Carcass quality and recognition

[dun]

Got this question in a pm.
How do other small producers address this?

Short of selling freezer beef, how does a small producer get a reputation for producing quality stock that will bring better prices? Seems like the buyers know the larger producers, and the auctioneer will say, here is a lot from old so and so. But how will they get to recognise my stock from anyone elses and pay for the better quality?

 

[3MR]

Thats why I believe in an easily recognized visible brand. If your animals look good they will remember.

Something I am tossing around im my head is going to all the order buyers with a card that has the picture of my brand on one side and the herd stats on the other. Seems you could talk to the caller at the sale barn in the same manner. Seems like it would be an easy and inexpensive marketing tool.

At the yard I think you would pretty much have to have a lot size of like sorted animals for this to work though. Wouldnt do much good having yours mixed in with others.

Oklahoma has the Beef Quality Network. I dont know where they live, but they might see if there is a like program in their area.

Just my thoughts.

 

[MrBilly]

You can also go Angus Source. From their website:

"www.angussource.com is your online source for information about Angus-sired cattle for sale nationwide.

Welcome to AngusSource®, the only program that identifies Angus-sired cattle and documents the source, genetic and group age information of enrolled cattle.
AngusSource® is a Process Verified Program with USDA. All cattle enrolled in AngusSource® that are process verified will have the following shield displayed on their AngusSource® Document.

AngusSource® is a USDA Process Verified Program
for Angus-sired calves that documents source,
group age and a minimum of 50% Angus genetics.

* For specific claims visit http://processverified.usda.gov/
or http://www.angussource.com/

Buyers may request AngusSource® Documents for specific lots of AngusSource® cattle which list source, group age and genetic information by contacting AngusSource® at 816-383-5100.

Producers can customize AngusSource® Documents for feeder cattle or replacement females and add additional information including past performance history, management practices and sale information. This information is not part of the Process Verified program. If sale information is submitted the AngusSource® Document will be posted online for 90 days prior to the date of sale and sent out to potential buyers via a weekly e-mail service. Click here to sign up for this service. "

 

[MikeC]

Feed them, sell them on the grid, and keep your data.

It should be mandatory that folks do this with a percentage of their calves. How would you know they are good if you've never gotten data on them?

 

[3MR]

It should be mandatory that folks do this with a percentage of their calves.

With very few exceptions, I dont think anything should ever be mandatory. Even if it does make good business sense.

Not that I dissagree with the jist of your statement I think it makes sound managment sense.

But it wouldnt help him with his problem; selling on the grid and recording the results wouldnt help him get recognition. You get recognition by letting people know what you have, not by good managment or keeping good records yourself.

 

[dj]

getting to know the auctioneer/ring man and time.
even if you only bring them a handfull of cattle each year
they will get to know you and your cattle.
it wouldn't hurt to feed him a steak or two.

 

[MikeC]

You get recognition by letting people know what you have, not by good managment or keeping good records yourself.

And just how would you know what you have until you get carcass data?

Not by good management or record keeping?

You're statement makes absolutely no sense to me.

The title of the post included the words "carcass quality". I can let people know what I "THINK" I have all day with no results.
The records will lend itself to actually showing the buyer what they have.

Stay away from my posts if you want to argue silly semantics.
Please.

 

[OK Jeanne]

Maybe the ultimate carcass quality test is the shear
force test??? but of course that only works post-mortem.
If you go to all the trouble and expense of GeneStar
testing, then you probably get more for your money
selling breeding stock and beef. What are other ways
to check live animals? Only ultrasound comes to my mind; but
surely there's more.

 

[BRG]

Don't jump from Barn to Barn when selling. Try to stay at the same barn so they all know you.

You need to have a feedlot and carcass history on some of your past calves so you can do a littler PR and advertising by talking to some of the regular buyers, telling/showing them what/how they did. Also if you have this info, give it to the auctioneer so he can read what they have done in the past so everyone hears it.

You can even co-mingle with a neighbor who has similar cattle to form a pot load. Ussually the bigger the bunch the higher they sell for. If you don't have a neighbor to do this with, visit with your bull supplier, most likely he will have another customer who is will to do the same thing.

 

[3MR]

You get recognition by letting people know what you have, not by good managment or keeping good records yourself.

And just how would you know what you have until you get carcass data?

Not by good management or record keeping?

You're statement makes absolutely no sense to me.

The title of the post included the words "carcass quality". I can let people know what I "THINK" I have all day with no results.
The records will lend itself to actually showing the buyer what they have.

Stay away from my posts if you want to argue silly semantics.
Please.

Sorry, the question was how to get recognition for carcass quality, not how to know if your animals have it. I dont see anything in your post about showing people your records.

Im sure I missed it. I appalogize.

Sorry I hurt your feelings.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

First & foremost - start with good cattle & produce good calves. If you consistantly produce/sell good quality and a uniform lot of calves, you will be recognized.
Putting a bull on a feedlot program, a steer on a feedlot/carcass program will quickly get recognition if they do well.
But, it takes TIME to build a reputation. Remember, one BAD sale will get more PR than all your good sales, so EAT the bad ones.

 

[dun]

Remember, one BAD sale will get more PR than all your good sales, so EAT the bad ones.

The old "one ah sh... wipes out all of the attaboys"!

dun

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Remember, one BAD sale will get more PR than all your good sales, so EAT the bad ones.

The old "one ah sh... wipes out all of the attaboys"!

dun

You got it.

 

[Kent]

This may vary from region to region, but where I live, if you want a fair price for your calves, stay away from the sale barn altogether. Join a local cattlemen's association and sell through their sales.

In the case of ours, a rep from the association will come out to your place to look at the calves, make sure they have been castrated/dehorned and healed, weaned, and started on feed, know how to drink out of a tank, etc. He will also look at vaccination records and other records you want to show him, such as registration papers on the parents if the calves are either straightbred or a cross of two pure breeds. If you have fed calves before and have carcass data to show him, this is an excellent way to get some $$$ from that effort (assuming the results were good :lol: ).

The rep will take pictures or video and take all this info back for buyers to review. Buyers can then assemble load lots by combining calf groups. You bring your calves on sale day and they weigh them and make offers. Very little shrink and no per head sale commission. You get a reputation among the buyers very quickly, good or bad.