The Source
Brand loyalty pays.
We all have our favorite brands. Name a product — trucks, tractors, jeans, boots. You're bound to have a particular brand that you prefer more than others.
I recently drove by a Ford dealership to check out a used truck I saw advertised. It had already sold, so the salesman did his best to interest me in another brand. Poor guy, I had to make it clear that my mind was made up, and I wasn't looking for anything else. I knew what I wanted, and it was not there.
Cattle buyers don't have it so easy. In 2012, it's estimated that nearly 75% of U.S. cattle will be black-hided. If you are looking for Angus, how can you be sure? There isn't an Angus logo branded on a calf's forehead to guarantee genetics. Some breed characteristics stand out; however, determining just how much Angus influence there is in a group of black-hided calves can be difficult.
One solution: AngusSource. Enrolling your calves and verifying they have least 50% Angus genetics does a lot to tell buyers what you are selling and how it might fit their needs. By documenting group age, source and the bulls used to sire the calf crop, your animals come with added information and value that is appealing to prospective customers.
We also offer producers the option to use an online marketing document to advertise calves. The document gives buyers a heads up on the sale location and time, vaccinations and booster shots, as well as other management practices. Buyers will be able to see a list of bulls used as sires and their current expected progeny differences (EPDs) from American Angus Association records.
So, what kind of premium will you guarantee me if I enroll these calves? That's a standard question from producers shopping for an age-verification program. We cannot guarantee more money for your calves than previous years or more than your neighbor made this year; it all depends on what you are selling and what buyers are purchasing. We can guarantee AngusSource could be a step in the right direction.
The results matter
Feedback, both positive and constructive, is what continues to improve the AngusSource program year after year. Our team spends hours visiting with enrolled producers about how AngusSource is working for their operation. Plus, each operation we work with has the option to fill out a customer feedback form in order to be entered in the Premium Value Challenge hosted each quarter.
Since Jan. 1, 2012, customer feedback forms received by AngusSource reported 1,876 head sold through local sale barns in Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, California, Montana and South Dakota. Producers gave us a head count on the number sold in each weight class and the price of each group. By comparing that information to sale data of calves selling in the same area and weight class, we can determine whether or not a premium was paid.
The latest numbers show an approximate $9 premium, across the board, for AngusSource calves vs. other animals sold at the auction barn.
Video auctions are seeing the same success rate. AngusSource producers who sell via video auction also fill out the customer feedback form, and we are able to document how each lot of AngusSource calves sold by checking individual websites.
A recorded 35,492 AngusSource calves have sold through video auctions since the beginning of the year. After comparing prices listed online against data from calves selling during the same week and weight class, it again was in favor of AngusSource.
Documented calves received about $9.41 higher than other groups selling in respective areas.
Granted, these numbers do not take into account whether or not the calves were weaned, had shots or had been enrolled in any additional value-added program. It's a snapshot of random groups marketed through both video sales and auction barns.
The numbers do teach us to pay attention to what buyers are looking for in specific regions of the country. Animals that gain and grade well in a reasonable amount of time will always be in high demand. Not all black calves will make the grade for the Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) brand; so take necessary steps to make your cow herd stand apart from the rest.
Aim for higher quality
Speaking of brands, CAB is one that is continuously growing in popularity. Once people try a juicy, flavorful steak, it is difficult to purchase any other type. In fact, CAB brand partners sold 74 million pounds of beef in June 2012, up 4% from last year.
Why not try to produce calves that could potentially meet CAB carcass specifications?
Here are several resources to get you started.
- Visit with your bull supplier or contact the Association regional manager from your area to discuss genetic selection for your next bull purchase.
- Check out the Fall 2012 Sire Summary and look at the breed's average EPDs for traits you feel would improve your herd. If you are not sure what you want to improve, enter a few calves in a steer feedout contest to identify an area to target.
- Talk with a Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB) specialist about GeneMax™. GeneMax is a new DNA tool that is Angus-specific and designed for commercial herds using registered Angus sires to evaluate marbling and postweaning gain on high-percentage Angus cattle.
- Develop your brand.
Choose your path. Set goals. Believe in your program decisions.
[Click here to go to the top of the page.]