The traditional conception of a thin market based on transactions volume remains relevant in many agricultural markets but does not adequately frame emerging thin market issues. As non-price means of pricing goods becomes more common, some cash commodity markets have become residual markets. In...

Recent spikes in commodity prices have led to higher margin amounts and option premiums. For the most part, producers have always attributed their lack of use in reducing risk via futures and options markets to the high cost associated with the use of these markets. This study determines the...

Optimal cross hedge ratios are estimated for a number of grain by-products used as livestock feed. Risk associated with these cross hedge ratios is measured to determine if cross hedging reduces grain by-product price risk. Results provide useful risk management guidelines for livestock and...

Increased demand for corn for ethanol production has helped push grain prices to record levels. This has increased livestock production costs, and producers have responded with changes to production systems. This paper explores the degree to which costs can be mitigated with alternative feeds,...

Real-time ultrasound information taken on beef heifers prior to backgrounding is used to develop a logit model to aid heifer retention decisions. The value of ultrasound data is calculated as the difference in certainty equivalents between a decision rule incorporating ultrasound information and...

Stocker cattle ownership is compared to contract grazing using stochastic simulation. Returns are evaluated for both cattle owners and caretakers in contract grazing agreements. For caretakers, contract grazing is significantly less risky than cattle ownership. Slightly to moderately risk-averse...

Stocker cattle ownership is compared to contract grazing using stochastic simulation. Returns are evaluated for both cattle owners and caretakers in contract grazing agreements. For caretakers, contract grazing is significantly less risky than cattle ownership. For cattle owners, contracting...

Researchers estimating demand systems have often used annual data even though monthly or quarterly data are available. Monthly data may be avoided because with monthly data it becomes more difficult to specify seasonality, autocorrelation is more likely to be significant, and there is a greater...