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Optimal Beef Cow Culling Strategies in the U.S. A Dynamic Linear Programing Framework

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study explores the economics of culling decisions in cow-calf operations in the Southern U.S. with a novel application of a dynamic mathematical programing model. The results provide an optimal culling strategy under the base model and a range of optimal strategies that vary with respect to different components such as fertility probabilities, prices, replacement costs, and pregnancy checking. The results suggest that producers should cull all cows that are older than age 10 and cows that fail to calve once they reach the age of 7. The sensitivity analysis underlines the impact of market conditions, replacement costs, and pregnancy check use on the optimal culling decisions.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)463-479
Number of pages17
JournalJournal of Agricultural and Applied Economics
Volume56
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s), 2024.

Funding

This work was supported by Hatch Project no. KY004058 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

FundersFunder number
US Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Agriculture and Food Research Initiative
USDA‐NIFA Hatch ProjectKY004058

    Keywords

    • Beef-cattle
    • culling decisions
    • dynamic linear programing
    • pregnancy check
    • replacement cost

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Agricultural and Biological Sciences (miscellaneous)
    • Economics and Econometrics

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