The Fifth Dimension
Cattlemen’s College® session explores how the actions of the individual producer affect the larger beef community.
Imagine for a minute that your family is traveling down a busy highway. As you drive past a large cattle feedyard, your teenage daughter says, “If that’s where our beef comes from, I don’t think I want to eat it anymore.”
An incident like that was Mike Nichols’ welcome to the “fifth dimension” of beef production. According to Nichols and fellow Zoetis technical service veterinarian Robin Faulkner, this fifth dimension encompasses the perceptions people have based on what they have seen or heard regarding the beef industry. Speaking in tag-team fashion at a Cattlemen’s College® session of the 2014 Cattle Industry Convention in Nashville, Tenn., Nichols and Faulkner said the fifth dimension should be of concern to all industry stakeholders. Read more.
Chuck Grove
Association Perspective
Don’t miss the all new Angus Means Business
National Convention & Trade Show.
Make plans now to attend the 2014 American Angus Association’s Angus Means Business National Convention & Trade Show Nov. 4-6 in Kansas City, Mo. I know, as a commercial cattleman, you’re thinking “What’s in it for me?” Well, one of the main reasons the location, format and agenda changed was to provide the opportunity for commercial producers to attend this event. Here are a few reasons you should be there. Read more.
CattleFax Price Outlook
Cattle prices are expected to be up across the board,
from seedstock sales to fed-cattle prices.
Market analyst Kevin Good’s presentation put smiles on the faces of prospective cattle sellers present for the CattleFax Outlook Seminar Feb. 5 during the 2014 Cattle Industry Convention in Nashville, Tenn. Good said prices should be stronger for all classes of cattle, with some segments reaching record-high levels.
According to Good, years of drought-driven culling has ended, for the most part, and rebuilding of the U.S. cow herd is under way. Cull cow slaughter has declined sharply. Retention of young females for breeding has begun, meaning fewer heifers will be fed to enter the slaughter mix. Total fed-cattle numbers are expected to be down, by 600,000-700,000 head, during 2014 and again in 2015 — and feed costs have decreased. It all makes for a pretty positive price outlook. Read more.
New Beef Cuts and Methods of Beef Preparation
Cattlemen’s College® session features beef-cutting demonstration and new cuts and methods of preparation to make beef a more attractive meal choice.
Thinking outside the box is the approach meat scientists are taking in their efforts to revolutionize the future of beef restaurant and retail cuts.
“We have to adjust our cutting styles — take muscles apart — for a better eating experience,” Certified Angus Beef LLC meat scientist Phil Bass told Cattlemen’s College® attendees at the Consumer Relations session Feb. 4 in Nashville, Tenn.
Bass presented a step-by-step cutting demonstration showing the various “new” cuts into which the traditional top and bottom sirloins can be fabricated. Examples for the bottom sirloin include the bavette steak, the ball-tip steak and the tri-tip roast, which has been popular in California for years and is now gaining popularity in other regions. Read more.
What’s Inside …
In this February edition of the Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA, you'll find valuable articles devoted to the management, marketing, and health and nutrition of your beef enterprise. Select from the tabs at the top of the page to access this month's entire offering by category. A few select features include:
- Manners Matter
- Beef Talk: Numbers can challenge, but don’t give up.
- Cattle Health & Well-being Committee Meets
- First Breaths
- What’s on the Consumer’s Mind?
- Moms, Millennials and More
- The Source: Maintenance marketing.
News Briefs …
The American Angus Association and its subsidiaries generate a wealth of information to keep members and affiliates informed of what's happening within the industry as well as with the programs and services they offer. Click here for easy access to the newsrooms of the American Angus Association and Certified Angus Beef LLC and the Angus Journal Daily archive recently made available in the API Virtual Library.
2014 National Ag Day
The Agriculture Council of America announces 2014 date.
The Agriculture Council of America (ACA) will host National Agriculture Day March 25, 2014. This will mark the 41st anniversary of National Ag Day, which is celebrated in classrooms and communities across the country. The theme for National Ag Day is “Agriculture: 365 Sunrises and 7 Billion Mouths to Feed.”
On March 25 the ACA will host major events in the nation’s capital. Included will be a Mix-and-Mingle Luncheon and the National Celebration of Agriculture Dinner. Additionally, the ACA will bring approximately 100 college students to Washington to deliver the message of Ag Day to the Hill.
Read more.
Enough is Enough
‘Enough is enough’ when it comes to the food security debate, says Elanco president.
Elanco introduced Enough: The fight for a food secure tomorrow, a report focused on the realities and solutions available to achieve global food security. The report, written by Elanco President Jeff Simmons, advocates for farmer access to innovative tools in order to feed a growing global population and reduce natural resource use.
During his presentation at “Feeding the World 2014: Sustainable solutions for a world crisis” hosted by The Economist, Simmons shared the main messages of the report, explaining that innovation, choice and trade will be the core solutions to tackle food security. Read more.
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