The Source
I want to buy tags.
This time of the year, our office receives quite a few calls from folks wanting to buy tags for their new calves. It's quite a deal. Producers can purchase calf tags through our online Tag Store (www.customcattletags.com) for only 99¢.
What many do not realize is that once those calves are tagged, they can easily be enrolled in either the AngusSource® or the Gateway program. For an additional $50.01 investment, you can secure a place at the top of the market for your calves.
A recent producer commented, "I don't know why everyone doesn't enroll. I keep calving records, and I get to talk about my cows to someone who wants to listen."
I have to agree. AngusSource is a great marketing program that takes less time than it does to complete your taxes. And if you tag your calves prior to marketing, why not enroll in AngusSource or Gateway? Visual tags for AngusSource cost only $1 and for Gateway $2. Plus, our team of dedicated employees is genuinely interested in helping you get the most out of the programs.
Both AngusSource and Gateway offer producers access to premiums for age- and source-verified calves. As soon as enrollment is complete for a group of calves, a verification certificate is created. This can also be customized into a marketing document, either by going online or calling our office.
The verification certificate
Your verification certificate lists the source, group age and — in the case of AngusSource calves — the average expected progeny differences (EPDs) of the Angus bulls used to sire the calf crop. An AngusSource verification certificate provides buyers with an overview of 50% of your calves' genetic makeup.
To access the EPD information, buyers can go online (www.angussource.com) and enter the lot code information from the program tag or the verification certificate to view a complete list of Angus sires that were used and their updated EPDs.
The marketing document
The document does exactly what it describes — tells when and where the calves are being marketed, along with space for management or vaccination notes. Those extra notes are not part of the USDA Process-Verified Program (PVP), but buyers do appreciate the additional information when making purchasing decisions. The marketing document is emailed to more than 550 feedyards and buyers who have signed up to know when and where AngusSource and Gateway calves are being sold.
Both the verification and marketing documents give potential buyers an opportunity to evaluate data prior to the auction day. After all, when a group of calves enters the salering, buyers have only minutes to decide how much they want to pay for those animals.
The ability to study EPDs beforehand and look through the list of sires used can be greatly beneficial when estimating how those calves could grade on the rail. Seasoned buyers understand these decisions and know the calves that make the grade … and those that did not meet their expectations.
Ultimately, the price you receive can be based on or influenced by the information potential buyers gather on your calves. Take the opportunity to show off all the "bells and whistles" on your calf crop by listing all the vaccinations, how the calves were fed, any previous carcass data or feedlot gain data, length of calving season and how long the calves have been weaned.
With calving season in full swing, you may be done or just getting started, but take the time to think about adding more value to your calves at marketing time this year. The benefits behind the AngusSource and Gateway programs are much more than a simple calf tag, but that is where it begins. Visit our website or give us a call to learn how to put our programs to work in your operation.
Editor's Note: Ginette Kurtz is manager of AngusSource for the American Angus Association.
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