Commercial Agriculture Program
Beef Focus Team
Downloadable Spreadsheets Available
Across Breed EPD Calculator (version 1.2)
Microsoft Excel based worksheet to adjust a list of animals’ Expected Progeny Differences (EPD) from one breed base to another breeds using the USDA Meat Animal Research Centers Across Breed EPD Adjustment Factors released at the 2009 Beef Improvement Federation meeting.
Click here to download.
Adjusted Birth Weight, Weaning Weight, and Yearling Weight Worksheet (version 1.1)
Microsoft Excel based worksheet to compute age and age-of-dam adjusted birth, weaning and yearling weights for beef cattle using the standard Beef Improvement Federations equations and adjustment factors.
Click here to download.
Qualitative Trait Inheritance Calculator (version 1.0)
Microsoft Excel based worksheet to estimate the probability of animals having various genotypes and phenotypes for simply inherited traits (coat color and horn/polled status). Allows users to input genotypes of parents and provides estimates of genotype and phenotype frequencies for resulting progeny.
Click here to download.
Diagnostic Test Breakeven Calculator
This spreadsheet can be used by veterinarians and diagnostic laboratories to evaluate the economic return for implementing herd diagnostic screening for diseases affecting beef cattle. It also evaluates the sensitivity of the assumptions used by the veterinarian.
Click here to download.
Calculating Trace Mineral Supplements
This spreadsheet aids beef producers that utilize custom mineral mills in formulating appropriate mineral mixes. It is not as comprehensive as the Mark Trump / Kenneth Suter Mineral Calculator nor does it calculate least-cost alternatives.
Click here to download.
Mark Trump / Kenneth Suter Mineral Calculator
Microsoft Excel-based mineral calculation program that determines the cost of minerals fed to livestock
Click here to download.
Evaluating Marketing Options for Cow-Calf Producers
This spreadsheet can be used by cow-calf producers to help determine whether to:
- sell calves at weaning
- sell after a backgrounding period
- background the calves and then own through finishing
- send the calves directly to a feedyard and retain ownership through finishing
Click here to download.
Determining Replacement Rate for Cow-Calf Herds
This spreadsheet can be used to determine the number of replacement heifers needed to keep the herd size constant given the pregnancy/retention rates for each age classification of cows.
Click here to download.
Determining the Value of Replacement Heifer Development Systems
This spreadsheet can be used by producers and their veterinarians to determine the value of an alternate heifer development system compared to the farm's current production inputs. You will be asked to fill in several variables concerning the herd's current production and economic situation. The output is the amount of dollars available for the farm or per pregnant heifer to move to the alternate system. By using several production scenarios (expected case, best case, worst case), a confidence range can be produced for your situation.
Click here to download.
Evaluating Mineral Feed Tags for Beef Cows
This spreadsheet calculates the percentage of NRC requirement for essential minerals that is supplied by your mineral source from information available on the feed tag.
Click here to download.
Pregnancy Histograms
This spreadsheet can be used to create pregnancy histograms. Inputing several variables will allow the user to customize the spreadsheet to their own opperation.
Click here to download.
Using BRD-Treatment Option Calculator
This spreadsheet can be used by veterinarians consulting with feedlot and stocker cattle producers interested in evaluating their options for treatment protocols for bovine respiratory disease. The spreadsheet allows you to compare your current therapy (cost and "death rate following treatment") with an alternate treatment of a different cost. You will be asked to fill in several variables concerning the situation you are evaluating. The output is the needed "death rate following treatment" for the alternate therapy to be economically equivalent to the current therapy. By using several production scenarios (expected case, best case, worst case), a confidence range can be produced for your situation.
Click here to download.
Evaluation of Buying Feeders
This spreadsheet can be used by producers interested in feeding cattle until slaughter. The spreadsheet can be used to estimate three outcomes:
- Return to ownership and management,
- Purchase price to attain a given return, and
- Sale price to attain a given return.
Click here to download.
Evaluation of Buying Stockers
This spreadsheet can be used by producers interested in growing stocker cattle. The spreadsheet allows you to have a period of confinement where the cattle are receiving a majority of their nutrient needs in the form of harvested feedstuffs (silage, feed grain, hay, etc.) followed by a period of time where the cattle are in a grazing situation (with or without additional supplement). The spreadsheet can be used to estimate three outcomes:
- Return to ownership and management,
- Purchase price to attain a given return, and
- Sale price to attain a given return.
Click here to download.
Evaluation of Retained Ownership vs. Sell at Weaning
This spreadsheet can be used by producers interested in evaluating their options for selling calves at weaning or owning them for a period of time past weaning. The spreadsheet can be used to estimate two outcomes:
- Return to ownership and management and
- Sale price to attain a given return.
Click here to download.