Adding value by sales to the consumer

Adding value by sales to the consumer

John B. Hall, Ph.D.
Extension Beef Cattle Specialist
Delmarva Farmer

Last month’s article focused on adding value to feeder cattle. This month will finish the series with a discussion on adding value by selling directly to the consumer or being part of a group that is involved in direct marketing. Remember from last month that value-added beef production means different things to different people. Quite simply, value-added is a procedure or process that increases the value of your product to the customer for which they are willing to pay additional money. Also remember, that this series is written from my perspective as a Specialist in Cow/Calf Management, not as a marketing specialist.

There are numerous ways to market directly to the consumer, but for this article let’s discuss two broad categories: Pasture to Plate Alliances and Direct Marketing. Value is added in these programs by the cow-calf producer having an economic stake in the final product sold at the retail level. If the product sells well and acceptance is high then the cow-calf producer shares in the profits, which should result in greater income. If sales are poor then the cow-calf producer accepts a portion of the loss and income at the farm level is decreased compared to selling feeder calves.

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Statement by Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns Regarding U.S. Beef Trade with Korea

Statement by Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns Regarding U.S. Beef Trade with Korea

USDA

“Korea today announced that it would resume the importation of U.S. boneless beef from cattle less than 30 months of age. Although the agreement was signed back in January, several months of cooperative effort between our two countries have been necessary, which included two visits by Korean audit teams to confirm the efficacy of the U.S. inspection system.”

“Korea is an important beef market for us. In 2003, the United States exported more than $814 million worth of beef to Korea, with boneless beef accounting for $449 million.”

“Trade resumption in boneless beef is the first step in normalizing trade of beef and beef products with Korea. We look forward to expanding our access to the Korean market and other export markets to achieve trade that is consistent with international guidelines.”

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Cattle lameness course offered

Cattle lameness course offered

Wiscnews.com

A class titled “Cattle Lameness and Disease Management” will be offered on Sept. 19 at 7:30 p.m.

The manner by which dairy and beef producers choose to manage lameness and disease can affect the market value for the cattle.

University of Wisconsin Extension will offer an evening class at the Dodge County Administration Building in Juneau to look at the issues related to lameness and marketing of cull and fed cattle. Bob Kaiser, UW Extension Dairy Management Specialist will report the results of a dairy cattle lameness study conducted by the University of Minnesota.

Several other issues related to the marketing of cull and fed cattle will be addressed that evening; “Economics of feeding cull cows” and “How vaccinations, and medication quality control items relate to Beef Quality Assurance” by Dr. Jeff Lehmkuhler, UW Extension beef cattle specialist; “What buyers are presently looking for in cull cows” by Neale Jones, Manager Equity Livestock Association, Johnson Creek; and comments from selected program panelists Gary Sutherland, manager of Milwaukee Stockyards, Reeseville, and Dr. Jerry Gaska, Dairy Consulting, Columbus.

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Canada Beef Exports To US Way Down

Canada Beef Exports To US Way Down

Cattlenetwork.com

According to recent data from the Canada Beef Export Federation (CBEF), Canada’s beef exports during the second quarter of 2006 totaled 92,803 MT. This was down 31.5 percent from a year ago. Canada’s beef exports to the U.S. during the second quarter were 34.7 percent less than last year, totaling 74,724 MT. Total beef exports to the U.S. during the first half of 2006 equaled 150,472 MT, down 24.9 percent from a year ago.

Nonetheless, the U.S. was the main destination for Canada’s beef with 81.4 percent of the total exports. During the second quarter, Canada exported 10,737 MT of beef to Mexico. This was nearly unchanged from a year ago. Year-to-date beef exports to Mexico totaled 19,611 MT, which was 32.7 percent below a year ago.

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Cattle Study Aims to Pinpoint Genes That Affect Milk, Meat Quality

Cattle Study Aims to Pinpoint Genes That Affect Milk, Meat Quality

High Plains Journal

OMAHA (DTN) — According to a university release, few give much thought to what ultimately determines the quality of the steak or hamburger they eat or the milk they drink. It all begins with the source: cattle.

Beyond the physical appearance of a cow or bull is a more critical underlying factor: genetic makeup. A faculty member from the University of Missouri-Columbia will soon participate in a genomics study that will help researchers more quickly analyze genetic differences — many of which influence the quality of consumer products — in cattle populations.

Using new technology that will be less expensive and less time consuming, Jerry Taylor, Wurdack Endowed Chair for Animal Genomics in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, will collaborate with researchers from the Agricultural Research Service, the chief scientific research agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, to develop a test that will help identify gene sequences that are responsible for differences in milk production, feed efficiency, marbling, fat production and other meat characteristics. The researchers will use high-resolution gene mapping equipment developed by Illumina, Inc., a San Diego-based technology company.

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Ultrasound technology boosts beef industry

Ultrasound technology boosts beef industry

by Mike Morrow

Eureka Report (CA)

Cutting edge technology may have the answer to an age-old question throughout Humboldt County:

“Where’s the beef?”

An ultrasound procedure to measure meat content on cattle recently was introduced at the Humboldt County Fair in Ferndale, receiving high praise from one of the area’s foremost authorities.

“It’s been my dream that we’d come to this, that we’d have this technology available to more of us,” said Lauren Shuman of Bridgeville, a leading breeder and a founder of the yearly carcass contest at the Fair.

“I’ve always believed we could do more, that we could do something that would lead to satisfying our consumers. I know that every bull we’ve purchased over the past 15 years has been gone through the ultrasound process. It’s important that more people get this opportunity.”

During the fair, Brett A. Setter, a certified ultrasound technician from the Sacramento area, scanned live cattle to show the amount of fat, the size of its ribeye and other factors important in the business.

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Decision On Older Canadian Cattle May Take Months

Decision On Older Canadian Cattle May Take Months

Successful Farming

WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)–It may not be until the end of the year when the U.S.

Department of Agriculture resubmits a proposal to lift its ban on older

Canadian cattle, but it’s still unclear if any changes will be made after new

mad-cow disease discoveries there, USDA Secretary Mike Johanns said Wednesday.

The USDA in July withdrew its proposal on older cattle imports from

consideration by the White House after a Canadian case of mad-cow disease, or

bovine spongiform encephalopathy, spurred concern over Canada’s cattle feed

restrictions. It was Canada’s seventh BSE case found in a native-born cow.

Johanns said the reason the proposal was withdrawn was to see if any changes

need to be made, but stressed he didn’t yet know if revisions would be

necessary.

“Right now experts at USDA are looking at this and trying to make an

assessment,” Johanns said.

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New tap technique for breeding bulls developed

New tap technique for breeding bulls developed

Prairie Star

BELTSVILLE, Md. – A project involving Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and collaborating scientists could open the door to a new, genomics-based approach to identifying elite bulls.

Now carried out by the artificial insemination (AI) industry, progeny testing characterizes the genetic merit of a bull. But progeny testing is time-consuming and expensive. Each year, AI organizations test 1,200 Holstein dairy bulls at a cost of about $30 million.

Cutting test costs while increasing the rate of genetic improvement in dairy cattle could help make the U.S. germplasm industry even more competitive in the world market, according to Curt Van Tassell. He’s a geneticist working with the ARS Bovine Functional Genomics Research Unit and the ARS Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory, both in Beltsville, Md.

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Iowans would benefit from more cattle

Iowans would benefit from more cattle

Brownfield Network

by Jerry Passer

Iowans have a choice to make as to whether more or fewer cattle are raised in the state. Whatever that decision, it will have a great impact on the state’s future says Dr. John Lawrence, director of the Iowa Beef Center at Iowa State University.

Speaking at “Farming Matters: An Iowa Crop and Livestock Forum” sponsored by the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers (CSIF) in Cherokee, Lawrence told attendees that Iowa is in the position to regain the number one rank in beef production. It last held that distinction in 1968 to 1972.

“When the world changed in the 1970s and consumer demand for beef fell by nearly half and willingness to pay for prime cuts diminished, Iowa lost its footing in the cattle market,” said Lawrence. “Well, the world is changing again and the question is whether Iowa is going to meet the new demand.”

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South Korea to Resume U.S. Beef Imports After 3 Years

South Korea to Resume U.S. Beef Imports After 3 Years

By Heejin Koo

Bloomberg.com

Sept. 8 (Bloomberg) — South Korea, the third-biggest buyer of U.S. beef in 2003, will lift a three-year ban on imports of the meat after it concluded inspections of U.S. processing facilities.

The approval is limited to boneless beef from cattle younger than 30 months, the Korean Agriculture Ministry said in an e-mailed statement today. The first shipments of U.S. beef will likely arrive by the end of this month, the ministry said. Another 10 days will be needed for the beef to clear customs.

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House votes to ban horse slaughter

House votes to ban horse slaughter

WHAS11.com

By LIBBY QUAID / Associated Press

The House brushed aside objections from horse doctors and the White House and voted Thursday to outlaw slaughtering horses for people to eat.

Critics of the practice made an emotional appeal, showing photographs of horses with bloodied and lacerated faces, the result of being crammed into trailers destined for slaughterhouses.

Celebrities also turned up the pressure: Actress Bo Derek was on hand for Thursday’s vote, and country singer Willie Nelson and oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens have been campaigning against horse slaughter.

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