Beef Producer Toolbox

Finances, Budgets & Calculators

  • Nebraska Farmland Values and Cash Rental Rates
    Preliminary 2024 rates are available now, with final results to be published in June, 2024. 

  • Livestock Decision Tools
    Worksheets, budgets and spreadsheets to help figure costs and make decisions.
  • Cattle Budgets
    A budget template to analyze the costs and returns for a cow-calf producer. In addition to the breeding herd enterprise, it contains budget sheets to analyze calves that are retained past weaning.
  • Livestock-Related Nebraska Custom Rates
    Each year, many Nebraska farmers and ranchers inquire about prevailing rates paid for certain kinds of custom farm services. In addition to the regular biennial custom rates services survey and report, the Center for Agricultural Profitability launched a new survey that provides data for producers and operators that work closely with the livestock industry in Nebraska.
  • Nebraska Center for Ag Profitability
    Facilitates faculty research, conducts extension outreach related to agricultural profitability and farm and ranch management and trains undergraduate and graduate students — all to support informed decision-making in agriculture.
  • Bull Value Cow-Q-Lator: What it is and how to use it
    With so many different breeds and types of bulls available, picking the right bull at the right price is not easy. To help in making the best selection possible the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Beef Economics Team created the Bull Value Cow-Q-Lator (BVCQL). This tool can be used to compare your current bull value with up to 10 bulls. 

Weather, Climate & Environment

  • GrassCast - Grassland Productivity Forecast
    Uses almost 40 years of historical data on weather and vegetation growth— combined with seasonal precipitation forecasts—to predict if rangelands in individual grid cells (whose size is 10 km x 10km, or ~ 6 miles x 6 miles) are likely to produce above-normal, near-normal, or below-normal amounts of vegetation.
  • National Drought Mitigation Center, based at UNL
    The Drought Center helps people, organizations and institutions build resilience to drought through monitoring and planning, and we are the academic partner and web host of the U.S. Drought Monitor. Our capabilities include climatology, social science and public engagement, and we work at all scales, from individual ranches to local, state and tribal government, and countries around the world.

  • Nebraska State Climate Office
    The Nebraska State Climate Office is dedicated to delivering science-based climate services at the local and state level. The focus is on weather and climate monitoring, climate services, and stakeholder engagement.

  • Cattle heat stress maps & forecast
    The heat stress forecast maps are made using the seven day forecasts of (temperature, humidity, wind speed, and cloud cover) from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - National Weather Service (NWS)

  • Ag Site Planner/Manure Management
    Providing research-based information, tools, and resources to support responsible livestock production and expansion

Genetic Selection Tools

Feed, Forage & Range Management

Beef Quality Assurance

  • BQA Assessment Resources
    On-site educational tools that allow for assessing and benchmarking key indicators of animal care and well-being as well as facility/equipment conditions.
  • BQA Certification Events
    All the scheduled Nebraska BQA planned in-person BQA and BQAT certification trainings.