’Tis the season to think about parasites robbing your beef cow herd. The weather is finally warmer, the bugs and other little things are crawling all over. But what about those you can’t see? Recent estimates put annual losses from internal parasites at $200 per cow-calf pair, so it’s no surprise many research studies say controlling them offers one of the best returns on investment in the business.
There’s no doubt, cattle that earn the Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB®) brand or Prime grade also earn premiums. In 2017 alone, packers in a biannual survey reported paying cattle owners $75 million in grid premiums specifically for CAB.
In the heart of South Dakota—a state ranked fourth in yearly Angus registrations, where all cattle outnumber people four to one—there’s been a bit of a desert for marketers of high-quality fed cattle. Many finished animals are still shipped to neighboring states for processing, but DemKota Ranch Beef, a packing plant in Aberdeen, S.D., is looking to keep a higher percentage of them close to home.
A cowman’s response to the ebb and flow of the industry is entirely up to the individual – but a choice is imminent. That’s why Dusty Abney, cow-calf and stocker nutritionist for Cargill Animal Nutrition, called out a few of the areas where producers have had to adapt through the years: volatile markets and regulations for starters.
Could the Certified Angus Beef ® brand reach a billion pounds in sales? It was an audacious question back at the turn of the century when first considered. Some of the CAB team at the time were, candidly, more optimistic than me. We did the math and looked at so many of the trend lines that were in place from acceptance rates to certified head count.
If you’ve never eaten beef lips, you’re proof of this beef export truth: “It’s all about putting the right cut in the right market and maximizing what opportunity there is.”
Targeting the Brand is now used much like one for a genetic test would be used to denote individually tested animals.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. By continuing to use this site, we will assume that you are in agreement.OK