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| October 14, 2005 | |
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Table of Contents Industry Legend Jim Gosey To Retire At Year's End Industry Needs Better Consumer Data Looking At Differentiation A Different Way Privatization of National ID? Well, Sort Of Elanco, GangaGen Partner To Whip E. coli Appeals Court Denies R-CALF Rehearing Request Analysts Seek Reasons For Fed-Price Rally Gov. Schwarzenegger Vetoes Mandatory COOL Angus Records More Than 300,000 Animals In 2005 NALF Rolls Out Online Recording System USDA Says 2005 Corn Yield Will Be Second Highest FMD Outbreak Threatens Brazilian Beef Exports Johne's Disease Testing Research Provides Hope Cattle-Fax: Cow Costs Vary Significantly Between Regions Factors In Vet Shortage Began 35 Years Ago ADVERTISEMENT The POWER of one BRAND can change your future in the beef business. Certified Angus Beef®, the oldest, most successful branded beef program in the industry returned more than $50 million in grid premiums in 2003. The demand for CAB® brand products translates into fed cattle premiums of $2-$5/cwt. Source-verified, high-percentage Angus replacement females often top auctions by selling for $50-$100 per head above cash market. Sale barn surveys conducted at nine auction markets indicated premiums are paid, not for black-hided cattle, but for high-percentage-Angus cattle. One brand, one breed--the power of one can change your future in the beef business. www.angus.org ![]() Certified Angus Beef® and CAB® are registered trademarks of Certified Angus Beef, LLC Our Perspective Industry Legend Jim Gosey To Retire At Year's End Just about anyone with cows is either aware of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's (UNL) Jim Gosey, or has benefited from his unique combination of cowman common sense and scientific expertise. I'm not qualified to speak to the legacy of his 34-year, UNL career and his positive impact on the industry and the profitability of countless operations, or his role in educating an industry on such time-proven concepts as heterosis and breed complementarity. I can say, however, that every time I heard him speak, I learned something that helped improve my operation. And, the opportunities I had to tap his expertise in a one-on-one situation were even more fruitful. Like many people in this industry, his impact went far beyond his research and education, to a pronounced personal level in terms of the number of people's lives he positively influenced. Of course, Gosey's intention to retire at year's end doesn't mean he'll actually retire. Hopefully he'll just play more and work less. When one ponders the impact of such individuals on the cattle industry, however, it also makes one consider the role land-grant universities and Extension have played in developing research, technology and improved management techniques. Sadly it's a system in decline, the long-term aspects of which will significantly impact the industry. Congratulations to you, Dr. Gosey. I'm sure the industry will do its best to express its gratitude over the next several months, and we are truly in your debt. -- Troy Marshall Back to Top Industry Needs Better Consumer Data This week, USDA's ERS released an outlook report entitled "Factors Affecting U.S. Beef Consumption." It contained a lot of interesting information on how beef is second to poultry in consumption and how Midwesterners on average eat 10 lbs. more beef/year than those in the Northeast. Perhaps not surprisingly, the majority of beef is still consumed at home, and rural people tend to eat more beef than urbanites. There was also confirmation of facts often neglected, such as low-income people consume more beef than high-income people. And, as cattlemen, we tend to look at the middle meats as our crowning achievement, but the single biggest category -- by a wide margin -- is that inexpensive and steady performer, ground beef. Sitting in on several meetings this fall that featured top officials of the HRI trade, one representing fast-food burgers, and the other, steaks, I learned of two totally different perspectives regarding what's needed to drive beef demand. The steak outfit saw beef as a premium product, with price being an issue. The other sees beef as a low-priced volume product, with chicken selling at higher price levels. But this USDA report was based on 1994-96 and 1998 data, before beef demand began its tremendous rise. Anyone who looks at the meat case, or our production system from nearly a decade ago, knows things are so dramatically different that to use that as a basis to understand the consumer is folly. Thankfully NCBA and the producers on the Cattlemen's Beef Board are using much more current and sophisticated data sets to base their decisions upon consumer attitudes. Still, the reality is this data is very expensive and very difficult to do correctly. Understanding the consumer requires extremely close relationships with marketers of our products, as well as a unique ability to drill through broad demographic segmentation and trends to understand the underlying drivers and principles. Beef demand and beef consumption numbers both domestically and globally are the key to creating a prosperous and growing industry, yet they are the two areas in which we consistently under-invest. As producers, we can see the results of using the latest nutritional supplement, a new genetic-evaluation tool, and or the latest protocol for synchronizing heats. But if one were to do a cost/benefit analysis on the value of these areas compared to growing beef demand by 10%, it would be pretty obvious we're jumping over dollars to get to pennies. -- Troy Marshall Back to Top Looking At Differentiation A Different Way Attend any cattle-industry meeting and you'll likely hear someone mention the need to differentiate your product, the value of branding, and exhorting individuals to embrace and implement these concepts. More likely than not, most producers listen and recognize the inherent value, but still end up asking themselves: "But, how do I differentiate my product? I use the best genetics I can afford. I implement all the latest info on nutrition and herd health, and a whole host of things, but so do a lot of other people." Differentiation of a product in this industry is a challenge. For one thing, the average is always moving up. Thus, you must continually strive to outperform your contemporaries in order to move ahead. But, differentiation isn't solely about the product, though it's central to any differentiation strategy. It isn't even primarily about the product. It's about understanding the customer and what he or she truly needs and wants. What is the single biggest factor your customer (backgrounder, feeder, packer, perhaps even consumer) wants from you? Odds are they will want your calves to grow, convert, hit certain carcass specs, stay healthy, etc. I'm willing to bet, however, that those aren't their primary concerns. Perhaps they'd love to get the calves in September instead of October in order to spread out their labor costs and help them reach a more opportune marketing window. Maybe it's something as simple as sorting them differently, more access for your product in various branded programs, or a guarantee the product will perform as you claim. To say you can't differentiate your operation and add value to a transaction is simply an excuse, a loser's limp. What other business can't you say the same about? Most restaurants offer similar food at similar levels of service and price, and attract customers with similar expectations, etc. Yet, some prosper, some command a premium and some create more value. They do it in a myriad of ways, be it product, ambiance, price, service, or something else they've done to set themselves apart from the crowd. Differentiation is taking the time to understand your customers, your strengths, and creating an experience that wows them. It can be about radical, innovative concepts, products and business models but, more often than not, it's just better execution, superior relationships and focusing on what it is you can contribute. If you refuse to embrace differentiation, expect to embrace the consequences of that decision -- fanatical devotion to lowering cost, people will differentiate anyway, and your alternative will be price. Volume and economies of scale rule in a non-differentiated market as margins will be under constant pressure. Don't expect loyalty in a non-differentiated marketplace, either. If someone can produce it cheaper, or better at the same price, your customer will go there. Differentiation isn't so much about doing extraordinary things as it is doing ordinary things extremely well. That's within reach of anyone committed to increasing the value for their customer. -- Troy Marshall Back to Top Privatization of National ID? Well, Sort Of Having won USDA approval for a privately held national ID database, the animal industries are moving at full speed to develop such an entity. The Holstein Association, National Cattlemen's Beef Association and others want this system implemented sooner rather than later, and are looking to the government to provide needed details on implementation. Unquestionably, from a data confidentiality standpoint and from that of building an infrastructure the industry can also use to facilitate information flow, the privatized route is superior to government control. And, without question, efficiency dictates one framework is superior to multiple entities re-inventing the wheel. However, some of the rhetoric to sell the concept is incongruent. For instance, it's being said this entity must be non-profit and privately controlled, and everyone sees the logic in this and just nods. After all, if an entity isn't trying to make a profit from the process, perhaps even disallowed from doing so, it follows that producers will benefit. Or does it? I'm more than a little frustrated about the way profit is being discussed in this industry. History tells us the highest value comes from for-profit entities. The motivation of profits is not simply greed, but rather a catalyst to innovate and build efficiency, quality and customer service. I'm not saying this can't be the first non-profit that performs with the same commitment to creating value as a private enterprise, but I would argue the pursuit of profits is paramount to a customer-centric philosophy and effective implementation. Does anyone think Microsoft Windows would be half as good, or half as cheap, if it had been developed by a non-profit organization or, worse yet, the government? This discussion isn't so much about national ID as it is that the word "profit" has come to mean something more negative than positive in this industry. I almost get the sense the emphasis is shifting from increasing profits, to equalizing them. I'll be the first to admit I'm in the cattle business for a host of reasons that have very little to do with profit, but profitability of all segments affect my ability to survive and prosper. I'd be more comfortable with a business model the industry felt could generate millions, than one designed not to make a profit. The debate should be over how we as producers maintain ownership in this entity (control), not how can we keep it non-profit. We buy our equipment, feed, genetics, pharmaceuticals, etc., from for-profit firms, and our product makes it way through the system by a whole host of entities that try to make a profit, as well. We do it because that's how we derive the most value. I get nervous when profit motives are immediately seen as negative. The competition to improve, and freedom and opportunity to exercise choice, aren't outdated vestiges of a failed system. They're the foundation to capitalism that, along with faith and hard work, have served as the foundation for the most successful system in the world to improve standards of living. -- Troy Marshall Back to Top ADVERTISEMENT
TRU-TEST, INCTru-Test, Inc is a multinational company who has led in milk metering and electronic livestock weighing scales for decades. We have become a major force, globally, in electric fencing with three world leading brands -- Stafix, Speedrite, PEL, and Patriot, our newest line of fence chargers. Beef Safety Elanco, GangaGen Partner To Whip E. coli E. coli O157:H7 is the first target of a newly announced collaboration between GangaGen Life Sciences, Inc. (GLSI) of Ottawa, a developer of anti-infective therapeutics for the control of disease-causing bacteria, and U.S.-based Elanco Animal Health. The two firms will collaborate to research, license and commercialize anti-bacterial products derived from bacteriophages (phages). Phages are naturally occurring agents that selectively and specifically target and destroy bacteria with a high degree of efficiency without affecting beneficial bacteria or body cells. The strategy is to eliminate pathogenic E. coli in cattle before the animals are processed for food. It's already been demonstrated in pre-regulatory trials with cattle that the phage product works to reduce the E. coli O157:H7 burden, the firms say. There are currently no effective treatments on the market to reduce bacterial pathogens in food animals prior to their slaughter. -- Joe Roybal Back to Top Foreign Trade Appeals Court Denies R-CALF Rehearing Request At press time for this issue, it was announced that the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals had denied R-CALF requests for a rehearing and a rehearing en banc of its decision to overturn the preliminary injunction against Canadian live cattle imports. The July overturning of the preliminary injunction allowed Canadian cattle less than 30 months of age to begin moving to the U.S. A three-judge panel denied R-CALF's request for a rehearing. In addition, no active judge in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals asked for a vote on R-CALF's request for a rehearing en banc. Had one of 47 active judges requested it, a vote by all active judges would have decided if a rehearing in front of a larger panel of judges would have been heard. U.S. District Court Judge Cebull has yet to issue his decision whether or not additional hearings will be heard in his court prior to his ruling on R-CALF's request for a permanent injunction against Canadian live cattle and beef. Stan Eby, Canadian Cattlemen's Association president, says the decisions "effectively ends the appeals process for the overturning of the preliminary injunction in the Court of Appeals," with the only remaining avenue being an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. -- Canadian Cattlemen's Association news release Back to Top Beef Markets Analysts Seek Reasons For Fed-Price Rally Several factors have combined to support slaughter steer and heifer prices in recent weeks. One factor cited by most analysts is lower- than-anticipated slaughter steer and heifer imports from Canada. The Livestock Marketing Info Center (LMIC) therefore suggests higher cattle prices may be in the forecast. But, LMIC cautions that much of the normal fall rally in fed-cattle prices may have occurred earlier than normal this year. Based on USDA preliminary weekly data for the last two weeks of September, U.S. slaughter steer and heifer imports from Canada were just more than 11,800 head/week. The most recent comparable years (prior to discovery of indigenous BSE in Canada) were 2002 and 2001. The U.S. imported more than 19,500 slaughter steers and heifers weekly for the comparable weeks in 2002. In 2001, that number was 22,900 head. Expectations were the U.S. would be importing nearly 20,000 head/week following the reopening of the border. In addition, LMIC says U.S. supplies of market-ready fed cattle haven't been burdensome in recent weeks, and the percentage of cattle grading Choice declined. In September and early October, packers chased supplies of market-ready cattle, especially Choice cattle. But, wholesale beef prices and byproduct values didn't keep up with slaughter-cattle prices, resulting in considerable red ink for packers. LMIC analysts wonder how long the situation will continue. They say packers have economic incentives to lower cattle-slaughter levels to maintain wholesale beef prices, and to stand back from purchasing cattle attempting to dampen further fed-cattle price increases. Wholesale beef prices recovered strongly in August-September from the summer low of $125/cwt. posted in July, as weekly Choice boxed-beef prices reached $140/cwt. by the end of September. The premium for Choice over Select wholesale-beef prices seasonally widened in August and September surpassing $12/cwt. by month's end. In September, the price-premium of Choice to Select on a weekly basis averaged $11.66/cwt., compared to just under $4/cwt. last year -- less than $1 lower than the prior five-year average (1999-2001). A key to the Choice premium has been on the supply side as the percentage of cattle graded Choice has declined. From July to late September, USDA says cattle grading Choice fell nearly 3% compared to last year. In September, the percentage of Choice cattle declined more than 6% from 2004 on a weekly average basis. Meanwhile, high-yielding cattle have increased in recent weeks, surpassing last year and running at a level well above the normal pattern. July to mid September, the percentage of Yield Grade (YG) 4 cattle was up 9% on a weekly average basis from 2004. The reported quality and YG percentages have many in the industry -- including LMIC -- at a loss to explain the situation. Still, in recent weeks this situation has influenced beef packer decision-making and appears to be one factor behind rather strong bids for fed cattle. -- Clint Peck Back to Top ADVERTISEMENT Smoke gets in your eyes.
That's smoke -- as in the Charolais-Angus cross calves with the distinctive smokey color and dark nose. Smokey calves make some of the most flexible feeder calves in the industry. Feed for high red meat yield or white table cloth -- they'll work. Take advantage of the market demands for smokeys and post your listing on www.charsonline.com. In addition to this web-based service, the list is e-mailed weekly to over 100 feedlots. Contact the American-International Charolais Association today. Charolais USA...the Business Side of Beef Beef Marketing Gov. Schwarzenegger Vetoes Mandatory COOL California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a California mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL) bill this week. The bill would have required retailers to label beef produced outside the U.S. with the country where the beef was born and raised. In his veto message, Schwarzenegger said the bill would be "unworkable, costly and impossible to enforce while providing no improvement in public health protection or additional benefits to the consumer." -- P. Scott Shearer, Washington, D.C. Back to Top Industry News Angus Records More Than 300,000 Animals In 2005 The American Angus Association (AAA) recorded 324,266 registrations in fiscal 2005, which ended Sept. 30. The figure continues a 20-year growth curve, as registrations jumped more than 8½% from the previous year. Other highlights include:
-- American Angus Association release Back to Top NALF Rolls Out Online Recording System Just in time for weaning season, the North American Limousin Foundation (NALF) has launched online animal-recording services. It allows members to submit cattle for registration through the "members only" section of its Web site (www.nalf.org/members). Producers also can submit birth, weaning and yearling performance data. The system has the same look as the paper reporting forms. Features include automated entry of dam information, drop-down menus for service sires, extensive error checking, and the ability to designate "linked" memberships that have animals managed and reported together. Request a beginner's guide to online data recording by e-mailing limousin@nalf.org, or call 303-220-1693. -- NALF release Back to Top USDA Says 2005 Corn Yield Will Be Second Highest USDA updated its forecasts for corn supply and use this week, increasing its yield projection from the September estimate of 143.2 bu./acre to 146.1 bu./acre. Based on 74.3 million harvested acres, U.S. total production is forecast to be 10.857 billion bu., a 218-million-bu. increase from last month. If realized, it will be the second largest corn crop in history, following 2004's record production. With two successive large crops, ending stocks have surged to more than 2 billion bu. for the 2004/05 and 2005/06 marketing years. In its October report, USDA projected a 50-million-bu. increase in feed use and 15-million-bu. increase in food, seed and industrial use. The increases weren't enough to offset the production increases, leading to a 141-million-bu. increase in ending stocks. With the growing stocks-to-use ratio, USDA lowered its national average farm price another 5¢/bu. from the September report to $1.65-2.05 for the 2005/06 marketing year. This fall's large corn harvest, combined with large 2004 carryover and high transportation costs, have led to wider-than-normal basis levels in many areas. Corn basis in Omaha, for instance, is wider than 50¢/bu., twice that of the five-year average, harvest-time basis. Large national supply and weak basis levels in many areas present an opportunity for livestock feeders to contract feed needs. Cash-forward contracts could be used now to lock in both the low price level seasonally occurring at harvest time and the abnormally wide basis. Livestock feeders could also use basis contracts to protect from basis narrowing after harvest time, although this would not provide protection from a price level rally. -- Livestock Marketing Information Center Back to Top ADVERTISEMENT
Camp Cooley Ranch Breeding the Best. Better. Brangus. Angus. Charolais. 1200 + Bulls Sell * November 18 & 19 Performance Based Genetics * Unmatched Customer Services Providing performance backed seedstock for today's professional cattleman...at Camp Cooley Ranch we understand the demands of today's beef industry and are producing bulls that will had value to your program - in the pasture, feedlot and on the rail. To learn more about Camp Cooley Ranch visit www.campcooley.com Animal Health FMD Outbreak Threatens Brazilian Beef Exports Brazil's Ministry of Ag confirmed this week an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the center-western state of Mato Grosso do Sul. All the cattle -- 582 head, 153 infected -- on a farm located in the southern tip of the state near the Paraguayan border were scheduled for immediate slaughter and disposal. By Tuesday, eight Brazilian states had banned imports of fresh and processed meats from Mato Grosso do Sul. And, federal ag ministry officials temporarily banned movement of animals and meat products within the locality of the outbreak. The ban affects 700,000 head of cattle and hundreds of cattle farmers. With 25-million head, the state boasts Brazil's second-largest cattle herd, and more than 20% of Brazil's total beef exports. The beef from 900,000 head/year is exported to other Brazil regions or shipped directly into international commerce. This is the first reported case of FMD in the state in six years. Last January, blood samples from a cattle herd tested positive for FMD, but further testing found them to be "false-positives" due to vaccination. Mato Grosso do Sul is currently recognized as being FMD-free with vaccination. The president of the Brazilian Association of Meat Exporting Companies, Marcus Vinicius Pratini de Moraes, hopes to reassure Brazil's main beef clients -- Russia and the EU -- the FMD outbreak is "transitory" and localized to Mato Grosso do Sul. Other officials fear Brazil is at risk of its meat exports being blocked by the International Animal Health Organization due to the outbreak. Brazilians had hoped to see their country classified as FMD-free by early 2006, thus opening the door for Brazil to export fresh beef worldwide. Presently, only thermally treated beef and pork products can be exported to many countries, including those in North America. The FMD situation could affect plans of several U.S.-based meat packing and trading firms jousting for position in anticipation of Brazil's growing position in the global fresh beef trade. This summer, Corol Agroindustrial officials announced a 50/50 joint venture with Atlanta, GA-based Global Protein Group LLC to build a cattle slaughter-packing facility in Paraná, Mato Grosso do Sul's neighboring state. Corol officials plan to build the $40-million (US) plant in 2006. Despite the focus of the disease in Mato Grosso do Sul, Pratini de Moraes believes Brazil will maintain its lead in global beef trade and reach its goal of $3 billion (US) in export sales this year. -- Clint Peck Back to Top Johne's Disease Testing Research Provides Hope A better understanding of Johne's Disease, a chronic wasting disease found in beef and dairy cattle, and the vaccines to prevent infection may be around the corner. University of Minnesota researchers working with USDA have used genome map info to develop tests that can rapidly detect the Johne's-causing bacteria. The research findings were published in the Aug. 30 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Johne's has been a part of the dairy industry for years. Recent estimates suggest many beef herds now have at least a low incidence of infected cattle. Because the bacterium causing Johne's, Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis, is slow growing in the lab, previous tests often took four months or longer to process. The current study shows how genome map information may be used to develop highly specific, sensitive and rapid tests for the detection of infected animals. The new tests enable detection of the bacterium in fecal matter or milk, and can be completed in 72 hours or less with an accuracy that wasn't possible without the complete genome map of the bacterium. Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State University Extension cattle reproduction specialist, says cow-calf producers will want to keep an ear to the ground on the progress of these tests and their possible application to their herds. -- Clint Peck Back to Top Tips for Profit Cattle-Fax: Cow Costs Vary Significantly Between Regions Based on a survey of cow-calf producers, Cattle-Fax recently reported the cash costs to carry a cow in various regions of the U.S. in 2004.
Total cash costs were highest in the Northwest and lowest in the Southwest and Southeast. Feed costs were lowest in the Southeast and Southern Plains, and highest in the Midwest. The national average for feed costs as a percentage of total costs was 62%. Therefore, working on reducing feed costs would appear to be a reasonable place to start in lowering cost of production and thereby enhancing profitability. -- Michigan State University Fall Beef Cattle Research Update Back to Top ADVERTISEMENT ![]() Year-round fetal protection with Bovi-Shield® GOLD FP®.
*When used according to label indications Bovi-Shield and FP are registered trademarks and Bovi-Shield GOLD and Gain everything. Sacrifice nothing. are trademarks of Pfizer Inc. © 2005 Pfizer Inc. All rights reserved. BSD05040 Cow-Calf Weekly Mailbag Factors In Vet Shortage Began 35 Years Ago In reference to your Sept. 30 piece, "Facing Up To A Brewing Rural Vet Crisis," I've been in bovine practice for 40 years, and have loved every minute of it. This so-called shortage of production animal vets has been in the making for at least 35 years. It started with the push for more vet schools in the 1970s when the stated goal was to educate more large animal vets, and farm groups lobbied state legislatures. The program was a failure, and the next one will be, too. The problem was never enough veterinarians. It's always been about enough clients who respect vet for their ability to help them have a successful livestock business, and be willing to pay a reasonable amount for that service. Too many potential clients only want to use the vet when everything is about to crash and burn. They're disappointed because the crash happens, and human nature dictates they blame the vet, who never stood a chance. That crash and burn almost never happens when an experienced herd veterinarian has regular contact with the animals and the management. Companies that offer free veterinary advice to sell their products is another issue. Sales of products have become so very important to a shrinking market share that competition for the producer's dollar is fierce. In my area, we have a feed supplier, equipment company, mobile drug peddler, AI rep, two or three major drug companies and the vet trying to supply products to the same farm. All these people, except the veterinarian, are trained in sales techniques, while producers aren't trained to discriminate between competing products and programs to produce healthy animals. Only the attending vet has the technical knowledge to sort through the sales spin. Some large companies try to cover their shameful behavior by hiring a veterinarian willing to prostitute his license visit producers once a year to meet pharmacy law requirements that he be on the farm if he writes prescriptions for controlled drugs. All this defeats the purpose of providing professional care for animals, protection of the food supply and profitable farm management. Sales pressures have overtaken competency. It's ridiculous. I don't know who is on the committee to solve the production animal vet supply problem, but I can guarantee you that elitist consultants, professional educators, government employees and drug companies don't have a clue. Someone needs to go out and ask the veterinarian down in the trench what it would take to solve the problem. He is so beaten down by circumstances, however, that he doesn't have time to answer the questions. Besides that, he's seriously considering going to full-time companion animal or equine practice. John E Offutt, DVM Athens, TN Back to Top ADVERTISEMENT
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