Seedstock

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what can seedstock producers do better in order to better meet the demands of packers. I know there are many new ways or carcass testing bulls, I just don't know much about them. As a small seedstock producer with expansion or the horizon this is a topic i want to really know about.

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Find out what the packer wants and produce bulls that will sire calves that meet those demands. Generally speaking, they want a 650-850 lb carcass, Choice grade, Yield Grade 3. Ultrasound is the latest tool in identifying bulls that have good carcass qualities. Then the breed association is using that information to build EPDs for carcass quality. Many breed associations are using the Iowa State University ultrasound lab. They're online, but I don't have the address. While you're chasing carcass qualities, don't forget about fertility, feedlot efficiency, etc. Good luck....

> what can seedstock producers do
> better in order to better meet the
> demands of packers. I know there
> are many new ways or carcass
> testing bulls, I just don't know
> much about them. As a small
> seedstock producer with expansion
> or the horizon this is a topic i
> want to really know about.

[email protected]
 
Many people are all wrapped up in Carcass traits and what the packer wants.

COWS DON'T RAISE CARCaSSES, THEY RAISE CALVES!
 
Frankie hit it in the head (though carcass weights up to 950 are generally acceptable).... As a small seedstock breeder the most important thing that you can do is to begin collecting carcass information on your bulls' offspring immediately. You can do this through a number of ways. One of the most efficient ways would be to work with a feeder to buy back your bulls' offspring as a group to be fed out and then track the feedlot and slaughter data. For more immediate results, you can have your bulls ultrasound tested by a certified technician (a listing of technicians in on the Angus Association website). If you are planning to stay in the seedstock business (as you seem to be realizing) you will need to start collecting and maintaining performance records on your animals to prove to the potential buyers that your offspring can offer them after the calf is weaned.

One comment to the other person who responded to the original post with the comment of "a cow produces calves not carcasses" is to remember that, for the most part, nearly all calves are destined for the slaughter plant at some time in their lives. We are all in the meat business not the cattle business. The end product is where we need to keep our emphasis. A person can produce all the calves in the world but if they (the calves) do not meet the specifications that the end user (the consumer) has requested...they have not helped anybody and probably have contributed to the decline in the beef consumption rate. A bad eating experience may make the consumer reach for pork, chicken, etc. when they want to buy meat.

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Scott, I see that you work for Conagra and wonder if you would answer a question. Much is said about pleasing the consumer, but 'the consumer' and their desires are never defind. Could you give a break-down of the different consumers(defining each) and the type product you sell to them? And if possible a percentage of your total sales to each?

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Robert,

I work in a boxed beef plant which sends almost all of our product out as primal cuts to middlemen and furthur processors. The "customers" we sell to here are almost 100% grocery stores who cut and package the meat in house. We are not selling to the end users in most cases. The majority of the cattle that we process here in Cactus, Texas are standard and select, yield grade 3-4 because we have a lot of those cattle here and we specialize in buying that type of animal. Our other plants in Nebraska and Greeley process a higher percentage of choice-prime which is mostly destined for the restaurant business, though some goes to grocery stores. A large portion of the meat in the grocery store display case comes from the standard - select grade animals unless it is under a special label like CAB of CHB which have a higher standard. The restaurants tend to look for choice YG 2 and higher which is part of the reason that these animals are worth more when the restaurant demand is higher. When the restaurant end user demand is down, the select/choice spread is narrower as the demand for the select is fairly steady which keeps that price more constant. Hopefully this answers your question at least partially. I work in engineering so I am not as up on the commodity trends as others in the business.

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> I disagree. You can have a cow that raises the best calves in the world, but if the steaks are like shoe leather, that doesn't do anyone much good. Don't get me wrong, I am a strong believer in maternal traits and good solid cows. It is the end product we are striving for, thoughMany people are all wrapped up in
> Carcass traits and what the packer
> wants.

> COWS DON'T RAISE CARCaSSES, THEY
> RAISE CALVES!
 

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