The aim of the study was to define differences in the production, reproduction and economic parameter of two groups of analyzed cow-calf herds. As the first group, 13 herds of dual-purpose breeds and their crosses with beef breeds with varying proportion of blood were evaluated. The second group composed herds with pure-bred beef breeds (12 herds). For all of the traits, the evaluated period covered the years 2011 to 2013. The countdown calculation method without including subsidies was used in the economic analyses. In both of the analyzed herd groups, the feed costs, depreciation of animals and other direct primary costs were found as the most important cost components of the calculation formula. However, the biggest differen­ces in feed costs and depreciation of the animals among the analyzed herds were observed as well. Value of cost in beef herds reached 3.259 € per feeding day, which was by 33 % higher compared to combined herds. The negative effect of higher cost per feeding day was slightly compensated by higher number of live born calves (+8 %) in these herds. Therefore, annual costs per cow with calf in pure-bred beef herds were by 23% higher, i. e. reached level of 1.469 €, compared to the combined herds. Higher production level in pure-bred beef herds thus absorbed the negative effect of the cost parameters by 10%. In contrast to the basic herd, the costs per feeding day of calves were lower (-44 %) in pure-bred beef herds. But the average daily gains of calves reached a lower level (-6 %). In any of the evaluated type of cattle herds the profit per cow with calf was not reached. The higher loss (+24 %) was observed in pure-bred beef herds. However, higher costs per feeding day reflected the complexity of farming and from a long-term point of view, they were compensated by the higher number of calvings per productive life­time of cow.