Big Country Genetics 46 Slippers Lane Cody, WY 82414
The State of the Industry
By Justin Tupper, Vice President, U.S. Cattlemen’s Association Thank you to Big Country Genetics for the invitation to comment on the current state of the industry. If there’s a team that knows how to produce profitable cattle that perform under all range conditions and still yield desirable terminal traits, it’s Jimmy and ShayLe! We’re thankful for their tireless service to advancing the U.S. cattle industry - whether it’s regular market video reports through ShayLe’s weekly Cattle Market News, active participation in industry policymaking, or maintaining a herd of exceptionally bred cattle. The energy of this young ranching family is what keeps me hopeful for the future. This year, in my role as Vice President of the United States Cattlemen’s Association (USCA), I had the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C. and testify in front of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry in a hearing titled, “Examining Markets, Transparency, and Prices from Cattle Producer to Consumer.” USCA was founded on the principle that a grassroots effort by independent cattle producers can work positively and effectively with Congress and the Administration to reform U.S. agri-
culture policy and ensure a fair, competitive marketplace. However, increasing consolidation and foreign ownership in the meatpacking sector has eroded the foundation of the U.S. cattle market. My testimony before the Senate Agriculture Committee reminded those Members of Congress that they hold the necessary power and tools to restore solid ground beneath the boots of U.S. cattle producers. In 1977, the number of cattle slaughtered by four firms accounted for only 25 percent of total slaughter capacity. Over the course of two decades, that number increased to 71 percent. Today, four companies slaughter about 85% of U.S. fed cattle, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) . Two of those
companies – JBS USA and National Beef – are owned and operated outside of the United States, in Brazil. It is a wholly unsustainable model for the U.S. beef production chain to rely on such a concentrated number of players, especially when half are foreign owned. Though the industry has been steadily building to this boiling point, three separate events in 2019, 2020, and 2021 served to heighten awareness of the increased level of concentration in the meatpacking sector. On August 9, 2019, a fire broke out at one of the largest beef packing plants in the U.S. The Finney County Beef Plant in Holcomb, Kansas, owned by Tyson Foods, accounts for nearly six percent of the nation’s slaughter capacity.
8156 will be selling on November 13th in the GrazeMaster sale in Nebraska. Big Country Genetics will have more females like her for sale.
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Big Country Genetics Bull Sale Saturday, April 2, 2022 | Cody, WY Selling 200 +_ Head
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SCC X/L Trail Boss 814E (herd sire at BCG and sired by Cow Boss) out breeding cows in the Spring of 2021.
Our females are expected to graze at least 10 months out of the year!
(Continued from Page 1) In the days following the fire, U.S. cattle producers witnessed extreme volatility in the daily feeder and live cattle futures. A September 16, 2019, report released from Kansas State University listed projected values for finished steers in Kansas feed yards at negative $184.99. During that same period, packer margins spiked significantly to nearly four times their annual average, or approximately $549. Within that same report, Kansas State University predicted that cattle feeders would not see a positive net return on finished steers or heifers until May 2020. Unfortunately, that positive net return never came. Instead, a global pandemic disrupted supply chains across the globe. The arrival of
COVID-19 exposed inherent flaws in the U.S. meatpacking industry, resulting in a compromised food supply chain and exposing the vulnerability of our global meat processing workforce. In a report prepared by Brett Crosby of Custom Ag Solutions, Inc. , USCA estimated that the total impact of COVID-19 on the cattle industry would exceed $14.6 billion. Then, on May 30, 2021, JBS detected a ransomware attack that temporarily halted all production at its U.S. facilities, and certain facilities around the world. The combination of these so-called “Black Swan” events earned the attention of lawmakers, media, and the public. With the spotlight now on the cracks in the system, it is USCA’s hope that we
can finally make meaningful change to ensure a robust and secure domestic food system. And what are those changes? USCA recommends the following: 1). Reauthorize the Livestock Mandatory Reporting (LMR) program, but only IF we can include much needed changes in the program. This includes a minimum level of negotiated cash trade, the establishment of a cattle contract library, and other modernizations. 2). Clarify definitions within the Packers & Stockyards Act of 1921, specifically the most critical portion of the law, Section 202. The “harm to competition” phrase must be addressed. The interpretation of this phrase has led to preferential contract agreements between meatpackers
(Despite historic drought conditions, a BCG customer in Montana saw on average a 60 pound weaning weight increase all while decreasing frame size and adding fleshing ability!)
Your Source for Maternal Heterosis There are a lot of terminal composite bulls available in today’s world, but it’s hard to find composite bulls that are bred with the maternal traits needed to be profitable. It is proven that hybrid cows breed up better, live longer, and wean more than 20% more pounds per cow exposed when compared to straight bred cattle. Our program focuses on producing low input maternal cattle while allowing heterosis to add pounds at weaning. It is our goal to have balanced, hard working cattle that can perform within our environment without added supplementation and feed. We like moderate framed, easy fleshing females with a lot of eye appeal and balanced EPDs.
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and select producers that has increased packer’s control of supply and decimated price discovery. 3). Pass the Meat Packing Special Investigator Act, introduced both in the House and Senate, to establish the Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters. The bill grants subpoena power to aid in the investigation and prosecution of violators of the Packers & Stockyards Act and bolsters the legal power of the USDA by maintaining a staff of attorneys and other professionals with relevant exWWpertise that can elevate cases of corruption. 4). Labels indicating “Made in USA,” “Product of USA” or similar content should be limited to beef from cattle born, raised, and harvested in the United States. USCA also supports the reestablishment of mandatory country-of-origin labeling, which was repealed in 2015. 5). Increase competition
in the meatpacking sector by increasing the opportunities for independent processors to succeed. This is just a small sample of the changes we think it would take to realign the cattle marketplace with its true fundamentals and restore leverage to the U.S. cattle producer. If you’d like to be a part of the discussions taking place right now that will impact the industry for years to come, visit www.uscattlemen.com and become a member for only $100/year. It’s a small price to pay to ensure that independent producers are at every table where the cattle and beef industry is being discussed. Questions? Feel free to give me a call at (605) 680-0259. Thank you for your support.
Getting Back to Work
By Jimmy Stewart, Owner of Big Country Genetics For the past decade academia and breed associations have told us that focusing on maximum EPDs, high growth rates and carcass traits will create higher quality calves that demand market premiums. What they fail to mention; however, is the increased cost to run such cattle. The market premiums are great in theory, but who is really seeing these added values? The answer is that very few ranchers ever see the premiums promised, and the added profits created by these terminal cattle end up in the hands of the packers anyways! We as cattlemen cannot fully
control what our calves are worth in a complex and ever-changing market. We can, however, control the cost it takes to produce our calves! The easiest way to do this is to focus on true profitable traits such as cow fertility, longevity and age of puberty. Why are these the most profitable traits to breed for? Because highly fertile cows who stay in the herd tend to be the easier fleshing cows that require less feed and raise quality calves year after year- which is also the opposite of what you can expect from the high growth, terminal cattle promoted by a lot of to-
An earlier age of puberty not only has a positive impact on heifer pregnancy, but also on the fleshing ability of nursing three years olds as they are no longer putting energy toward their own individual growth. With that being said, the way in which seedstock cattle are managed is JUST AS IMPORTANT as the traits you are selecting for. As commercial cattlemen, how many of you are feeding silage and mixed rations to your cow herd on an annual basis? Probably not many of you! It is important to find a seedstock provider that runs their cattle as hard or hardday’s seedstock producers. er than you do. We do not strive for 800-pound weaning weights and 1400-pound yearling weights because I do not believe that is profitable, and the inputs required to produce such weights come at costs not feasible for most ranchers! Most all of today’s cattle will perform if given enough feed and supple ments; however, our goal is to produce cattle that perform well in our environment
“Whenever I hold back the rain or send the locusts to eat up the crops or send an epidemic on my people, if they
Pray
to me and repent and turn away from the evil they have been doing, then I will hear them in Heaven, forgive their sins, and make their land prosperous again.” 2 Chronicles 7: 13-14
A beautiful pair of Clarks Fork Angus & Simmental, a Big Country Genentics’ Cooperative.
without added supplementation. It is our philosophy that a top 1% weaning weight EPD means nothing if your environment cannot withstand that much performance. Our cattle are expected to graze 10+ months out of the year, raise quality calves, and breed back in a 45-50 day window every year. We do see some fall out on our mother cows due to the harsh environment we require them to produce within, but our customers can rest assured that the bulls in our sale are backed by hard-working real-world cattle. I believe that a cow is only as good as the pressure she is forced to perform within. Now, I would like to add that I am a huge component of tools
like EPDs, if used correctly. A manager needs to be looking for optimum traits rather than maximum traits. Each individual environment will require slightly different levels of each performance trait. Tools such as genomics and EPDs are great but we first must require our cattle to pass the REAL-WORLD test! The cattle industry is a lot like our country…. The only way to fix it is by getting our
cattle back to work! Sincerely, Jimmy Stewart 231-878-1908
www.bigcountrygenetics.com
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For more information visit www.bigcountrygenetics.com
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Big Country Genetics Bull Sale April 2, 2022 | Cody, WY
Send Catalog Request Name ____________________________________ Ranch Name _______________________________ Address ___________________________________ City ________________ State ____ Zip _________ Telephone with Area Code ____________________ Please Cut Out & Return to: Big Country Genetics 46 Slippers Lane Cody, WY 82414 And Feel Free to Call Jimmy with Questions 231.878.1908
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“And if you will indeed obey my commandments that I command you today, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, he will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, that you may gather in your grain and your wine and your oil. And he will give grass in your fields for your livestock, and you shall eat and be full.” Deuteronomy 11: 13-15