Livestock and Forages News Articles
Articles published in Arkansas Cattle Business
Animal Science: Today and Tomorrow - July 2006
Last month, the Arkansas Beef Audit was introduced, and it was
stated that future articles would contain the audit results. However, we need to
talk about a number of excellent educational programs planned for this summer,
and we will pick up the Beef Audit next month.
Marketing Cattle in the Future At the
Researching Critical Issues for Arkansas Cattlemen conference held at the
Batesville Research Station, Dr. Bill Mies discussed changes in cattle marketing. In the
past, cattle were marketed on color, finish, frame size, and perception. Today,
the industry is rapidly adopting technology to market cattle based on facts
rather than perceptions, including electronic identification, computer systems,
and trolley tracking in packing houses. The day of selling generic beef is gone,
and the only generic beef left in the market is that portion that can’t or won’t
be identified to a buyer. Brands, both fresh and cooked product, are dominating
the meat case, and these are dictating cattle genetics and management processes.
Future marketing plans will involve producers managing their
cattle to fit the maximum number of programs possible. For example, calves that
are black could qualify for CAB and other Angus-based programs, calves that are
age-validated could qualify for the export market, and calves produced without
antibiotics or growth implants could qualify for natural programs or European
markets. Dr. Mies believes there will be a consolidation in the
number of livestock auctions. The same number of cattle will move through them,
but livestock auctions will be fewer and offer more special sales to accommodate
cattle for mainstream programs. The large auction barns will include video and
internet auctions in their repertoire of services that bring together buyers and
sellers for calves that fit the various branded programs. Markets will use a
cleanup day for calves qualified only for the generic market.
North Central Stocker Cattle Conference The North
Central Stocker Cattle Conference will be held on August 10, 2006, from 2:00
p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the North Arkansas College - South Campus in the John P. Hammerschmidt Center in Harrison, Arkansas. This is the conference’s third year,
and each year is better than the one before.
Dr. Dan Thomson from the Department of Clinical Sciences at
Kansas State University will discuss the latest concepts for stocker cattle
health. Previously, Dr. Thomson was the Director of Animal Health and Well-being
for Cactus Feeders in Amarillo, Texas.
Internal and external parasites can impact stocker cattle
profits. Dr. Chris Tucker, Department of Animal Science at the U of A, will
present the newest approaches to controlling internal parasites. Dr. Kelly
Loftin, University of Arkansas, will address the best methods to control
external parasites.
For the past 22 years, Jim Loftin has been an order buyer
procuring stocker and feeder cattle for others. He also runs a herd of 300
commercial cows with the calves usually retained through harvest. In addition,
2,500 to 4,000 head of stockers are run through his receiving and growing yard
annually. Mr. Loftin will discuss his experience with designing livestock
facilities for stocker cattle.
The registration fee for the North Central Stocker Cattle
Conference is $20 and is payable at the door. Farm Credit Services of Western
Arkansas is the sponsor for this program. For further information, contact your
local county agent.
Beef Cattle Marketing - Globally, Nationally, and Locally
As a result of the successful Department of Animal Science Centennial
Celebration symposium (June 2005) and the importance of beef marketing
identified by the Arkansas Beef Audit, a symposium on Beef Cattle Marketing -
Globally, Nationally, and Locally has been planned. The symposium will be held
August 15, 2006 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Pauline Whitaker Animal
Science Arena at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.
Mr. Marc Vanacht will begin the symposium, and he believes the
agriculture marketing system is collapsing. With production agriculture shifting
due to land, labor, water, and environmental regulations, agriculture marketing
has become global, not local or national. Mr. Vanacht, AG Business Consultants,
is experienced in business strategy development, product and marketing
management, and market research and analysis with and for companies and
government. His perspective will be very thought-provoking.
Age and source verification are already critical. Marcine
Moldenhauer, Strategic Supply Manager for Cargill Meats Solutions, will address
age and source verification and other marketing issues from an industry
perspective. Ms. Moldenhauer is responsible for setting direction, overseeing,
and executing alliances, partnerships, and marketing agreements for cattle
feeding to supply the branded and premium beef programs.
Following these speakers will be a producer panel made up of
three of the most well-respected cattle producers in Arkansas-Lawson Hembree,
David Miller and John Paul Pendergrass. Mr. Hembree represents the purebred
industry, Mr. Miller the cow-calf industry, and Mr. Pendergrass the stocker
industry. They will discuss how marketing their respective products has changed
and what future critical issues they see.
The registration fee for the Beef Cattle Marketing - Globally,
Nationally, and Locally symposium is $50 and is payable at the door. Sponsors
for this symposium include King Lecture and Farm Credit Services of Western
Arkansas. For further information, contact your local county Extension agent.
By: Dr. Keith Lusby and Dr. Tom Troxel
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