# Cow-calf profit per head in Colorado

> Colorado cow-calf operators are netting roughly $165 per cow in cash income in 2025-2026 on strong calf prices near $3.20/lb, but full economic profit remains slightly negative after pasture, labor, and capital charges.

**Headline:** $165 net cash income per cow (economic loss of roughly -$95/head)

## Key Figures

| Metric | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Gross revenue per cow | $1,360 |
| Total cash costs | $1,195 |
| Non-cash costs (depreciation, labor, land charge) | $260 |
| Net cash income | $165 |
| Total economic profit | -$95 |

## Detail

Colorado cow-calf producers are riding one of the strongest calf markets on record heading into 2026, with 500-600 lb feeder steers trading near $3.20/lb at Colorado auction barns. Applied to a CSU Extension assumption of an 88-90% weaning rate and ~550 lb average weaning weight, gross revenue per exposed cow lands near $1,360 once cull cow and heifer sales are blended in, according to Colorado State University Extension's 2024 cow-calf enterprise budget.

The cost side is where Colorado diverges from cheaper-to-run states. USDA ERS Commodity Costs and Returns data for the Basin and Range region place total cash costs around $1,195 per cow, driven primarily by feed, which represents 55-60% of operating costs. Colorado's 5-6 month winter feeding window and private pasture rents averaging $24-$28/AUM keep harvested forage and grazing charges structurally high versus the Southern Plains.

After subtracting roughly $260 per cow in non-cash charges (depreciation on bulls and equipment, unpaid operator labor, and a land charge), net cash income settles near $165 per head while total economic profit remains modestly negative at about -$95. Per the Livestock Marketing Information Center's 2025 returns outlook, that pattern - positive cash flow, negative full economic profit - is typical across the Mountain West even at current cycle-high calf prices, because the land and labor opportunity costs embedded in ERS budgets are rarely covered in a single year.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Why are Colorado cow-calf margins tighter than the Southern Plains despite record calf prices?

Colorado's higher pasture rental rates (averaging $24-$28/AUM on private ground) and longer winter feeding periods push cash costs above the national average, compressing per-head margins even when 550 lb steer calves clear $3.20/lb.

### What weaning percentage do CSU Extension budgets assume for Colorado cow-calf herds?

Colorado State University Extension cow-calf enterprise budgets assume an 88-90% weaning rate on exposed females, with average steer weaning weights of 540-560 lb off mountain and Eastern Plains summer pasture.

### How much of Colorado's cow-calf cost structure is feed versus pasture?

USDA ERS data place feed (harvested + grazed) at roughly 55-60% of total operating costs for Colorado cow-calf operations, with hay carrying costs elevated by the state's 5-6 month winter feeding window.

## Sources

1. USDA ERS Commodity Costs and Returns: Cow-Calf Production, Basin and Range region (2024) — https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/commodity-costs-and-returns/
2. Colorado State University Extension - 2024 Cow-Calf Enterprise Budget (2024) — https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/agriculture/
3. Livestock Marketing Information Center - Cow-Calf Returns Outlook (2025) — https://www.lmic.info/

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Source: Vellum — https://vellum.app/cow-calf-profit-per-head/colorado