# Cost of raising cattle in Pennsylvania

> Raising a beef cow in Pennsylvania costs roughly $913 per head annually in cash and pasture costs, driven mainly by winter hay feeding across the state's five-month confinement season.

**Headline:** $913 per head/year

## Key Figures

| Metric | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Feed and hay | $412 |
| Pasture and lease | $168 |
| Labor | $195 |
| Veterinary and health | $58 |
| Miscellaneous (fuel, repairs, supplies) | $80 |

## Detail

Pennsylvania sits in USDA hardiness zones 5b through 7a with a humid continental climate, meaning cow-calf operators face a winter feeding period of roughly five months where stored hay replaces grazed forage. The state's approximately 21,000 beef cattle operations average 30 to 40 head per farm, though commercial cow-calf herds in the 200 to 2000 head range concentrate in the northern tier and southwestern counties where pasture acreage is more available.

Angus and Angus-crosses dominate the Pennsylvania beef herd, with Hereford, Simmental, and Charolais genetics common in commercial crossbreeding programs. According to Penn State Extension's beef cow-calf enterprise budget, feed and hay represent the single largest cost category at roughly $412 per cow annually, reflecting the need for 2.5 to 3 tons of stored hay per head across the winter confinement period at the 2024 Pennsylvania average hay price near $220 per ton.

Pasture and land costs in Pennsylvania run approximately $168 per cow-calf pair, based on typical cash rental rates of $40 to $55 per acre applied against the 1.5 to 2 acre per pair stocking rate that cool-season pastures support in the state. Labor accounts for roughly $195 per head, veterinary and herd health spending averages $58 per head, and miscellaneous cash costs including fuel, equipment repairs, minerals, and bedding add another $80, producing a total annual cash cost near $913 per head as reported in USDA ERS cow-calf cost and return data for the Heartland and Northeast regions.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How much hay does a Pennsylvania cow-calf pair need per winter?

Pennsylvania's five-month winter feeding period requires roughly 2.5 to 3 tons of hay per cow, with 2024 Pennsylvania hay prices averaging $220 per ton for mixed grass.

### What is the typical pasture stocking rate in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania's humid continental pastures support approximately 1.5 to 2 acres per cow-calf pair on improved cool-season grass pasture in most counties.

### What are the dominant beef breeds in Pennsylvania?

Angus and Angus-cross cattle dominate Pennsylvania cow-calf operations, followed by Hereford, Simmental, and Charolais crosses suited to the state's cooler climate.

## Sources

1. USDA NASS Pennsylvania Agricultural Statistics - Hay and Cattle (2024) — https://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Pennsylvania/
2. Penn State Extension - Beef Cow-Calf Enterprise Budget (2023) — https://extension.psu.edu/beef-cow-calf-production
3. USDA ERS Cow-Calf Production Costs and Returns (2023) — https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/commodity-costs-and-returns/

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Source: Vellum — https://vellum.app/cost-of-raising-cattle/pennsylvania