# Cost of raising cattle in South Carolina

> South Carolina cow-calf operators spend roughly $918 per bred cow per year in cash costs, driven primarily by purchased hay and winter supplementation across the state's humid subtropical pastures.

**Headline:** $918 per head/year

## Key Figures

| Metric | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Feed and hay | $385/head/year |
| Pasture and lease | $198/head/year |
| Labor | $155/head/year |
| Veterinary and health | $82/head/year |
| Miscellaneous (fuel, repairs, minerals) | $98/head/year |

## Detail

South Carolina's cow-calf sector is concentrated in the Piedmont and upper coastal plain, where humid subtropical climate (Koppen Cfa) supports tall fescue, bermudagrass, and bahiagrass pastures nearly year-round. USDA NASS reports the state holds approximately 315,000 head of cattle across roughly 10,500 operations, with Angus and Angus-cross genetics dominant and Brahman influence common in the hotter Lowcountry to manage heat stress and fescue toxicosis.

Cash costs for a bred cow in South Carolina average around $918 per year according to Clemson Cooperative Extension beef enterprise budgets, with purchased hay and winter supplementation the single largest line at roughly $385 per head. Because summer forage quality crashes in July and August under heat and humidity, most operators running 200 to 2,000 head budget 1.5 to 2 tons of hay per cow for the November through March feeding window.

Pasture costs reflect the state's relatively inexpensive grazing land: USDA NASS 2024 Cash Rents data show non-irrigated pasture leases in South Carolina averaging about $23 per acre per year, and at a typical 1.5 to 2 acre per cow stocking rate this works out to roughly $198 per head annually. Labor ($155), veterinary and health ($82), and miscellaneous operating costs including fuel, mineral, and repairs ($98) round out the cash budget, tracking closely to USDA ERS regional cow-calf cost estimates for the Southeast.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What is the average cow-calf herd size in South Carolina?

USDA NASS reports South Carolina has approximately 315,000 head of cattle across roughly 10,500 operations, with the average beef cow herd around 30 head, though commercial operations typically run 200 to 2,000 head.

### What breeds dominate South Carolina cow-calf operations?

Angus and Angus-cross cattle dominate, with Brangus, Simmental, and Hereford common. Heat-tolerant Brahman influence is used in the coastal plain where humidity and fescue toxicity pressure are highest.

### How much does pasture lease cost in South Carolina?

USDA NASS 2024 Cash Rents reports non-irrigated pasture rents in South Carolina average around $23 per acre per year, well below the national average of $15.50 but typical for Southeast forage systems.

## Sources

1. USDA NASS Cattle Inventory — South Carolina (2024) — https://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/South_Carolina/Publications/Livestock_Releases/
2. USDA ERS Cow-Calf Production Costs and Returns (2023) — https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/commodity-costs-and-returns/
3. Clemson Cooperative Extension — Beef Cattle Enterprise Budget (2023) — https://www.clemson.edu/extension/agribusiness/budgets/livestock.html
4. USDA NASS Cash Rents Survey (2024) — https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/Todays_Reports/reports/land0824.pdf

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