North Dakota

A bison ranch in the Dakotas that has been a source of frustration for other ranchers in the area failed to sell at auction over the weekend.

The North Dakota Legislature has doubled the $1-per-head checkoff that ranchers pay when they sell cattle.

Cattle ranchers discovered tens of thousands of dead animals in their fields last fall after an unexpected blizzard slammed western North and South Dakota, a devastating loss for their livelihood, but they’re finding renewed hope as spring calving season contributes to their herds’ recovery.

While U.S. beef cow numbers declined, beef cows in North Dakota increased to 943,000, which is up by 21,000 head as of Jan. 1, 2014.