The Link
Do you have a target?
Gross weight has always been an important factor when selling cattle. We are, have been and will continue to sell pounds of beef whether you are a rancher or a feeder. In order to receive a premium price on those pounds of beef being sold, it’s important to focus on producing a product for which consumers are willing to pay more.
Today, demand for high-quality U.S. beef is increasing worldwide. Along with quality, a growing number of consumers want to know more about where their food comes from and how it was produced. Fortunately for cattle producers, there are more tools available today to help them produce a product that achieves said premiums. In addition, there are several avenues a producer can utilize to improve his or her position when it’s time to market their product.
As more markets open up for high-quality beef, the demand for a known, consistent product from a reputable source will grow independently from normal market parameters.
The advances in genetic evaluation have made it easier for a producer to make more informed decisions necessary to improve their product. In addition, certain evaluations enable producers to use the findings to increase their calves’ marketability. As more markets open up for high-quality beef, the demand for a known, consistent product from a reputable source will grow independently from normal market parameters.
Other avenues available to potentially increase both value and marketing opportunities include USDA Process Verified Programs (PVP) such as Non-Hormone Treated Cattle (NHTC), all natural Never-Ever3 (NE3) and age and source verifications. In recent years, the demand for cattle in these programs has grown and is becoming more consistent, which has resulted in a higher level of competition from buyers at sale time.
Taking the steps to prepare your cattle for a specific market often extends beyond traditional management. You should consider programs that enable you to separate your cattle from the pack and increase your return on investment.
In tough markets it is important to maximize the influence that you have over your marketing plan. To do that, it’s important to utilize available resources for optimal target performance. Maximizing tools and programs will separate you from the average. Targets may be different for each producer, but one constant is that we always should be trying to improve profitability.
Editor’s note: Casey Cobb is an Angus LinkSM field representative and can be reached by email.
