Growing Forage Crops -- What Does It Cost?

Do you know the cost of producing the forage you feed? For beef cattle producers, optimizing forage crop production is essential for financial sustainability. However, estimating the costs associated with forage production can be challenging. The new BCRC Forage Cost of Production Calculator can provide insightful estimates for cash, depreciation and opportunity costs of growing forage crops. 

How It Works
The BCRC Forage Cost of Production Calculator is a user-friendly tool to assist beef cattle producers in estimating the costs associated with producing various forage crops.  

By inputting specific parameters such as acreage, yield and inputs for a particular forage crop, as well as overhead costs in cash, machinery, building depreciation and labor costs, producers can estimate production costs for existing fields. 

The calculator can be used for both perennial and annual forage crops. For perennial crops, variable costs in the establishment year are entered separately from the subsequent productive years; while for annual crops, only the average annual cost is needed.