News Update

May 24, 2016

What Do Consumers Want?

Connecting with beef consumers and establishing a positive narrative around America’s farms and ranches is a critical mission for the future of the cattle industry. To be successful, Angus breeder Nathan Martin says cattle producers need to understand what consumers want and consumers need to understand how much producers care.

Martin experiences this firsthand while serving on the Missouri Beef Industry Council and shares what he’s learned about building trust with consumers.

“The consumer wants to really, as much as anything, know and understand … They want to have confidence that we’re doing a good job, we’re not mistreating, we’re using appropriate levels of vaccinations and any kind of medications only when needed and that sort of thing,” he says.

Watch Martin’s full interview on this week’s episode of The Angus Report. You can catch the show at 1:30 p.m. CST Saturday and 7:30 a.m. CST each Monday morning on RFD-TV.

— Adapted from The Angus Report.

Celebrating Beef Month

For all the talk of fads and changing consumer habits, this remains: What makes a good beef eating experience today is the same as it was 40 years ago. A new research report details, and updates, the science that still defines the ideal carcass.

“They continue to research it, and we continue to see the same results — that more marbling is better,” says Meat Scientist Phil “Dr. Phil” Bass.

“It’s amazing the amount of data that’s out there that just shows Angus cattle, in general, will tend to have better carcass quality,” Phil Bass says, referencing work as old as 1982 and as current as 2014.

The 25-page literature review he recently authored for his company is titled, “The scientific basis of the Certified Angus Beef^® (CAB^®) brand carcass specifications.” It combines findings of 127 published scientific articles to help explain the technical basis for the brand’s third-party-evaluated criteria.

Those include everything from a “10- to 16-square-inch ribeye” to “no dark cutters.” It all starts with cattle that are at least 51% black-hided, as a way to identify “Angus-type cattle.”

Continue reading the Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA article online.

— Adapted from an article by Miranda Reiman, Certified Angus Beef LLC.

Association Perspective

As calving and breeding seasons wrap up, many producers begin to look at the marketing of their feeder calves. One of the most commonly asked questions is, “When should I try to sell my calves so I can capitalize on the highest prices?”

Chasing the summer video markets can be a frustrating experience, and using last year’s highs and lows to determine when to place this year’s calves isn’t always the best strategy. In the past two years, if you sold calves in June each year you would have captured a seasonal high last year, while catching a seasonal low the previous year.

The same could be said about the fall markets. Producers who sold in August and September last year in 2015 did not see the highs of those that sold in the spring and early summer. However, in 2014, those selling in the late summer and fall video sales sold their calves at a much higher price than those who sold in the spring of that year.

— Adapted from an article by Kurt Kangas, American Angus Association.

Getting First-calf Heifers Rebred on Time

It can be a challenge to get first calvers rebred without losing ground. All too often they calve later the next year or come up open. The 2-year-old is nursing her first calf, still growing, and needs good nutrition and body condition to cycle on schedule after calving.

Colin Palmer, associate professor of theriogenology at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Saskatchewan, says people still recommend breeding heifers a few weeks ahead of the cows. “Heifers tend to have a longer postpartum recovery period than cows before they start cycling again. To overcome that, some ranchers have the heifers calving about one cycle length (three weeks) earlier than the cows. This gives them more chance to breed back again on time,” he says.

For more information, access the Angus Media news article online.

— Adapted from an article by Heather Smith Thomas for Angus Media.

Upcoming Veterinary Feed Directive Seminar

A new federal regulation that affects livestock producers, veterinarians and the feed industry is set to take full effect on Jan. 1, 2017. To help prepare all parties impacted by this regulation, The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation will host a Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) seminar from 1-5 p.m., Thurs., June 16, at the Noble Foundation Kruse Auditorium.

“Implementation of the Veterinary Feed Directive is a significant event in the livestock industry,” said Bryan Nichols, livestock consultant. “Producers, veterinarians and livestock feed providers all must be aware of the implications of this regulation before it comes into full effect so the transition can be as seamless as possible.”

To help provide understanding into the various facets of the new regulation, the Noble Foundation has put together a group of expert speakers that represents academia, the veterinary community and the feed industry.

For more information, visit the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events.

— Adapted from a release by the Noble Foundation.

— Compiled by Paige Nelson, field editor, Angus Media.

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