Positive breakevens on retaining ownership offers opportunities

An opportunity to lock in an extra $20-40 a head on calves being weaned this fall offers cow-calf producers an opportunity not seen in the last two or three years, according to Dr. Darrell Mark, an extension livestock marketing specialist with the University of Nebraska.

Mark said it may make sense for producers to retain ownership of those calves and finish them in Nebraska.

“Feed costs in Nebraska are lower than most places thanks to the ready supply of feed grains and ethanol coproducts like distillers grains, plus there are good financing alternatives available in Nebraska feed yards,” Mark said in a news release. “The close proximity to packing plants also results in a savings on transportation costs for most producers.”

Mark is partnering with Dr. Galen Erickson, a feedlot specialist with the University of Nebraska, to conduct a webinar on Wednesday, December 16.

The webinar, Retained Ownership Decisions: Advantages of Feeding in Nebraska, will be held at 11:30 a.m. MST (12:30 p.m. CST) and should last a little over an hour.

During the webinar, Erickson and Mark will discuss:

• Evaluating your economic decisions, covering everything from selling, backgrounding to feeding out, and options at a commercial feedyard.
• What to consider when selecting a commercial feedyard – from financing to cost of gain to market accessibility.
• What you should know about feeding distillers grains, including nutrition, performance and cost of gain.

For more information on the webinar, click here or to register in advance, click here.

While pre-registration is not required, it will make it easier to join the webinar and allow a reminder e-mail to be sent.

Sponsors include the Nebraska Corn Board and the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, who is coordinating and administering the webinar.