Received 28.02.2020, Revised 18.04.2020, Accepted 17.05.2020
The article describes the value of cost in making management decisions. It is substantiated that the production cost is one of the key indicators of informational support for making current and operational management decisions. The methods of cost accounting and agricultural product costing, including animal husbandry, are considered. The accounting of livestock costs at agricultural enterprises has some peculiarities related to the technology of growing biological assets of livestock and livestock products, which affect the method of cost accounting and calculation of products (the presence of living organisms, the duration of operating cycles, and the uneven output of products during the year). It is substantiated that the process of livestock product costing and recording of its results in accounting is carried out in two interrelated stages: the formation of the product cost by cost accounting objects and cost items in animal husbandry; livestock product costing in terms of calculation objects and calculation units. It is proposed to use the intermediate (calculated - actual) cost for management accounting purposes. It will be based on the actual direct costs and output of the product for the month and the estimated value of the overhead costs for the current month. For making management decisions, it is recommended to use direct (incomplete) production cost (based on direct variable costs), which corresponds to the well-known method "direct costing", which can be used in management accounting
expenses; cost; livestock; management; management accounting; management decisions