Retained Ownership Decision Tool  
Southwest Cattle Finishing Feedlot Program  
by Dillon Feuz  
 
Southwest Market Information  
Month you plan to place the cattle in the finishing feedlot program
 
 
Anticipated weight of the feeder cattle entering the program  lbs.  
    Click Link below for Futures Prices  
Enter the "Last" price for  CME Feeder Cattle in $/cwt. CME Feeder Cattle      
The estimated feeder steer price is per cwt. or per head  
Enter the estimated price or a different expected feeder price per cwt.  
 
Enter your estimated transportation cost to the stocker/background destination  
  Trucking Freight   per head  
  Other Transportation   per head  
 
Finishing Feedlot program  
Enter the number of days cattle are expected to be in this program days  
Enter the expected average daily gain of this program lbs.  
 
Assuming a 1.5% transportation shrink, estimated ending weight is lbs.  
    Click Link below for Futures Prices  
Enter the "Last" price for  CME Live Cattle in $/cwt. CME Live Cattle  
Your 5-Market price is estimated to be per cwt. or per head  
     
 
Feed cost/lb of gain or feed cost/head   per head  
Estimated vet/med and other supplies per head per head  
Estimated death loss percent (including death loss for transportation)  
Interest rate you pay on cattle and feed expenses  
Any additional costs per head per head  
  Total feeding period costs per head  
  Total cost per lb. of gain per lb gain  
Projected Returns per Head  
Estimated gross return for feeding period ending in per head  
Less initial calf cost /head      
Less transportation costs /head      
Less feeding period costs /head  
 
Estimated net return per head for the stocker/background program per head  
     
 
Cattle prices change over time due to changing market conditions.  The graph below is a simulation of your expected Net Return per Head based on historical price volatility in the slaughter cattle market for the time frame of the designated feeding period.