fbpx

Month: March 2011

Zach Wilson looking at cows

The farm to food connection

March 30, 2011

Factory farms, grass-fed vs. grain fed, antibiotics and hormones—these are all buzzwords foodservice and retail folks hear every day. As a farm kid, with a four-year agriculture degree and now five years as a professional in the industry, I feel pretty confident explaining, defending and sharing the facts with consumers. But those on “the other side” of the business often lack the training and experience to do that with the same level of certainty.

At Certified Angus Beef LLC, we know these people represent our product (beef) to those consumers, so we want to make them informed advocates. Yesterday was just one example of how we do that.

Continue reading “The farm to food connection”

Stocker pre-grass management that pays 

March 29, 2011

One of the best things about a ranch field day, except maybe the “conference room” view, is getting a chance to see the inner workings of another guy’s ranch. It’s one thing to garner ideas; it’s another to see them in action.

Last week we were out at the Collinge Ranch in Hamilton, Kan., where owner Mike Collinge couldn’t have said it better: “I can’t claim to have had a lot of great original ideas,” he joked, “but I can claim to being smart enough to steal a few good ones from other people! I hope we can share a few more with each other today.”

That open attitude toward information exchange was one reason we asked Mike to host the Backgrounding for Quality field day at his ranch. We also knew he was a stocker operatory with some great pre-grass management strategies to share. Most of those strategies revolve around his team’s handling practices.

Here’s a rundown of the process the 450-500 pound stocker calves go through when they show up at the Collinge Ranch: Continue reading “Stocker pre-grass management that pays”

Show me the money!

March 28, 2011

Mythbuster Monday addresses funding

Did you know Certified Angus Beef LLC is a non-profit company?

It’s not volunteer run nor do we make desperate fundraising calls, like others that might come to mind in that category. (I can assure you that I make salary. As much as I love my job, I do have to make a living, too.)

So that leads us to several myths that all go back to one big ‘ole fact:

Myth–Cattle producers must pay to have their cattle marketed as CAB. How else does the brand make money?

Myth–American Angus Association membership dues are diverted to support its branded beef subsidiary.

Myth–CAB pays restaurants and retailers to sell their product. Continue reading “Show me the money!”

What a cattle feeder wants

March 27, 2011

As a meeting coordinator, I always squirm just a little when an audience member stands up, addresses the speaker and says, “I don’t really have a question for you… more of a comment.”

You never really know what kind of tirade might come after an introduction like that.

But last Wednesday, it was a good comment. One I wish more would stand up and share. We were out at the Collinge Ranch in Hamilton, Kan., for a field day for folks in the stocker business. The session was called “What a Feeder Wants,” with Jerry Bohn of Pratt Feeders leading the discussion.

The gentleman stood up in the back of the room, and the gest of his comment was this: “I just want to say, I hope other guys understand how easy all of this stuff is. Continue reading “What a cattle feeder wants”

An outlook with a view

March 25, 2011

With a stiff spring wind whopping against the sides of the big event tent, Mike couldn’t help but make a joke to start the afternoon off. “All I can say is, if this tent starts to go, everybody better grab a rope and hold tight. I suppose it’s kind of like the cattle business — we don’t know which direction it’s going to go, but if we all hang on together we’ll be in for a heck of a ride!”

Wednesday I had the opportunity to travel out to the Collinge Ranch near Hamilton, KS with about 150 of my closest friends for a field day, Backgrounding for Quality. Our team at CAB got together with the folks from Pfizer Animal Health and the Pratt Feeders group to host the half-day educational event for cattlemen and women focused on the stocker/backgrounding phase. Now, I’ve been to some beautiful convention centers — take our Annual Conference in beautiful Puerto Rico, for example. But in my mind, not a whole lot beats a “meeting room” with a view like this, wind or not:

“Eat Beef” — A typical billboard in south-central Kansas.

Attendees had a chance to take a hands-on look around Mike’s ranch and share the ideas and questions that come with seeing how another guy gets to the same end point. I heard a lot of great discussions, ranging from vaccination programs that work in different scenarios, how to implement age and source verification programs, how processing facilities are set up and utilized, how to spot a sick calf early and on and on.  Continue reading “An outlook with a view”

feedyard cattle

Kansas Angus Association carcass data project

March 24, 2011

An “on the road” visit to McPherson County Feeders near Marquette, KS, netted this photo of some of the cattle on feed for the Kansas Angus Association Carcass Data Project (CDP).  The purpose of this program is to see how seedstock producer cull bulls (and their customers calves as well) and heifers will perform in the feedlot as well as on the rail.

Assistant manager Landon Shaw commented, “At implant time on February 21, the cattle, as a pen, were gaining 4.33 lb. per day and had an as-fed conversion of 7.19 lb. of feed/lb. of gain.”  It will be exciting to see how these cattle perform at harvest.

Continue reading “Kansas Angus Association Carcass Data Project”

feed truck at grow yard

Better fence, better beef

March 22, 2011

 

Hey fellow seekers,

When somebody in this township hears black cows are out and they have yellow ear tags, I might get a call. If they’re mine, it usually goes back to a gate closure error or the last 1/4 mile of sorry perimeter fence, with wire from 3 to 63 years old grown into a tree line.

This week, the last of the worst was replaced by professionals. Like most cattlemen, I can make a fence. But I must admit I am better at removing it, which was job one on this project.

The new ranchhand, Mosey, came along to see if there were sticks to fetch. Yep, we have a new dog, a half-sister to Mr. Barkley, but seemingly much calmer and smarter. She likes to sleep on the flatbed, always ready to go out to see the cows or anything else. Continue reading “Better fence, better beef”

dalebanks perrier they run deep

Dysfunctional advice: the result of this Monday’s myth

March 21, 2011

When looking at a cow, you might ask yourself these questions.

Does she look “ruined”? Does she look dysfunctional?  Ok, so maybe you can’t tell much about cowherd function just by glancing at one picture, but it’s a place to start. I visited Schiefelbein Farms near Kimball, MN, a few years ago and I can vouch that the females looked nice. What’s better than good looks? They work. But a main focus of the registered Angus operation is carcass quality.

Meet Don Schiefelbein.

He, along with his seven brothers and his dad, buy back customer calves, feeding several thousand each year. So they care a thing or two about the end product. In fact, the year I visited, one group of 45 head that didn’t make the cut as breeding stock made 89% Certified Angus Beef ®,including five CAB Primes.

So where am I going with all of this? Continue reading “Dysfunctional advice: the result of this Monday’s myth”

cowboy moving angus cows

Six degrees of cow selection

March 18, 2011

The more experiences I have and the places I go, the more I believe in “Six degrees of separation,” the theory that we are all about six people away from any other person on Earth.

Last week I visited with a man who lives in Colorado and works in the Meat Grading and Certification Branch at USDA. It turns out he grew up 45 miles north of where I graduated from high school in Texas.

On Tuesday I had the opportunity to pack my notebook and camera and head to Littlerobe Angus, near Higgins, Texas. Duane and Donna Jenkins have been in the Angus business since 1948, making it into a family operation. And yet again, the world gets a little smaller. One of the Jenkins’ sons, Dale, and his wife, Brenda, along with their four daughters, live out on the ranch.

Continue reading “Six degrees of cow selection”

Adding, capturing calf value

March 17, 2011

 

Cattlemen may hear about the shrinking beef industry and wonder about their role in the future. They can take heart in the expanding high-quality end of the business, however.

Licensed partners of the Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB®) brand worldwide sell more than 2 million pounds of branded product per day, and supply has increased 92% in the past five years. That’s according to Mark McCully, CAB assistant vice president, supply.

Addressing producer-members of the Pittsylvania County Cattlemen’s in Chatham, Va., earlier this month, McCully said demand for CAB products grew along with supply, and that represents opportunity for producers.

Overall higher cattle prices and premiums for the best cattle are two results of strong demand, but producers can take steps to move a greater share of their calves into that premium category, he said.

Genetic selection tools available on registered Angus cattle, specifically EPDs (expected progeny differences) can help any herd make progress. “EPDs are used to compare animals within a breed but you should also pay attention to the average values of the breed,” McCully said. “For example, using a bull in the top half of the breed for Marbling EPD, or those above +0.40, is more in line with a genetic focus on the CAB brand.”

Given the genetic potential, cattlemen can see it realized through comprehensive herd health and nutrition programs and low-stress management, he added. “Then, find ways to get carcass data by working with organized state programs, your bull supplier or a CAB licensed feeding partner. Keep detailed records and use that data in sire selection and cowherd culling.”

To illustrate value differences, McCully shared three scenarios with 750-pound (lb.) feedlot calves. Groups one and two were both age-and-source verified, gained 3.5 lb. per day (ADG) with feed-to-gain (F:G) conversion of 6.1. After a theoretical 1% death loss, both groups finished at 1,325 lb.

The key difference was in carcass grading: Group 1 had 5% Prime, 40% CAB and 90% Choice or better along with 30% Yield Grade (YG) 1 or 2 and 15% YG 4. Group 2 was leaner with 40% YG 1 or 2 and just 5% YG 4, but no Prime, only 10% CAB and 50% Choice with 5% Standard.

Then there was Group 3, the calves without age-and-source verification, ADG at 2.9 lb., F:G at 7.0, apparently in poorer health with 4% death loss and finishing at 1,250 lb. They managed the same carcass results as Group 2, but came in $195 per head lower value than Group 1 under current market conditions.

McCully concluded by emphasizing the importance of marketing options to capture the value in “value-added” calves.

        • Retain full or partial ownership of calves through the feedlot
        • Direct marketing to feedlots with bonus options for carcass premiums
        • Commingled sales of high-quality calves with other like-minded producers
        • Calves backed by a resume that documents their profit potential
        • Age-and-source verification with AngusSource®, which generally returns at least $25 per head.

You may also like

$100,000 Up for Grabs with 2024 Colvin Scholarships

$100,000 Up for Grabs with 2024 Colvin Scholarships

by | Mar 20, 2024

Certified Angus Beef is offering $100,000 in scholarships for agricultural college students through the 2024 Colvin Scholarship Fund. Aspiring students passionate about agriculture and innovation, who live in the U.S. or Canada, are encouraged to apply before the April 30 deadline. With the Colvin Scholarship Fund honoring Louis M. “Mick” Colvin’s legacy, Certified Angus Beef continues its commitment to cultivating future leaders in the beef industry.

Raised with Respect™ Cattle Care Campaign Launched This Fall

Raised with Respect™ Cattle Care Campaign Launched This Fall

by | Dec 20, 2023

Raised with Respect™ was developed as part of a strategic cattle care partnership between Sysco and CAB. The collaboration focuses on supporting farmers and ranchers, equipping them with continuing education to stay current on best management practices and helping to increase consumer confidence in beef production.

Drought Impact and Cattle Industry Dynamics

Drought Impact and Cattle Industry Dynamics

by | Nov 8, 2023

As drought conditions persist across much of cattle country, farmers and ranchers are at a pivotal juncture in the cattle industry’s landscape. What impact does this prolonged dry spell have on the nation’s herd numbers? When will heifer retention begin? How will industry dynamics influence the spring bull sale season?