North Dakota Angus producers have teamed up with North Dakota State University’s Carrington Research Extension Center to increase their knowledge of cattle feeding in northern climates.

In late May, 139 head of Angus cattle from six North Dakota Angus producers arrived at the Carrington center. These steers are the first consignment to the new North Dakota Angus University program, a partnership between the North Dakota Angus Association and the Carrington center.

The program allows Angus producers to retain ownership of their cattle through the feedlot finishing period while assessing the performance and carcass traits of the animals from their respective herds.

This summer, the North Dakota Angus University cattle will participate in feedlot research at the Carrington center to evaluate new ideas that may improve cattle feeding while the cattle are being managed for optimum gain using proven production methods.

The main objectives of this collaborative program are to:

• Provide Angus producers with performance information and carcass traits for animals in their herd that are finished in a conventional feedlot environment in North Dakota
• Compare performance resulting from feeding recommended or higher protein levels in feedlot finishing diets
• Use corn stover as bedding to reduce heat stress during summer feedlot finishing
• Evaluate the potential of corn stover as bedding to hold nutrients in manure that will be used as field crop fertilizer

This partnership also will:

• Increase awareness of the potential for summer feedlot cattle finishing in North Dakota
• Promote the use of the diverse grain and crop coproducts available in the region
• Assess the value that can be realized by feeding cattle in North Dakota instead of shipping them out of state

The North Dakota Corn Utilization Council and North Dakota State Board of Agricultural Research and Education provided funding for the research trial.

The North Dakota Angus University steers will be featured in several tours at the Carrington center this summer. Visitors are welcome anytime.

Another feeding program at the center, open to all producers regardless of breed, starts in mid-October under the direction of the Dakota Feeder Calf Show, which has its headquarters in Turtle Lake.

For more information on the North Dakota Angus University or Dakota Feeder Calf Show, contact the Carrington center at (701) 652-2951 or email center animal scientist Vern Anderson at vern.anderson@ndsu.edu; Karl Hoppe, area Extension livestock specialist based at the Carrington center, at karl.hoppe@ndsu.edu; or Chanda Engel, animal science research specialist at the center, at chanda.engel@ndsu.edu.

NDSU Agriculture Communication - June 22, 2012