Cost of raising cattle in North Dakota

North Dakota is one of the top ten US beef cow states, with roughly 1.75 million beef cows reported in the USDA NASS 2024 cattle inventory. The state's cow-calf sector is concentrated in the western and south-central counties, where mixed-grass prairie supports extensive grazing. Angus and Red Angus dominate breed composition, with Hereford and Black Baldy crosses common for their cold tolerance and maternal traits on the Northern Plains.

Per the USDA ERS 2023 Commodity Costs and Returns series for the Northern Great Plains region, total economic cost per bred cow runs near $1,210 per year. The single largest line is harvested feed and hay at roughly $540 per head, reflecting a 150-to-180-day winter feeding period in USDA hardiness zones 3 and 4, where January lows regularly fall below -10F and standing forage is buried under snow for much of the season.

Pasture and grazing lease costs average about $245 per cow according to ERS regional budgets, with labor (hired plus operator opportunity cost) near $215, veterinary and health spending around $55, and miscellaneous fuel, repairs, and supplies near $155. NDSU Extension's CHAPS benchmarking program reports that the average enrolled North Dakota herd runs roughly 250 cows, which aligns with the 200-2000 head commercial operator profile and supports the per-head cost structure above.