More Income for North Dakota Farmers: The Potential Role of Livestock Enterprises

Abstract

Income from livestock marketing has declined as a proportion of total gross farm income in the past two decades. • Income from cattle and calves accounts for about 65-75 percent of total livestock income in the state. • Income from milk has ranged from 14-20 percent of total livestock income in the state. • Income from swine, a promising growth enterprise for the state, has generated only 5-8 percent of total livestock income. • Livestock income is very important to counties in western North Dakota, relatively unimportant in the eastern counties. • Enterprise budgets for beef and swine indicate positive returns to operator and unpaid labor, management, and equity capital for 1992. • Less than 30 percent of North Dakota's feed grain output is used within the state to support livestock production. • Large quantities of unused roughage and crop residue, currently unused, could support additional livestock production. • Livestock production can be a complementary enterprise with crop production adding to farmer income levels and stability of income. • Constraints to increased livestock production in the state can be resolved largely through a program of focused research and education.