On the road to quality took me to Georgia and Alabama this week with two very good friends and colleagues: James Stice, of Kensington Angus, and Darrell Busby, with the Tri-County Steer Carcass Futurity in Iowa.  With James as our guide, we visited several commercial cow-calf producers in western and southern Georgia and eastern Alabama to see some very high-quality Angus cattle in this part of the world.

I say without hesitation that the overall profile of beef cattle quality has increased dramatically in this geographic region.  Cattle from the southeastern U.S. have been trucked to the midwest and high plains for years to be fed in commercial feedlots.  Twenty years ago, however, southeastern cattle probably did not have the “shiniest” reputation for quality; nor for their health status.  But, according to a recent study we have completed with Mr. Busby, southeastern cattle were healthier, had a higher percentage of cattle grading in the upper two-thirds of  USDA Choice, and made more money than Midwestern sourced cattle.  Here’s the link: Abstract – 2010 Southern ASAS Meeting – Feedlot Performance and Carcass Traits for Southeast or Midwest Calves

The ranchers and farmers in this area of the country should be congratulated for their diligence in changing the paradigm for the cattle they raise.  Also, laud and honor should go to the seedstock producers,like Kensington Angus,for giving the commercial men and women the genetics to make this type of progress.

I would like to visit with anyone about what I saw, and hope you will chime in on this subject.  Till next time when I travel to Oklahoma, adios!

~Gary