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; production, as pounds weaned per exposed female; and profits, as rate of return on assets. Variables affecting one or more performance measures included herd size; pounds of feed fed; real estate, machinery, and breeding-stock investments; calving percentage; death loss; and breeding-season length. Management variables were especially important for financial costs and profitability of the cow-herd operation.
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The enterprise budget, whole farm cash flow, and income statement are fundamental tools of farm and ranch management. The “Microcomputer Budget Management System” (MBMS) is a microcomputer software package that facilitates the storage and use of information for crop and livestock budgeting. It performs the calculations for several1 enterprise budgeting formats and for preparation of whole farm resource use reports and financial statements. The MBMS also includes internal machinery and irrigation cost calculation routines.MBMS was developed for use by extension staff, researchers, lenders, consultants, and operators of diversified farms and ranches with many enterprises that use enterprise and whole farm budgeting for analysis and planning activities. The flexibility and detailed nature of the program requires the user to have knowledge of enterprise budgeting and operation of complex computer programs. This paper presents a discussion of the features and capabilities of the software and the computational procedures used in the cost calculations.
The beef cattle investment decision provides an excellent opportunity to increase the economic efficiency of beef cattle production. The investment questions that face beef cattle producers are of interest to beef cattle producers, educators, and financial institutions involved in lending to beef cattle producing firms. This study develops a decision support aid utilizing expert system technology to assist beef cattle producers in making well-founded investment decisions with respect to the firm's beef cattle herd.
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