Technical Keynote Session 5
Marketing Cattle Collectively: Experiences from Alabama's BCIA
“Having an auction and marketing cattle is about as predictable as the weather,” joked Tommy Brown during his remarks at the annual Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) symposium April 30-May3 in Sacramento, Calif.
Brown, who is an Alabama Simmental breeder and the outgoing president of the BIF Board of Directors, shared highlights from his state’s Beef Cattle Improvement Association (BCIA) marketing efforts through several bull and bred and open heifer consignment sales during the last three decades. Brown worked in Extension for many years and helped organize many of the initial sales.
With the average size of commercial and seedstock cow herds in Alabama about 30 head per operation, the collective marketing effort was initiated to help those producers establish a higher value market for their cattle, Brown explained.
The consignment sales were successful in helping many breeders get established over the years, Brown shared. During the last five years, bull sales averaged around $2,000 per head. And with some of that success, many breeders have gone on to establish their own private, on-farm production sales.
Today, the increase in those private sales has caused some of the consignments at Alabama’s BCIA sales to decline. As well, drought, higher feed costs and the difficult economy have also caused fewer consignments. This has presented some new challenges for Alabama’s BCIA.
“With a reduction in number of cattle sold, there are fewer buyers and also reduced income from sales commissions for the association,” Brown said.
Thus, the Alabama BCIA is working on some new efforts to continue their genetic improvement outreach to the state’s beef producers. One example is their Genetic Verified Heifer Sales, which were established in 2008. The intent of these sales is to provide Alabama cattle producers an avenue to expand marketing of replacement heifers, Brown said.
The sales target open and bred heifers with genetic documentation, group age, and source information. “We see this as a new concept to reach a broader audience and to support BCIA membership and bull sales,” Brown said.
In early 2009, the Alabama BCIA also launched a new specialized education program for seedstock producers. The continuing education program is designed to assist those new to the seedstock industry to topics such as business goal setting, marketing and market positioning, physical aspects and carcass data, management, expected progeny differences (EPDs) and performance data, reproduction, and animal health.
Brown concluded by saying he’s proud that over the years Alabama and the Southeast have built a reputation for their seedstock and feeder calves. He attributes that to the effectiveness and hard work of groups like the Alabama BCIA.
For more about the Alabama BCIA and the sales they host visit their web site at www.albcia.com.
Editor’s Note: This summary was written under contract or by staff of Angus Productions Inc. (API). To request reprint rights contact Shauna Rose Hermel, editor, at 816-383-5270. PowerPoints are posted with permission of the presenter and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express permission of the presenter.
The 41st BIF Research Symposium and Annual Meeting was hosted by the California Beef Cattle Improvement Association and the California Cattlemen's Association. For more information, visit www.bifconference.com or www.calcattlemen.org/bif2009.html.
