The Payoff

How Ranchers are Paid

Sometimes the better the rib-eye, the bigger the check. It used to be that an animal’s weight determined its price tag. Weight is still a very important factor, but buyers today are emphasizing what they call "carcass characteristics." If the rib-eye looks right, the owner can earn a premium price. If it doesn’t, the price could be discounted.

The rib-eye is usually measured on the carcass of finished calves, but it’s so important, they ultrasound views of the rib-eye of young production bulls are being used to predict the kind of calves they’ll sire.

Ranchers typically use one of these three options for selling their cattle:

1. Sold off the cow

Calves are sold as soon as they are weaned "off the cow". They are sold based on live weight at the sales ring, or to
buyers, or on the Internet at sites such as
http://www.stampedecattle.com

2. Backgrounding

Ranchers feed the weaned calves until their weight increases to a set amount and/or the market is favorable. Calves are sold after "backgrounding" to an operator who will "finish" them at a feedlot.

3. Retained ownership through finishing

Backgrounded calves are sent to feedlots where they are fed corn and/or other grains until they get to a "finished" weight, usually at 12-14 months of age. Rather than sell the cow outright to the feedlot operator, the rancher retains an interest until the finished cow is sold and the rancher receives a share of the profit.

Rather then sending cattle to a feed lot for finishing, a number of ranchers, particularly in organic operations, continue to grass-feed yearlings to a finished weight which occurs at around 18 months.

Eco-Tourism Ventures

Camel’s Hump Lodge, Sentinel Butte, ND
http://www.camelshumplodge.com/

Deepwater Bay Bed and Breakfast, Parshall, ND
http://www.deepwaterbay.com/ranch.htm

Northfork Lodge, Tioga, ND
http://www.nflodge.com/