Bar V advances with CAB

by Lacey Altwegg

North Dakota is home to a ranch and feedlot that targets the Certified Angus Beef ^® (CAB^®) brand. Bar V Ranch LTD, Jamestown, N.D., has been committed to producing high-quality Angus cattle since the 1970s. In May, the Bar V 1,500-head feedlot took that commitment to the next level.

“We decided to become a partner in the CAB Feedlot Licensing Program,” says co-owner and manager Brian Amundson. “We were already doing a lot of the same management practices, so it just made sense. Now we have better carcass data to serve our customers.” He works along with wife Jennifer and parents Van and Patty Amundson to keep Bar V Ranch running smoothly.

Paul Dykstra, beef cattle specialist with CAB, compliments Amundson’s approach to feeding and marketing his cattle. “This will be a great outlet for North Dakota producers interested in the CAB target and getting data on their cattle,” he adds.

CAB-licensed feedlots add value with management that maximizes the genetic potential of Angus-influenced cattle, Dykstra says. Coordinating nutrition and implant management practices with ranch customers allow for the best in Angus carcass quality.

The program is designed to reward producers and feedlots for high-quality cattle that meet the CAB brand specifications. Partner feedlots enroll cattle and market them to CAB-licensed packers, earning premiums for those that qualify as CAB.

Bar V Ranch joins the ranks of 64 CAB feedlots in 16 states, in a system that promotes their ability to manage for quality. “Brian wants to feed the top end of the cattle population, and this affiliation with CAB will help provide a more public presence in the beef business,” Dykstra says.

Amundson classifies his feedlot as, “small with a competitive edge.” Bar V Ranch regularly sorts cattle at reimplant or at the feeding period midpoint for optimum quality, a benefit that is not common at larger feedlots, he says.

“We are able to spend more time on sorting, receiving, processing and shipping cattle to be sure we are producing the highest quality,” Amundson says. “That allows us to target the higher end market.”

Not only does Bar V Ranch pay special attention to the needs of cattle, but also the needs of the producer. Owning cattle on feed and also operating a 400-head cow-calf business, Amundson says he can relate to producers.

“I am in the beef business,” he says. “It’s what I do every day, so I am familiar with what producers go through. We feed cattle for investors and producers, but also for ourselves, so we truly put our money where our mouth is.”