Record-high calf prices last year spelled good news for most U.S. ranchers, but there was an extra bonus for many of them. That came in the form of record-high premiums paid for Angus calves at auction compared to non-Angus contemporaries, as reported to Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB). The database on more than 300,000 calves sold in 13,794 lots at 10 markets since 1999 is part of the company’s “Here’s the Premium” project.
You’ve heard me say it before but just to be sure: Packers are not your enemy. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let me talk a little about packers and beef quality.
Breeding for high quality and retaining heifers over generations, Mike Kasten sees results. The Millersville, Mo., rancher has used artificial insemination (AI) for decades, finishing the progeny and collecting data.
Cattle feeders don’t like $7 or $8 corn, but they know what to do at those higher prices. Most of them feed cattle longer to heavier weights and sort them to market on a grid.
Maybe not all cattle feeders see it that way, but in the big picture, that’s what is happening, says Shawn Walter, president of Professional Cattle Consultants (PCC). He presented “How big can we go?” at last month’s Feeding Quality Forum in Grand Island, Neb., and Amarillo, Texas.
Demand for the Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) brand surged higher in 2011, which helps explain a 40% jump in packer-reported CAB grid premiums.
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