Beef Economics and Marketing

The Grass-Fed Beef Market

Today the demand for grass-fed beef is higher than ever, with retail sales of labeled fresh grass-fed beef in the U.S. growing from $17 million in 2012 to $272 million in 2016 (Nielsen Retail Measurement Services, 2017). With the increase in demand, existing beef producers and agricultural newcomers alike have begun to ask how they can incorporate a grass-fed beef option into their agricultural systems.

Like with any livestock endeavor, the economics determining the operational costs of grass-fed production can be perplexing. To help answer any niche market or grass-fed beef economic questions you may have please explore the resources below.

Cost Production Literature, PowerPoints and Videos

Niche market beef production is an exciting economic opportunity, however there are many obstacles associated with niche market beef production. To learn more about the finances of niche market beef production and help determine if niche market is right for you click on the literature, PowerPoint, and video resources below below.

Literature

♦ Romance Vs. Reality:Hard Lessons Learned in a Grass-fed Marketing Cooperative (ISU Extension)

♦ Economic Impact of Beef Cattle Best Management Practices: Conversion to Grass-fed Beef (Texas A&M Agrilife Extension)

Videos

For videos on how to market your product and the basics of niche market beef production please click below.

♦ The In's and Out of Niche Marketing Meat (UCANR)

♦ Beef Business Basics (UCANR)

♦ Thinking Inside the Box: Local Supply Chain Resilience (UCANR)

♦ Beef Supply Chain and Market Distributions (UCANR)

PowerPoints

For power points on how to market your product and the basics of niche market beef production please click on the extension and below.

♦ Grass-Fed Beef Economic Considerations (UT Extension)

♦ The Economics of Grass-fed Beef (Badgerland Financial)

♦ Economics and Marketing Niche Market Beef (UCANR)

Calculators

Calculators can be a useful tool to determine your costs of productions and breakevens. All the calculators below are in Microsoft Excel™.

Cow-Calf Budget Generator

These worksheets contain budgets for cow/calf production for winter hay feeding or winter pasture. The user can vary the costs of inputs, number of head, and prices to compare alternative management strategies.

♦ Cow-Calf Budget Generator

Cattle Grower Ration Balancer

This balancer calculator allows can help determine total feed costs using precise growth and feed requirements.

♦ Cattle Grower Ration Balancer (UA Extension)

Break-even Grass-fed Calculator (Weaning to Harvest)

The following calculator allows thee user to determine the breakeven price of producing grass-fed on a per hd and per pound basis. The user can vary the costs of inputs, number of head, and prices to compare alternative management strategies. In addition, the user has the choice of renting pasture on a AUM or lbs of gain basis. For more information on AUM click here.

♦ Grass-fed Beef Calculator

UCANR Cost Studies

Cost and return studies for cow-calf , grass-fed beef, irrigated pasture, and hay are available below. To view the studies you may need to download Adobe Reader for free.

Forage Production

Irrigated Pasture

Cow-Calf

Grass-fed Beef

Alfalfa Sacramento/ Delta

Alfalfa Sacramento Valley

Wheat Sacramento Valley

Sacramento Valley

Sierra Nevada Foothills

Central Coast

San Francisco Bay Area

San Joaquin

San Joaquin Valley

Grass-Fed Beef

If our website is unable to address your niche marketing questions, please to not hesitate to ask you local livestock farm advisor (to find your local farm advisor and contact information click here).