fbpx

Tag: feedlot

Circle A Feeders wins CAB honors

Quality Focus Award goes, again, to Missouri feedlot

 

by Miranda Reiman

In athletics, the real standouts compete against their own numbers, always trying to better their last performance. In a list of feeding greats, the people at Circle A Feeders, Huntsville, Mo., have certainly made a place for themselves—especially in the Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB®) record books.

From 2007 to 2008, during their inaugural year in the feeding business, Circle A posted an acceptance rate of 61.4% CAB and USDA Prime on 917 enrolled cattle, and vowed to better that with more experience.

That’s a promise kept, and then some. During the current award year, June 2008 through May 2009, the feedyard increased to 78.6% CAB and Prime on 1,285 head enrolled. That blew by the previous record they established by more than 17 percentage points, cementing a claim on the top annual acceptance rate across all awards and years.

These outstanding stats earned the feedlot, an enterprise of the large registered and commercial Circle A Ranch, repeat CAB honors. Mark Akin, general manager, traveled to the brand’s annual conference in Scottsdale, Ariz., in September to accept the 2009 Quality Focus Award for yards with capacity of 15,000 head or less.

Akin says Circle A staff honed their skill and requirements for cattle coming into the yard. They have “tightened down” on the qualifications, which include age-and-source verified (SAV), 600 to 800 pounds (lb.), less than 11 months old and –  perhaps most importantly – 50% or more sired by Circle A bulls.

The customers must also wean the calves at least 45 days and give two rounds of vaccinations, but in return Circle A will buy full interest at a premium to the average market price.

“Genetics are a part of it, but education and management are the other parts,” Akin says. Marketing manager Nick Hammett spends on-farm time with producers before their calves are accepted into the program.

“He is really our customer service manager or our fieldsman,” Akin says. “He walks through the cattle and talks with the owner to make sure it’s a good fit.”

Once calves are approved and purchased, Akin, feedlot manager Scott Crews and the rest of the team do everything in their power to keep the animals on the quality track. The 5,000-head yard is completely enclosed, with management set up to minimize stress from arrival through harvest.

The market has not rewarded Choice grading carcasses over Select as much as usual, but Akin says their sights remain high in anticipation of seasonal adjustments.

“It’s just like everything. With those seasons, there’ll be another with a wide Choice/Select spread, so you don’t make changes,” he says. “The feedyard is set up as the ‘top of the top’ in cattle feeding operations and those are the kind of cattle we’re going to recruit. We’re not going to change that.”

He explains that’s been a ranch philosophy long before the feedlot was even on the horizon.

“Even though we weren’t getting rewarded for the genetic evaluation on our commercial herd, we did it anyhow. Even when we weren’t getting paid for our database, we were collecting weaning weights and carcass data,” he says.

Times have changed and Akin says the ranch does get rewarded for that now, because “information is power.”

“We’ve got to collect all of that and disseminate it to be better business people,” he adds.

The Circle A team continues to take knowledge of their own Angus genetics and combine it with a tried and true feeding program to dominate the quality arena.

Best on a quest

Buffalo Feeders wins 2009 CAB Large Feedlot of the Year

 

by Laura Nelson

At Buffalo Feeders LLC, military precision brings in the feeding day, sure as reveille.

Trucks trundle out at 0600 hours, filled with ration that has been weighed and measured within a 1% accuracy margin. Every load of corn has been sampled, and the flake is tested every hour. Pen after pen of uniform, black cattle line the bunks, ready for chow.

The Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB®) brand’s 2009 Large Feedlot of the Year, located near Buffalo, Okla., marches to meticulous order. “It’s got to have something to do with my army background. I like things to be just so…” says manager Tom Fanning, who accepted the award at the brand’s Annual Conference this September in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Contrary to common military thinking, however, the 40-member crew at Buffalo is focused on individuality. Animal induction procedures rely heavily on technology and information from producers. There’s an electronic identification (EID) tag reader on each scale and a scale under each chute to enter each animal into Buffalo’s database. As often as possible, Fanning works with producers who retain ownership to track individual birth, weaning and yearling weights. The database links ranch tags to yard tags to help producers make herd decisions based on feeding and carcass results.

Cattle manager Caleb Nelson works to help customers understand the “intel” that comes back to them. “Whether they are using our information to buy bulls or sell their cows, we want to help them enhance their program back home,” he says. “We’re trying to help customers that are trying to put together something from their genetics to consumption, from pasture to plate.”

Sorting for uniformity is the key to capturing more value. “To me, sorting is the best thing we can do for a customer,” Fanning says. “The cattle that are uniform are easier to sell because they go through the packing plant easier.”

Cattle are frequently re-evaluated, re-sorted and grouped with others at the same target feed-intake levels. Intake goals are set for each pen based on a mathematical equation. “When we’re challenging those cattle to increase their intakes, we have to know where they’re at according to their goal,” Fanning says.

But crunching numbers in an equation is only part of the precision. Cattle are ultrasound scanned at re-implant to monitor progress, a kind of hard information that carries immediate orders. “We try to sort those cattle that day according to what the scan projection was,” Nelson says. Cattle expected to finish at the same quality level are grouped to optimize uniformity.

Fanning relies on his background as an agriculture economics major in college to optimize value in the balance between producing and marketing quality cattle. “It’s all about managing details, not only on your production, but on your marketing, too,” he says, “from risk management, to where you’re selling your cattle, or what programs they’re selling into.” With a calculator seemingly never out of reach, Fanning constantly puts dollars and cents to his feeding practices. 

 “The risk management side of the cattle business is so key,” Fanning says. “Our business has changed and the price volatility has increased. So what we try to offer are some risk management tools for our customers.

 When a feedyard operates with the precision of a combat mission, it’s a lot easier to find time to focus on customers. “We want to manage the details every day – the small things, down to the individual animal, whether that’s through animal health or feed delivery or through visiting with customers. If you manage the pennies, the dollars take care of themselves.” That’s not just a battle plan; it’s a proven path to victory for Angus producers.

ASCC brings out the best

Second quarter winners zero in on quality through AngusSource®

 

by Laura Nelson

Mason Fleenor may squint a little when checking pens, but he certainly sees 20/20 when it comes to selecting top-quality cattle.

The Iowa seedstock producer and manager of GG Genetics feedlot picked out 41 of his own steers to win the northeast region’s AngusSource® Carcass Challenge (ASCC) second quarter title for 2009, with 90.2% qualifying for the Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB®) brand or USDA Prime.

But he’s not the only one with a vision for great AngusSource genetic- age- and source- verified cattle. Mike Kasten, Millersville, Mo.; Jimmy Thomas, Homedale, Idaho; and Jack and June Zimmerman, Checotah, Okla., also took top honors in their regions for the April-June quarter.

This was the first ASCC entry for Fleenor and his wife Diane, but for more than 20 years they have focused on producing Angus bulls that enhance carcass quality. From 2003 to ’06, their cattle set the pace in the National Angus Carcass Challenge as well, winning two championships.

“We’ve always tried to breed for carcass traits, and you just have to keep breeding them – you have to have those traits on the cow and the sire sides.” says Fleenor. “We’ve been using high-marbling, high-carcass bulls for a long time, and now it’s finally getting into the cowherd, too.”

Besides feeding their own calves, the Fleenors buy calves from their bull customers to feed in their CAB-licensed feedlot. There, they get a high-energy, high-roughage ration but minimal implants. This recent ASCC-winning pen, comprised of steers culled from bull prospects, entered the contest implant-free.

The feedlot pens are stock-full of cattle that consistently grade above the curve. “All of our cattle grade good, because they’re all out of our genetics,” Fleenor says, while admitting, “I guess I’m kind of prejudiced.”

He doesn’t use ultrasound to sort, relying on focused information and a practiced visual focus, an eye for quality: “When I know the genetics and have the data behind me, I can pick ’em every time.”

To the southwest, the crew at Irsik & Doll Feed Yard (IDFY), Garden City, Kan., maintains sharp sights as well. Missourian Mike Kasten repeated his first quarter ASCC victory in the central region with the help of feedlot manager Mark Sebranek and CAB quality assurance officer Jerry Jackson. IDFY also foregoes the use of ultrasound technology for a trained eye and historical data on animals from a herd they have worked with for more than 10 years.

“We have enough data and pedigrees from the past on our cows, we’ve got a good handle on estimating which ones are going to do well,” says Kasten. He and wife Priscilla have kept carcass data for more than 20 years. The couple work to closely match proven bulls to cows with a history of top-quality carcass progeny.

Using timed artificial insemination (AI), Kasten attributes much of his carcass contest success to one bull. “His calves have been averaging 42% Prime,” he says. “We work hard to get those cattle bred with the best proven genetics, and getting in there with AI gives us more consistency and quality in our cattle.”

Nearly 90% of Kasten’s 39-head pen of steers made CAB or Prime in the second quarter, consistent with the 90.5% pen that won first quarter. Both were heavily influenced by the same bull, which Kasten has spent 20 years stacking pedigrees to produce.  

In the north-central region, Jimmy Thomas similarly relies on proven genetics. He and wife Sarah have sourced bulls from Rancho Casino and Dal Porto Livestock in California for nearly 15 years. “They’re good people with good cattle, and we are good friends,” Thomas says. “That makes it pretty easy to do good work.

“All the bulls we buy are performance tested,” Thomas says. “We don’t just go by the EPDs (expected progeny differences); they give us the actual marbling scores and ribeye measurements. We put quite a bit of emphasis on that.” A tight genetic focus paid off with 85% of his 40-head pen achieving CAB acceptance or Prime.

Thomas puts those genetics to use at Beller Feedlot in Lindsey, Neb. He and feedlot manager Terry Beller share a competitive spirit. Beller says, “We love challenges. Our goal is always to produce as many Prime and CAB carcasses as we can without getting too big and too fat.”

Thomas is right on cue. “I guess you could say I’m kind of competitive,” he says. “CAB is the most noted branded beef program there is, and over the years I’ve been able to finish above the national average on CAB acceptance rates.”

Thomas and Beller are no strangers to success. They met in 2003 when Thomas was accepting the CAB Commercial Commitment to Excellence award and Beller was being honored as the brand’s Small Feedlot Partner of the Year. Both have frequented the winner’s circle in Angus carcass contests.

But it’s not always a focus on attaining the best cattle that matters. Sometimes, success is found in getting rid of the poorer ones. Jack and June Zimmerman won the ASCC southeast region for the quarter with 48.8% CAB acceptance or Prime, and no grading discounts. The couple feed their cattle with Buffalo (Okla.) Feeders.

Buffalo manager Tom Fanning says that perfect record is a key to profitability: “Look at this – it’s zero discounts!” he says, pointing to the data sheets. “What we’ve learned is, the premiums are great, but it’s not always how many premiums you have; it’s how many discounts you don’t have.”

The Zimmermans started keeping detailed ranch records in 1979 when they purchased JZ6 Ranch. Thirty years later, they still meticulously track herd records and carcass data.

“June and Jack know every cow on their place. They know their bloodlines – they know everything about everything in their herd,” says Fanning.

All ASCC contestants will be in the know by the end of the calendar year when the overall annual winner is announced. All regional winners from each quarter will be eligible for the $500 cash award. The completion will stiffen as the year goes on – entries nearly quadrupled from the first quarter to second quarter. “We would really like to encourage more feedyards to enter the contest,” says Sara Snider, director of AngusSource. “It is so exciting to see this contest grow. The carcass results we’re getting back are a real tribute to what quality Angus genetics can do.”

For more information on AngusSource or the ASCC, call 816-383-5100 or visit www.AngusSource.com.         

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.”

AngusSource ’08 contest winners

 

by Miranda Reiman

The top groups in the 2008 AngusSource® Carcass Challenge (ASCC) “blew the doors off” average quality grades, says program director Sara Snider.

Three feedlots won more than $1,000 in cash and prizes for first through fifth place finishes during the inaugural year of the contest. Entries consisted of at least 38 head of age-, source- and genetic-verified calves fed through the network of Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB)-licensed partners.

“Our goal was to illustrate the value of those calves in the feedyard and recognize those procuring AngusSource calves and targeting the brand,” Snider says.

Beller Feedlot, Lindsay, Neb., received $500 for the winning group that went 80.7% Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB®) and Prime. That’s more than four times the national average.

Those 62 steers were purchased from longtime Montana customers Mike Green, Dennis Green and Scott and Traci Glasscock.

“We scanned for high marbling and took the top 62,” says Terry Beller, feedlot owner-manager. “These were kind of the heart of them, but even the ‘out’ cattle did extremely well.”

The third-place entry, at 68.2% CAB and Prime, also belonged to Beller Feedlot. That earned them an additional $100.

Neighboring feedyard, Beller Corporation, scored second and fifth place in the ASCC. The cattle purchased from Gray’s Angus Ranch, near Harrison, Neb., went 69.1% CAB and Prime. Their number five group went 67.4%.

“There’s a big advantage to buying from the same source: You know what you’ve got,” Doug Beller says. He, along with brothers Dennis and Duane, collected $350 in prize money.

Cattleman’s Choice Feedyard, Gage, Okla., and Jimmy Taylor, Elk City, Okla., split the $100 prize for their fourth-place entry. Taylor’s first time retaining ownership showed 66 steers going 67.7% CAB and Prime.

“We set the standards pretty high here. I’m going to have to work really hard to keep it at this level,” says Dale Moore, owner-manager of Cattleman’s Choice.

In the fourth-quarter 2008 ASCC results, 45 heifers harvested Nov. 24 at the Cargill-Schuyler (Neb.) plant surpassed national quality grade averages but did not make it to the final round, Snider says. Still excellent, high-value cattle, they were fed by Beller Feedlot, which bought them from Schroeder Ranch, Thedford, Neb. Second- and third-quarter ASCC winners were previously announced.

Snider says the American Angus Association is looking forward to this year’s contest, which will continue to name quarterly winners in each region before bestowing a national title at the end of the year.

“We’d really like to see the contest grow,” she says. “If you’re feeding at or selling to a Certified Angus Beef licensed feedyard, just make sure they know you are interested in the ASCC. There’s no cost to enter and the paperwork is minimal.”

In addition to the 38-head minimum, cattle must be harvested in one lot. They can be steers, heifers or mixed-sex groups and can come from multiple operations, if all are AngusSource enrolled.

To learn about the AngusSource program or the ASCC, visit www.AngusSource.com, contact Snider at 816-383-5100 or email her at ssnider@angus.org.