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Cattle Ranch Handbook

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Ranch calculators

Two worksheets for the kitchen table: what a cow costs per day, and how much hay you need for winter.

Cost per head per day

Enter your real costs for a stretch of time (say, the winter feeding season), the number of head and the number of days.

Formula: (feed + minerals + pasture + health + labor + other) ÷ head ÷ days.

Hay needed for the winter

Intake and waste are the two numbers that swing the answer most. Use figures from your extension specialist or nutritionist, and from your own hay test and feeding setup. Nothing is pre-filled on purpose.

Formula: body weight × intake % ÷ (1 − loss %) = pounds per head per day. Multiply by head and days for the total, then divide by bale weight.

Reality check. Hay quality, weather, feeding method and cow condition all change intake. Weigh a few bales, test the hay, and keep a cushion. Both calculators run in your browser and send nothing anywhere.

Why cost per head per day?

Per-day costs make decisions comparable. You can see what a feeding plan, a lease or a mineral program really adds, and compare it with what the calf crop returns. The full handbook will add enterprise budgets and break-even tools.

Sources and further reading