Hereford Today

[Brandonm22]

Not too long after that, I called Jack on his cell phone and said I wanted to discuss adjusting the advertisement that I was currently doing in the magazine. I was actually considering increasing it at the time. He was at a meeting or manning a booth at a TSCRA function or something. When I told him what I wanted, he said he'd call me back later. I'm still waiting for that return call and it's been 3 or 4 years, now.

I stubbornly decided I wasn't going to pay my bill or any more dues until I got that phone call. I still get a monthly statement from the THA. My wife files them in a folder on my desk at home and I guess it's been well over a year since I've actually even opened one. I figured if I didn't pay my advertising bill or renew my membership that sooner or later I'd finally get that return phone call from Jack - but I've finally decided that it's never coming. I guess the pittance that I was spending each month wasn't that important.

I don't know Mr. Chastain, but I was all of 4 when he got that job. Is it really reasonable to expect an old man to remember to return a cell phone call and then get that mad when he doesn't do it??? People I do business with forget to return my calls all the time(especially when they owe me money). I don't get mad about it, I just phone them back again in 3 days.

 

[greenwillowhereford II]

I think you are probably right about politics playing a role in whose bulls get used in the studies, and it's too bad. If the right bulls had been selected for the Harris Ranch project in California, I believe there would have been little or no quality grade difference in the Hereford sired and Angus sired cattle in the carcass phase. The advantage would then have been over $100 per head for the Hereford sired cattle instead of just $78. Given the power to do so, I'd have stacked the Hereford deck with Feltons, Ellis Farms, Knoll Crest Farms, and the like.

That is what bothers me about such breed studies. I can cherry pick an awfully good set of cattle if you let me select from the whole breed (that is true of about any breed). I like Herfs; but do you think we necessarily win by $100 a head, IF the Angus were similarly selected??? You have got to do these tests scientifically as possible or your results can be so much gibberish.

Point taken, but I would presume that they'd already established the best Angus that worked for them over the last number of years, thus had already cherry picked their Angus sires. They were previously using only Angus sires. Supposedly the bulls were chosen for their similar EPD profiles, although how you get that very exact across the breeds I don't know.

On a farther note, perhaps it's time that the Hereford breeders start cherry picking the best beef bulls instead of the latest show winners.

 

[Herefords.US]

Not too long after that, I called Jack on his cell phone and said I wanted to discuss adjusting the advertisement that I was currently doing in the magazine. I was actually considering increasing it at the time. He was at a meeting or manning a booth at a TSCRA function or something. When I told him what I wanted, he said he'd call me back later. I'm still waiting for that return call and it's been 3 or 4 years, now.

I stubbornly decided I wasn't going to pay my bill or any more dues until I got that phone call. I still get a monthly statement from the THA. My wife files them in a folder on my desk at home and I guess it's been well over a year since I've actually even opened one. I figured if I didn't pay my advertising bill or renew my membership that sooner or later I'd finally get that return phone call from Jack - but I've finally decided that it's never coming. I guess the pittance that I was spending each month wasn't that important.

I don't know Mr. Chastain, but I was all of 4 when he got that job. Is it really reasonable to expect an old man to remember to return a cell phone call and then get that mad when he doesn't do it??? People I do business with forget to return my calls all the time(especially when they owe me money). I don't get mad about it, I just phone them back again in 3 days.

Well, I guess I'm an old man too, because I'm only a couple years younger than Jack at the most. If it was something out of character for the man, then I might have overlooked it. What it was is that my business just wasn't THAT important to him.

I've been in customer service based businesses all my working life and I've always approached it with the idea that my customers, large or small, are "king". That philosophy has been a large part of my success.

George

 

[greenwillowhereford II]

Herefordsire: In your honor, I present a brainstorm idea I had a year or so ago. A few years ago, I heard Paul Harvey refer to his white faced cattle at his Revelly Ranch. I actually called the AHA and suggested that they recruit Paul to market CHB and the breed. There's not a doubt in my mind it would work. "Eat the kind of beef that Paul Harvey eats, from the breed of cattle found on Paul Harvey's farm..."

 

[Brandonm22]

On a farther note, perhaps it's time that the Hereford breeders start cherry picking the best beef bulls instead of the latest show winners.

THAT is what I thought was going to happen 15 years ago when the two associations merged. I am still waiting. Good hair is still more important to many Hereford breeders than calving ease, marbling, or longevity

 

[rocket2222]

THAT is what I thought was going to happen 15 years ago when the two associations merged. I am still waiting. Good hair is still more important to many Hereford breeders

You would think they would just wear a baseball cap or something for those bad hair days :roll:

 

[HerefordSire]

No disrespect intended, but Herefordsire are you a member of AHA? I joined last week but I can't seem to find you listed under Arkansas registries. If I am mistaken my humble apologies.

Yes.

What list are your using or how are you searching?

 

[HerefordSire]

How did you know I was watching cnbc?

I knew you had an crush on Maria B. :mrgreen:

Who, the heck is that?? Everyone knows that Rebecca Gomez on the Fox Business Channell is the most attractive woman on TV.

Maria Bartiroma. Eric Bolling is worth watch on Fox every Satuday morning if you want to make serious money.

 

[HerefordSire]

Herefordsire: In your honor, I present a brainstorm idea I had a year or so ago. A few years ago, I heard Paul Harvey refer to his white faced cattle at his Revelly Ranch. I actually called the AHA and suggested that they recruit Paul to market CHB and the breed. There's not a doubt in my mind it would work. "Eat the kind of beef that Paul Harvey eats, from the breed of cattle found on Paul Harvey's farm..."

I think you are on the right track. This is what the breeds needs. We need someone innovative to get all members and non-members excited. To go where no man has gone before. To quit following Angus and lead Angus. Make them follow us. This innonvative person may have an MBA with a major university and may have turned a company around before. Someone that is very good with numbers who is an excellent salesperson and maybe a CPA at the same time. If they know a little about cattle fine, but no knowledge about cattle would be OK. We could hire someone like this for a period of about 2-3 years to turn every thing around. I have see this happen personally in an S & P 600 company. All the fat was trimmed. The company became efficient and proceeded to be one of the top 300 business in this country. It moved up 300 notches in 2-3 years time. Not as fast as Google but very fast.

 

[HerefordSire]

Potential Solution Repetition:

(1) Small to mid-size commerical ranchers beeding Hereford red hides must receive an equivalent or higher price for sale barn directed cattle sales as their black counter-parts. There must be no-docking as the result of Hereford genetics. These small ranchers would thereby receive a financial incentive to breed Herefords, much like BWF Hereford or Angus breeders are currently receiving.

(2) In the initial years, the increased price per pound difference of red-hided cattle versus black-hided cattle could not be paid by a domestic consumer. A foreign buyer operating in a foreign currency has to bear the price per pound difference, hopefully through favorable exchange rates. In later years, once domestic percepton has changed as the result of consumer preference, foreign buyers could be replaced with domestic buyers.

(3) All sale barn directed supply for Certified Hereford Beef must be intercepted so Wal-Mart, Costco, etc. accounts can be established and maintained.

(4) Temperate climated areas like the southern United States, such as South Texas for example, must receive the highest sale barn prices to order to convert Bos Indicus demand to Hereford genetics. After all, this is one reason Herefords became famous.

These four steps should do the trick of reversing Hereford demand. I can forsee headline news in major publications and television programs in reference to the way Hereford overtook Angus, much like Hereford led Angus the first 70-80 years in Amercia.

 

[smnherf]

Potential Solution Repetition:

(1) Small to mid-size commerical ranchers beeding Hereford red hides must receive an equivalent or higher price for sale barn directed cattle sales as their black counter-parts. There must be no-docking as the result of Hereford genetics. These small ranchers would thereby receive a financial incentive to breed Herefords, much like BWF Hereford or Angus breeders are currently receiving.

(2) In the initial years, the increased price per pound difference of red-hided cattle versus black-hided cattle could not be paid by a domestic consumer. A foreign buyer operating in a foreign currency has to bear the price per pound difference, hopefully through favorable exchange rates. In later years, once domestic percepton has changed as the result of consumer preference, foreign buyers could be replaced with domestic buyers.

(3) All sale barn directed supply for Certified Hereford Beef must be intercepted so Wal-Mart, Costco, etc. accounts can be established and maintained.

(4) Temperate climated areas like the southern United States, such as South Texas for example, must receive the highest sale barn prices to order to convert Bos Indicus demand to Hereford genetics. After all, this is one reason Herefords became famous.

These four steps should do the trick of reversing Hereford demand. I can forsee headline news in major publications and television programs in reference to the way Hereford overtook Angus, much like Hereford led Angus the first 70-80 years in Amercia.

Well, Herefordsire, you have the backend of the solution figured out, but how about the front end?

Who is going to, or how do you go about convincing someone to purchase all these red hided cattle at a premium and why would someone want too? I mean what are they getting for their extra money? Are they faster gaining, more efficienct, healthier, will they have a better dressing %, a higher yield grade, higher grading, leaner, more tender or what? At some point in the production systems the premiums have to be justified, otherwise no one wants to pay them. The ultimate determiner in premiums is at the consumer level and thats where we need to do the work so they demand Hereford beef. The supply will take care of itself if we let the market do its job.

Brian

 

[HerefordSire]

Potential Solution Repetition:

(1) Small to mid-size commerical ranchers beeding Hereford red hides must receive an equivalent or higher price for sale barn directed cattle sales as their black counter-parts. There must be no-docking as the result of Hereford genetics. These small ranchers would thereby receive a financial incentive to breed Herefords, much like BWF Hereford or Angus breeders are currently receiving.

(2) In the initial years, the increased price per pound difference of red-hided cattle versus black-hided cattle could not be paid by a domestic consumer. A foreign buyer operating in a foreign currency has to bear the price per pound difference, hopefully through favorable exchange rates. In later years, once domestic percepton has changed as the result of consumer preference, foreign buyers could be replaced with domestic buyers.

(3) All sale barn directed supply for Certified Hereford Beef must be intercepted so Wal-Mart, Costco, etc. accounts can be established and maintained.

(4) Temperate climated areas like the southern United States, such as South Texas for example, must receive the highest sale barn prices to order to convert Bos Indicus demand to Hereford genetics. After all, this is one reason Herefords became famous.

These four steps should do the trick of reversing Hereford demand. I can forsee headline news in major publications and television programs in reference to the way Hereford overtook Angus, much like Hereford led Angus the first 70-80 years in Amercia.

Well, Herefordsire, you have the backend of the solution figured out, but how about the front end?

Who is going to, or how do you go about convincing someone to purchase all these red hided cattle at a premium and why would someone want too? I mean what are they getting for their extra money? Are they faster gaining, more efficienct, healthier, will they have a better dressing %, a higher yield grade, higher grading, leaner, more tender or what? At some point in the production systems the premiums have to be justified, otherwise no one wants to pay them. The ultimate determiner in premiums is at the consumer level and thats where we need to do the work so they demand Hereford beef. The supply will take care of itself if we let the market do its job.

Brian

I am glad you asked!

Perception of domestic consumers is unjustified as the result of superior AAA management relative to AHA management. Additonally, domestic consumer perception is different than foreign consumer perception. If the above two sentences were incorrect, then the above four steps in my prior post, would likely not reverse Hereford momentum. A brand of consumer preference is a peculiar thing.

With domestic branding, I think Tide clothes detergent is superior to its competitors. The reality may be different according to scientific tests, which all can be skewed one way or another. When I go into a grocery store to buy detergent, I look at the Tide price per unit of weight, not the price per box. I then compare this unit price to all other brands currently offered by the store in question. The last detergent I purchased was Armand Hammer even though it was not my preferred brand. I believe at the current retail prices, there was more value per unit price in the Armand Hammer than the Tide. Therefore, Tide lost my business temporarily, in this case, for the last 20 years. They can get my business back, when I perceive there is more value in Tide, again.

With international branding, if all currency exchange rates were identical, I prefer Ford trucks (I hate GM trucks). I do not care for Toyota trucks or Nissan trucks. However, if I was afforded the opportunity to purchase a Toyota truck for $1K less than a Ford truck, as the result of a favorable currency, I would purchase a Toyota truck, and this would cause US exports to rise if all other foreign trades stayed the same. On the other hand, if a Ford truck was $1K less than a Toyota truck, as the result of a favorable currency, I would purchase a Ford truck and US exports would be reduced if all foreign trade stayed the same.

With the above paragraphs, do I indirectly answer your questions?

 

[Brandonm22]

At some point in the production systems the premiums have to be justified, otherwise no one wants to pay them. The ultimate determiner in premiums is at the consumer level and thats where we need to do the work so they demand Hereford beef. The supply will take care of itself if we let the market do its job.

Brian

I think either buying up all the Hereford influenced calves or a mass marketing campaign to sell Hereford beef in all the major media markets would have the desired effect. One little problem.........where do you come up with the money for this???? Hereford takes in something like $5.2 million. You can burn that much up building a good truck stop or buying a nice ranch. That won't keep you on TV a week if you spent all of it. WHERE do you get the money to do the ad work or to buy all these calves.

 

[nap]

No disrespect intended, but Herefordsire are you a member of AHA? I joined last week but I can't seem to find you listed under Arkansas registries. If I am mistaken my humble apologies.

Yes.

What list are your using or how are you searching?

My humblest apology. I was basing my comment on the 2008 registry that I received from AHA when I joined. There were only a few listing for Arkansas which I now assume are life-time members. After checking on the Internet I found you. Again, I apologize and enjoy your thought provoking contributions.

 

[turbo]

Hi I'm an angus breeder listening in, you guys have the greatest cattle breeder I'v ever met in your corner,Jim Lents. Yet the powers that be at AHA do their best to keep him the best kept secert in the hereford world. WHY? I do buy his bulls sight unseen, regularly for my com. herd. Great cattle from a great cattleman,author, and gentleman. The AHA is missing out.

 

[smnherf]

Potential Solution Repetition:

(1) Small to mid-size commerical ranchers beeding Hereford red hides must receive an equivalent or higher price for sale barn directed cattle sales as their black counter-parts. There must be no-docking as the result of Hereford genetics. These small ranchers would thereby receive a financial incentive to breed Herefords, much like BWF Hereford or Angus breeders are currently receiving.

(2) In the initial years, the increased price per pound difference of red-hided cattle versus black-hided cattle could not be paid by a domestic consumer. A foreign buyer operating in a foreign currency has to bear the price per pound difference, hopefully through favorable exchange rates. In later years, once domestic percepton has changed as the result of consumer preference, foreign buyers could be replaced with domestic buyers.

(3) All sale barn directed supply for Certified Hereford Beef must be intercepted so Wal-Mart, Costco, etc. accounts can be established and maintained.

(4) Temperate climated areas like the southern United States, such as South Texas for example, must receive the highest sale barn prices to order to convert Bos Indicus demand to Hereford genetics. After all, this is one reason Herefords became famous.

These four steps should do the trick of reversing Hereford demand. I can forsee headline news in major publications and television programs in reference to the way Hereford overtook Angus, much like Hereford led Angus the first 70-80 years in Amercia.

Well, Herefordsire, you have the backend of the solution figured out, but how about the front end?

Who is going to, or how do you go about convincing someone to purchase all these red hided cattle at a premium and why would someone want too? I mean what are they getting for their extra money? Are they faster gaining, more efficienct, healthier, will they have a better dressing %, a higher yield grade, higher grading, leaner, more tender or what? At some point in the production systems the premiums have to be justified, otherwise no one wants to pay them. The ultimate determiner in premiums is at the consumer level and thats where we need to do the work so they demand Hereford beef. The supply will take care of itself if we let the market do its job.

Brian

I am glad you asked!

Perception of domestic consumers is unjustified as the result of superior AAA management relative to AHA management. Additonally, domestic consumer perception is different than foreign consumer perception. If the above two sentences were incorrect, then the above four steps in my prior post, would likely not reverse Hereford momentum. A brand of consumer preference is a peculiar thing.

I understand what you are saying, but what I am saying is what economic advantage do we have either in the production system or at the consumer level that we can capitalize on and break some of the perceptions of CAB that will gain us market share. I dont beleive we need to give up on the domestic market. There are lots and lots of restaraunts and chefs that would love to have a high quality product that gives them a differentiated product from angus. Sometime uniqueness is an advantage in the marketplace.

Brian

 

[HerefordSire]

At some point in the production systems the premiums have to be justified, otherwise no one wants to pay them. The ultimate determiner in premiums is at the consumer level and thats where we need to do the work so they demand Hereford beef. The supply will take care of itself if we let the market do its job.

Brian

I think either buying up all the Hereford influenced calves or a mass marketing campaign to sell Hereford beef in all the major media markets would have the desired effect. One little problem.........where do you come up with the money for this???? Hereford takes in something like $5.2 million. You can burn that much up building a good truck stop or buying a nice ranch. That won't keep you on TV a week if you spent all of it. WHERE do you get the money to do the ad work or to buy all these calves.

The foreign buyers operating in a foreign currency having a favorable exchange rate mentioned in item #2 in a prior post would be sufficient to boost Hereford influenced demand. If management didn't want to use this avenue, the only other source of income I can think of is..... retired wealthy passionate life long Hereford members wanting to strategically reduce estate taxes when passing away. Instead of donating to another worthy cause, for example, they donate the funds to AHA. By the way, we are talking about 10-15% price increases at sale barns multiplied by all the sale barns in the country. It would only take one wealthy person to do this for a 2-3 year period.

 

[HerefordSire]

I understand what you are saying, but what I am saying is what economic advantage do we have either in the production system or at the consumer level that we can capitalize on and break some of the perceptions of CAB that will gain us market share. I dont beleive we need to give up on the domestic market. There are lots and lots of restaraunts and chefs that would love to have a high quality product that gives them a differentiated product from angus. Sometime uniqueness is an advantage in the marketplace.

Brian


Economic advantage....the reduction, or removal, of all BWF cattle entering the CAB program should do the trick. We don't need to advertise or hire slick scientists so they can skew more data about efficieny. We know there are enough benefits of Hereford incluenced to act on. All that needs to occur is the invisible positive perception.

We are not giving up on the domestic market. We would be increasing the volume in the CHB market and taking away volume from the CAB market, all other domestic market supply would be reduced, thereby increasing prices for Hereford influenced cattle. We would be intercepting BWF and other qualified CHB supply from sale barns across the country to supply Wal-Mart, Costco, etc. thereby not allowing them the access to the normal CAB programs. Let Angus supply their CAB program without Hereford influence. If you intercept all BWF cattle going to sale barns, you would have plenty of volume for restaurants, chefs, etc.

 

[Frankie]

The foreign buyers operating in a foreign currency having a favorable exchange rate mentioned in item #2 in a prior post would be sufficient to boost Hereford influenced demand. If management didn't want to use this avenue, the only other source of income I can think of is..... retired wealthy passionate life long Hereford members wanting to strategically reduce estate taxes when passing away. Instead of donating to another worthy cause, for example, they donate the funds to AHA. By the way, we are talking about 10-15% price increases at sale barns multiplied by all the sale barns in the country. It would only take one wealthy person to do this for a 2-3 year period.

Is the AHA a non-profit?

 

[HerefordSire]

The foreign buyers operating in a foreign currency having a favorable exchange rate mentioned in item #2 in a prior post would be sufficient to boost Hereford influenced demand. If management didn't want to use this avenue, the only other source of income I can think of is..... retired wealthy passionate life long Hereford members wanting to strategically reduce estate taxes when passing away. Instead of donating to another worthy cause, for example, they donate the funds to AHA. By the way, we are talking about 10-15% price increases at sale barns multiplied by all the sale barns in the country. It would only take one wealthy person to do this for a 2-3 year period.

Is the AHA a non-profit?

I would think so but if by chance they were a profitable entity, we could create a non-profit entity and the donation could be directed toward this entity to receive full tax benefits under IRS rules and regulations based upon GAAP.