News Update
April 21, 2015
10 Opportunities on the Horizon
Animal scientist Gary Smith of Texas A&M University surveyed 12 beef industry experts from universities, beef organizations and ranchers to determine the top 10 opportunities for the beef cattle industry in the upcoming decade.
Topping the list is the need to emphasize “systems” approaches to supply chains and prescriptive production. Prescriptive production, he explained, is production for specific markets, like grass-fed, nonhormone-treated beef and even high-quality markets like the Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) brand.
Read the complete list in the April issue of the Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA — a free email newsletter that’s been ranked among the best in the beef cattle business. You can also sign up for the publication for even more management tips, marketing advice and news from the Angus Media team.
CattleFax Reports on Beef Carcass Weights
Throughout fall 2014, carcass weights were setting all-time highs as the national steer average carcass weighed in at more than 900 pounds (lb.). That’s according to a recent CattleFax report that says the 2014 carcass weight high occurred in November 2014 and was 22 lb. heavier than the 2013 high of 879 lb., a 3% increase.
The weighted average steer and heifer carcass weight, using slaughter as the adjustment factor, is 858 lb. year to date, says CattleFax Market Analyst Ethan Oberst. Several factors come into play when it comes to increasing carcass weights, including the wide cost of gain to fed-cattle sales price relationship, cheaper corn prices, and mild winter feeding conditions.
“Look for the year-over-year carcass-weight increases to be maintained for the remainder of 2015,” Oberst says.
Watch the weekly CattleFax Market Update on The Angus Report.
Looking Ahead: 2015 National Angus Convention
As plans take shape for the 2015 Angus Means Business National Convention & Trade Show, there’s even more in store for Angus producers and their partners.
“Following our first year in 2014, the National Angus Convention & Trade Show has quickly become one of the industry’s must-attend events,” says Becky Weishaar, Creative Media director for Angus Media and lead contact for the convention. “The event serves as a meeting place for anyone in beef, from seedstock breeders to commercial cattlemen and feeders.”
Prior to the official start of the convention, the Kansas Angus Association will host a preconference tour that allows attendees to spend a day visiting area Angus farms and ranches.
“The state of Kansas is home to several prominent Angus operations, and we are looking forward to showcasing their programs as part of the preconvention tour,” says Jeff Mafi, American Angus Association regional manager for Kansas and Oklahoma.
An additional registration fee applies for the Kansas tour, and attendees can reserve their spot when registering for the National Angus Convention & Trade Show.
There’s much more happening during the convention, and you can read the tentative schedule by accessing the news release online.
Corn Planting Delays Not a Problem Yet
There’s still plenty of time to get corn in the ground and expect good yields, says University of Missouri (MU) Extension specialist Bill Wiebold.
Yield does not begin to drop until the first week of May, and then only slightly, Wiebold says. “Given a good growing season, the opportunity for high yields still exists.”
His five-year research on planting date in central and northern Missouri shows that yield begins dropping by 5% the first week of May, 20% by the end of May and 40% by the end of June. Wiebold’s numbers are averages, and he points out that no one can predict yield based upon one year’s planting date.
As a rule, stick with corn through the end of May, he says.
Planting date is only one factor that determines yield. Temperature and precipitation in July and August affect yield more than planting date, Wiebold says.
Read more in the complete article online.
Online Registration Open for BIF Symposium
Online registration is now available for the 2015 Beef Improvement Federation Symposium (BIF) and Convention. The annual event is scheduled for June 9-12 in Biloxi, Miss. Mississippi State University and the Mississippi Extension Service will host the event at the Beau Rivage Casino and Hotel in Biloxi. Rebuilding the cow herd and female selection will be core themes of this year’s event.
A schedule, along with hotel and travel information, is available at www.bifconference.com, the Angus Journal’s online coverage site for the event.
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