Decision Making Tools

With the goal of keeping Wisconsin's dairy industry competitive, the Center and affiliates have developed a number of tools to help improve production efficiency and profitability. The following is a list of available materials. If not otherwise stated, please contact the Center for Dairy Profitability for ordering and price information.

See also Software or go to the Dairy Management UW-Extension Website

SPREADSHEETS

Spreadsheets listed below are available in .WK1 and .XLS (Excel 5 or 7) format. Unless otherwise noted, all of the spreadsheets are available for a $10.00 fee to cover postage and handling ($5.00 for additional copies). Please contact the Center for Dairy Profitability (608) 263-5665 for ordering information.

BUILDINGRENTALVALUEV2.XLS
Estimating the rental value of Dairy Barns and Other Farm Buildings. May 2005. Dr. Bruce Jones, UWEX.

CORNSILAGE_DM.XLS
Spreadsheet for calculating Corn Silage Adjusted Dry Matter Pricing. Gregg Hadley, Center for Dairy Profitability. [NOTE: To adjust the spreadsheet to the typical corn silage dry matter percentage in your region, please enter that dry matter percentage in cell B4 of the spreadsheet].

COSTCWT.XLS
Spreadsheet for calculating the cost of producing milk per hundredweight equivalent. See also: Cost of Producing Milk per Hundredweight Equivalent Worksheet. Developed by Dr. Gary Frank, Emeritus Professor, Center for Dairy Profitability.

COPMilk.XLS (3.2008)
The cost of production (COP) is the costs associated with production divided by the number of units produced. This worksheet looks at three methods (per unit sold, residual claimant, equivalent production) commonly used to calculate the cost of production. Developed by Dr. Gary Frank, Emeritus Professor, Center for Dairy Profitability.

COWVAL.XLS
Calculates how much you can afford to pay for a cow if she does not not add to overhead costs. (Update of original (Dr. Gary. Frank) by Victor Cabrera, Dept. of Dairy Science, 2009).

CROPPROC.XLS
Crop Processor Partial budget analysis, with accompanying sensitivity tables.

CREP.XLS
For evaluating the financial consequences of enrolling in Wisconsin's Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program.

CULL.XLS: Culling Guide. Determine when to cull a non-pregnant cow by calculating her contribution to fixed cost per day. When her contribution to fixed cost becomes negative she should be culled. This calculation requires knowing her current production (pounds per day), butterfat test, protein test and SCC. Other pieces of information required are the base milk price and the feed, labor and miscellaneous costs per hundredweight.

Dairy Enterprise Planning Budget for 2008 (WI)
This spreadsheet allows one to construct enterprise and cash flow budgets for dairy. This budget package is intended to help decision makers assess the profitability and financial feasibility of dairy operations under various price and cost conditions.

Dairy Proforma Calculator (10.2008)
Program lets you look expansions, contractions, and/or changes in the way you do business. Enter the current year's values for your farm, then enter a change in cow numbers, investment in buildings, machinery, etc., production per cow, number of heifers kept, etc. Now check to see if your financial situation changes for the better, and how sensitive your new cash flow is to the changes in milk price, production per cow, corn price, protein price and/or hay price. Dairy Proforma Calculator Instructions.

Determining a Strike Price for use when Hedging, Buying Options, Etc. Worksheet
Prepared by Gary Frank, Emeritus Professor, Center for Dairy Profitability.

ENTERBUD.XLS - (EXCEL 5)
Spreadsheet that allows you to spread costs between milk, raising heifers and up to 5 cropping enterprises.

Equivalent Price/Ton of: High Moisture Ear Corn (4.2008)
Conversion table for converting wet ear corn to its dry corn price equivalent.

Equivalent Price/Ton of: High Moisture Shelled Corn (4.2008)
Conversion table for converting wet shelled corn to its dry corn price equivalent.

Estimating the Value of Standing Corn for Corn Silage
EXCEL Worksheet for calculating the value of corn silage. TDN Value adjustments included.

FORAGE LAND-BASE CALCULATOR.XLS
The "Forage Land Base Calculator" is an Excel spreadsheet that can help evaluate change in forage acres (either alfalfa, corn silage, or both) as a result of a change in any one or more of the following factors...forage yield; dairy herd expansion or reduction; custom raising heifers; higher or lower alfalfa / corn silage feeding ratio; and, change in harvest, storage or feeding losses. The first worksheet is the computerized spreadsheet which will do all calculations for you. The second worksheet (located directly behind the computer spreadsheet) can be printed and used as a hand-held worksheet on the farm. Both the spreadsheet and hand-held worksheet contain step-by-step directions. Developed by Greg Blonde, Associate Professor UW-Extension, Waupaca Co., WI...June 2000

FSTMILKP.XLS
After entering projected sales, investment costs, and production coefficients FSTMILKP.XLS analyses your "On Farm Milk Processing" plan. This decision aid produces both a profitability and cash flow analysis. Sensitivity analysis is presented in both tabular and formats. "You Can Make It, You Can Sell It, But Can You "Make It" Selling It?" (Examples and Instructions)

LandBid.V1.xls
Help in estimating a bid price for land. This spreadsheet essentially computes the price one can pay for land and achieve a rate of return on capital equal to the opportunity cost of capital.

LEASEVBUY.XLS
Provides a person cost information needed to determine whether it is less or more costly to lease an asset. See also, Leasing as an Option for Acquiring Assets: an explanation of the concepts of leasing.

LEASPART.XLS
Provides help on developing an agreement which is financially attractive and equitable to all those forming a farm partnership or lease. Developed by Dr. Gary Frank, Emeritus Professor, Center for Dairy Profitability.

LOAN CALCULATOR
Calculates the principal and intereste to be paid for loan amounts, interest rate, and period of payments. Victor Cabrera, Dept. of Dairy Science, 2009).

MACHCOST.WK1
Calculating the total cost (fuel, labor repairs, interest, and depreciation) for the implement and power unit of performing one field operation. (This spreadsheet program has been converted to a stand alone program and is available in that format for a charge of $20.00)

Milk Marketing "Hedging Opportunity" Home Page
Hedging Opportunity Chart. This chart is updated on a daily basis, (Monday-Friday) after 3:30 PM CST. Prices can change on a daily basis and producers should regularly check the markets to keep informed of any potential opportunities.

MILKANA01L.XLS
Cost Analysis of milk with different feed additives -- Developed by Randy Shaver, Dept. of Dairy Science, University of Wisconsin. (12/2000).

MILKSIM.WK1
Designed to provide dairy herd managers information about the returns and costs from feeding dairy cows various rations over time. See the accompanying text MILKSIM for a full description of the spreadsheet and its uses.

3X-MILKING
Economic Analysis of Switching from 2X to 3X Milking. This tool estimates the economic benefit (or loss) of a change in the milking frequency from 2 times a day (2X) to 3 times a day (3X) based on user-defined parameters. (Update of original (Dr. Gary. Frank) by Victor Cabrera, Dept. of Dairy Science, 2009).

OWNVSCUST.XLS
T o help determine your forage harvesting costs vs. custom operator charges. "Evaluating the Custom Harvesting Decision: Pros & Cons" includes Examples and Instructions.

NPV.XLS
Analysis of Investment Decisions, 2000.

ODDSMAKR.XLS
A spreadsheet for evaluating price risks on dairy farms, 1997.

Parlor Planner Software
This spreadsheet estimates milking parlor costs and performance. Costs which can be calculated are: milking center buildings including parlor, holding area, milk room, utility room and office, freestall barn, milking parlor equipment including milking equipment, parlor stalls, entrance, exit and crowd gates, refrigeration and utility room equipment. Labor costs for milking are also calculated. Developed by Douglas J. Reinemann, Extension Agricultural Engineer University of Wisconsin - Madison (4.2000).

REPHFRV2.XLS
Allows one to construct enterprise budgets for dairy cow replacements. This budget package is intended to help decision-makers assess the profitability and financial feasibility of dairy operations under various price and cost conditions.

RE-PLANTING ANALYSIS
Allows users to solve the corn yield needed to achieve a net return that is equal to the expected returns from another cash crop. Based on this corn yield estimate, producers can make a judgment as to whether or not they will "break-even."

ROTATION.XLS
Allows you to balance your dairy cow rations between alfalfa, corn silage, and soil nutrients.

SHAREMLK.WK1
Assists individuals in calculating appropriate shares when putting together a milk sharing agreement.

SILO$CSL.XLS
Silo Dry Matter Storage Calculator & Pricier for Corn Silage.

SILO$LMS.XLS
Silo Dry Matter Storage Calculator & Pricier for Low Moisture Legume & Legume Grasses. .

SILOUP.XLS
To determine the amount of feed remaining in your top unloading silo. Allows for up to 4 refills.

STOCOST.XLS
To determine the storage cost of feed in upright silos, horizontal silos, and silo bags.

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