NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
September 23, 1999
Growth implants can help beef producers boost growth and profit from cattle grazing native range, a North Dakota State University study shows.
"Some producers have been skeptical about the profitability of using implants in cattle grazing native range," notes Chip Poland, livestock specialist at the NDSU Dickinson Research Extension Center. "But this study shows that if weight gain is important in your yearling operation, you should be looking at some kind of implant program."
Poland notes that probably the only time implants would not be profitable is if the producer has a specific market that pays a premium for non-implanted cattle.
Poland will review the project at the NDSU Dickinson Research Extension Center Livestock Research Roundup which begins at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 30. The roundup will be held in the auditorium of the Agriculture Building on Dickinson State University's West Campus. For a listing of the full program, including exact times of presentations, call (701) 483-2348.
Poland's project was conducted on the Allen Gasho ranch near Beach. Yearling steers were implanted with two estrogen-based implants, Ralgro and Compudose, and one estrogen/androgen-based implant, Revalor-G. Funding for the research was provided by Schering-Plough Animal Health, the company that produces Ralgro.
Steers with no implants gained 2.5 lbs. per day during the 90-day study. Cattle that received the estrogen implants gained about 2.75 lbs. per day. Steers that used the estrogen/androgen implant gained about 2.85 lbs. per day. On average, implanted cattle gained 25 pounds more than non-implanted cattle.
"If a pound of beef is worth 70 cents and it costs $2 or so to implant a steer, you're looking at a return of about $15 on that investment," Poland says.
Poland notes that this has been an exceptionally good year for grazing with frequent early rains producing abundant grass. "But we would expect that implanting would be a profitable strategy even if grazing conditions were normal," he says.
For more information, attend the Dickinson Research Extension Center Livestock Research Roundup on Sept. 30 or contact Poland at (701) 483-2078.
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Source: Chip Poland (701) 483-2078
Editor: Tom Jirik (701) 231-9629