Oklahoma State University’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources has made available three easy-to-use spreadsheet tools to assist cattle producers with drought-related culling decisions.

“The spreadsheets help producers to quickly and easily evaluate alternative scenarios with different sale dates and prices, as well as the cost of maintaining animals,” said Damona Doye, OSU Cooperative Extension farm management specialist.

The Repurchase Decision Calculator estimates the cost saved and interest earned on sale proceeds between liquidation and repurchase date.

OSU’s Early Weaning Decision tool focuses on calf weight and price changes, cow feed costs and the expected effect on the following year’s calf crop percentage to assess any advantage to early weaning.

The Sell Cows Now or Later spreadsheet tool calculates the expected return from different sale dates.

Each spreadsheet tool is available through the OSU Beef Extension website at http://www.beefextension.com/new%20site%202/Drought.html and the OSU Department of Agricultural Economics publications website page at http://agecon.okstate.edu/faculty/publications.asp via the Internet.

“While future markets are uncertain, calculating possible outcomes can help users better understand financial risks and consequences, and hopefully make the most informed decision possible,” Doye said.