Beef farms and ranches represent more than 30% of U.S. farms. Many people are out there making efforts to grow their cattle ranch, and they surely appreciate any helpful information that could help them.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture issues regular reports that include data on stocks, production, and consumption, as well as analysis of the reasons affecting the cattle industry and data on national and global trade.
These reports can be beneficial if you make a habit of reading them regularly. Deciphering the information and discerning what is essential for you is not so complicated once you understand the basics.
Both the size of the farm and the planning of feed and production costs depend on the structure of the herd by product categories. USDA reports can help you determine the classification of cattle, decide the weight classification and identify the average price per animal in a selected weight class. If you can do some simple math, you can use the information to calculate the expected value of a calf at the current market rate.
Data on global trade and analysis of developments affecting the cattle industry are also included in the USDA livestock report, and they can be very relevant for some farmers.
