MITCHELL - A study from the South Dakota Center for Farm/Ranch Business Management says drought and other factors made the livestock business financially difficult last year.

The statewide program is administered through Mitchell Technical Institute.

Instructor Will Walter tells The Daily Republic that high feed prices had a dramatic effect on livestock profitability in 2012. He says the average dairy herd in the program showed losses of $398 per cow in 2012 following gains of $707 per cow in 2011.

The annual report is based on data submitted by 100 participants in the management program last year.

Cow-calf enterprises showed an average loss of $27.05 per cow in 2012 compared to a profit of $88.34 per cow in 2011.

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