Capture every penny at marketing

Kindra Gordon

Cattle Business Weekly

In a year of sky-high costs, cattle producers know every cent counts when it comes time to market calves. How can you maximize the price your calves bring at sale time? University of Nebraska Extension beef specialist Ivan Rush says the key is in reviewing the basics and paying attention to details.

He says, "Producers should aim to do all they can to improve the income on their calves."

Rush’s first reminder is to sell in uniform load lots. "They sell at a premium to smaller groups of calves," says Rush.

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SGBI Holds Branding Party for Foundation

Cattle Today

Kingsville, Texas – It was Branding Time in Kingsville, Texas on June 27th. The first Branding Party for the new Santa Gertrudis Foundation fundraiser was held at the Henrietta King Museum.

With approximately 100 in attendance it was certainly a great event. Members that had purchased leather squares to be placed on the Brand Wall were in attendance to brand their spot in Santa Gertrudis history. This event brought in individuals as close as Kingsville, Texas to as far away as Illinois and New Mexico. Mixed in with the attendees were old and new members alike.

The Brand Wall is the kick-off fundraiser for the new Santa Gertrudis Foundation. The new foundation has been developed to ensure that the Santa Gertrudis breed continues to prosper for years to come. The main areas of work for the new foundation will be in research and education.

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Country of Origin Final Interim Rule Published

The U.S. Department of Agriculture today issued an interim final rule for the mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) program that will become effective on Sept. 30. Full text of the rule can be viewed by clicking below.

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Nebraska cattle marketings, placements down

Robert Pore

The Grand Island Independent

While the number of cattle in Nebraska feedlots, with capacities of 1,000 or more head, is unchanged from last year, marketings and placements are down dramatically, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

According to a report issued Friday, Nebraska feedlots contained 2.05 million cattle on feed, which is unchanged from last year’s record level but 3 percent above July 1, 2006.

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American Breed Coalition Seminars

Cattle Today

The American Breeds Coalition, in an aggressive move to promote the utilization of its member breeds, hosted two seminars on May 29 at the Heritage Place in Oklahoma City, Okla. and Fayetteville, Ark. at the Pauline Whitaker Animal Science Center on the grounds of the University of Arkansas on May 31. Those member breeds are American Red Brangus, Brahman, Beefmaster, Braford, Simbrah, and Santa Gertrudis.

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Research Geared To Easy Storage Of Wet Distillers Grains

cattlenetwork.com

UNL research indicates that wet distillers grains are easier to store than most people might expect, said a UNL specialist.

Distillers grains are a good source of protein and energy that may become economical to store, said Aaron Stalker, extension beef range systems specialist at the West Central Research and Extension Center at North Platte. If historic seasonal price patterns continue, livestock producers will be able to buy wet distillers grains in summer when they’re least expensive and feed them in winter when there’s a protein deficiency.

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ICA president wants to broaden industry understanding

Desirai Schild

 AG Weekly

Jennifer Ellis has a long list of goals to accomplish in her year as president of the Idaho Cattle Association.

The Blackfoot resident took office in November.

“I became president because I feel everybody needs to take a turn,” she said. “My goal is to get the voice of the cattle industry heard by more than the people who raise cattle. It’s time to quit preaching to the choir.”

Ellis and her husband, Shawn, have 700 mother cows and a 1,000 head feedlot.

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Q&A Are there any studies that evaluate the optimal inclusion rate of MODIFIED Wet Distillers Grains and Solubles (45% DM)?

Dr. Rick Rasby, Professor of Animal Science, Animal Science, University of Nebraska

This is a tough question to answer because, it depends. The best F:G was observed at 50% inclusion, but the best ADG was at 20 to 30% inclusion. The best economically was between 20 to 40% depending on distance from the ethanol plant and price relative to corn.

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Mobile Slaughterhouse Could Help Farmers, Consumers

KUOW

Consumers, chefs, grocers – everyone seems to want more locally raised meat. But the farms, slaughterhouses and butcher shops that could provide it have been disappearing from the Puget Sound region. Last week (7/22) the Pierce Conservation District voted to fund a project that’s giving farmers new hope. KUOW’s Amy Radil reports.

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Alternative Fertilizer Options Can Offset High Costs

Clifford Mitchell

Cattle Today

What items cost seems to be a great part of the American thought process these days. Most are frustrated not by the amount of money they make, but the price of every day garden variety items continually rising.

Grocery shoppers are shifting tastes from well known national brands to many house brands, within the local market. Some have even traded where they do business, if the price is right. Lower quality meats are becoming the centerpiece rather than filet mignon.

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Veneman Mentioned as Potential Obama Running Mate

Hoosier AG Today

  Former Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman, a member of the Bush Cabinet and lifelong Republican, was mentioned Saturday as a possible running mate for Democratic Presidential hopeful, Barack Obama. In a story published by Politico.com, Democratic members of Congress reported that Obama’s vice presidential search committee has raised Veneman’s name as a potential candidate. They were quoted as saying Veneman was under consideration because she might garner support from uncommitted Republicans and Independents.

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Four Firms Weighing In On Beef Alliances

Amanda Nolz

Beef Magazine

With skyrocketing production costs and tough consumer economic conditions, the beef industry is facing challenging times. But do those margin-squeezing conditions make a case for or against participation in value-added beef alliances?

Four value-added beef companies – Meyer Natural Angus, Power Genetics, 70:70 Beef and Certified Angus Beef – provide some insight

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First US beef shipment arrives in South Korea under new import deal

Shanghai Daily

The first shipment of US beef under a controversial import deal arrived in South Korea today, officials said, amid lingering public concerns over safety.

The 1.5 ton shipment, which includes ribs and other cuts with and without bones, was sent to a storage facility near Seoul for quarantine inspections, which could take up to two weeks, according to South Korean quarantine authorities and Nerp Corp., a local meat importer.

The shipment is the first after Seoul and Washington agreed in April to lift the import ban, which was later revised due to large South Korean street protests.

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Just How Big Are Our Beef Cows?

cattlenetwork.com

Answering this question requires that we take a journey back in time; back to what I like to refer to as the beginning of the “genetic revolution” in the U.S. cattle business.

In 1975 a calf that weaned and went to market weighing 400 pounds was considered a good calf.  Today a 400-pound calf would not generate a positive net return in most operations.  With the increasing costs of production it now takes calves weighing nearer 600 pounds to generate a positive net return.  Over the last thirty years the cow/calf segment of our industry has improved weaning weights to near 600 pounds.  We have accomplished this by incorporating a number of improvements in technology.

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