September 19, 2002

N.D. Cattle Producers, Feeders and Lenders to be the Focus of Backgrounding Seminars

University specialists, bankers and livestock experts will address issues facing North Dakota cattle producers, feeders and lenders. Market outlook, livestock financing, budgeting, and managing non-market inputs will be addressed in a series of seminars in October.

The meetings will be taking place across North Dakota to address issues the cattle industry will face with the weaning of calves born in 2002. The decisions of what to do with these calves are especially important this year considering the high prices for feed because of adverse weather conditions in North Dakota and other western plains states.

The seminars will emphasize the market outlook for these calves and analyze the costs for feeding them. The potential profitability or losses need to be addressed prior to weaning and placing cattle in the feedlot.

Experts will analyze market outlook, rations, cost of gain, profitability, financing opportunities and environmental issues. The meetings will be open to the public and have no registration fee.

Locations and dates are:

• Lisbon (Lisbon Eagles Club), Tuesday, Oct. 1
• Cooperstown (Griggs County Courthouse), Oct. 2
• Bottineau (105 Nelson Building, MSU-Bottineau), Oct. 3
• Mandan (Cutty Sark Room, Best Western Inn/Seven Seas), Oct. 8
• Killdeer (Buckskin Restaurant), Oct. 9
• Crosby (Farmer's Room, Courthouse), Oct. 10

The lenders' portion of the seminar will start at 9:45 a.m. each day and end at 11:45 a.m. The producers' and feeders' part of the seminar will start at 1:00 p.m. each day and end at 4:20 p.m. Interested parties are invited to attend either or both parts of the seminars.

The seminars are sponsored by the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, Bank of North Dakota, N.D. Ag Mediation, North Dakota's Stockmen's Association Feeder Council, and the NDSU Extension Service.

For more information, contact Karl Hoppe at (701) 652-2951, Bobbi Talmadge at (701) 328-4159, or your county office of the NDSU Extension Service.

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Source: Karl Hoppe, (701) 652-2951, khoppe@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu