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Dairy Budget

Dairy Heifers

Milk cows gathered at a fence

This cost calculator provides the user a tool to estimate the costs and returns of raising dairy heifers. It is an Excel based spreadsheet that contains macros and you will need to make sure your security settings enable these macros in order to run this application. The recommended default security setting disables macros. The Excel help function provides instructions on enabling macros. Costs and returns can be calculated for up to four stages of growth.

An example is provided for large dairy breeds raised on a corn silage and hay based diet to calve at 24 months weighing 1,350 lb. There is a separate data input section and budget for each growth stage. These tables can be printed separately. The user can select one or more contiguous stages. Costs and returns for multiple stages will be accumulated into a summary enterprise budget. *CAUTION.* – This budget spreadsheet is distributed on an “as is” basis and the user must assume all responsibility for any budgets that are created using this spreadsheet and for any decisions based on this information.

Budgets