Decision Making Tools
These tools and aids were created to help you make informed decisions.
Decision Making Programs from Purdue University
Hay Cost Calculator - downloads as Excel file
Pasture Cost Per day - downloads as Excel file
Decision Making Programs from Iowa State University
- Backgrounding Steer Calves - Excel file
- Beef Cow-Calf (one replacement unit) - Excel file
- Raising Versus Buying Heifers for Beef Cow Replacement-Overview PDF
- Buying Heifers for Beef Cow Replacement (one replacement unit) - Excel file
- Raising Heifers for Beef Cow Replacement (one replacement unit) - Excel file
- Net Present Value of Beef Replacement Females-Overview- PDF
- Net Present Value of Beef Replacement Females - Excel file
- Net Present Value of Beef Replacement Females - Excel file
- Cattle Marketing Decisions Overview PDF
- Cow Repurchase Calculator - Excel file
- Cow Sell Calculator - Excel file
- Finishing Steer Calves-(one replacement unit) - Excel file
- Finishing Yearling Steers-(one replacement unit) - Excel file
- Finishing Yearling Heifers-(one replacement unit) - Excel file
- Enterprise Budgets for Iowa-Overview PDF
- 2018 Iowa Farm Custom Rate Survey PDF
Decision Making Programs from South Dakota State University
Feed Cost CalculatorThis tool helps producers evaluate the relative costs of two different feedstuffs.
Natural Feeding Comparison
This tool helps producers compare natural and conventional feeding systems.
Share Lease Calculator
Cow –Calf share leases are a tool for two parties to pool resources and share the revenue. Typically one party provides the cattle and/or other fixed assets, while the other party provides labor, feed, and management. These arrangements can be beneficial to both parties, but that will require careful planning before the start of the lease.
Creep Feed Comparison
This tool helps producers determine the economics of creep feeding beef calves.
Decision Making Programs from The University of Wyoming
Cow Herd Economics Calculator
Note: These three Excel Files Must be kept together in the same folder and their files names cannot be changed in order to operate correctly. These files are compressed into one zip file.