Management of a farm or ranch operation requires daily decision-making, or more precisely, determining which alternative will most likely allow the agricultural producer to achieve their goals and be as profitable as possible.

The tools listed below are excel spreadsheets, designed to help make the decision-making process easier. Each tool contains detailed instructions on how to correctly use and input data into the tool to help you with your decision-making process. These tools are meant to be used as a guideline only for your current decision-making process, and they do not replace your own judgment and personal decision-making preferences.

Livestock Tools

The Optimal Cow Size 

Matching Cow Size to Available Forage

Price Slide Steer Marketing

Leasing Beef Cattle

Buy Hay or Sell Cows

Dairy Analysis

What Can You Afford to Pay for a Cow?

Buying versus Raising Replacement Heifers

Estimating Costs & Returns for Yearling Cattle 

Calculating Your Cow Carrying Costs

Strategies for Cattle Herd During Drought

Retained Ownership of Calves

Crop + Forage Tools

Enterprise Budget and NPV Analysis Tool

Economics of Fertilization for Grass Hay Production

Grass Hay Pasture Budget Tool

Estimating Crop Revenue Due to Well Sites

Comparing Options for Land Expiring from the Conservation Reserve Program

Analyzing Potential Rates for CRP Enrollment and Other Alternative Uses

Lavender Worksheet Tools

Retained Ownership of Grain and Other Crops

Financial Management Tools

EPIC (Enterprise Profitability and Input Control)

EPIC Composite Farms Sample Files

• Northeastern Colorado (NECO) Composite Farm
• Mountain Area Western Colorado (MACO) Composite Farm
• Tri River Area Western Colorado (TRACO) Composite Farm
• San Juan Basin Western Colorado (SJBCO) Composite Farm

Partial Budgeting Tool

Balance Sheet

Income Statement

Statement of Cash Flows

Ratio Analysis Tool

Put Option Decision Tool

Loan Amortization Worksheet

Marketing Tools