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Market Advisor

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by Harlan Hughes Nov. 4, 2010

Marketing 2010 Beef Calves

As ranchers turn their attention toward marketing 2010 calves, let’s review the economic background of marketing 2009 calves for some possible....More
by Harlan Hughes Oct. 6, 2010

How To Make Your Ranch More Profitable

Want to know how you can make your ranch more profitable? The answer is benchmarking, a powerful tool designed to help ranchers identify key....More
by Harlan Hughes Sep. 3, 2010

Part 2 Basic Business-Management Questions For The Ranch

There are four, basic business-management questions a ranch family should ask itself....More
by Harlan Hughes Aug. 5, 2010

Part 1-Basic Economic Concepts For Running A Profitable Ranch Business

I’m involved in a Wyoming/Nebraska Ranch Practicum where a cadre of instructors teaches the science of ranching. It’s a multiday, hands-on approach....More
by Harlan Hughes Jul. 2, 2010

High Vs. Low Profit Ranching Operations

Why are some ranchers more profitable than others? Let’s begin in answering this question by looking at how gross income figures for a beef cowherd....More
by Harlan Hughes Jun. 2, 2010

The Management Beauty of UCOP

Last month, we discussed why a beef cowherd’s cost of production is more important in time of high prices. Get ready for such high-profit....More
by Harlan Hughes May. 1, 2010

How To Maximize Cattle Profits By Cutting Production Costs

The markets are finally moving in the right direction for cow-calf producers. But don't let today's more favorable calf prices deter your focus on....More
by Harlan Hughes Apr. 1, 2010

Is a turnaround in the economy ahead?

Since the current biofuels era has negated the long-run effect of the traditional cattle cycle, ranch-management decisions have become more difficult....More
by Harlan Hughes Mar. 1, 2010

Longevity vs. Weaning Weight

My columns of the past few months have focused specifically on the long-run economics of the beef-cow sector, particularly the role of replacement....More
by Harlan Hughes Feb. 1, 2010

The Next Decade: Part III

A key determinant of a beef cowherd's cost structure is the cost of replacement females. That's because the economic impact of high-cost replacements....More
by Harlan Hughes Jan. 1, 2010

The next decade: Part II

Replacement female decisions are among ranch managers' most critical decisions. While complete genetic control is often desired, ranch-raised heifer....More
by Harlan Hughes Dec. 1, 2009

The next decade: Part I

I truly believe ranching in the next decade will not be business as usual. Thus, my next few columns will look to stimulate ranchers' thinking about....More
by Harlan Hughes Nov. 1, 2009

Don't market like 2008

Many ranchers' first inclination in marketing their 2009 calves is to base it on their 2008 calf crop experiences. That could be a serious mistake....More
by Harlan Hughes Oct. 1, 2009

5 non-traditional systems

The higher grain prices of the biofuels era have changed ranching. The key question for many ranchers is whether this suggests that optimal ranch....More
by Harlan Hughes Sep. 1, 2009

What cheaper corn means

Ranchers clearly understand they're at the mercy of the national bio-fuels policy. They also know full well how increasing corn prices the past three....More
Contributors

Harlan Hughes

Harlan Hughes is a North Dakota State University professor emeritus and author of the monthly "Market Advisor" column that appears in BEEF magazine. He also consults and lectures widely,...
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What's Market Advisor?

Harlan Hughes has spent a professional lifetime helping U.S. beef producers better manage the business end of their beef cow operations.

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