October 6, 2020 | Vol. 13 : No. 9
Shocks to the beef industry were all part of 2020’s “unprecedented” theme, but how the market responded was less surprising. There was nothing for it but to make new plans and keep going, said a RaboResearch analyst. Dustin Aherin, animal protein vice president and analyst for Rabo AgriFinance, a RaboBank subsidiary, addressed those ideas at the virtual 2020 Feeding Quality Forum.
To those raising beef, this year’s opportunities might look similar to the past. But for those in the business of selling the protein, the horizon looks quite different.
More than 1,100 people from 27 countries gathered online for the Certified Angus Beef® Annual Conference late September, a record attendance for the event, to explore the possibilities.
Thick fog lifts out of the valley at sunrise, unveiling steep hills of green pastures and black cattle. The soft lowing of calves calls John Grimes to his morning trek to the barn. For as long as he can remember, there have been Angus cattle to feed.
It’s a call to serve, the same that led him to run for the American Angus Association Board of Directors. The sun now setting on his second three-year term, he reflects on his leadership as Certified Angus Beef® board chairman.
A consumer-driven beef industry means finding ways to engage and connect to the growing interest in where and how cattle are raised. Meat Scientist Brad Morgan talks about keeping up with the mindset shift in this video clip provided by Certified Angus Beef LLC and the American Angus Association.
Cattle are smart and adaptable; they learn from their mothers and the environment around them. Early interactions with humans set the stage for future responses. Cattle respond to good handling, becoming easy to manage. If mishandled, they react with suspicion or fear.
Certified Angus Beef LLC on Sept. 9 implemented two changes to its G1 schedule specifications. The first, a subtle rewording, adjusts the fat thickness limit from “less than 1 inch” to read “1 inch or less.” It might sound the same, but that precise language allows USDA graders more accurate measurements. Camera grading calculates fat thickness to several decimal places and that provides consistency and clarity when dealing with fractions of an inch. The second change allows packers with an “extended licensing agreement” to box beef from some primals that met all quality specifications, but exceed the ribeye area, up to 19 square inches.
Whether working cattle, or trotting happily alongside you and your horse on the trails, your cattle dog ensures you’re likely never alone. And while they may seem commonplace, cattle dogs and barn dogs live a unique lifestyle, being nearby large livestock, horses and heavy farm equipment. Their lifestyle requires grit, wit and intelligence. Help ensure your dog’s safety and well-being by learning what to do should your dog be injured at the farm, and by reviewing training tips for a dog’s safety.
While I enjoy all seasons of the year, fall tends to be my favorite. I think that preference is rooted in growing up on the farm. Fall was harvest time and a time to reap the rewards of the hard work we put into the crops and cattle. Growing up in central Illinois, the crops tended to take center stage, but my heart was always in the cattle. We calved in spring, so fall brought about weaning, getting the calves started on feed, and really being able to see what we had.
