Cost of raising cattle in Kansas

Kansas is one of the top three beef cow states in the United States, with USDA NASS reporting approximately 1.44 million beef cows as of the January 2024 cattle inventory. Operations are concentrated in the Flint Hills tallgrass region of the east-central state and the short-grass High Plains of western Kansas, with typical cow-calf herds ranging from 100 to 500 head. Angus and Angus-cross genetics dominate, with Hereford and Red Angus also common for their heat tolerance and forage efficiency.

Feed and hay represent the largest annual cost at roughly $485 per cow, according to Kansas State University Extension's AgManager cow-calf enterprise budget for 2023. Winter hay feeding typically runs 120 to 150 days in the Flint Hills and slightly longer in the northwest, where the humid continental climate transitions to semi-arid. Pasture and grazing lease costs add approximately $285 per head, reflecting USDA NASS 2023 pasture rental rates averaging $25.50 per acre statewide, though premium Flint Hills bluestem pasture leases substantially higher.

Labor accounts for about $195 per head per year, veterinary and health inputs including vaccinations, pregnancy checks, and parasite control run approximately $62 per head, and miscellaneous costs covering fuel, equipment repair, minerals, and supplies total near $115 per head, per the KSU AgManager budget. Total annual cash and economic costs sum to roughly $1,142 per cow, placing Kansas slightly below the USDA ERS national cow-calf cost average due to relatively cheap forage and a long grazing season across much of the state.