Page 18 - MWC 9-14-2023s

White Gold The Midwest Cattleman · September 14, 2023 · P18

Task force working to capture value for commercial producers of Charolais-influenced cattle.

By Sharla Ishmael
There aren’t too many
scenes that’ll make a com-
mercial cattle producer –
and their banker – prouder
than looking at a growthy,
stout, smoky calf standing
almost as tall as his black
or baldie mama. The pic-
ture can change depending
on the location of the ranch
– he might be looking at the
same scale-busting calf next
to a good tiger-striped mama
down south.
Either way, producers
have long known that capi-
talizing on the magic of het-
erosis compounded with the
use of a terminal-breed sire
is a profitable way to max
out the scales at weaning,
as yearlings or fat cattle.
With the nation’s Jan. 1 beef
cow inventory hitting one of
the lowest numbers seen in
recent history due to wide-
spread drought, it is more
important than ever for the
commercial rancher to take
advantage of a bullish mar-
ket predicted for calves and
feeders over the next few
years.
With a much smaller herd
and the need to go slow with
restocking as the land recov- new market access for their genetic merit rather than the cream-colored calves can get
ers from drought – hopefully calves. color of their hide.” premiums for their perfor-
before the next one hits – “Numerous closeout sheets Last year, Brink released mance? For the Charolais
every pound will count. Un- from Charolais-influenced an important white paper task force, all options are on
fortunately, the market is set cattle harvested at Tyson with results of a survey of the table, from feeder cattle
up today based on premiums plants in the past two years feedlot managers that shows marketing programs, better
for black-hided cattle and document these cattle pro- they also see a great need utilization of existing grids
given that the cattle cycle duce carcasses that compete for change in the feeder cat- for Charolais-influenced cat-
has been in the heavy-supply extremely well on the rail,” tle market. When asked if tle, data gathering from pri-
stage, where every segment says AICA Executive Vice black-hided feeder cattle are vate sources to solidify how
after the ranch has enjoyed President Clint Rusk. “It is superior to non-black cattle of these cattle excel in terms of
the ability to be choosey, it imperative this carcass value equal weight, sex and health feed efficiency, average daily
has meant good cattle of all be reflected in the live mar- history, 75% disagreed with gain and overall performance
colors don’t always get sold ket.” that statement. at the feedlot and packer in
for the value they bring to Charolais breeders are not In fact, 92% of the sur- terms of both red meat yield
the industry at every stage. alone in their quest to fix the vey participants agreed or and quality grade on the rail.
It's a problem Charo- problem. strongly agreed with this They are working on get-
lais seedstock producers “Our task force is already statement: “For the beef in- ting Charolais-influenced
are not willing to deal with working with another task dustry to continue improv- cattle into the latest sus-
any longer. So much so that force led by Tom Brink, chief ing its overall cattle quality tainability research projects
the American-Internation- executive officer of the Red and value, hide color should to study their efficiency ad-
al Charolais Association has Angus Association of Ameri- be replaced with more objec- vantages relative to other
created a task force of pro- ca, to explore a change in the tive genetic criteria as a key breeds. If carbon capture and
gressive breeders and out- way feeder cattle are market- price-determining factor(s) greenhouse emissions play
side consultants to explore ed,” Rusk explains. “Our Cha- in the U.S. feeder cattle mar- a role in the future of beef,
every possible opportunity to rolais breeders agree with ket.” breeders on the task force be-
make sure their commercial those who say feeder cattle What will it take to make lieve the breed’s natural effi-
bull buyers get additional or should be marketed on their those changes so smoky or ciency and performance will