BEEF CATTLE STANDARD PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS WEB DECISION SUPPORT TOOL

The Beef Cow-Calf Standard Performance Analysis (SPA) program has been helping cow-calf producers in the Southwest since 1992. Its main goal is to support producers in reducing costs and improving production, financial efficiency, and profitability. Over the years, the SPA database has grown to include over 650 cow-calf herds and 432,876 breeding cows. The program collects data from participating producers and allows them to compare their performance with others while identifying areas for improvement. The goal is to help producers make informed decisions, set goals, and monitor their progress.SPA helps cow-calf producers reduce costs, improve efficiency, and increase profitability. By participating in SPA, producers can achieve these goals through detailed analysis of their production and financial performance. This standardized analysis facilitates comparisons between different years, producers, and regions, providing valuable insights into areas where producers can improve.However, SPA mustbe upgradedfrom its original Excel and Access format. The project goal is to convert the SPA format from Excel and Access to a more user-friendly web application, increase the number of users, and improve ranchers' profitability. This new platform will streamline data collection and reporting, making it easier for producers. Additionally, the project will expand its scope to include other industry segments, such as stockers and breeding heifers. All calculations will be updated to align with the Farm Financial Standards Council's 2024 guidelines and FINBIN database requirements, ensuring the most accurate and relevant data analysis.One of SPA's primary goals is to help producers understand their production and financial performance. By enabling producers to benchmark their operations against others, SPA helps identify potential areas for improvement. The new web application will provide producers with a "report card" that shows how they rank compared to other producers in the database. This tool will also help producers track their progress over time, making it easier to make informed decisions and set realistic goals.The SPA project aims to modernize how cow-calf producers collect and analyze data. By making these tools more accessible and user-friendly, SPA hopes to increase participation and help producers improve their efficiency, profitability, and overall operation. The expected outcome is a standardized database and analysis framework that aligns with current guidelines and meets the needs of modern producers. The new web application will make it easier for producers to organize and report their financial information, leading to better decision-making and improved accuracy of the SPA analysis over time.Texas AgriLife Extension Service will conduct workshops across Texas to promote the new SPA web application. These workshops will train producers onhow to usethe new platform and highlight the benefits of participating in SPA. The SPA team will collaborate with various organizations and stakeholders to encourage more producers to get involved. The workshops aim to engage at least 240 producersover the course oftwo years, helping them understand the opportunities within data collection and the ease of using the new web application.Our specific objectives are to:Improve and align economic and financial analysis with the Farm Financial Standards Council guidelines. The expected outcome will be a standard database and analysis framework for Cow-calf operations that meets the producers' and FINBIN'sexpectations,given FFSC guidelines.Design and launch an online platform to collect data and assist the producers.Once we improve and align SPA inputs and outputs with FFSC and FINBIN, the second activity involves launching a website to collect and assist the producers. The team will update the SPA program to a user-friendly web application format: Update the current format of theprogramfound in Excel and Access and convert it to a Web App format. Partnering with AgriLife Information Technology (AIT) and the AgriLife Research Cloud (ARC) will allow us to transfer existing database records, build reports, and create a front-end web application by hosting it on a virtual server.Texas AgriLife Extension Service will conduct workshops across Texas to promote the new SPA web application. These workshops will train producers onusingthe new platform and highlight the benefits of participating in SPA. The SPA team will collaborate with various organizations and stakeholders to encourage more producers to get involved. The workshops aim to engage at least 240 producersovertwo years, helping them understand the opportunities within data collection and the ease of using the new web application.Report data to FINBIN Database.