Marketability and Management Approaches for Adding Value to Cull Cows for Local Production of Ground Beef 

The ARS and Cooperator will form a multidiscipline team to conduct a system research project that evaluates production efficiencies and conducts an economic analyses with the objectives to: 1. Measure and compare body weight gain and final body condition of cull cows under different management approaches to adding value (ARS). 2. Compare quality and quantity of retail product between cull cows harvested at time of purchase and those under the management approaches to add value (Cooperator). 3. Identification of the most cost effective and profitable approach to buying and adding value to cull cows for direct marketing of retail product (Cooperator).