Lease or own cows and bulls?

Leasing arrangements may be considered in several situations. Producers can use leases, calf share in particular, to transfer ownership of cows to others over time with possibly less income tax consequences compared to an outright sale. Individuals who are forced to liquidate cowherds may use leases as a means for re-establishing a herd without needing to borrow money for capital purchase. Producers who wish to establish new or expand existing cowherds could examine leasing as an alternative to raising or purchasing cows.

The decision whether to own or lease cows and bulls involves several factors in addition to cost comparison. Cost comparisons for an operator deciding whether to own (by purchasing or raising) or to lease, can usually ignore all costs for the cows except ownership and lease costs, provided that the cows to be leased are of similar size and quality to those to be raised or purchased. Comparing costs of raising cattle to leasing requires estimating the cost to raise a replacement heifer/bull to breeding, calving or other age depending on when she/he would enter the herd. Depending on feed costs and replacement purchase prices, raised replacements may cost more or less than purchased replacements.

Cost Comparison

To compare the costs of owning or leasing a cow, complete these three steps.

1. Estimate ownership costs per year for purchased or raised cattle.
2. Estimate bull ownership cost per year on a per cow basis.
3. Compare the ownership costs of the cow (including bull if appropriate) with the lease cost.

Detail for each of these steps follows.

Step 1. Estimate ownership costs per year for purchased or raised cows or bulls.

• Economic depreciation (D) is an expense claimed by the owner of a capital asset to compensate for the asset wearing out over some limited useful life. Economic depreciation may differ from depreciation taken for tax purposes, as depreciation allowed by the Internal Revenue Service may differ from values used for management purposes.
• Interest on investment (I) is usually an opportunity cost on funds tied up in cow or bull ownership. Interest on investment in a cow or bull is the interest rate times the average value of the animal.
• Death loss (DL) is another cost of cow ownership. Death loss should be calculated on average value.
• Property tax (PT) may be assessed against cow and bull values in some states. In such cases these taxes should be added to the ownership cost.
• Total ownership costs (TO) = D + I + DL + PT. Higher cow or bull values or interest rates or a shorter depreciation period will increase the cow and bull ownership costs.

1. Feeder cattle review: Choice beef prices keep rolling higher
2. Ag markets diverge just before the long holiday weekend
3. Armyworms eat fescue pastures, hayfields
4. Commentary: New rules un-COOL
5. Oil edges up on book squaring, but posts big weekly drop
6. Cattle theft and brands

1. Former Eastern Livestock CEO, CFO sentenced for federal crimes
2. Commentary: New rules un-COOL
3. TSCRA works with sale barns to catch Houston cattle thief
4. Post-tornado composting a solution for disposal of dead livestock
5. More beef cows in worst drought regions than a year ago
6. Michigan hay buyers should plan purchases early

1. Commentary: In praise of animal foods
2. What’s on America’s grill this weekend?
3. Meat industry associations quick to attack the new MCOOL rule
4. Seven jobs more dangerous than farming
5. NASA backs 3D food printer to feed growing population
6. Commentary: New rules un-COOL