# Cow-calf profit per head in North Dakota

> North Dakota cow-calf operations averaged roughly $165 in net cash income per cow in 2024, with total economic profit near breakeven once unpaid labor and capital costs are included. Strong calf prices offset high winter feed costs.

**Headline:** $165 net cash income per cow (2024)

## Key Figures

| Metric | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Gross revenue per cow | $1,210 |
| Cash costs per cow | $1,045 |
| Non-cash costs (labor, depreciation, land) | $430 |
| Net cash income per cow | $165 |
| Total economic profit per cow | -$265 |

## Detail

North Dakota cow-calf producers captured strong margins in 2024 as tight national beef cow inventories pushed 550 lb feeder steer prices into the $3.00-$3.20/lb range, lifting gross revenue per cow above $1,200 according to NDSU Extension projected budgets. That revenue level is the highest nominal figure on record for the state and reflects the cyclical low in US beef cow numbers.

Weaning percentage is the single biggest driver of per-cow revenue in the Northern Plains. NDSU Extension cow-calf budgets assume an 88-92% weaning rate with steer calves averaging 550-575 lbs, meaning an average cow effectively markets roughly 500 lbs of calf per year. USDA ERS Commodity Costs and Returns data for the Northern Great Plains region confirm these productivity assumptions track closely with realized farm-level outcomes.

North Dakota's cost structure is dominated by harvested feed. Winters exceeding 180 days force producers to feed hay, silage, and supplements for more than half the year, pushing cash costs near $1,045 per cow in 2024 per USDA ERS. Once non-cash charges for unpaid operator labor, depreciation, and pasture opportunity cost (roughly $430/cow) are added, total economic profit swings to approximately -$265/cow even though net cash income remains positive near $165, a pattern the North Dakota Stockmen's Association has flagged as typical for the state.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Why are ND cow-calf cash costs higher than the US average?

North Dakota's long winters require 180+ days of harvested feed per cow, pushing feed and bedding costs above the Northern Plains average reported by USDA ERS.

### What weaning percentage do NDSU budgets assume?

NDSU Extension cow-calf budgets assume an 88-92% weaning rate with average weaning weights of 550-575 lbs for steer calves in western ND.

### How do current calf prices affect ND returns?

With 550 lb steer calves trading near $3.00-$3.20/lb in 2024-2025, gross revenue per cow in ND climbed above $1,200, the highest nominal level on record.

## Sources

1. USDA ERS Commodity Costs and Returns - Cow-Calf, Northern Great Plains (2024) — https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/commodity-costs-and-returns/
2. NDSU Extension Projected Cow-Calf Budget, North Dakota (2024) — https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/extension/publications/projected-crop-and-livestock-budgets
3. North Dakota Stockmen's Association Market Report (2024) — https://www.ndstockmen.org/

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Source: Vellum — https://vellum.app/cow-calf-profit-per-head/north-dakota