Actual production costs tell producers what they’re making

Cattle prices have been strong, and for cow-calf producers, that has been welcome news. But there’s another side of the ledger that deserves just as much attention. What did it actually cost to keep a cow and raise a calf this year? Nebraska Extension Educator Aaron Berger recently updated estimated annual cow costs for 2026. The numbers are worth looking at as we plan for 2027, especially with higher feed costs on the horizon. Under this example budget, it cost approximately $1,617 to maintain a cow for the year. However, that isn’t quite the cost to produce a weaned calf. Not every cow exposed to breeding will wean a calf. At an 85% weaning rate, that works out to around $1,900 for each calf weaned. Drop that to 80%, and the cost rises to just over $2,000. At 90%, it’s just under $1,800. In a 100-cow herd, improving the weaning rate from 80% to 85% means five additional calves to market without substantially changing the cost of maintaining the cow herd.

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