Labor Hour Estimates

Overview

October 2026

Labor hours in FINPACK Crop and Livestock Budgets are used for long range planning (FINLRB) and for monthly cash flow projections with budgets (FINFLO). Labor hours are used in long range planning (FINLRB) to compare the labor requirements of alternative plans. Monthly cash flow projections with budgets (FINFLO) use labor hours with the cost of production calculations. Here, labor hours from the budgets are used as the default for allocating related operating expenses to the particular crop and livestock enterprises in the plan. This approach streamlines data entry in the FINFLO plan.

To help with this data entry element, the tables on the following pages list labor hour estimates for various crop and livestock enterprises using data from FINBIN. These estimates are helpful if labor hours are not available from the farm / ranch records or another local source.

The crop labor hour estimates are averages from owned and cash rented land, from 2023 through 2025, and includes farms from Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Illinois, and Wisconsin.

The livestock labor hour estimates are averages from 2023 through 2025 and includes farms and ranches from Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Illinois, and Wisconsin.

Crop Labor Hours per Acre

Crop Average ≤50 Acres 51-100 Acres 101-250 Acres 251-500 Acres 501-1,000 Acres 1,001-1,500 Acres 1,501-2,000 Acres 2,000-5,000 Acres >5,000 Acres
Barley 1.26 1.47 2.1 1.63 1.25 1.01 n/a n/a n/a n/a
Beans, Dry 1.57 n/a n/a 1.86 1.82 1.43 n/a n/a n/a n/a
Canola 1.23 n/a n/a 1.6 1.38 1.2 n/a n/a n/a n/a
Corn 2.54 3.74 3.14 2.97 2.65 2.53 2.31 2.49 2.3 2.09
Corn Silage 3.3 3.78 3.35 3.74 3.74 3.39 n/a n/a n/a n/a
Hay, Alfalfa 3.32 3.35 3.87 3.19 3.96 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Haylage, Alfalfa 2.69 n/a 2.39 3.23 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Oats 1.44 1.79 1.53 1.64 1.15 1.51 n/a n/a n/a n/a
Potatoes n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Rye 1.56 1.76 1.87 2.01 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Sorghum, Grain 1.27 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Soybeans 1.55 2.09 1.95 1.86 1.64 1.52 1.51 1.34 1.26 1.46
Sugar Beets 5.33 4.85 5.99 6.14 4.91 5.49 4.88 n/a n/a n/a
Sunflowers 1.59 n/a n/a 2.99 1.11 1.7 n/a n/a n/a n/a
Sweet Corn 1.73 1.73 1.62 1.53 2.2 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Wheat, Durum 1.08 n/a n/a 1.06 n/a 1.13 n/a n/a n/a n/a
Wheat, Spring 1.33 1.48 1.86 1.55 1.43 1.31 1.24 1.44 1.24 n/a
Wheat, Winter 1.56 2.24 1.57 2.16 1.47 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

Livestock Labor Hours per Head (Breeding Type Enterprises)

Breeding Type Enterprises Average ≤50 Head 51–100 Head 101–200 Head 201–500 Head >500 Head
Beef Cow-Calf 9.73 14.28 10.8 8.26 6.83 n/a
Dairy 36.86 39.66 36.92 36.99 36.41 36.97
Dairy and Replacement Heifers 42.36 48.48 42.13 41.54 41.34 42.92
Sheep, Market Lamb Production 4.8 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

Livestock Labor Hours per Head (Dairy Grow/Finish Enterprises)

Dairy Grow/Finish Enterprises Average ≤25 Head 26-50 Head 51-100 Head 101-250 Head >250 Head
Dairy Replacement Heifers 6.46 7.35 7.38 6.56 6.16 6.55
Dairy Finishing Steers 5.3 4.13 10.44 5.33 5.83 4.9

Livestock Labor Hours per Head (Beef Grow/Finish Enterprises)

Beef Grow/Finish Enterprises Average ≤100 Head 101-200 Head 201-500 Head 501-1,000 Head >1,000 Head
Beef Backgrounding 2.69 5.03 3.9 n/a n/a n/a
Beef Finishing 3.04 5.8 3.35 3.56 2.97 2.67

Livestock Labor Hours per Head (Hog Grow/Finish Enterprises)

Hog Grow/Finish Enterprises Average ≤500 Head 501-1,000 Head 1,001-2,500 Head 2,501-5,000 Head >5,000 Head
Hogs, Finishing 0.23 n/a n/a n/a n/a 0.23

Livestock Labor Hours per Litter

Hog Enterprises Average ≤100 Head 101-200 Head 201-500 Head 501-1,000 Head >1,000 Head
Hogs, Farrow to Finish 7.88 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Hogs, Farrow to Weaning 1.64 n/a n/a n/a n/a 1.55