Northern Plains cow calf producers will tell their grandchildren and historians will write books about the winter of '96-'97. The record snowfall in North Dakota and the record flood predicted to come, as this is being written, will long be remembered by all living in North Dakota, South Dakota and Western Minnesota. Feed costs this winter have increased dramatically. Death loss for 1997 calves will be larger as more aborts are being reported and we are projecting more weak calves born due to the severe cold weather stress and lower nutrition levels this last winter.
Hay shortages force the feeding of lower quality feeds.
Most Northern Plains beef cow producers will give a huge sigh of relief on the day that their cows are turned out on green grass. Research suggests a 40 to 60 percent reduction in peak forage production can result from early turnout. Depending on stocking rates, premature turnout onto grass may well result in lower 1997 weaning weights. All in all, pounds of calf weaned per female exposed is projected to be lower in 1997, leading to my predicting that the costs of producing North Dakota's 1997 calves will be up from the costs of producing 1996 calves. This last year has seen the market price lows for the beef price cycle of the 1990s.