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Note: A brief "new book announcement" is also available; scroll down after the news release on this page.

Starting a Pasture-Based Livestock Business: Would It Work for You?

For Immediate Release
June 2006

If you are thinking about starting a pasture-based livestock business, you may know there are many factors to consider before you can make a solid business decision. What is your mission? What are your goals? Do you have the resources to succeed? How well do you understand the marketplace and the importance of meeting consumer demands? A new book, Managing and Marketing for Pasture-Based Livestock Production, NRAES-174 ($21 plus S&H/sales tax; 116 pages; January 2006) provides fundamental and essential information a producer needs to manage and market a goal-oriented forage-livestock system. How this knowledge applies to a producer's unique situation will help determine whether or not this business venture will be a feasible one.

Managing and Marketing for Pasture-Based Livestock Production, NRAES-174 is the first of four related books to be published this year. Together, they will cover all aspects of pasture-based livestock production. This first book focuses on the framework of management decisions around which a forage-livestock production system is developed. The first chapter covers the basic principles of forage-livestock production; social, economic, and environmental sustainability; and the benefits of pasture-based systems. Subsequent chapters cover developing vision and mission statements and setting goals; inventorying farm resources and preparing a plan; allocating farm resources; marketing commercial feeder cattle; dairy marketing; direct marketing; and hay marketing.

This practical 116-page guide will be an invaluable resource for anyone considering starting a pasture-based livestock operation. Current pasture-based livestock producers, confined-animal producers considering switching to a pasture-based system, farm managers, producer advisors, extension educators, soil and water conservation district and NRCS personnel, agronomists, and environmental professionals will all find this book useful.

Managing and Marketing for Pasture-Based Livestock Production was published by NRAES, the Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service. It was edited by Edward B. Rayburn, Extension Specialist and Forage Agronomist at the Center for Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Community Development at West Virginia University. The book was written by Rayburn; Geoffrey A. Benson, North Carolina State University; E. Ann Clark, University of Guelph; Julian Drelich, USDA-NRCS; Darrell L. Emmick, USDA-NRCS; Stephen A. Ford, Blythe Cotton Company; David Grusenmeyer, Cornell University; Marvin H. Hall, The Pennsylvania State University; James S. Hill, USDA-NRCS; Lisa Holden, The Pennsylvania State University; Thomas R. McConnell, West Virginia University; Bill Murphy, University of Vermont; Wesley N. Musser, University of Maryland; Phillip I. Osborne, West Virginia University; James Y. Pritchard, West Virginia University; R. Mark Sulc, The Ohio State University; and Lester R. Vough, University of Maryland.

Managing and Marketing for Pasture-Based Livestock Production, NRAES-174, is available for $21.00 per copy (plus shipping and handling) from NRAES, Cooperative Extension, PO Box 4557, Ithaca, NY 14852-4557. Shipping and handling for one copy is $6.00 within the continental United States. New York residents, add sales tax (calculated on both the cost for books and the shipping and handling charges. Click here for more information.) If ordering more than one book, or if ordering from outside the United States, contact NRAES for shipping rates and possible quantity discounts. Orders from outside the United States must be prepaid in U.S. funds. All major credit cards are accepted, and checks should be made payable to NRAES. For more information or a free book catalog, contact NRAES by phone at (607) 255-7654, by fax at (607) 254-8770, or by e-mail at NRAES@CORNELL.EDU. To learn more about NRAES and browse through our entire catalog, visit our web site at WWW.NRAES.ORG.

# # #

New Book Announcement

Starting a Pasture-Based Livestock Business: Would It Work for You?

For Immediate Release
June 2006

There are many factors to consider before starting a pasture-based livestock business. What is your mission? What are your goals? Do you have the resources to succeed? How well do you understand the marketplace and the importance of meeting consumer demands? A new book, Managing and Marketing for Pasture-Based Livestock Production, NRAES-174 (116 pages; January 2006) provides fundamental and essential information a producer needs to manage and market a goal-oriented forage-livestock system. How this knowledge applies to a producer's unique situation will help determine whether or not this business venture will be a feasible one. This is the first of four books on pasture-based livestock systems to be published this year.

Managing and Marketing for Pasture-Based Livestock Production, NRAES-174, costs $21.00 plus $6.00 shipping and handling (within the continental U.S.) Make checks payable to NRAES; all major credit cards accepted. New York residents, add sales tax (on both the cost of the book and the shipping and handling charges. Click here for more information.) Contact NRAES for other shipping and handling rates and possible quantity discounts: NRAES, Cooperative Extension, PO Box 4557, Ithaca, NY 14852-4557; phone (607) 255-7654, fax (607) 254-8770; e-mail NRAES@CORNELL.EDU; web site WWW.NRAES.ORG.

About the Authors

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1: An Introduction to Pasture-Based Livestock Production

Authors

Edward B. Rayburn
Extension Forage Agronomist
West Virginia University
Bill Murphy
Department of Plant and Soil Science, retired
University of Vermont
E. Ann Clark
Associate Professor
Department of Plant Agriculture
University of Guelph

Framework of Forage-Livestock Production
Production Centers
Sustainability
Social Sustainability
Economic Sustainability
Environmental Sustainability
Benefits of Pasture-Based Systems
Soil Conservation and Health
Nutrient Cycling
Reduced Biocide Dependence
Maintenance of Water Quality
The Science and the Art of Pasture-Based Systems

Chapter 2: Vision, Mission, and Goals

Authors

Lisa Holden
Associate Professor
Department of Dairy and Animal Science
The Pennsylvania State University
David Grusenmeyer
Senior Extension Associate
PRO-DAIRY
Cornell University

The Vision Statement
What Is a Vision Statement?
How Is a Vision Statement Developed?
Mission Statements
What Is a Farm Mission Statement?
How Do I Write a Farm Mission Statement?
Goal Setting
Why Is It Important to Set Goals?
How Are Goals Set?
Using Goals as Stepping-Stones
Conclusion

Chapter 3: Resource Inventories in Farm Planning

Authors

Darrell L. Emmick
State Grazing Land Management Specialist
U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Natural Resources Conservation Service, New York
Julian Drelich, Jr.
Resource Conservationist
U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Natural Resources Conservation Service, New York
James S. Hill
Grassland Specialist
U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Natural Resources Conservation Service, West Virginia, retired

Prescribed Grazing Management: A Systematic Planning Strategy
Identifying Goals and Objectives
Identifying Problems, Concerns, and Opportunities
Inventorying the Resource Base
Analyzing the Resource Data
Formulating and Evaluating Alternative Solutions
Making Decisions
Preparing a Plan
Implementing the Plan
Evaluating Results
Conclusion

Chapter 4: Allocation of Farm Resources

Authors

Stephen A. Ford
Manager
Blythe Cotton Company
Wesley N. Musser
Professor and Farm Management Specialist
University of Maryland

Making Decisions at the Margin
Partial Budgeting
Marginal Analysis and Response Curves
Machinery Costs
Labor Expenses
Whole-Farm Decisions
Whole-Farm Budgeting
Enterprise Analysis
Investment Analysis
Net Present Value
Profitability versus Feasibility
Whole-Farm Financial Analysis
Solvency
Profitability
Liquidity
Risk Management
Risk Aversion
Risk-Return Tradeoff
Risk and Grazing
Conclusion

Chapter 5: Marketing Commercial Feeder Cattle

Authors

Phillip I. Osborne
Extension Specialist
Animal Husbandry
West Virginia University
James Y. Pritchard
Pocahontas County Extension Agent
West Virginia University

Graded Feeder Calf Sales
Teleauction: A Valuable Marketing Tool
Procedure for Conducting a Teleauction
Guidelines for Special State-Graded Sales
Marketing Pools
Factors Influencing Value
Selling on the Slide
Evaluating Marketing Alternatives
Marginal Value of Calf Gain
Marketing Nuances
Addendum A: U.S. Standards for Grades of Feeder Cattle
Addendum B: Glossary of Feeder Cattle Marketing Terms

Chapter 6: Dairy Marketing

Authors

Geoffrey A. Benson
Extension Economist
Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics
North Carolina State University

Marketing Milk as a Commodity
The U.S. Market for Dairy Products
The Role of Government in Milk Marketing
Farm and Retail Price Relationship
The Role of Cooperatives in Milk Marketing
Other Factors
Selecting a Milk Buyer
Summary: Marketing Milk as a Commodity
Value-Added Processing and Marketing
Conclusion

Chapter 7: Direct Marketing

Authors

Thomas R. McConnell
Extension Specialist
Farm Management
West Virginia University

Why Direct Market?
What Does Direct Marketing Involve?
Market Research
Advertising
Making a Sale
Determining Direct Marketing Expenses
Getting Paid
Community and Sales
Niche Opportunities
Specialty Meats
Pricing
Consumer Budget
Conclusion

Chapter 8: Hay Marketing

Authors

R. Mark Sulc
Associate Professor
Department of Horticulture and Crop Science
The Ohio State University
Marvin H. Hall
Professor of Forage Management
Department of Crop & Soil Sciences
The Pennsylvania State University
Lester R. Vough
Associate Professor and Extension Specialist
Forage Systems Management
University of Maryland

The Buyer's Perspective
Defining Hay Needs
Evaluating Hay
Discovering Reputable Hay Sources
Purchasing Locally or From a Distance
Price Considerations
The Hay Producer's Perspective
Selling Versus Marketing
Identifying a Market
Producing the Product
Describing and Advertising the Product
Pricing Hay
Storing Hay and Managing Inventory
The Dilemma of Low-Quality Hay
Maintaining Good Business Relationships
Conclusion

References

Other Books from NRAES