Ranchers in the high desert area of Eastern Oregon traditionally
market their calves when they are weaned in late fall.
This is the time when the market prices for calves are at a
seasonal low.
In this study the economic feasibility of various alternative
management and marketing strategies for the utilization of range
forage with a spring calving operation is determined. The operational
objectives were (1) to determine the most profitable time and weight
to market the spring-born calves, (2) to determine whether supplementary
feeding of yearlings is economically feasible, (3) to explore
the competitive relationship between cows and yearlings for limited
range forage, and (4) to determine the combination of beef production
and growing activities which will provide the highest net
returns.
Linear programming was used to determine the combination
of activities that would maximize net returns subject to the constraint
of forage quality and quantity. The quality and quantity of
the range forage was determined by using data provided by the
Squaw Butte Experiment Station, Burns, Oregon. All the basic
data pertaining to the high desert area were obtained from Squaw
Butte.
The initial L. P. solution indicated the heifers should be sold
March 1 at 600 pounds having been fed to gain 1.5 pounds per day
while the steers were sold April 16 at 780 pounds, gaining 2.0
pounds per day. The cows earned a higher MVP for the limited
resource, range forage, than could the yearlings either with or
without supplementary feeding.
In the second solution barley price was reduced from $50 to
$45 per ton and the steers were sold April 16 at 780 pounds (same
as initial solution). The heifers were sold June 16 weighing 900
pounds having been fed to gain 2.0 pounds per day. Supplementary
feed was provided on the range for these heifers from April 16 to
June 15.
The study shows that the traditional management and marketing
practice is not the most profitable alternative. The feed costs are
less than the increase in income from feeding the animals to heavier
weights. / Graduation date: 1972
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/25978 |
| Date | 21 October 1971 |
| Creators | Panasuk, Eugene Duane |
| Contributors | Nelson, A. Gene |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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