# Cow-calf profit per head in Pennsylvania

> Pennsylvania cow-calf producers averaged roughly $165 in net cash income per cow in 2024, though total economic profit after unpaid labor and capital charges remained near break-even as strong calf prices offset high hay and pasture costs.

**Headline:** $165 net cash income per cow

## Key Figures

| Metric | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Gross revenue per cow | $1,085 |
| Cash costs per cow | $920 |
| Non-cash costs (labor, depreciation, land) | $340 |
| Net cash income per cow | $165 |
| Total economic profit per cow | -$175 |

## Detail

Pennsylvania cow-calf operations in 2024 generated approximately $1,085 in gross revenue per cow, driven by feeder calf prices exceeding $2.80 per pound for 500-600 lb steers, according to Penn State Extension budgets. After cash costs of roughly $920 per cow, net cash income landed near $165, a substantial improvement over the prior decade's average.

Penn State Extension budgets assume an 88-90% weaning rate with calves averaging 550 pounds at weaning, meaning a typical PA cow produces about 495 saleable pounds annually. With the state's small average herd size (around 25 head per operation per the PA Cattlemen's Association), fixed costs spread across fewer cows, pressuring per-head economics.

The state's cost structure is dominated by winter feed: PA requires 150+ days of stored hay feeding, pushing feed and forage costs above $450 per cow in USDA ERS Commodity Costs and Returns data. Once unpaid family labor, depreciation, and land charges are added, total economic profit remains negative at roughly -$175 per cow, meaning most PA cow-calf operations cover cash costs but not full economic costs without off-farm income or direct-to-consumer beef sales.

## Frequently Asked Questions

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

Pennsylvania relies on purchased and stored hay through long winters (150+ feeding days), raising feed costs per cow well above grazing-dominant states like Kansas or Nebraska.

### What weaning percentage do PA budgets assume?

Penn State Extension cow-calf budgets assume an 88-90% weaning rate with a 550 lb average weaning weight for spring-born calves.

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

Feeder calf prices above $2.80/lb for 500-600 lb steers in 2024 lifted gross revenue roughly 25% over 2022, pushing cash margins positive for the first time since 2015 for most PA operations.

## Sources

1. USDA ERS Commodity Costs and Returns, Cow-Calf 2024 (2024) — https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/commodity-costs-and-returns/
2. Penn State Extension Beef Cow-Calf Budget (2024) — https://extension.psu.edu/beef-cow-calf-budget
3. Pennsylvania Cattlemen's Association Industry Report (2024) — https://pacattlemen.org/

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