News Room

Putting beef consumers first: February 08, 2008

About Consumer First Beef Partners

Consumer First Beef Partners is a joint effort by four companies to build bridges between consumers and American beef producers. Through unified leadership and education, the partners aim to better align production philosophies, strategies and management practices to raise cattle that meet the consumer demand for high-quality beef.

Consumer First Beef partners comprises Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB), Pfizer animal Health, Land O’ Lakes Purina Feed LLC and Drovers/food360. The four companies represent key components of meeting consumer demand: genetics, health, nutrition and communications/information.

‘Think Tank’ looks at beef consumer priorities: October 15, 2008

A beef industry group met in Denver, Colo., last month to find ways to better link producers to consumers. Consumer First Beef Partners™ brought leaders together Sept. 18-19 for a round-table discussion on beef quality issues.
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Beef Quality Articles

Despite changes, quality important: November 07, 2008
Whether they want to or not, a lot of producers may have to do things differently. High energy costs, higher costs for virtually all production inputs, a shaky economy and changing consumer preferences are forcing the issue.

Records refine female keep/cull decisions: October 10, 2008
For years, cow-calf producers have been urged to consider the tools available for selecting breeding bulls that will complement goals for herd improvement. Typically, greater emphasis has been placed on a bull’s contribution. Even among producers who retain ownership of calves and collect feedlot performance and carcass data to determine which traits need the most improvement, sire selection is often the primary focus for affecting change. However, some producers scrutinize females just as vigorously.

Why are fleshy feeder cattle discounted?: September 12, 2008
It’s common knowledge among veteran sellers of feeder cattle. You can ask any of the local auction barn’s regular observers - those retired stockmen roosting ringside at every sale. They can tell you what usually happens as a string of fleshy feeders come through the ring. Typically, the bidding weakens when the cattle carry “too much condition.” Conventional wisdom says those cattle won’t perform as well in the feedyard.

Fetal programming and its unintended consequences: August 29, 2008
Producers that analyze their costs know it. Others have been told how feed costs represent the biggest chunk of money spent to run a cow-calf operation. They’ve all heard agricultural economists say feed accounts for 60 to 70 percent of total production costs.

Sort calves for weight: August 15, 2008
Throughout much of cow country, selling calves at weaning, or shortly thereafter, remains a popular marketing method. Since the majority of calves in the U.S. are spring-born, October and November become primary marketing months. Some folks run all or part of their calves over as yearlings, but many others sell the whole crop in the fall. One reason often cited, among calf-sellers, is a lack of resources required to carry calves over to yearlings.

Pursuing premiums or dodging discounts: July 25, 2008
If you find spirited debate stimulating and entertaining, gather up a bunch of folks who share an interest in merchandising fed cattle through a value-based or grid-marketing system. Start the fun by asking which strategy offers the most profit potential. Is it maximizing the rewards grids pay for superior carcass merit, or is it avoiding the docking of dollars that accompanies negative carcass attributes? Should a cattle feeder be pursuing premiums or dodging discounts?

Visit archive for more on quality: July 11, 2008
Are you in the cow business? Perhaps you’re a stocker operator or engaged in cattle feeding. Since you’re reading this, we will assume you have an interest in the production and marketing of high-quality beef.

Made in the Shade: June 13, 2008
When it comes to summer-time cattle feeding, the best results are made in the shade. Studies by University of California–Davis animal scientists suggests shade provides more relief from heat stress among feedlot cattle than misting or sprinkling with water. Furthermore, the availability of shade altered heat induced cattle behavior and had positive effects on both performance and carcass merit.

High Corn Prices and the Economics of Creep Feeding and Early Weaning: May 30, 2008
The economics of feeding grain-based supplements to nursing calves has long been a subject of debate among cow-calf producers.

Opportunity for Calf Buyers: May 08, 2008
If the forecasts of many market analysts are correct, this fall's calf prices will be lower. The high cost of corn and other feed grains has pushed feedyard costs of gain higher, making placement of heavier cattle more appealing to cattle feeders. Feedyard economics favor shorter feeding periods associated with cattle weighing 700 pounds or more, rather than lighter calves requiring more days on feed.

Plan for lower calf prices: April 25, 2008
For several years, calf sellers have been in the catbird seat. Demand for their calves remained good and calf prices stayed higher longer than many people expected. It's been a pretty good ride, but it looks rough up ahead.