NDSU Extension to host fall Pens to Processor program in Dickinson

Livestock producers, feeders, direct marketers and others interested in better understanding how cattle are valued throughout the beef supply chain are invited to attend “Pens to Processor: Connecting Live Animals to Carcass Value,” a two-session educational program hosted by North Dakota State University Extension.

The program will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. MDT on Oct. 28 and Nov. 3 in Dickinson, North Dakota. Participants will follow cattle from the feedlot pen through carcass evaluation and pricing to better understand how management decisions influence beef value.

"Many producers receive carcass data or hear about quality grades, yield grades and grid marketing, but they don't always have an opportunity to connect those concepts back to the live animal," says Rachel Gibbs, NDSU Extension ruminant systems management and small ruminant specialist. "This program is designed to show participants how cattle characteristics observed before harvest translate into carcass value and, ultimately, the products consumers purchase."

During the first session, participants will learn the fundamentals of quality grade and yield grade determination, evaluate market-ready cattle in a feedlot setting and observe a carcass ultrasound demonstration. Additional presentations will focus on grid marketing and management strategies that influence carcass performance.

The second session will build on those concepts as participants travel to a local processing facility to evaluate and grade beef carcasses. Following the carcass evaluation, participants will learn how carcass characteristics are used in pricing systems and how to estimate the value of individual carcasses using primal cut prices.

Topics covered throughout the program include the following:

• Live animal evaluation techniques
• Beef carcass ultrasound technology
• Quality and yield grade calculations
• Beef carcass grading
• Grid marketing systems
• Pricing tools and value-based marketing
• Management strategies that affect carcass merit
• Estimating carcass value using primal cut pricing

The program will utilize multiple locations, including a cattle feeding operation and a beef processing facility, allowing participants to see firsthand how cattle are evaluated at various stages of the beef production chain.

"This program truly connects the pen to the processor," says Gibbs. "Whether producers market calves, retain ownership through finishing, feed cattle or sell beef directly to consumers, understanding carcass value can help improve management and marketing decisions."

Attendance at both sessions is highly encouraged to receive the full educational experience. Registration is limited to the first 30 participants.

Participants must register by Oct. 21. The registration fee, which includes educational materials and meals, is $30 per person.

The program will begin at the NDSU Extension Stark-Billings County office, located at 2680 Empire Road, Dakota Room, Door C, in Dickinson.

To register or for additional information, visit ndsu.ag/pen2process-26.

Contact Gibbs (701-567-4323) or NDSU Extension agents Kurt Froelich in Stark-Billings County (701-456-7665), Kirsten Kukla in Dunn County (701-573-5593) or Ashley Ueckert in Golden Valley-Billings County (701-872-4332) with any questions.

NDSU Agriculture Communication – Oct. 7, 2026

Source: Rachel Gibbs, 701-567-4323, rachel.gibbs.1@ndsu.edu

Editor: Dominic Erickson, 701-231-5546, dominic.erickson@ndsu.edu