About BeefTalk

BeefTalk appeared on the scene August 24, 2000, a service of the North Dakota State University Agricultural Communication office. Since then, this weekly column has philosophically addressed the past, present and future state of the beef cattle business.

Dr. Kris Ringwall, executive secretary of the North Dakota Beef Cattle Improvement Association, is the author. He is director of the Dickinson Research Extension Center and a NDSU Extension Livestock Specialist. He directs the beef cow operation at the DREC, testing new management concepts and evaluating research conducted by the professional scientific staff.

Most of the data for the articles has been gathered from the Cow Herd Appraisal Performance System (CHAPS). The statistics provide a snapshot of the performance and economics of the beef industry. The storyline in the columns is the result of a coalition between NDBCIA members, NDSU and the CHAPS program.

Ringwall uses cows to make a point about human relations. His mix of cowboy philosophy with modern day technology is evident as he moves from bull selection to cow culling to heifer replacements and how to use data effectively and efficiently. "After being in Extension for over two decades, I believe one of my primary responsibilities is to make people think."

Please feel free to download and use any materials from this site. It is our hope that these articles serve to be beneficial to anyone who uses them.

To contact Dr. Ringwall:

Phone: (701) 483-2348
Email: ndsu.chaps@ndsu.edu
Mail: 1041 State Avenue, Dickinson, ND 58601

Dickinson Research Extension Center Web Site:
http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/dickinso/