Matt Caldwell
Association Perspective
Position your cattle for premiums.
Spring has sprung and this past winter is in the history books. Now is the time to think about how to capitalize on your winter labors. It is never too early to plan adding value to your calf crop. The American Angus Association is your one-stop shop for adding value through genetics and marketing.
The AngusSource® and Gateway programs available through the Association will allow you to position your cattle for premiums. According to data collected by Superior Livestock Auction, there is a $2.65-per-hundredweight (cwt.) premium for AngusSource calves. That is a $13.25-per-head premium on 500-pound (lb.) calves with a $1.50-per-head investment if you are enrolling 100 calves. Enrollment also allows you access to the AngusSource/Gateway marketing support. The AngusSource/Gateway online listing site is e-mailed or faxed to 600 buyers weekly at no extra expense to enrollees.
An example of marketing success is a recent AngusSource Carcass Challenge (ASCC) winner. Pete Mitts and John Osborn from northwest Missouri recently sold a pen of calves that graded 35.9% Prime and 92.3% Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®). This accomplishment is no doubt the result of great management. But it also is the culmination of years of genetic selection using tools available through Angus breeders and the American Angus Association.
"Folks aren't taking advantage of the amount of information that is out there," Mitts says. "If they were, everyone would be producing the ultimate cattle — Prime, Yield Grade 3s."
That kind of information is available online at www.angus.org through the Sire Evaluation Search. You can find Angus sires that will work for every environment and every marketing plan. Whether you are targeting CAB Prime or producing low-input cattle to sell into a grass-fed niche market, you can find cattle that will fit your specifications and help you reach your goals. Whether you are looking for the maximums, the minimums or the optimums for a specific trait, the Sire Evaluation Search will help you find bulls that will fit any production or marketing scenario.
Another resource for marketing success is the Certified Angus Beef LLC Supply Development team (www.cabpartners.com/staff.php#). This team of industry professionals can help you reach quality targets by sharing information with their network of feedyards. Be sure to inquire about their Best Practices manuals. With one devoted to cow-calf operations and one devoted to stocker operations, these handy manuals offer tips to help cattlemen maximize the potential of their cattle in targeting the CAB brand and corresponding premiums.
The American Angus Association has a world of knowledge available at the tip of your fingers at www.angus.org. Don't hesitate to call any of the Association's regional managers if you need assistance. You can find us at www.angusproductions.com/api_regional.html.
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