Powell River Project Series
Information for the Virginia Coalfields

Beef Production from Forages Grown on Reclaimed Surface-Mined Land

Authors: John Gerken, Extension Animal Science Specialist, Virginia Tech; and Charlie Baker, Retired Reclamation Specialist, USDA-SCS, Clintwood, Virginia. This publication is a chapter from "Reclamation Guidelines for Surface Mined Lands in Southwest Virginia"; Virginia Coopertive Extension Publication 460-120.

Publication Number 460-128, Posted March 1997


Table 1

100 Cows
ASSUMPTIONS: Calve in late Feb. - early Apr., wintered on hay.

  Calf Crop = 94 percent
Sell Steers 47.0 head @ 550 lbs
Sell Heifers 32.0 head @ 500 lbs
Cull Cows & Heifers 12.0 head @ 950 lbs
Cull Bulls 1.0 head @ 1700 lbs
Heifers kept for replacements - As % of cows 15.00%
Annual cow death loss -- 3.00%

Item Unit Price Quantity Total
Income Steer calves Cwt. $ 75.00 258.50 $19,387.50
Heifer calves Cwt. $ 65.00 160.00 $10,400.00
Cull cows Cwt. $ 36.00 114.00 $ 4,104.00
Cull bulls Cwt. $ 50.00 17.00 $ 850.00
Other 0.00
Total Income $34,741.50
Operating Expenses
Repl. bull Head $1,400.00 1.00 $ 1,400.00
Mixed hay Tons $ 60.00 35.00 $ 2,100.00
Corn Bu $ 3.92 255.00 $ 999.60
Heifer raising Head $220.00 15.00 $ 3,300.00
Pasture rent* Acres $ 2.00 600.00 $ 1,200.00
Fertilizer, seed Acres $ 10.00 150.00 $ 1,500.00
Salt, min., vit. Head $ 5.00 103.00 $ 515.00
Vet, medicine Head $ 10.00 103.00 $ 1,030.00
Supplies Head $ 3.00 100.00 $ 300.00
Repairs Head $ 10.00 100.00 $ 1,000.00
Haul and mkt. Head $ 5.00 92.00 $ 460.00
Mach. (non-crop) Head $ 10.00 100.00 $ 1,000.00
Labor Head $ 66.67 100.00 $ 6,667.00
Prod. int. (6 mos) % 7.5%$21,471.60 $ 805.19
Total Operating Expenses $22,276.79
Income Above Operating Costs $12,464.71
Fixed Costs
4 WD truck purchase $12,000   
Salvage value $ 3,500   
Value to be recovered $ 8,500   
Life 4 yrs. 7.5% interest   
Annual cost to be recovered $ 2,550.00   
Stock trailer $ 400.00   
Fence, corral, etc. $ 500.00   
Interest on breeding livestock   
Cows 100 hd @ $ 500 $50,000 
Bulls 3 hd @ $ 1,400 $ 4,200 
Total    $54,200 
Annual Cost   7.50%  $ 4,065.00
Total Fixed Costs $ 7,515.00
Income Above Operating & Fixed Costs $ 4,949.71
Calculated Annual Return to Livestock Investment 9.13%

*Includes real estate tax estimated to be $0.38/acre/yr

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