Value of Bull to Commercial Herd Exceeds ‘Relative’ Value
A good bull is the best investment a producer can make.
The value of bulls in commercial herds goes beyond the “relative” value typically ascribed to them in market pricing, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert.
Joe Paschal, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension livestock specialist, said a good bull is likely the “best investment” a cattle producer can make.
“In publications referencing cattle values for commercial producers, as well as reports from beef breed associations, the value of a bull is often given as equivalent to the average value of five weaned calves,” said Paschal. “This has been a long-held comparison for determining the value of a bull, but it really doesn’t take into account all aspects of what bulls provide to the herd.” Read more.
Allen Moczygemba
Association Perspective
The National Angus Convention and Annual Meeting offers much for commercial cattlemen.
The journey began with the inaugural meeting of the Association being hosted in November 1884 in Chicago. That was the second year of existence for the American Aberdeen-Angus Breeders’ Association, as the organization was then known. The meeting was hosted annually in Chicago for the next 90 years. In 1975, the annual meeting was moved to Louisville after the closing of the International Live Stock Exposition in Chicago.
The concept for the National Angus Convention had been discussed for a number of years. Key staff members had become convinced that the Association members and their commercial customers deserved an annual convention that allowed them to hear outstanding keynote speakers, participate in forward-looking educational sessions, and have the opportunity to enjoy a bustling trade show that would allow allied industry partners to exhibit their products and/or services to the leading Angus breeders in the world. Read more.
Texas Land Trends Report Shows Changes
in Rural Working Lands, Operators
Texas working lands are increasingly threatened.
Fragmentation of rural working lands, an increasing population and changes in landowner age, residency, land-use preferences and other factors are addressed in the new Texas Landowner Changes and Trends report.
“The goal of this report is to describe the state’s growing population and the data relating to rural lands,” said Roel Lopez, director of the Natural Resources Institute, part of the Texas A&M University System. “Using several datasets, we have also evaluated a number of demographics among landowners of privately owned rural working lands.” Read more.
What’s Inside …
In this October 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:
- Tips on Barn Lighting and Electricity
- Benefits of Humane Cattle Handling
- Cut Costs with Stockpiled Forages
- Don’t Feed the Fever
- Frost Brings Concerns
- On Target: Add Value by Culling, Feeding
- In the Cattle Markets: Technicals Suggest Weaker Future Cattle Prices
- Ensuring Bull Fertility
- The Mystery and Magic of Minerals
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 available in the API Virtual Library.
Market Update
The big picture on beef demand and higher market prices.
Cattle feeders in the week of Oct. 9 were able to push the market higher once again, with a market average of $111 per hundredweight (cwt.) and an increase of $1 per cwt. on the week. Packer margins are getting a bit more narrow, but are certainly large enough to encourage the kind of weekly production we’ve seen.
The big picture for not only beef, but pork and poultry as well, is that demand is impressive here in the fourth quarter even as production of each of those proteins is large. Carcass weights took a step back in the latest report, dropping 3 pounds (lb.) from 897 lb. to 894 lb. on the steers. That compares to 909 lb. a year ago and this year’s lower numbers tell us active cattle movement to packing plants is tempering the normal carcass weight increase run into November. Read more.
Coping With Grief
Living your life after a loss.
Losing someone you love can change your world. You miss the person who has died and want them back. You may feel sad, alone or even angry. You might have trouble concentrating or sleeping. If you were a busy caregiver, you might feel lost when you’re suddenly faced with lots of unscheduled time. These feelings are normal. There’s no right or wrong way to mourn. Scientists have been studying how we process grief and are learning more about healthy ways to cope with loss.
The death of a loved one can affect how you feel, how you act and what you think. Together, these reactions are called grief. It’s a natural response to loss. Grieving doesn’t mean that you have to feel certain emotions. People can grieve in very different ways. Read more.