Buyers’ perceptions of importance and willingness‐to‐pay for certain attributes of source and production verified bred heifers

This research reports buyers’ perceptions of and willingness‐to‐pay for replacement heifers produced through a rigorous, third‐party verified production protocol. Survey respondents attended and registered to purchase heifers at sanctioned Missouri Show‐Me‐Select Replacement Heifer Program^® sales between 1997 and 2002. Responses indicate that pen uniformity, artificially inseminated to calving ease bull, synchronized calving, and heifer size are perceived as important, and their willingness‐to‐pay for these characteristics is economically significant. Though prior research suggests willingness‐to‐pay estimates particularly for inexperienced consumers may be biased, we find little difference between inexperienced and experienced buyers and also little difference from hedonic estimates of heifer characteristics’ value.