TABLE 12 -1
Livestock Enterprise Analysis, 2004
North Dakota Farm Business Management Education Program 
State Report
(Farms Sorted By Net Return Per Unit)
                          Beef Cow-Calf -- Average Per Cow
                                     Avg. Of
                                    All Farms          Low 20%           High 20%
Number of farms                        124                24                25         
                              Quantity   Value  Quantity   Value  Quantity   Value
Beef Calves sold (lb)           193.94  219.95    125.20  135.43    321.99  370.37
Transferred out (lb)            334.97  378.42    359.44  399.67    266.88  292.91
Cull sales                              123.12            170.86            103.42
Butchered                                 0.99              2.47              0.78
Less purchased                          -64.26            -84.68            -50.21
Less transferred in                     -63.55           -100.99            -41.04
Inventory change                        -21.97            -28.16            -41.26
Total production                        572.69            494.60            634.97
Other income                              1.01              3.16                - 
Gross return                            573.71            497.76            634.97
Direct Expenses
  Corn Silage (lb.)           1,633.96   13.23  2,309.99   19.99  1,366.53   10.61
  Hay, Alfalfa (lb.)            451.26   10.50    840.79   22.23    401.96    9.32
  Hay, Grass & Other (lb.)    5,614.60  101.21  6,326.93  120.13  4,791.27   80.36
  Pasture (aum)                   6.42   81.72      6.35   85.64      6.44   70.32
  Creep / Starter (lb.)          99.65    6.00     33.65    1.82    166.74   10.52
  Protein Vit Minerals (lb.)    110.69   11.44     67.47    9.39     80.90   11.89
  Other feed stuffs             626.68   16.18    741.84   15.51    595.25   13.91
  Veterinary                             14.50             17.69             14.01
  Supplies                                9.68             11.63              9.53
  Fuel & oil                             13.29             14.23             10.66
  Repairs                                22.00             31.22             15.05
  Custom hire                             3.53              4.33              2.27
  Livestock leases                        1.67              4.76              2.29
  Marketing                               4.47              4.55              5.78
  Operating interest                      6.44              9.24              4.68
Total direct expenses                   315.86            372.36            271.20
Return over direct expense              257.85            125.40            363.77
Overhead Expenses Hired labor             9.77              5.67              6.23
  Farm insurance                          8.82             11.26              5.90
  Utilities                               8.51             12.01              5.98
  Interest                               12.23             16.86             11.33
  Mach & bldg depreciation               17.84             18.45             17.98
  Miscellaneous                          10.67             16.24              7.00
Total overhead expenses                  67.84             80.48             54.42
Total dir & ovhd expenses               383.70            452.84            325.62
Net return                              190.01             44.92            309.36
Other Information Number of cows         149.1             105.1             167.4
Pregnancy percentage                      96.8              97.0              97.4
Pregnancy loss percentage                  1.8               3.0               1.1
Culling percentage                        17.3              23.8              14.1
Calving percentage                        95.0              94.0              96.4
Weaning percentage                        90.6              89.0              92.8
Calves sold per cow                       0.94              0.91              0.97
Calf death loss percent                    5.0               5.5               4.4
Average weaning weight                     559               528               591
Lbs weaned/exposed female                  507               470               548
Feed cost per cow                       240.28            274.71            206.93
Avg wgt/Beef Calf sold                     588               536               619
Avg price / cwt                         113.41            108.18            115.03