Beef cow-calf production

Cow-calf production occurs in all 50 states over varied resource bases and under vastly different environmental conditions; however, some common strategies that can be employed by cow-calf producers to enhance profitability include understanding cyclic and seasonal price patterns, weight-price slides, cattle shrink, and other marketing costs. The beef industry is changing and will likely continue to change. Cow-calf producers will need to examine their own management practices to determine whether they are optimal for the current industry. Those producers who are most adept at matching their management abilities to their cattle type, their resource base, and the appropriate market outlet will be the most successful in the future.