ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF SEASONAL FORAGE ON CATTLE RANCHES IN WEST CENTRAL UTAH (BUDGETS, COPLAN, LINEAR PROGRAM)

Ranchers, researchers, educators, and the business community require up-to-date knowledge of ranch production and net revenue capabilities. This study addresses the profitability of range, livestock, and management improvement options for cattle ranches in Utah. Private ranching operations were inventoried through personal interviews with owner-operators. Data are supplemented by previous state-wide and regional survey statistics. Ranch profiles were developed that represent typical livestock production on medium-size Utah cattle ranches. Annual return over variable cost was used to gauge the value of changes in production. Linear programming and producer knowledge of resources were used to develop reasonable outcomes to various improvement scenarios. Seasonal forage values in the study area were the key to cattle ranching profitability. Forage value information revealed by the study will help producers and researchers assess the net worth of improvement projects before implementation.;Ranch profiles emphasize conceptual and methodological considerations that are fundamental to profitability assessments of improvement practices. Forage price, quantity, and quality (crude protein) interrelationships were built into the experimental ranch models. The most binding constraints on herd size and productivity are the price of winter feed and the quality of mid- to late-summer forage.