Profitability and Flexibility of Two Range Cattle Systems in the Rolling Plains of Texas

Abstract

Adjusting cattle inventories to changes in range forage supply is a major problem in ranching. A costs and income analysis of a cow-calf system and of a cow-yearling system over a 10-year period of changing prices and range forage supplies revealed little difference in relative profitability between the two systems when additional replacements were purchased in response to increases in range forage supply. When additional replacements were raised, the cow-yearling system proved to be more profitable and more flexible than the cow-calf system. In shifting to a cow-yearling system, breeding cow numbers must be reduced in proportion to the increase in yearlings if overgrazing is to be avoided.