Sustainability in Beef Production, Herd Records, Feeder Calf Marketing
Nov 3, 2023
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Dr. Ted Schroeder, K-State Agricultural Economics Professor, discusses sustainability in beef production including economic, social, and environmental aspects. The importance of accurate record keeping in cow-calf operations is highlighted, as well as the impact of information sharing on cattle sales. Feeder calf marketing information on CalfDex is also mentioned.
Consumers prioritize factors like freshness, taste, and safety over environmental concerns when making beef purchase decisions.
Keeping records in cow-calf operations is crucial for making informed management decisions and marketing calves effectively.
Deep dives
Importance of Sustainability in Beef Production
In this episode, the hosts discuss the importance of sustainability in beef production. They mention three pillars of sustainability: economic, social, and environmental. While the environmental pillar is often talked about, the hosts reveal that consumers actually prioritize other factors like freshness, price, taste, and safety over environmental concerns when making beef purchase decisions. However, consumers do show concern for animal welfare in the beef production system. The hosts emphasize the need for careful evaluation of the costs associated with sustainability initiatives, as adding costs to the industry can affect the price of beef and impact consumer demand.
The Value of Keeping Records in Cow-Calf Operations
The podcast also discusses the importance of keeping records in cow-calf operations. The hosts highlight the significance of tracking information such as birth dates, weaning weights, treatments given, and pregnancy rates. These records are essential in making informed management decisions and are valuable when marketing calves to downstream customers like feedlots. In particular, feedlots place importance on knowing the treatment history and implant protocols of the calves they receive. The hosts introduce the CAFDEX app, which simplifies record-keeping and enables the easy transfer of information between buyers and sellers.
Considerations for Feeder Calf Marketing
The episode concludes with a discussion on feeder calf marketing. The hosts emphasize the need for cow-calf producers to provide information about animal health, treatments, and implants to feedlots or backgrounding facilities. This information is crucial for processing decisions and to comply with recent changes in implant label regulations. The hosts highlight that having such records is no longer just nice to have but has become necessary. The CAFDEX app is mentioned as a tool that can assist with record-keeping and facilitate the sharing of relevant information between buyers and sellers in the feeder calf market.
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Guest: Dr. Ted Schroeder, K-State Agricultural Economics Professor
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