NDSU Beef Feedlot - NDSU Agriculture - North Dakota State ...

Introduction to Livestock Research and Education
The NDSU Carrington Research Extension Center is pleased to collaborate with our Agricultural
Experiment Station colleagues in presenting the 2009 NDSU Beef Feedlot Research Report. This
report represents the latest results and background from beef feedlot research projects from across the
NDSU-AES. The research projects reported in Vol.32 build upon the wealth of knowledge that our beef
research faculty have accumulated and reported on over the years.
Agriculture in North Dakota is a vibrant industry representing the primary economic sector of our state’s
economy. The sustained significance of agriculture in North Dakota is partially due to the diversity of
agricultural enterprises and the synergies of crop and livestock operations. The number of producers
and enterprises that background or finish beef cattle in North Dakota have increased in recent years.
This trend is welcome and encouraging as many of us see cattle feeding as a sector of our agricultural
economy that has great potential for expansion. The state of North Dakota is blessed with a multitude
of feedstuffs including the diverse grains, co-products, and forages. Expanded cattle feeding through
background or finishing operations is a good opportunity to add value to these feeds. Ultimately, this
abundance of product will be utilized either here in North Dakota or shipped elsewhere for use by cattle
feeding operations in other states or countries.
It is our hope that the 2009 NDSU Beef Feedlot Research Report will again prove useful and effective
in assisting the viability of our livestock industry and the broader constituency who supply the feeds
investigated. We wish to thank the North Dakota state legislature, selected commodity groups and the
various grant programs that have empowered our research faculty to address the beef feedlot issues
that we now report upon.
Blaine G. Schatz
Director, NDSU Carrington Research Extension Center
Thanks for taking the time to review what NDSU has to offer in the way of feedlot research. This report
details the collective efforts of scientists from across the state of North Dakota and represents the latest
in feedlot research. Our scientists collaborate on projects ranging from nutrition to nutrient
management and do their best to bring you meaningful research which you can use to make profitable,
sustainable decisions in your operation.
Please feel free to provide us with feedback related to ways we can improve the research which we
deliver to you each year. We’d love to hear how we can better serve the beef industry in North Dakota
and the region.
Greg Lardy, Ph.D.
Department Head, Animal Sciences
A very special thank you to Myrna Friedt and Stacey Rzaszutak at the Carrington Research Extension
Center for proofreading, organizing, and formatting this publication. The authors appreciate the
excellent animal care, data collection and other support of the many technicians who worked in support
of research presented in this publication.
Page 1 2009 NDSU Beef Feedlot Research Report