Beef Cattle Marketing Program set for May 6th

With cow-calf operations, as with other farm enterprises, making a profit isn't the best thing - it's the only thing that will keep you in business. And how much profit you make depends largely on the market price you get for your calves. Profitable cattle marketing means producing the most profitable calf, selling through the most profitable market outlet and pricing at the most profitable time. Unfortunately, most cow-calf producers simply sell their calves. They produce calves which may be the easiest to produce and sell at the most convenient market outlet at whatever the price is at the time. Marketing means choices on how or what to put on the market, where to market and when to price. The first step in becoming a cattle marketer is to recognize all your alternatives and evaluate each in light of potential cost and returns, selecting the most profitable rather than the most convenient alternative. The old saying goes that if you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there. But if marketing your cattle at a profit is where you want to go, then planning for the market will help get you there. Planning requires information. A good way to start becoming a better cattle marketer is being sure you understand the cattle marketing system and how your cattle prices are determined. Then you need to recognize all the market alternatives available to you. Finally, when you need to make a marketing decision you need to know where to get the information to help you decide. The Texas Agrilife Extension Service Beef and Forage Committee will host a seminar to discuss these options and how you can prepare for the best results. On May 6, 2010 at 6pm at The Cowboy Church of Leon County we will hear from Dr. Russell Jonas on the importance of vaccinations to the beef cattle market, also a few words from Dr. Jason Sawyer. Dr. Sawyer's research interests revolve around beef cattle production systems, with a special emphasis on stocker cattle production systems and upstream and downstream impacts of management inputs. Specific research interests include enhancing production efficiency in forage systems, manipulation of nutrient partitioning, and decision support for beef cattle production systems. To end our program we will have a question and answer forum with Dr. Jonas, Dr Sawyer, Russ DeCordova, and Powell Cannon. Please contact the Texas Agrilife Extension Service by May 5, 2010 to reserve your seat. A registration fee of $10.00 per participant will cover meal and program materials for each participant. We will seek to provide reasonable accommodations for all persons with disabilities for this meeting. We request that you contact Texas AgriLife Extension three days before the event to advise us of the auxiliary aid or service that will be required.