# Cow-calf profit per head in Maryland

> Maryland cow-calf operators averaged about $165 in net cash income per bred cow in 2024, but after charging unpaid labor and capital, total economic profit ran roughly -$90 per head, in line with USDA ERS Mid-Atlantic estimates.

**Headline:** $165 net cash income per cow; roughly -$90 total economic profit per head

## Key Figures

| Metric | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Gross revenue per cow | $955 |
| Cash costs | $790 |
| Non-cash costs (labor, capital, depreciation) | $255 |
| Net cash income | $165 |
| Total economic profit | -$90 |

## Detail

Maryland's cow-calf sector is dominated by small, part-time operations averaging roughly 30 head, and USDA ERS Mid-Atlantic cost-and-return estimates put gross value of production near $955 per bred cow in 2024 on the strength of feeder calf prices running $2.80-$3.10 per pound for 500-550 lb steers. After $790 in cash costs, net cash income lands around $165 per cow, but charging unpaid family labor and capital pushes total economic profit to roughly -$90 per head.

University of Maryland Extension enterprise budgets assume an 85-88% weaning rate on fescue-dominant pastures with a 525-550 lb weaned calf, reflecting humid-climate parasite and fescue toxicosis pressure that trims weaning percentages below the 90%+ common in drier Plains systems. At those assumptions, each exposed cow yields roughly 450-480 lb of salable calf annually, and the revenue math is acutely sensitive to the fall feeder market.

The state's cost structure is what drives the bottom line: Maryland Cattlemen's Association data and UMD Extension budgets highlight purchased hay, high land-rent equivalents, and winter feeding stretches of 120-150 days as the dominant drags. With cash costs near $790 per cow and non-cash charges of about $255 for labor, depreciation, and capital, even the strong 2024 calf market leaves most Maryland operators covering cash bills and building equity in the cowherd rather than generating a true economic profit.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Why is Maryland cow-calf profitability lower than Plains states?

Maryland's small average herd size (around 30 head), high land values, and reliance on purchased hay inflate per-cow fixed costs versus Great Plains operations grazing cheap native range.

### What weaning percentage do Maryland budgets assume?

University of Maryland Extension cow-calf budgets typically assume an 85-88% weaning rate and a 525-550 lb weaned calf, reflecting fescue-based pastures and humid-climate health pressures.

### How have 2024-2025 calf prices changed the Maryland outlook?

Feeder calf prices near $2.80-$3.10/lb for 500-550 lb steers in 2024-2025 pushed gross revenue above historical norms, turning net cash income positive even as hay and fuel costs stayed elevated.

## Sources

1. USDA ERS Commodity Costs and Returns: Cow-Calf Production, Mid-Atlantic Region (2024) — https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/commodity-costs-and-returns/
2. University of Maryland Extension Beef Cow-Calf Enterprise Budget (2024) — https://extension.umd.edu/resource/beef-cow-calf-enterprise-budget
3. Maryland Cattlemen's Association Industry Overview (2024) — https://www.marylandcattle.org/

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