Success is Cooperative: Regional Cattle Marketing Initiative
Extension Education
Rebecca Roberts
Extension Agent
Virginia Cooperative Extension
Chatham
Abstract
Success is Cooperative: Regional Cattle Marketing Initiative
Most cattle produced in Virginia come from cow-calf farms. Profitable cattle marketing involves more than just getting the highest price. It involves producing the type of calf the market desires, marketing that calf through the best outlet and at the best time. Knowing that beef cattle producers have tremendous investments in their cattle, equipment and land, not to mention their time investment in herd health, they need a way to ‘market’ their cattle. The large majority of these cattle are sold at weekly scheduled sales at local livestock markets. Buyers at these markets have no prior knowledge of any of the cattle coming into the facility. Therefore, cattle producers selling cattle at these facilities are ‘price takers.’ Marketing cattle via tele-auctions gives producers numerous advantages including increased competition in purchasing their cattle, direct buyer-to-seller transportation thus less stress and shrink, and reduces buyer and marketing costs.
The solution to create a comingle cattle program where small cattle producers can effectively markets cattle based on their genetic merit, vaccination protocols, weaning and feeding requirements, while capturing a larger scope of buyers. The program would have numerous educational components required by participants. All participants must be BQA certified with a chute side component.
In the seven years this program has been in action, producers from seven counties in southern Virginia have gained over $3.63 million dollars in premiums. The premiums per producer increased 7.5 fold and the premiums per head sold increased nearly 4 times in value. This in itself proves the effectiveness of such a program. Cattle producers now have the opportunity to not be “price takers” and become “market makers.”
Poster has NOT been presented at any previous NACAA AM/PIC
This poster is being submitted for judging. It will be displayed at the AM/PIC if not selected as a State winner. The abstract will be published in the proceedings.
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Authors: Rebecca Roberts
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Roberts, R. Extension Agent, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia, 24531