Public Price Reporting, Marketing Channel Selection, and Price Discovery: The Perspective of Cow/Calf Producers in the Dakotas

Cow/calf producers operating in the Dakotas were surveyed on their price discovery strategies, marketing channel preferences, and their perceptions of how regime change in the public price reporting system for fed cattle affected the beef industry in general and the cow/calf industry in particular. Survey results indicate cow/calf producers consider local institutions (auction barns, etc.) to be more reliable for price discovery than regional or national institutions (futures market, USDA public price reports, satellite auctions, etc.). The auction barn marketing channel is the preferred channel for marketing cattle and is considered the most reliable source of market information by producers. Dakota cow/calf producers perceive livestock mandatory price reporting as benefiting the beef industry in general, but consider public price reports to be less reliable than local sources of market information.beef supply chain, cow-calf marketing, marketing channel, price discovery, public price reporting, Livestock Production/Industries,

The Effect of Early vs. Normal Calf Weaning on Feedlot Performance and Herd Management: A Cross-Discipline Case Study

A study of early vs. normal weaning of calves concludes that early weaning improves feedlot production efficiency, reducing per day and per pound feedlot production costs. Early weaned steers finished higher thus feedlot profitability was not affected. Early weaning has a positive affect on cow health and pasture utilization rates.Livestock Production/Industries,

A Practical Approach To Swine AI (Artificial Insemination)

The discussion is artificial insemination of swine. By 1975, artificial insemination of swine had become a common practice especially when the freezing and thawing of semen became possible. This article concerns itself with with research that was conducted at Dickinson with swine AI with semen which was purchased from a mid-western, commercial supplier. Projects summarized in this paper were conducted in three phases under farm conditions which were typical of swine producers who operated in south-western North Dakota. Three experiments were reviewed. The first was designed as a pilot investigation comparison natural service and AI of the synchronized sows where one insemination was used. The second dealt with sychronization throughout and one insemination as compared with two. The third was conducted to answer questions regarding AI amongst unsynchronized swine comparing natural versus AI. These trials all display how both purebred and commercial pork producers may capitalize via the utilization of AI by frozen swine semen specimens. Purebred breeders may sample a large number of bloodlines at a reasonable cost to achieve superior offspring. Commercial breeders may benefit via VI allows the ability to close herds and, thus, reduce the risks of importing potentially hazardous disease organisms. However, proper management along with increased labor are required to produce success by this method

Supplemental Feeding Of Cows And Calves on Late Fall Pasture

tTof cows and calves on late fall pastures. Supplemental or 'creep' feeding is generally recommended for calves nursing that are grazing short or drought stricken pastures or where extra bloom is desired. the extra energy available from creep feeding results in additional gain because the average beef cow does not produce enough milk to promote maximum gains in calves once they reach around 150 pounds of body weight. A two phase experiment was designed to evaluate either creep feeding calves or supplementation of cows grazing on late Fall season pastures. Phase I was conducted to determine the effects of short term creep feeding on calf gain when compared to the supplemental feeding of cows instead of their calves. Phase II evluated the effect of either form of supplementation on late Fall season pasture with respect to reducing the stress on calves at weaning. The article goes into procedures, methods and results of these tests

Hog Marketing Alternatives Selling Packer Grade and Yield vs. Selling Locally

What is your best hog marketing alternative? Hogmen attending the 1976 Southwest Area Pork Producers annual meeting were encouraged by a Hormel and Company representative to consider selling on a grade and yield basis as one of their marketing alternatives

Contributions of the Dickinson Research Centet to Western North Dakota

A brief history of the Dickinson Experiment Station is given. This station was established in 1905 by early settlers, which were farmers and cattlemen. This research facility has focused on range, pasture and forage production, crop production and tillage and livestock studies with beef and swine. Sections of this station's contributions that are covered: crop production, livestock research, animal health, livestock management, breeding management,swine research and trees and weather station

Using Whey In Swine Growing Finishing Rations

This article discusses three tests which featured the addition of a by product of cheese making, whey, as a feed for swine. These were requested by the North Dakota Dairy Products Commission, conducted at the Dickinson Experiment Station. Liquid sweet whey fed as the only source of water and supplemental protein to swine promoted satisfactory and economical gains in the growth and 'finishing' of swine fed to market weights. Pigs shifted to a liquid whey diet did not contract diarrhea problems. Dried sweet whey can replace up to 45% of the barley in growing rations. Pigs fed 15-45% whey rations required 9-11% less feed per pound of gain than did pigs feed control rations. The net returns at all levels of whey feeding were higher than the basic ration which contained no whey

Impacts of crop rotational diversity and grazing under integrated crop-livestock system on soil surface greenhouse gas fluxes.

Integrated crop-livestock (ICL) system is beneficial in enhancing soil organic carbon and nutrient cycling. However, the benefits of the ICL system on mitigation of GHG emissions are poorly understood. Thus, the present study was initiated in 2011 to assess the effect of crop rotation diversity and grazing managed under the ICL system on GHG emissions. The cropping system investigated here included spring wheat grown continuously for five years and a 5-yr crop rotation (spring wheat-cover crops-corn-pea/barley-sunflower). Each phase was present each year. Yearling steers grazed only the pea/barley, corn and cover crops plots in 2016 and 2017. Exclusion areas avoided the grazing in these crops to compare the GHG fluxes under grazed vs. non-grazed areas. The GHG fluxes were measured weekly from all crop phases during the growing season for both years using a static chamber. Cumulative CO2 and CH4 fluxes were similar from all crop phases over the study period. However, continuous spring wheat recorded higher cumulative N2O fluxes (671 g N ha-1) than that under spring wheat in rotation (571 g N ha-1). Grazing decreased cumulative CO2 fluxes (359 kg C ha-1) compared to ungrazed (409 kg C ha-1), however, no effect from grazing on cumulative CH4 and N2O fluxes over the study period were found. The present study shows that grazing and crop rotational diversity affected carbon and nitrogen inputs, which in turn affected soil CO2 and N2O fluxes. Long-term monitoring is needed to evaluate the response of soil GHG emissions to grazing and crop rotation interactions under the ICL system

More Income for North Dakota Farmers: The Potential Role of Livestock Enterprises

Income from livestock marketing has declined as a proportion of total gross farm income in the past two decades. • Income from cattle and calves accounts for about 65-75 percent of total livestock income in the state. • Income from milk has ranged from 14-20 percent of total livestock income in the state. • Income from swine, a promising growth enterprise for the state, has generated only 5-8 percent of total livestock income. • Livestock income is very important to counties in western North Dakota, relatively unimportant in the eastern counties. • Enterprise budgets for beef and swine indicate positive returns to operator and unpaid labor, management, and equity capital for 1992. • Less than 30 percent of North Dakota's feed grain output is used within the state to support livestock production. • Large quantities of unused roughage and crop residue, currently unused, could support additional livestock production. • Livestock production can be a complementary enterprise with crop production adding to farmer income levels and stability of income. • Constraints to increased livestock production in the state can be resolved largely through a program of focused research and education

More Income for North Dakota Farmers: The Potential Role of Livestock Enterprises

Income from livestock marketing has declined as a proportion of total gross farm income in the past two decades. • Income from cattle and calves accounts for about 65-75 percent of total livestock income in the state. • Income from milk has ranged from 14-20 percent of total livestock income in the state. • Income from swine, a promising growth enterprise for the state, has generated only 5-8 percent of total livestock income. • Livestock income is very important to counties in western North Dakota, relatively unimportant in the eastern counties. • Enterprise budgets for beef and swine indicate positive returns to operator and unpaid labor, management, and equity capital for 1992. • Less than 30 percent of North Dakota's feed grain output is used within the state to support livestock production. • Large quantities of unused roughage and crop residue, currently unused, could support additional livestock production. • Livestock production can be a complementary enterprise with crop production adding to farmer income levels and stability of income. • Constraints to increased livestock production in the state can be resolved largely through a program of focused research and education.Agricultural Finance, Demand and Price Analysis, Farm Management, Livestock Production/Industries,