A feeder-calf price model is estimated which incorporates elements of break-even budget analysis, including estimates of placement weights, slaughter weights, ration cost, and feed-conversion rates. From this model, a corn price multiplier is calculated which quantifies the corn/feeder-calf...

The average real salary of agricultural economists has risen approximately 20 percent over the last two decades. Currently agricultural economists' salaries are approximately 6 percent above the average college of agricultural salary and 1 percent above the average of all university faculty....

Extension faculty have been educating cow-calf producers about value-added calf management programs and the premiums available at auction from these management practices for years. Despite these efforts, producers express doubt regarding the likelihood of premiums and the profitability of...

Mexico initiated a federal animal identification (ID) system (SINIIGA) in 2003. The program is administered by an agency of the federal Department of Agriculture (SAGARPA) and has been used primarily to support a federal subsidy program for livestock producers. The program is conceptually well...

Binary logit regression models were used to estimate factors affecting adoption of recommended management practices. Variables analyzed include aspects of farm structure, human capital, farm objectives, and production system employed by the producer. Results reveal that operation size and...

A whole-farm simulation model is used to analyze the impacts of PST adoption on representative farms in Missouri and Indiana. Farmers who do not adopt experience lower average annual net cash farm incomes than adopters. Lower feed prices and/or an average PST/feed response decrease the incentive...

The cattle industry batch markets animals in pens. Because of this, animals within any one pen can be both underfed and overfed. Thus, there is a production inefficiency associated with batch marketing. We simulate the value of sorting animals through weight and ultrasound measurements from...

Cow-herd standardized performance analysis (SPA) data for Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico were used to determine economic factors affecting cow-herd costs, production, and profitability. Total cost was defined as the financial cost associated with raising a calf through the weaning stage;...

Value-based marketing is shaping cattle production; however, market signals differ dramatically depending on carcass quality. This study applies a two-stage coefficients of separate determination procedure to four regional fed cattle datasets sorted by grid value and by carcass quality...

The impact of initial body condition scores on net returns from retaining beef cull cows for delayed marketing was investigated in a three-year experiment. Cows were retained either on native grass pasture or in a low-input dry lot setting. Net returns are examined across five alternative...