Beef Cattle Research Facility - NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIV

Recipient Organization
NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIV
1310 BOLLEY DR
FARGO,ND 58105-5750

Performing Department
ANIMAL SCIENCES

Non Technical Summary
Beef cattle research infrastructure at the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station (NDAES) is aging and lacks important capabilities needed to serve the beef cattle industry in the state and region. This facility will fill a void in livestock research facilities at the NDAES. This facility will provide an important bridge between basic research conducted at our laboratories on campus to field-based research at branch stations across the state. This facility will allow a systems approach to address research problems in the beef cattle industry. The facility will be capable of conducting research in all facets of the beef cattle industry including cow-calf, growing, and finishing.

Animal Health Component

65%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

10%

Applied

65%

Developmental

25%

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
301	3310	1020	25%
302	3310	1010	35%
307	3310	1010	20%
308	3310	1060	20%

Knowledge Area
302 - Nutrient Utilization in Animals; 308 - Improved Animal Products (Before Harvest); 307 - Animal Management Systems; 301 - Reproductive Performance of Animals;

Subject Of Investigation
3310 - Beef cattle, live animal;

Field Of Science
1060 - Biology (whole systems); 1010 - Nutrition and metabolism; 1020 - Physiology;

Keywords

beef cattle

beef cattle research facilities

nutrition

reproduction

meat science;

Goals / Objectives
Enhance beef cattle research capability at North Dakota State University with the construction of a state-of-the-art beef cattle research facility.

Project Methods
The facility would be capable of housing 360 cattle in 36 pens and also include a feed handling and mixing center along with associated cattle handling facilities. All appropriate infrastructure will be included to make this facility fully functional. Architectural plans will be completed by December 2007, construction will begin in April 2008 and Phase 1 construction will be completed in September 2008.

Progress 10/01/07 to 09/30/08

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Phase 1 of the construction of the research facility was completed in September, 2008. It included the construction of a barn which will provide shelter for the feeding area and cattle as well as offices, work room, and cattle handling area. In addition, the construction of pens and associated earth moving was also started. The facility will house 180 head of cattle and has the flexibility of being able to conduct research with cows as well as growing and finishing animals. Phase 2 will include the installation of feed intake measurement and cattle handling equipment, as well as the completion of construction on the fencing and pens and the addition of a feed storage and mixing building. The facility will have the capability of electronically measuring individual animal feed intake of group housed cattle. This will greatly enhance the research capabilities, especially as it relates to research which examines the relationship between nutrient intake and growth, pregnancy, and lactation. In addition, it will allow additional research in animal feeding behavior. PARTICIPANTS: Greg Lardy, Marc Bauer, Joel Caton, Eric Berg, Larry Reynolds, Gerry Erickson, Scott Walden, Bryan Neville, Ken Grafton and North Dakota Stockmen's Association TARGET AUDIENCES: Beef cattle producers, veterinarians, feed and pharmaceutical industry personnel, and allied industry personnel. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
It is imperative that the beef cattle industry improve efficiency in order to more effectively compete against alternative protein sources. The Beef Cattle Research Facility will allow NDSU to provide answers to North Dakota's beef cattle industry on a wide range of research questions, but with particular emphasis on feed efficiency from a nutrition, genetics, and management aspect. A 10% improvement in feed efficiency or reduction in feed costs would result in a net benefit to the state's beef cattle industry of $40 million dollars annually ($30 million in savings for the cow calf industry and 10 million for the feedlot and backgrounding industry). This is assuming a 10% improvement in feed conversion efficiency or a 10% reduction in feed costs through improved management.

Publications

No publications reported this period