Ranching Financial Models
The money side of a Montana cow-calf operation, in one place: what your calves will net at your gate, what drought and hay could cost, and how freight, sale channel and carcass grading reach your check. Each tool has its own page with instructions and, where offered, a downloadable model you can run with your own numbers.
These ranching financial models use public price inputs such as USDA AMS market news, and they pair with our cattle market forecasting tools when you want to look past this year’s calf check.
Your calf check
Start here if you are selling this fall.
Calf Check — net-to-gate calculator
Your Montana calf check, net to your gate after the price slide and trucking to Billings, split by steers and heifers and by sale channel. Calf prices, basis and the Honest Cattle Market Index (HCMI) are live. Free, no login.
Open Calf Check →Ranching Forms
Printable calf-sale worksheets, fed-cattle contract summaries, a delivery and volume log, and a detailed cull-cow sale form. Fill them in by hand at sale or shipping time so the numbers are on paper before the check arrives.
Open Ranching Forms →Planning the year
Scenario models: change the assumptions and see what happens to price, cost and herd.
Calf Price Forecasting Tool
An Excel scenario model that projects monthly 2026 prices for Montana 625-lb steer calves, with adjustable inputs for corn, fed cattle, hay and drought, trade policy, demand and the herd cycle. Includes the downloadable model and instructions.
Open tool →Drought Implications for Cattle Tool
The Montana Drought Impact Model puts dollars per head, per lot and per cow on mild, moderate and severe drought (S1–S3): lost grazing capacity, lighter and earlier-weaned calves, cull-cow price pressure, marketing-channel deductions and hay purchase cost, including a break-even cull count for the hay bill.
Open tool →Montana Ranch Economics
The framework behind the models: hay as the largest variable cost, trucking and net-back to Billings, feedlot margins for retained ownership and backgrounding, and the drivers that decide profit — weaning rate, sale price, winter feed and spring pasture.
Read the overview →Costs & sale channels
Where the dollars leak between the market price and your check.
Shipping in Montana
Distances, seasonal roads, auction locations, trucking and brand inspection — the logistics that come straight off the bottom line.
Open →Understanding Montana’s Full Cattle Marketing Picture
How Montana cattle actually sell — public auction, video auction and private treaty — with the channel split, the method behind it and per-channel detail.
Open →Feedlot Pricing Grids
How packers price fed cattle on quality and yield grade, and how those premiums and discounts flow back to what a buyer will pay for your calves.
Open →Grazing Leases in Montana
BLM, Forest Service and state (DNRC) grazing programs, with allotment maps — the public-land side of your grass bill.
Open →Price protection
Livestock Risk Protection (LRP)
Current Montana LRP feeder-cattle coverage — end dates and coverage levels — appears each week in the LRP Corner of the Honest Cattle Weekly Market Forecast.
See this week’s forecast →