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Backgrounding cattle has an established history of helping ranchers make money, especially when grain prices are low. Now, North Dakota State University Extension sees opportunity in the months ahead.
"It looks like backgrounding is going to pencil out (be profitable) again, says John Dhuyvetter, NDSU Extension livestock specialist.
He and fellow NDSU Extension livestock specialists Janna Kincheloe and Karl Hoppe will lead six meetings on Oct. 16-18 around the state.
Backgrounding is adding weight to cattle after they're weaned and before they go to feedlots. But ranchers have many factors to evaluate, including cattle prices, feed prices and weather, before deciding whether they should background cattle in any given year, Dhuyvetter says.
Some ranchers background virtually every year, while others - lacking the necessary resources - seldom, if ever do it.. There also are livestock producers "in the middle who take it on a year-by-year basis," Dhuyvetter says.
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The meetings will cover local issues for cattle feeders, cost of gain and calf-growing rations, weaning management and backgrounding calf management and budgets. They're intended for producers with extensive backgrounding experience, as well as ranchers with little or no experience, he says.
The meetings are free and open to the public. All times Central unless otherwise specified:
Oct. 16
8:30 a.m. - McVille Cafe.
7 p.m. - Sportsman's Bar in Spiritwood.
Oct. 17
8:30 a.m. - Napoleon Livestock Auction.
7 p.m. - McGillicuddy Center in Granville.
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Oct. 18
8:30 a.m. - New Salem Fairgrounds.
7 p.m. (MT) - Ezra Barrows American Legion Hall Post 46 in Killdeer.
More information: John Dhuyvetter at 701-857-7682 or john.dhuyvetter@ndsu.edu ; Kincheloe at 701-567-4323 or janna.kincheloe@ndsu.edu ; and Hoppe at 701-652-2951 or karl.hoppe@ndsu.edu .
