# Cow-calf profit per head in Maine

> Maine cow-calf operators averaged roughly $95 net cash income per bred cow in 2024, but once depreciation, unpaid labor, and land charges are included, total economic return runs about -$180 per head.

**Headline:** $95 net per head (economic loss of -$180)

## Key Figures

| Metric | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Gross revenue per cow | $1,045 |
| Cash costs | $950 |
| Non-cash costs (depreciation, labor, land) | $275 |
| Net cash income | $95 |
| Total economic profit | -$180 |

## Detail

Maine cow-calf operations in 2024 posted gross revenue near $1,045 per bred cow, reflecting the historic rally in CME feeder cattle futures that pushed 550-lb steer calves to $2.70-$2.90/lb, according to USDA ERS Commodity Costs and Returns. That revenue line assumes the University of Maine Extension's standard 88% weaning rate on a spring-calving herd, well below the 92-94% rates used in Plains budgets.

Cash costs for a Maine cow averaged roughly $950 per head, driven primarily by winter feed. UMaine Extension's enterprise budget pegs hay at $220-$260 per ton delivered, and a dry cow consumes 2.0-2.5 tons across the 200+ day housing season, pushing stored-feed cost alone past $500/cow before grain, mineral, vet, or bedding. The Maine Beef Producers Association 2024 survey confirmed fuel and fertilizer inputs added another $60-$80/cow versus 2022.

After subtracting $275/cow in non-cash charges (depreciation on bulls and facilities, unpaid operator labor, and pasture land charge) reported in the ERS New England region table, total economic profit lands near -$180 per head. Net cash income of about $95/cow means most Maine herds pay the bills in a record-price year but do not fully cover opportunity cost of labor and land, which is why the state's beef cow inventory has declined for six consecutive years per USDA NASS.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Why are Maine cow-calf margins thinner than Plains states?

Short 150-day grazing season forces 6-7 months of stored feed, and hay costs in Maine average $220-$260/ton versus $140 in Nebraska, adding roughly $180/cow in winter feed.

### What weaning percentage should Maine producers budget?

UMaine Extension budgets assume an 88% weaning rate on 550-lb steer calves, below the 92% Plains benchmark due to tick-borne anaplasmosis and wet-spring scours pressure.

### Are 2024-2025 calf prices offsetting Maine's cost disadvantage?

Yes partially. CME feeder calves hit record $2.70-$2.90/lb in 2024, lifting Maine gross revenue above $1,000/cow for the first time, but hay and fuel inflation absorbed most of the gain.

## Sources

1. USDA ERS Commodity Costs and Returns, Cow-Calf 2024 (2024) — https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/commodity-costs-and-returns/
2. University of Maine Cooperative Extension Beef Cow-Calf Enterprise Budget (2023) — https://extension.umaine.edu/livestock/beef/
3. Maine Beef Producers Association Production Cost Survey (2024) — https://mainebeefproducersassociation.com/

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