I’ve been working on an exciting project in 2014. It has been challenging and easy at the same time.

We are tracking our cost per cow per year.

That means we are keeping track of every single dollar in every possible category.

Then, at the end of the year we will know – to the dollar – how much it costs to care for a cow for 365 days.

Sounds easy?

It’s not.

Do you know how few ranchers know this number on their cows?

I’m going to guess less than 2%. Surely less than 10%. (I only know two families that track this number.)

There are a host of reasons why a family ranch might avoid tracking this important number.

Primarily, I think it the reason is fear.

There are many, many numbers in this equation that aren’t cut and dry. There are almost zero written resources on the topic. And, there are even fewer peers to discuss this with.

So where do ranchers begin?

In the next few weeks, I’ll explain our process. It is not perfect. I’m just getting started.

But, what I lack in skill, I make up for in zeal.

Finding this number is a BIG deal to me. It means we will be more educated as we make decisions about the herd.

It means we will be more educated as we think about the future.

I can’t wait to share what I’ve learned so far.

It is sure not glamorous, but I really like this project. If you have a cow herd, I invite you to join me in tackling this number for your operation.

I think, together, we can do this!

Sierra