Another factor crucial to making sound marketing decisions is to know the costs associated with the production of each calf. You must know your break-even costs per calf to evaluate potential profit or loss. Without this information, it is impossible to know when to sell, at what weight to sell, and into which market to sell. Finally, beef producers must become students of the cattle market. However, to participate in these, producers must know costs of production and what the current market is on each class of cattle.
Marketing is just as vital to success in the beef business as any other factor.
The next issue will discuss these various marketing options and detail how to find daily information on current and projected cattle prices. Recommendations on this web site do not endorse any commercial products or trade names.