farm size and estimate the availability of farm resources (land, labor, capital, and management).
Which state has more cows than humans?
South Dakota has the most cattle per person in the United States followed by Nebraska and Montana.
Rank | State | Cattle |
---|---|---|
1 | South Dakota | 3,650,000 |
2 | Nebraska | 6,150,000 |
3 | Montana | 2,550,000 |
4 | North Dakota | 1,770,000 |
What country has the most cows?
Today cows are found all around the world, however the greatest percentage of cattle live in India, as it’s home to over 330 million cows. Brazil is the home to the second largest number of cows, with more than 210 million living in the country. It’s followed by China, which has just over 100 million cows.
How much is a 600 pound calf worth?
So, if a bull weighed 600 lbs, rather than 550, his price would have most likely been $147.50 per cwt ($7.50 per cwt less).
…
The Value of Selling Steer Calves vs Bull Calves.
Value of 550 lb bull, initial price of $155 per cwt | |
---|---|
$15 / cwt price slide | $853 per head |
Value of 600 lb bull | |
$10 / cwt price slide | $900 per head |