# Cow-calf profit per head in Kentucky

> Kentucky cow-calf operations averaged roughly $215 in net cash income per cow in 2024, though total economic profit (after depreciation and unpaid labor) remained near breakeven as strong calf prices offset elevated hay, feed, and pasture costs.

**Headline:** $215 net cash income per cow (2024)

## Key Figures

| Metric | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Gross revenue per cow | $1,075 |
| Cash costs per cow | $860 |
| Non-cash costs (depreciation, unpaid labor, land) | $395 |
| Net cash income per cow | $215 |
| Total economic profit per cow | -$180 |

## Detail

Kentucky's 910,000 beef cows make it the largest cow-calf state east of the Mississippi, and 2024 delivered the strongest calf market in a decade. Feeder steers in the 500-600 lb range averaged $2.60-$2.85 per pound at Kentucky auctions, pushing gross revenue per cow to roughly $1,075 when paired with the state's typical 85% weaning rate and 550 lb average weaning weight, per University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension budgets.

The bottom line is driven less by price than by Kentucky's cost structure. USDA ERS data for the Southeast region show cash costs near $860 per cow in 2024, with hay and purchased feed the single largest line given the state's reliance on stockpiled fescue and winter hay feeding from December through March. Once non-cash costs (depreciation on cows, equipment, and fence, plus unpaid operator labor and pasture charge) of roughly $395 are layered in, total economic costs exceed $1,250 per cow.

The result is a two-tier picture: net cash income of about $215 per cow in 2024 looks healthy and covers family living for many small KY operations, but total economic profit remains slightly negative at around -$180 per cow once unpaid labor and depreciation are charged. Kentucky Cattlemen's Association market summaries note that producers who control winter feed costs, utilize novel-endophyte or interseeded pastures, and market calves in graded load lots consistently capture $75-$150 more per head than the state average.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Why is Kentucky a leading cow-calf state east of the Mississippi?

Kentucky ranks #1 east of the Mississippi in beef cows with roughly 910,000 head, driven by abundant cool-season fescue pasture, mild winters, and small-farm structure averaging 30-40 cows per operation.

### How does tall fescue toxicosis affect Kentucky profit per head?

KY-31 endophyte-infected fescue covers most Kentucky pastures and can cut weaning weights by 30-50 lbs and conception rates by 10-15%, directly reducing gross revenue per cow by $50-$100 versus novel-endophyte systems.

### What weaning percentage should a Kentucky producer budget?

University of Kentucky cow-calf budgets assume an 85% weaning rate with a 550 lb average weaning weight, meaning each exposed cow produces roughly 467 lbs of saleable calf per year.

## Sources

1. USDA ERS Commodity Costs and Returns, Cow-Calf Production (2024) — https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/commodity-costs-and-returns/
2. University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension, Beef Cow-Calf Enterprise Budget (2024) — https://agecon.ca.uky.edu/budgets
3. Kentucky Cattlemen's Association Market Reports (2024) — https://www.kycattle.org/

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