The Source
Are you marketing the value of your calves
or just “selling”?
You manage a commercial cow herd. You use only registered-Angus bulls, and the calves are solid black. You have a complete vaccination program, and your calves have never been implanted or given antibiotics. Your neighbor uses several commercial “black” bulls on a put-together cow herd. His vaccination program is nonexistent. As a result, he is constantly treating his calves. Yet, every fall when you wean the calves, load them up and sell them at the local auction market, he walks out with a check that is comparable to yours. Why?
While you have taken the steps to add value to your calves by improving your genetic base, vaccinating calves to improve health, not implanting or giving antibiotics so your calves have the opportunity to supply a “natural” program — you haven’t documented the value.
While there is never a guaranteed premium, documenting information about your calves through a value–added program is important — but you can’t stop there. The key to getting paid for that value is to let potential buyers know about your calves and the value invested in them. AngusSource® Genetic goes the extra step and provides marketing assistance for all calves enrolled in the program through an online listing site, and the opportunity to record additional vaccination and management information.
AngusSource Genetic helps you market that value by compiling the information into a concise marketing document, which is posted to an online listing site and sent via email to more than 600 interested buyers. Whether you are selling directly from the ranch, through your local auction market or on a video auction, buyers will know the value of your cattle and when and where they will be selling.
It’s time to think beyond “selling” your calves and to think about marketing. Market the value of your calves — the genetics, vaccinations and available records — by enrolling in a program that can document and verify that value. Don’t stop there. Think ahead to future calf crops.
For more information on the AngusSource Genetic program contact us at 816-383-5100. We look forward to helping you not just sell, but market your calves this fall.
Editor's Note: Ginette Kurtz is manager of AngusSource for the American Angus Association.
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