# Cow-calf profit per head in Massachusetts

> Massachusetts cow-calf operations average roughly $95 net cash income per head in 2025, but once pasture, labor, and capital opportunity costs are included, total economic profit is negative, around -$180 per cow.

**Headline:** $95 net cash income per head (negative $180 total economic profit)

## Key Figures

| Metric | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Gross revenue per cow | $1,165 |
| Cash costs | $1,070 |
| Non-cash costs (pasture, labor, capital) | $275 |
| Net cash income | $95 |
| Total economic profit | -$180 |

## Detail

Massachusetts cow-calf producers entered 2025 facing the strongest calf prices in a generation, with 500-550 lb feeder steers trading near $3.20-$3.40/lb on CME feeder cattle futures, translating to gross revenue of roughly $1,165 per exposed cow after accounting for weaning rates and cull cow sales (USDA ERS, 2025).

Budget assumptions from UMass Extension peg weaning percentages at 85-88% for typical Massachusetts herds of 20-60 cows, below the 90%+ seen in larger Plains operations. Combined with average weaning weights of 525 lb, this yields roughly 450 saleable pounds of calf per exposed female, the driver behind the $1,165 gross revenue figure (UMass Extension, 2024).

The state's cost structure is what pushes economic profit negative. Cash costs of approximately $1,070 per cow reflect expensive hay (often $250-$300/ton delivered), limited 150-day grazing seasons, and high veterinary and fuel overhead. Once non-cash charges for owned pasture opportunity cost, unpaid family labor, and capital recovery are layered in at roughly $275/head, total economic profit falls to around -$180 despite positive $95 net cash income, consistent with regional budgets (New England Cattlemen's Roundup, 2025-Q1).

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Why are Massachusetts cow-calf margins tighter than national averages?

High land values (often over $12,000/acre), short grazing seasons of roughly 150 days, and expensive stored forage push feed and pasture costs well above the USDA national average.

### What weaning percentage should a MA producer assume?

UMass Extension budgets typically assume an 85-88% weaning rate, slightly below the Northeast average due to smaller herd sizes and variable winter forage quality.

### Are MA calf prices different from the national feeder market?

Massachusetts producers generally track CME feeder cattle prices but receive a $5-15/cwt basis discount due to distance from major feedlot markets in the Plains.

## Sources

1. USDA ERS Commodity Costs and Returns, Cow-Calf 2024 (2025) — https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/commodity-costs-and-returns/
2. UMass Extension Beef Cow-Calf Enterprise Budget (2024) — https://ag.umass.edu/crops-dairy-livestock-equine/fact-sheets/beef-cow-calf-enterprise-budget
3. New England Cattlemen's Roundup Market Report (2025-Q1) — https://nefu.org/cattle/

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