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cowboy moving angus cows

Three ways to learn about what you produce

February 28, 2011

 

Mythbuster Monday says where there is a will, there is a way

A few years ago I wrote a story on the value-discovery programs put on by Extension and breed associations across the United States. At that time I found 22 futurities or feedouts, and I’m sure there were others.

I dedicate this edition of Mythbuster Monday to all the hard-working folks who manage those programs.

It’s the last day in February and the last day I’ll bring you a myth from my time in Denver last month. In a casual, elevator conversation with a cow-calf producer he mentioned that it was too bad that he had no way to know how good (or bad) his calves are as fed steers and heifers. He does all his homework picking bulls and caring for the cows and after the critters leave the salebarn, the only thing he knows is how they sold there.

That’s sort of like building a house and never getting to live in it, or teaching your child all the lines to the school play without watching the performance. It’s like planting your crops and, okay, okay—you get the idea. Nobody likes to work hard toward an end without getting to see the final results. If you fall into that camp, this post is for you. Continue reading “Three ways to learn about what you produce”

South Dakota cows

Feedlots must focus on efficiency, grade

February 25, 2011

You recently met Gary Fike, our beef cattle specialist from Kansas. His counterpart and partner in feedlot focus is Paul Dykstra, who resides in Chappell, Neb. He’s our local guru on beef grading trends, and he’s certainly got a way with numbers that could make any economist blush. Enjoy!  – Laura

My recent feedlot visits in western Nebraska brought about several  frank discussions with feedlot managers facing increasing costs of production.  If “efficiency” was the word of the day, then we might as well just write it on the board with permanent marker.

Current corn prices are hard to fathom, along with other rising inputs.  Fortunately, fed cattle futures and spot market prices are keeping lock-step with higher feeding costs, for the moment, but the outlook isn’t pretty.

Somehow we continue, as an industry, to produce more with less.  Not only are we making more beef with less cattle, we’re making better beef with higher feed costs.  It doesn’t seem intuitive, but that’s what’s happened. Continue reading “Feedlots must focus on efficiency, grade”

Oklahoma to host beef quality meetings

February 24, 2011

 

Quality beef production is on everyone’s mind today. Consumers want the best and most consistent beef for their money. Maybe that’s why strong exports and premium U.S. markets for upper Choice and Prime beef brands have helped lead cattle to record high prices.

A series of meetings in Oklahoma will help Sooner State ranchers capitalize on this premium market, according to a news release from Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB). Purina Land O’Lakes, Pfizer, Oklahoma State University (OSU) and the Oklahoma Angus Association will join in to present “Best Management Practices for Quality Beef Production” sessions in three locations.

Haines Land and Cattle, Lexington, Okla., will host the first event on April 5; the next day moves to the Kiamichi Technology Center in McAlester, Okla.; and the April 7 seminar is set for the Rogers County Building in Claremore, Okla. All meetings begin with registration at 8:45 a.m., include a Certified Angus Beef ® lunch and adjourn at 2 p.m.

“This program is designed to aid cow-calf producers in the quest to build a resume for their cattle,” says Gary Fike, CAB beef cattle specialist. “They will discover how practices on the farm and ranch affect final beef product quality, and what that means to their wallets.”

Fike invites people to zero in on genetic selection of sires using expected progeny differences (EPDs), and find out how DNA tools are making EPDs more reliable earlier. There will be presentations on how body condition scores of cows in late gestation affect calf performance, and on health programs that ensure calves get off to the right start, too.

Speakers include CAB’s Larry Corah, Mark Johnson and Chris Richards with OSU, Kevin Milliner and Mike Nichols of Pfizer, and Steven Myers or N.T. Cosby of Purina Land O’Lakes. In addition, CAB-licensed Oklahoma cattle feeder Dale Moore, Cattlemen’s Choice Feedyard, will explain what he looks for when buying or partnering on cattle.

“Beef is the protein of choice among consumers,” Fike says. “They would rather eat beef, and the reason is because of the taste.” Noting that consumers are the only source of new dollars in the beef industry, he adds, “That’s why it’s important to keep the demand for beef strong by providing what they will be happy with.”

To attend one of the meetings, contact Marilyn Conley by calling 1-800-345-0801, extension 298, or email her at mconley@certifiedangusbeef.com by Monday, April 4. Please specify a location to allow better planning. For more program information, contact Gary Fike at 785-539-0123 or email gfike@certifiedangusbeef.com.

The CAB program, headquartered in Wooster, Ohio, was created in 1978 to add value to Angus cattle by providing consumers with consistently high-quality beef. Since then, licensed packers have paid producers more than $300 million in CAB premiums and sales now exceed 750 million pounds annually. The brand, owned by the 30,000 members of the American Angus Association, maintains a producer website at www.cabcattle.com.

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cowboy moving angus cows

Working together for a quality bull sale

February 23, 2011

On the Road to Quality took me to Buffalo, Okla., recently for the Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Angus Association’s 70th annual sale. It was held on Wed., Feb. 16, at the Harper County Fairgrounds.

My understanding was that this sale started out as a Hereford and Angus bull sale, started with the assistance of a former OSU Extension agent, and evolved over time into an Angus-only sale.  This organization and its sale is one of those opportunities for smaller Angus seedstock producers, some of whom don’t have enough bulls to sell in a stand-alone sale, to merchandise their bulls.  Seventy years together is quite an accomplishment. Continue reading “Working together for a quality bull sale”

angus cows in pasture

On the road to quality

February 22, 2011

Meet the newest contributor to the Black Ink blog

I’ve always been pretty passionate about beef cattle and beef quality, that is why my position as a Beef Cattle Specialist for Certified Angus Beef has fit me so well since I joined CAB in 2004!

From the first time I began to get acquainted with beef quality grades while in high school, followed by meat grading and evaluation classes in college, I began to realize how important beef quality is, not only to me, but to the consuming public as well.

While an Agricultural Education major in college, I was a student teacher in vocational agriculture. I taught the meat grading and judging to students in Guymon, OK.  I also coached an FFA meats judging team, which taught me even more about quality and yield grading of beef carcasses! Later, as a county extension agent, our county fair cattle went to a local packer where the beef carcasses were evaluated in the cooler.  Continue reading “On the road to quality”

kevin yon

Flattery, shmattery… it’s just Angus confusion

February 21, 2011

Mythbuster Monday addresses a common issue

“They’re only trying to flatter us,” I remind myself as I bust this myth yet again. It’s one I tackle at every industry event and during lots of ranch visits and at every church potluck, on every airplane ride and at nearly every community gathering. In short, it’s probably the most common one we get.

The beginning is always very similar to how it came up at the Cattle Industry Convention earlier this month:

“I’ve got to give you Certified Angus Beef folks credit,” an industry professional said. “Your beef is everywhere from the high-end steakhouses to Burger King and now McDonald’s.”

Oh, noooooo. Must think fast. He believes all Angus programs=CAB. Continue reading “Flattery, shmattery…it’s just Angus confusion”

cowboy moving angus cows

Demand still favors higher quality

February 20, 2011

 

What a wild beef market these days!

I’ve read articles that assume beef prices are going up simply because cattlemen have demanded more in the face of higher corn prices. Of course it’s not that direct, but true in the long run because of supply and demand. The recently narrow spread between Choice and Select boxed beef prices—negative for a day or so—had some reporters speculating again as to the logic behind this supply and demand signal.

Some said it was the bad weather that reduced dining traffic at high-end steakhouses, turning them instead to Select at retail; others said it was the good weather that allowed cattle to better realize their Choice potential.   Continue reading “Demand still favors higher quality”

cowboy moving angus cows

Cracking the case

February 17, 2011

I get ridiculously excited about good carcass data—especially considering I don’t have any cattle of my own. But I do have a logical reason for doing a little happy dance when someone shares good numbers with us. It means I might get to do one of my favorite things in the world: a ranch visit.

When cattlemen show us they’re getting groups of cattle where half of them qualify for the Certified Angus Beef ® brand (national average for Premium Choice was 27% recently) we say, “WOW!” and then we wonder, “How?”

So our industry information team gets activated in detective mode. That’s what happened when Dave Guenzi, near Sterling, Colo., fed at CAB-licensed Chappell Feedlot and had groups that reached those marbling levels.

Continue reading “Cracking the case”

cowboy moving angus cows

Not your ordinary Valentine

February 16, 2011

I’ve been everywhere, man.
I’ve been everywhere, man.
Crossed the deserts bare, man.
I’ve breathed the mountain air, man.
Of travel I’ve had my share, man.
I’ve been everywhere.

Kristen Odom

Now, when I say our Black Ink team’s been everywhere, man, I mean it! Our small team of nine has covered almost as much ground as Johnny Cash, and according to the song, that’s a lot! We’re able to reach even more ranch country with a great set on interns who report for us from their college homes. We’re pleased to introduce our newest addition, Kristen Odom.

Kristen is a senior studying ag communications at Texas Tech University. She was raised around the feedlot business in the Panhandle town of Wellington,Texas. You might recognize her name from her regular byline in CALF News and other industry publications,where the young lady already has a fine start to a writing career in the beef business.  Please welcome our newest guest blogger, Kristen!

The excitement and anticipation of Valentine’s weekend is always similar to Christmas in my book. No, it isn’t because of one special guy – this year there were 206. Now, I’m sure you are thinking, “206, that’s a lot of chocolate and roses!” Let me explain. Continue reading “Not your ordinary Valentine”

feedyard cattle in the sun

Love is in the air…

February 14, 2011

So here’s a myth I love to tackle!

A week and a half ago, thousands of cattlemen gathered for the Cattle Industry Convention. Now, many of them are home and, like Steve, into calving.

But one rancher I visited with was already looking ahead to breeding. Thinking about his next infusion of genetics, he wondered if he should take his sights off quality in an effort to get more performance in his herd.

Heavens to Besty! Hold your horses! Oh my stars! The corny catch phrases for *shock* could go on and on, but let’s get right down to the knitty-gritty of mythbusting.

Myth–High grading cattle don’t gain well. Continue reading “Love is in the air…”