IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ags/sdsusp/32023.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Risk and the Economic Incentive to Retain Ownership of Steer Calves

Author

Listed:
  • Fausti, Scott W.
  • Johnson, Brad
  • Epperson, William
  • Grathwohl, Nancy

Abstract

Retained ownership of steer calves is an investment decision for cow/calf producers. Data collected over a three-year period on 845 steer calves reveals that retaining ownership of steer calves is, on average, profitable. Systematic and unsystematic risks associated with retaining ownership of steer calves are identified. Empirical results indicate that unsystematic risk account for 67% of the variability in the rate of return to retained ownership in this study. For seventy-five producers who entered weaned calves into a university sponsored ranch to rail program, the empirical evidence suggests that retaining ownership is a riskier investment decision than ascertained in the earlier literature. We conclude that the lack of enthusiasm for retaining ownership by cow/calf producers may be the result of the level of risk associated with retaining ownership rather than producers being too risk averse as asserted in the literature.

Suggested Citation

  • Fausti, Scott W. & Johnson, Brad & Epperson, William & Grathwohl, Nancy, 2003. "Risk and the Economic Incentive to Retain Ownership of Steer Calves," Economics Staff Papers 32023, South Dakota State University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:sdsusp:32023
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.32023
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/32023/files/StaffPaper2003-6-scan.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.22004/ag.econ.32023?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ethridge, Don E. & Zhang, Ping & Dahl, Bill E. & Ervin, R. Terry & Rushemeza, Justin, 1990. "Cattle Ranching Production And Marketing Strategies Under Combined Price And Weather Risks," Western Journal of Agricultural Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 15(2), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Van Tassell, Larry W. & McNeley, Scott M. & MacNeil, Michael D. & Short, Robert E. & Grings, Elaine E., 1997. "Retained Ownership of Beef Cattle When Considering Production and Price Risk," 1997 Annual Meeting, July 13-16, 1997, Reno\ Sparks, Nevada 35876, Western Agricultural Economics Association.
    3. Abelardo Rodriguez & R. G. Taylor, 1988. "Stochastic Modeling of Short-Term Cattle Operations," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 70(1), pages 121-132.
    4. Lambert, David K., 1989. "Calf Retention And Production Decisions Over Time," Western Journal of Agricultural Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, July.
    5. Fausti, Scott W. & Feuz, Dillon M. & Wagner, John J., 1998. "Value Based Marketing For Fed Cattle: A Discussion Of The Issues," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 1(1), pages 1-18.
    6. Feuz, Dillon M. & Wagner, John J., 1994. "The Profit Potential of Different Beef Feeding and Marketing Strategies," Bulletin 232118, South Dakota State University, Agricultural Experiment Station.
    7. VanTassell, L. W. & Richardson, J. W. & Conner, J. R., 1987. "Incorporating Environmental Uncertainties In A Ranch Simulation," 1987 Annual Meeting, August 2-5, East Lansing, Michigan 269979, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    8. Stokes, Kenneth W. & Farris, Donald E. & Cartwright, Thomas C., 1981. "Economics of Alternative Beef Cattle Genotype and Management/Marketing Systems," Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 13(2), pages 1-10, December.
    9. Stokes, Kenneth W. & Farris, Donald E. & Cartwright, Thomas C., 1981. "Economics Of Alternative Beef Cattle Genotype And Management/Marketing Systems," Southern Journal of Agricultural Economics, Southern Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 13(2), pages 1-10, December.
    10. Ted C. Schroeder & Allen M. Featherstone, 1990. "Dynamic Marketing and Retention Decisions for Cow-Calf Producers," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 72(4), pages 1028-1040.
    11. Elam, Emmett W., 1992. "Cash Forward Contracting Versus Hedging Of Fed Cattle, And The Impact Of Cash Contracting On Cash Prices," Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 17(1), pages 1-13, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Fausti, Scott & Diersen, Matthew & Qasmi, Bashir & Adamson, Bill, 2015. "The Influence of Market Power and Market Trends on Grid Market Signals," Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 40(1), pages 1-12.
    2. Tang, Minfeng & Lewis, Karen E. & Griffith, Andrew P. & Boyer, Christopher N., 2016. "Identifying Factors that Impact Returns to Retained Ownership of Cattle," 2016 Annual Meeting, February 6-9, 2016, San Antonio, Texas 229766, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
    3. Fausti, Scott W. & Qasmi, Bashir A. & Diersen, Matthew A & Adamson, Bill, 2014. "Grid Valuation of Beef Carcass Quality: Market Power and Market Trends," Economics Staff Papers 171423, South Dakota State University, Department of Economics.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Tang, Minfeng & Lewis, Karen E. & Griffith, Andrew P. & Boyer, Christopher N., 2016. "Identifying Factors that Impact Returns to Retained Ownership of Cattle," 2016 Annual Meeting, February 6-9, 2016, San Antonio, Texas 229766, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
    2. Popp, Michael P. & Faminow, Merle D. & Parsch, Lucas D., 1998. "Adoption Of Backgrounding On Cow-Calf Farms," 1998 Annual meeting, August 2-5, Salt Lake City, UT 20800, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    3. Novak, Frank & Eales, James & Munro, Earl, 1993. "Profitability and Risk of Retained Ownership of Beef Calves," Project Report Series 232371, University of Alberta, Department of Resource Economics and Environmental Sociology.
    4. Kingwell, Ross S., 1992. "The Tactics of Dryland Farm Management given Variance in Climate and Prices," 1992 Conference (36th), February 10-13, 1992, Canberra, Australia 146536, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society.
    5. Franken, Jason & Parcell, Joe & Patterson, David & Smith, Michael & Poock, Scott, 2010. "Cow-Calf Producer Interest in Retained Ownership," Journal of Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics Association of Georgia, vol. 28(1).
    6. Ethridge, Don E. & Zhang, Ping & Dahl, Bill E. & Ervin, R. Terry & Rushemeza, Justin, 1990. "Cattle Ranching Production And Marketing Strategies Under Combined Price And Weather Risks," Western Journal of Agricultural Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 15(2), pages 1-11, December.
    7. White, Brad J. & Anderson, John D. & McKinley, W. Blair & Parish, Jane, 2007. "Factor Price Disparity and Retained Ownership of Feeder Cattle: An Application of Feedlot and Carcass Performance Data to Farm-Level Decision Making," Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 39(1), pages 87-101, April.
    8. Riley, John Michael & Williams, Brian R., 2013. "Cow-Calf Industry Expansion on the Horizon? Market Signals vs. Outside Factors," 2013 Annual Meeting, February 2-5, 2013, Orlando, Florida 143044, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
    9. Pope, Kelsey Frasier & Schroeder, Ted C. & Langemeier, Michael R. & Herbel, Kevin L., 2011. "Cow-Calf Producer Risk Preference Impacts on Retained Ownership Strategies," Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 43(4), pages 497-513, November.
    10. Tsakiridis, Andreas & Breen, James & O'Donoghue, Cathal & Hanrahan, Kevin & Wallace, Michael & Crosson, Paul, 2016. "Flexibility of beef suckler cow systems under varying calf retention strategies," 90th Annual Conference, April 4-6, 2016, Warwick University, Coventry, UK 236289, Agricultural Economics Society.
    11. Apland, Jeffrey & Hauer, Grant, 1993. "Discrete Stochastic Programming: Concepts, Examples And A Review Of Empirical Applications," Staff Papers 13793, University of Minnesota, Department of Applied Economics.
    12. Popp, Michael P. & Faminow, Merle D. & Parsch, Lucas D., 1999. "Factors Affecting The Adoption Of Value-Added Production On Cow-Calf Farms," Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Southern Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 31(1), pages 1-12, April.
    13. Mjelde, James & Conner, J. Richard & Nixon, Clair, 1991. "Impacts of Tax Laws on Marketing Rangeland Calves and Yearlings," WAEA/ WFEA Conference Archive (1929-1995) 321482, Western Agricultural Economics Association.
    14. Lee, Andrew C. & Kim, Man-Keun, 2004. "Causality Among Fed Cattle Market Variables: Directed Acyclic Graphs Analysis Of Captive Supply," 2004 Annual meeting, August 1-4, Denver, CO 20124, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    15. Feuz, Dillon M., 1997. "Live, In-the-Beef, or Formula: Is There a "Best" Method for Selling Fed Cattle?," 1997 Annual Meeting, July 13-16, 1997, Reno\ Sparks, Nevada 35795, Western Agricultural Economics Association.
    16. Brorsen, B. Wade & Coulibaly, Nouhoun & Richter, Francisca G.-C. & Bailey, DeeVon, 2001. "Feeder Cattle Price Slides," Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 26(1), pages 1-18, July.
    17. Fausti, Scott W. & Qasmi, Bashir A. & Diersen, Matthew A & Adamson, Bill, 2014. "Grid Valuation of Beef Carcass Quality: Market Power and Market Trends," Economics Staff Papers 171423, South Dakota State University, Department of Economics.
    18. Christopher C. Pudenz & Lee L. Schulz, 2024. "Multi‐plant coordination in the U.S. beef packing industry," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 106(1), pages 382-415, January.
    19. Awondo, Sebastain Nde & Fonsah, Esendugue Greg & Riley, David G., 2012. "Are Tomato-Spotted Wilt Virus Management Tactics Good Enough?," 2012 Annual Meeting, February 4-7, 2012, Birmingham, Alabama 119790, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
    20. Lawrence, John D. & Kaylen, Michael S., 1990. "Risk Management For Livestock Producers: Hedging And Contract Production," Staff Papers 13496, University of Minnesota, Department of Applied Economics.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Risk and Uncertainty;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ags:sdsusp:32023. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: AgEcon Search (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/edsdsus.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.