Dr. John Ritten Contributes to Development of New Economic Tool for Marketing Steers 

Many producers are looking to the market to better understand what steps they should take in terms of herd management and when they should market their yearling steers based on a number of factors. Researchers at Colorado State University including Dr. John Ritten, an Agricultural Economist and Extension Specialist at AgNext, have developed a new Economic Tool for Marketing Steers that can help producers make steer marketing choices. This tool considers the factors that may influence price including weights and marketing dates. 

This new price slide tool will give producers the opportunity to assess how changes in animal performance and/or marketing dates can impact per head revenues. This can help producers better understand how external market forces and changing management such as early weaning, partial or full destocking due to drought, or changing stocking rate and placement weights of yearling interact to impact their revenues. Users must enter future prices for corn and fed cattle for the December in the year they are forecasting as well as estimate weight of animals by month.

Access this price slide tool and other resources here.

Picture of Jenn "JR" Rieskamp

Jenn "JR" Rieskamp

Head of Strategy and Communication

Dr. John Ritten Agricultural Economis and Extension Specialist at AgNext