Marketing Update A Protocol for the Industry

by Harold Bertz, Director of Commercial Marketing

At the writing of this article, I am preparing to give a presentation about the importance of heifer development and how a protocol can be beneficial for the entire industry. The Red Choice program, released by Red Angus last year, is a partnership with the University of Missouri and follows the protocol outlined in its highly successful Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifer Program. As we gear up for spring breeding, I encourage producers to study the merits of this groundbreaking program.

Living in Missouri my entire life, I have been able to follow the development, growth and expansion of the Show-Me-Select program over the past 25 years. I have isolated three primary benefits from having a set heifer development protocol and how it changed the cattle industry in Missouri. We at Red Angus feel that producers utilizing the Red Choice program stand to benefit from the program in much the same way.

More than 90% of heifers enrolled in Show-Me-Select receive at least one AI service. With close to 1,000 ranches enrolled, this is a significant number of cattle resulting from the improved genetics of AI. This not only affects the female population, but the resulting steers. Once a low-valued commodity in Missouri, steers have become popular with feeders and backgrounders commanding prices reflecting their extra genetic merit.

With the addition of Tier II Show-Me-Select, heifers enrolling in the program must have sires that meet minimum EPD accuracies in both Calving Ease Direct and Maternal, Weaning Weight, Carcass Weight and Marbling

The genetic progress possible for producers using these tools is exponential as more than 75% of the heifers enrolled in Missouri are retained within the herds that enroll in the program. Verifying two generations of genetic progress, Tier II heifers continue to gain value.

Producers enrolling in Show-Me-Select commit to a vaccination program that begins no later than weaning. Most producers choose to vaccinate both steers and heifers adding value to the entire calf crop.

Heifers are exposed to a rigorous pre-breeding exam that allows producers to find immature females and potential problems prior to exposing them to the expense of a timed breeding system. Pregnancy exams have increased the use of ultrasound, and many are fetal sexed early in the pregnancy. These tools add value to the calf crop and give producers hands-on experience with the science of heifer development.

With a standard protocol and documented value added to these females, producers have two options: develop more heifers with the opportunity to sell or develop no females with the opportunity to buy.

Early on in our cattle enterprise, my wife, Melisa, and I chose to develop extra heifers for the potential of extra cash flow in our operation. This proved to be extremely valuable for us as a profit center.

As we get older and look for ways to reduce labor, not developing heifers, running more cows and buying all of our replacements through a Show-MeSelect heifer sale looks appealing. We are able to choose the breed or breed composition of the females, sires they are bred to, exact calving date and sex of the calf crop. Producers have the opportunity to reevaluate their business plan and streamline it for greater profit.

These benefits provide a compelling template for incorporating the Red Choice program into your ranch operation. The goals of Red Choice are to improve heifer development, increase marketing opportunities for Red Angus-influenced cattle and create a reliable source of high-quality, high-information heifers. Red Choice gives producers a simple, true heifer development protocol usable for the entire industry.

For more information, guidelines and timeline visit redangus.org/marketing/marketingservices/#red-choice or contact a member of the commercial marketing team. //