  BeefTalk:
Good Questions are Abundant, but Answers Require Solid Research
By Kris Ringwall, Extension Beef Specialist,
NDSU Extension Service
Every so often the Dickinson Research Extension Center invites in producers
to offer suggestions or inspiration as to the direction the beef industry is
headed. Almost everyone can discuss very matter-of-factly how today went. Most
can recall a pretty good version of yesterday. The day before yesterday will
come with a dash of modified recall. And, of course, yesteryears will bring down
yarns and stories, long since accepted as gospel.
Ask about tomorrow, and the crowd thins quickly. However, with a certain
amount of tugging comments do surface. Believe it or not, there is a future for
beef production.
Driving to the new winter staging area for beef operations at the North
Dakota State University Dickinson Research Extension Center, changes are
evident. Corn, instead of being chopped by a machine, is being grazed by cows.
Calves are looking over the tops of their mothers. And hip roof barns are being
replaced with fabric hoops and board windbreaks. These changes attest to an
ever-changing environment for the beef cow.
A morning of discussion, followed by a plate of roast beef, potatoes, gravy
and all the trimmings, certainly gets a person thinking. Producers shared their
thoughts and following are the highlights.
Starting at my right, a general thought surfaced regarding how much of this
land really needs to be broken up. Could not more of the land be used to produce
forage and beef? Well, if a producer increased the beef herd, how much labor
would be available? This is the first strong discussion. Labor is a limiting
factor for operations involving beef cattle, particularly at specific times such
as calving. Solutions were not readily apparent, so the impact of spreading out
calving may need to be examined.
The next thought involved when should weight be put on calves. Is pre-weaning
weight gain through creep feeding better than post weaning weight gain in the
lot? Efficient weight gain is certainly a researchable question.
Identification of beef industry inefficiencies was noted, along with the role
the center can play in determining the cost for a producer to make a shift
toward overcoming inefficiencies. Implementation of technology may benefit the
industry but may not provide real cash for the cow calf producer. This is a true
reality check for researchers.
Production questions probably have not changed much during the last 100
years, but asking the same questions in the light of a different economic
environment may change the answer. Well-focused questions constantly were
voiced, and those of us at the center were reminded to keep the producer in
mind.
Water was, and still is, a major limiting factor for many operations, so how
can we solve the water problem? How much forage does a cow waste when grazing
corn? Can cattle be managed to offset accumulated waste problems? Are there more
efficient cow wintering scenarios? Can a producer early wean calves at 150 to
180 days of age? What impacts reproductive traits the most? What are appropriate
genetic inputs? Could the marketing year be spread out, along with the
implementation of efficient grazing systems? What is the cost per unit of
nutrient in harvested versus grazed forages?
The comments continued as the discussion came to a close. All in all, the
producers suggested knowing and evaluating resources is critical. Even after
many years, the evaluation of resources is still needed as times change,
producers change, cows change.
May you find all your ear tags.
Your comments are always welcome at www.BeefTalk.com.
For more information, contact the North Dakota Beef Cattle Improvement
Association, 1133 State Avenue, Dickinson, ND 58601 or go to www.CHAPS2000.COM
on the Internet. In correspondence about this column, refer to BT0062.
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Source: Kris Ringwall, (701) 483-2427, kringwal@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu
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