CAFRE launches new Business Decision Support Tools for Beef Farmers
Date published:
The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) has launched a range of new Beef Business Support tools to assist beef producers assess production options, plan ahead and make more informed business decisions.
CAFRE Business Technologist, Allen Hall explained: “These calculators are designed as practical decision support tools to compare potential margins based on information they enter on purchase cost, expected feed costs, performance and sales value.”
Allen added: “Purchasing beef cattle now requires significant financial commitment and is not without risk. In periods of strong input prices these calculators can assist farmers to plan, budget and model different scenarios.”
There are four calculators available covering a range of beef production options:
Short Keep Finishing Calculator
Estimates the potential margin from purchasing cattle for a short keep finishing period. It uses purchase price, expected animal performance, feed costs and carcase value to calculate margin per head and margin per day.
Weanling/Store to Beef Calculator
Estimates the potential margin from purchasing a weanling or store animal through to finish. It accounts for animal performance and feeding costs across the store, grazing and finishing periods, along with purchase price and carcase value, to calculate margin per head and margin per day.
Bull Beef Calculator
Estimates the potential financial performance of purchasing a weanling for intensive bull beef production. It compares a range of daily liveweight gain scenarios to show how animal performance affects final liveweight, carcase value and margin per head.
Keep or Sell Calculator
Compares the financial return from selling a store animal now or keeping it for further finishing. It considers expected liveweight gain, additional feed, other sundry costs, and projected carcase value to identify which option gives the higher calculated return.
Figures pre-entered in the calculators are only sample values and producers should enter values based on their own farm business.
The Beef Business Support Calculators can be found on the CAFRE website.
For more information about the use of any of these Beef Business Support tools please contact your CAFRE Adviser or email the CAFRE Business Team at: CAFREBusinessTeam@daera-ni.gov.uk
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