Part 2: Beta-agonists, the Environment and Cattle Feed Intake
February 17, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Part 2: Beta-agonists, the Environment and Cattle Feed Intake

Part 2: Beta-agonists, the Environment and Cattle Feed Intake

Part 2: Beta-agonists, the Environment and Cattle Feed Intake. After analyzing feed intake data from three feedlots that used Zilmax in their rations, Chris Reinhardt, K-State feedlot specialist, found that cattle fell off on feed intake more in the summer months compared to any other time of year, and the cattle that were consuming more feed prior to the initiation of Zilmax not only had a much higher likelihood of losing intake but the size of the intake drop-off was larger. Click image for original story.

In this part 2 of a two-part series, a K-State feedlot specialist provides a look into how environmental factors, including heat stress, coupled with the use of beta-agonists potentially affects cattle feed intake. See Part 1 here.

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Growing cattle that are more efficient in converting feed to muscle is a main goal in the beef industry. Many cattle producers, feedlot operators and researchers strive to use genetics and modern feedlot technologies to continuously improve that efficiency.

Chris Reinhardt, feedlot specialist for Kansas State University, is one of those researchers seeking to find solutions to improve efficiency in cattle production. Reinhardt has looked specifically at how beta-agonists, a cattle feed supplement approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and considered safe from a food safety perspective, improve the cattle’s natural ability to convert feed into more lean muscle.

“Beta-agonists increase the deposition of lean muscle on the carcass,” Reinhardt said. “They make cattle more efficient at converting grain to muscle. They also improve the efficiency of converting an animal carcass into sellable meat.”

Zilmax, formally known as zilpaterol hydrochloride, is one of only two beta-agonists approved for cattle feeding on the market. However, Merck Animal Health, manufacturer of Zilmax, voluntarily suspended sales of the product last September when major U.S. meat packer Tyson announced it would stop buying cattle fed Zilmax due to an animal welfare concern, which questioned if the product affected the ambulatory ability, or movement, of cattle.

There has been no direct link established between the use Zilmax and impaired cattle mobility, Reinhardt said. Cattle fatigue syndrome may be caused by many factors, such as summer heat, and exertion prior to harvest. But, studying the reasons behind stiff-muscled and tired cattle, and if beta-agonists play a role, isn’t the only angle of research being examined. Reinhardt has been looking more closely to see if beta-agonists, particularly Zilmax, affect cattle feed intake.

“Over the past few years, on certain occasions, feedlots have seen where Zilmax was started in the feed, and cattle would fall off on intake,” Reinhardt said. “Sometimes the intake would come back to normal, and sometimes it wouldn’t. Because Zilmax is a growth promotant, if we’re losing some of the dry matter intake and some of the energy intake, are we getting full value for that growth promotant?”

Reinhardt has looked at data from three separate commercial feedlots over the past three years and studied some of the differences in feed intake in 1,100 pens of cattle. He looked at the dry matter intake prior to and through the end of the cattle-feeding period. He compared this to the time when Zilmax was brought into the feed rations, the sex and weight of the cattle, and the location of the feedlot, to try to filter out any common factors when the cattle did or did not lose feed intake.

The data analysis uncovered two main findings. First, season played a role in the drop-off in feed intake. Second, cattle that were consuming more feed prior to the initiation of Zilmax had a much higher likelihood of losing intake, and the size of the intake drop-off was larger.

“The drop-off was quite a bit larger in the summertime than in the other seasons,” Reinhardt said. “In spring and fall, there was very little change in intake. What pens did fall off on intake for the most part actually recovered back to normal.”

Reinhardt said this could mean weather and season, particularly heat, plays a factor in cattle’s response to beta-agonists. Surprisingly, the winter months showed more of a drop-off on intake overall compared to spring and fall, and Reinhardt said this issue, perhaps due to cold stress, must be looked at more closely as well.

On the issue surrounding big-eating cattle falling off more on intake once Zilmax was initiated, Reinhardt said it could be because the cattle that are eating more feed are also eating more of the drug.

“Really we don’t know the economic impact from these intake losses,” Reinhardt said. “We do know that some pens of cattle were more subject to loss of intake than other groups. The question is, is it economical to continue to use the beta-agonist even though you’re seeing a decrease in intake, or should the decision be made in extremely warm weather to not use the drug for a period of weeks until the weather abates?”

Advice for feedlot operators

Reinhardt said it will take more research to make specific recommendations on using beta-agonists to cattle feeders, but this initial research is one step closer to understanding how environmental factors, combined with the use of beta-agonists, might affect cattle feeding.

While Merck recently announced that it is too early to determine when Zilmax will return to the market (Merck Animal Health Shares Progress on Zilmax and the Five-Step Plan for Responsible Beef), many feedlots might have switched to using a competing beta-agonist called Optaflexx, or ractopamine. The transition from one product to another, Reinhardt said, hasn’t been a huge challenge for many feedlot operators, but he said the products do work differently. More research needs to be done to further understand how all beta-agonists on the market work in cattle feeding.

“Knowledge is power, and I hope we continue to have the opportunity to utilize technologies in our feedlot community,” Reinhardt said. “But, I hope we use them with the best information available to help feedlots be more profitable and sustainable.”

This story is part 2 of a two-part series on how beta-agonists and environmental factors potentially play a role in cattle fatigue and feed efficiency. For more information about beta-agonists, see Part 1 on environment and cattle fatigue.

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Part 1: Beta-agonists, the Environment and Cattle Fatigue
February 13, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Part 1: Beta-agonists, the Environment and Cattle Fatigue

Part 1: Beta-agonists, the Environment and Cattle Fatigue

Cattle fatigue syndrome is not a new phenomenon, said Dan Thomson, K-State veterinarian. The swine industry discovered pig fatigue syndrome in the past, where stress played a role in animal mobility at packing facilities. Click image for original.

MANHATTAN, Kan. – In agricultural production, maintaining a level of excellence that includes environmental sustainability, animal welfare and food safety, while keeping food affordable for consumers is top-of-mind for many farmers and ranchers, as well as the researchers looking to help them find solutions to ensure this level of excellence.

As consumers shop at their local grocery stores and markets, they might notice that beef products are double or triple the price of other protein sources, and rightfully so, might hold beef to an even higher standard of excellence, said Dan Thomson, Kansas State University veterinarian, professor and director of the Beef Cattle Institute.

“Beef is one of the purest, most wholesome and most humanely raised forms of protein that we produce worldwide,” Thomson said. “As a beef industry, we are being asked day in and day out to take a holistic view of technology.”

The use of beta-agonists in cattle feeding is among the modern feedlot technologies making waves in the beef industry. K-State researchers, including Thomson, are among the many researchers who are examining how beta-agonists affect cattle performance and how the feed supplement might cause cattle, particularly in the summer months, to be slow-moving and stiff-muscled once they arrive at packing facilities.

“We’re going to learn more about the last 30 days on feed,” Thomson said of research on beta-agonists. “Do we have heat stress mitigation plans in place at the feeding facilities? Are we pushing that boundary of having too heavy weight carcasses? Are we using low-stress cattle handling techniques? How far away from the load out facility are the fat cattle being moved? Are we shipping them during the afternoon in the heat of the day, or are we shipping them at 2 a.m.? Are the truckers trained to properly transport these animals? How long do they wait at the slaughter facility? All of these different risk factors are going to have to be bundled in.”

History of beta-agonist use

Feedlots have used beta-agonists, a cattle feed supplement approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and considered safe from a food safety perspective, to improve the cattle’s natural ability to convert feed into more lean muscle.

Zilmax, formally known as zilpaterol hydrocholoride, is one of only two beta-agonists approved for cattle feeding on the market. However, Merck Animal Health, manufacturer of Zilmax, voluntarily suspended sales of the product last September when major U.S. meat packer Tyson announced it would stop buying cattle fed Zilmax due to an animal welfare concern, which questioned if the product affected the ambulatory ability, or movement, of cattle.

Thomson said that because the slow-moving cattle reports were more consistent during the summer months, he has questioned how heat stress and feeding beta-agonists might together create what he calls “cattle fatigue syndrome.”

“This isn’t a new phenomenon,” Thomson said. “We’ve seen this in other species. The swine industry 15 to 20 years ago discovered pig fatigue syndrome. It occurred about the time they started feeding beta-agonists at a very high level to pigs. Market hogs would arrive at the plant, and they were stiff, open-mouth breathing, had blotchy skin, muscle tremors and were going through stress.”

Thomson said many in the swine industry started calling these pigs “NANI” pigs, meaning non-ambulatory, non-injured.

“So these pigs show up (at the packing facility), and they don’t have any clinical signs of injury besides that they don’t move,” Thomson said. “(Researchers) did diagnostic tests to look at the difference between non-ambulatory pigs and pigs within the same truckload that were able to move. They found elevated serum lactate and creatine phosphokinase (CPK) levels, which are both indicative of depletion of muscle glucose or muscle damage in these big, heavily muscled animals.”

Regardless of beta-agonist use in feeding pigs, Thomson said, the swine industry went from having about a 250-lb. average out weight to a 300-lb. average out weight on market hogs. So the hogs had more weight to carry around at the packing facility.

To see if beta-agonists played a role in the movement concerns, researchers did a series of tests on market hogs that were not fed beta-agonists. They put some through a stressful situation prior to shipping them to slaughter, while the others did not experience any stress.

“They were able to recreate the same syndrome that we’re now seeing in some cattle,” Thomson said. “Generally, physical stress, whether they were on a beta-agonist or not, showed clinical signs of fatigue in these market hogs.”

Still, the swine industry has since cut the dose of beta-agonists in feeding by about 75 percent, Thomson said.

For additional information on how ractopamine is used in feeding swine today, please see this page from PorkCares.

A closer look at cattle fatigue syndrome

The beef industry has a really good start on understanding what cattle fatigue syndrome is, Thomson said, but the reason more research must be done is that, like the NANI pigs, the syndrome has shown up in cattle that were fed a beta-agonist and cattle that were not fed a beta-agonist.

“In our research, when we’ve looked at cattle that are not stressed and they’re on one of the beta-agonists on the market, we’ve not seen anything but an increase in heart rate by about 10 beats per minute and no difference in lactate or CPK levels,” Thomson said. “However, we have to understand that when we have seen the issues with this fatigue cattle syndrome at packing facilities, it’s during the summer months when we have heat stress.”

Moving forward, Thomson said the industry needs to better-understand the clinical and physiological responses of beta-agonists in cattle, if dosages in cattle feeding rations might need to be altered and if there is a potential genetic component to it as well.

Advice for feedlot operators

Thomson said that he is very pro-technology. While Merck recently announced that it is too early to determine when Zilmax will return to the market (Merck Animal Health Shares Progress on Zilmax and the Five-Step Plan for Responsible Beef), many feedlots might have switched to using a competing beta-agonist called Optaflexx, or ractopamine.

As long as beta-agonists are available, approved by the FDA, accepted by the consumer and work in a particular management system to improve efficiency of animals and profitability, then it is fine to use them, he said. But, the industry must always look at ways to improve and make sure technologies are continuously helping.

“We’re given a job, task and responsibility, and we don’t take it lightly,” Thomson said.

This story is part 1 of a two-part series on how beta-agonists and environmental factors potentially play a role in cattle fatigue and feed efficiency. For more information about beta-agonists, see Part 2, will be posted on Monday, on environment and feed efficiency.

To watch an interview with Thomson on this subject, log on to the K-State Research and Extension YouTube channel at Beta Agonist Research Update.

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29 lean cuts of beef - montana beef council
February 11, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Beef Up, While Slimming Down

29 lean cuts of beef - montana beef councilBy Lisa Murray RD, CDE, LN, Director of Nutrition Montana Beef Council

You’re off to a great start. You’ve made your New Year’s resolution to be healthy, slim down and have a plan on how to achieve your goals. I have great news for you: Beef can be part of your resolution to eat healthier. You can feel good about loving beef because the protein in beef is a powerful nutrient that helps strengthen and sustain your body. Because protein promotes satiety (feeling full), eating a protein rich meal or snack makes you feel full longer, and satisfies cravings faster.

If fact, choosing lean beef as a high quality protein is actually a calorie-saver! That’s right – when you eat beef you are making a smart choice. There are more than 29 leans cuts of beef available, most come from the round or loin, such as sirloin, tenderloin, round roast or 95% lean ground beef.

A 4 ounce cooked portion of lean beef provides 150 calories and 25 grams of protein. Compared to other protein sources, to get the same amount of protein you would have to eat three ½ cup servings of black beans (375 calories) or 7 Tablespoons of peanut butter (670 calories). Beef also provides 10 essential nutrients; zinc, iron, protein, selenium, B6 & B12, phosphorus, niacin, choline and riboflavin.

So you want to know how to include beef daily as part of a healthy eating plan? The BOLD study (Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet) showed that eating lean beef daily as part of a heart healthy diet, significantly lowered cholesterol levels. The website BeefNutrition.org provides information on the BOLD study as well as one week of meals plans and recipes. Keeping your resolution to eat more healthy has never been so delicious.

 

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February 3, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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NILE Scholarships Now Available

Northern International Livestock Exposition Foundation logoBillings, Mont. – The NILE Scholarship program funded by the NILE Foundation, is now accepting applications for scholarships for the 2014-2015 academic year. Since 1990, the NILE has awarded scholarships to deserving FFA and 4-H students that have been actively involved in their respective programs and communities, excelled in the classroom, and participated in NILE events. “New this year are the Joe Fouts Memorial 4-H and FFA Scholarships. Awarding this scholarship to both a 2014 graduate and 4-H member as well as, a graduating FFA member is truly an honor. All of us at the NILE are thrilled to continue the mission of the organization by assisting in the education of our youth.” says Jennifer Noble, General Manager of the NILE. “Fouts was a member of 4-H for 10 years and remained a strong supporter of 4-H and FFA throughout his life. These scholarships will continue his legacy of support for these organizations.”

Similar to last year, the NILE Scholarship Committee will be awarding three levels of scholarships. First will be the one-time scholarship awarded to high school seniors, similar to what the NILE has always done. The second level of scholarships offered will also be a one-time grant, but will be for students already enrolled in College or a Vo-Tech school. Finally, the third level, which will offer the greatest scholarshiped amount, will be a rolling scholarship. The rolling scholarships will be offered to a select group of High School Seniors who will have the opportunity to renew the scholarship yearly, up to four years of their secondary education. Recipients of rolling scholarships will be chosen from the pool of applicants that are current seniors in High School.

Each year the NILE touches the lives of nearly 10,000 youth through its many programs, events, “live” animal scholarships, and college scholarships. Every year the NILE provides over $55,000 in cash and live animal scholarships.

The NILE Foundation was established in 2009 as a supporting arm of the NILE organization, which is dedicated to the promotion of livestock, agriculture education, and respect for the western culture.

Scholarship applications and guidelines can be found at the NILE’s website, www.thenile.org/scholarships or by contacting the NILE Office. Applications must be into the NILE Office by March 14, 2014. Applications incomplete or late will not be considered. Scholarships will be awarded and announced in April.

 

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January 29, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Beef Checkoff Helps Ensure Future for Cattlemen

Montana Beef Council logoBy Chaley Harney, Executive Director, Montana Beef Council

Although most beef producers know a little something about what the Beef Checkoff Program does to build beef demand, there are still some folks who might not see how Checkoff programs impact their livelihood. One young Checkoff leader is convinced of the value the Beef Checkoff has to the future of her ranch.

Kim Brackett, Vice Chairman of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) and a rancher from Buhl, Idaho, is sometimes busy on horseback moving cattle, wrangling her four kids, sitting for a few minutes to write a blog, or working on the ranch alongside her husband, Ira. Just like the rest of the beef producers across the country, she’s busy virtually all of the time. Amidst her busy life, Brackett is a believer in the value of Checkoff demand-building programs and the difference they can make for beef-producing families like hers.

“This is our self-help program to promote beef. Nobody else is going to do it for us,” says Brackett. “We need to make sure as producers that we get out there and promote beef to our consumers, both domestically and globally. On the other hand, what the Checkoff does enhancing beef demand – that’s ensuring a future in this industry and my ranch for my children.”
A challenge now, however, is the reduction in checkoff collections with fewer cattle in the country. So, beef producers have to find ways to do more with less in promoting their end product across the board. Here are a few ways the Checkoff is accomplishing that:

Working with Retailers, Grocery Stores and Health Influencers

The Checkoff puts a great deal of emphasis on the value of partnerships, because they help share important beef messages with specific beef segments and often are paid mostly by the partner, using checkoff information or collateral. For example, the Beef Checkoff has collaborated with retailers to capitalize on the American Heart Association (AHA) Food Certification Program’s ability to drive incremental beef sales and build customer loyalty. Retailers are seeing firsthand the impact of the Checkoff program, the benefits of promoting beef’s role in a healthy diet and helping nutrition-conscious shoppers make nutritious choices at the meat case. Hundreds of stores across the U.S. are displaying the Heart-Check mark on certified beef items in their meat cases and have signed up through the Beef Checkoff to participate in the American Heart Association Food Certification Program.

On the foodservice side, the Checkoff currently is partnering with Arby’s Restaurant Group, Inc. to generate consumer excitement about Arby’s® new Smokehouse Brisket sandwich, the chain’s first-ever brisket product. After extensive consumer research showed a strong interest in smoked foods – particularly smoked meats and cheeses – Arby’s selected Beef Brisket as the centerpiece of its new limited-time offer and worked with the Checkoff to bring it to fruition.

Noting the importance of the health-professionals audience and its tendencies to recommend (or not recommend) beef, the national Checkoff collaborates with state beef councils, through the Nutrition Seminar Program, to making leading health experts available to speak about cutting-edge issues at various state academy of nutrition and dietetics meetings, as well as other health professional organization meetings. The 2013 season recently culminated with its final of 36 speaking engagements coordinated by various state beef councils.

Kristin Larson, rancher and auction market owner in eastern Montana, also shares Brackett’s passion for what the checkoff is doing for her own operations. “Marketing cattle is what we do every day at Prewitt & Co. and Sidney Livestock Market Center, which doesn’t allow us the time or resources to market beef to our consumers every day,” says Larson. “We offer services that producers don’t have the time or resources for because they are caring for their cattle and land … our checkoff works the same way. Our beef checkoff dollars do, in fact, focus on marketing beef and growing demand, allowing each segment of our industry to focus on what we do best.”
For more information about your beef checkoff investment, visit MyBeefCheckoff.com.

 

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December 20, 2013 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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An Overview of the FDA Final Guidance 213 and Proposed Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD)

National Cattlemens Beef USA logoBy Dr. Kathy Simmons, DVM, NCBA Chief Veterinarian

On Dec. 12, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published their final Guidance #213 and a proposal for revisions to the current Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD). These revisions proposed for the VFD are in response to complaints from stakeholders that the current VFD process can be burdensome. This current guidance is part of FDA’s larger strategy for judicious use of the antibiotics that are most important for use in human medicine and are currently used in feed and water for food-producing animals. Guidance #213 is directed toward the use of these products in feed and water and pertains to the medically important antibiotic classes listed in Appendix A of Guidance 152. The specific drugs or product applications affected by Guidance #213 can be found in a list on the FDA website here.

Guidance #213 does not pertain to the ionophores, such as monensin, unless used in a combination product with a medically important antibiotic.

Guidance #213 is a follow up to final Guidance #209, which states that the antibiotics important to human health should only be used in animal agriculture in ways that are necessary to maintain animal health and with veterinary oversight. Guidance #213 establishes the roadmap for the animal drug manufacturers to phase out the growth promotion use of these products in feed and water over the next three years and revise product labels as needed for use indications of control, prevention and therapy. All medically important antibiotics used in feed and water will require a veterinary prescription or a VFD in order to obtain these products for control, prevention and treatment use.

What is the objective of this FDA guidance? Doubtless, most everyone is aware of the global concern for increasing antibiotic resistance and the problems that antibiotic resistance creates for effectively treating infections in humans and animals. FDA has responsibly chosen to address the concern of antibiotic resistance and its threat to public health. FDA guidance seeks to eliminate the subtherapeutic use of medically important antibiotics in feed and water for growth promotion. The cattle industry, through the Beef Quality Assurance program, also supports this stance by stating in the Judicious Antibiotic Use Guidelines that, “Subtherapeutic Antibiotic Use is Discouraged: Antibiotic use should be limited to prevent or control disease and should not be used if the principle intent is to improve performance.”

So, what does this guidance really mean for cattlemen and women? The loss of the medically important antibiotics for growth promotion has only a minimal impact as there are really very few of these products used for growth promotion in the cattle industry. Our current use of antibiotics in feed is primarily for the prevention and control of conditions/diseases such as liver abscesses, coccidiosis and anaplasmosis. The use of these products will still be available in feed and water for control, treatment and prevention through the oversight of the veterinarian by Rx or VFD. It is extremely important to cattlemen and women to have an efficient and dtreamlined VFD process in order to facilitate the timely and uninterrupted access to these

Collegiate Montana Stockgrowers MSU Northern Convention
December 14, 2013 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Zoetis Cattlemen’s College offers ranchers interactive learning

Collegiate Montana Stockgrowers MSU Northern Convention

See more blog coverage from the 129th Annual Stockgrowers Convention by clicking here.

By Hollyn Cardani and Kaleb Fisher, Montana State University – Northern Collegiate Stockgrowers members.

Friday at the Stockgrowers Convention the MSU-Northern Collegiate Stockgrowers group attended the Zoetis Cattlemen’s college workshop, “Zoetis Ranch.” Out of all the workshops we have attended throughout the week, this one was by far the most interactive.

A few of things Larry and Dan taught our group was about “Progeny Equivalents are used to describe the amount of effect that DNA analysis has on EPD accuracy. To achieve a comparable amount of EPD predictability and accuracy, an Angus animal would have to have the following amount of actual progeny (calves) performance information recorded and submitted.”

Also we played a game where we got put into groups and had to play three separate breeding and marketing seasons with different priorities. In the game we had five different bulls to choose from with all different qualities. The first season you had to purchase two bulls so the first season you wanted to pick the two bulls that would produce the best weaning weight.

After the first year you could either sell your two bulls and buy two new ones or keep the ones that you had already in season one but for the second year you wanted the highest Yearling Weight. So after the second year the goal was to purchase the best two bulls that would produce the best Dollar Beef when there are going to be marketed.

The Cattlemen’s College workshops are a great opportunity for ranchers interactive learning with tools available in the industry today. It is definitely a great way to learn how to apply those tools in their own businesses.

Zoetis Cattlemens College Montana Stockgrowers Convention

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December 3, 2013 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Forage Testing for More Efficient Use of Feedstuffs

Rachel Endecott, Montana State University Extension Beef Cattle SpecialistRachel Endecott, MSU Extension Beef Cattle Specialist

Greetings from Bozeman! I can’t believe it’s nearly MSGA Convention time, but I’m looking forward to seeing many of you in Billings in December.

I received a great question the other day about considerations for feeding “environmentally impacted” feeds, like rained-on hay or hailed-out crops. My first recommendation – for any feedstuff, not just weather-beaten forages – is to obtain a nutrient analysis. I’m a big fan of the saying, “in order to manage, one must first measure,” and a forage nutrient analysis is a critical step in determining least-cost rations. This is even more important when you’re unsure how poor harvest conditions may have impacted the forage.

The first step in getting a nutrient analysis is to collect a representative sample. A common rule of thumb is to sample from 10% of the feedstuff; for example, if you had 100 bales of hay, sample 10 bales from various locations in the stack. For hay samples, I highly recommend a hay probe for the most accurate results; most Extension offices have hay probes to loan out. For silage, grain, or cubes, a grab sample is appropriate since the feed is much more uniform in nature.

The second step is to find a testing lab and send the sample in for analysis. Your local Extension office probably has an established relationship with a lab and can assist with sampling and selecting the right testing package. For hailed-out or otherwise drought-impacted annual crops, testing for nitrate content is definitely recommended in addition to a base testing package.

The final step is to interpret the nutrient analysis. You can learn more about that process from the January 2013 Cow Sense Chronicle, my monthly e-newsletter. The archives are located at www.msuextension.org/beefcattle/cowsensechronicle.html. If you’d like to be added to the e-newsletter distribution list, please send me an email at [email protected].

 

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November 6, 2013 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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On The Horizon – Montana Beef Council

Chaley Harney Montana Beef CouncilWritten by Chaley Harney, Executive Director, Montana Beef Council

As the new fiscal year kicks off for the Beef Checkoff and the Montana Beef Council, we will embark on another year of beef promotion, research and education that is intertwined with the changing consumer marketplace and industry realities.

According to the most recently available demand indices tracked by Dr. Glynn Tonsor, associate professor of livestock marketing, Kansas State University, he suggests retail demand was stronger in the second quarter of 2013 than experiences in 2012. This continues a three-year trend of overall beef demand strength which has added important support to cattle prices throughout the industry. (As of October 9th, it remains unknown when updated values will be available given data necessary for demand index calculations remains currently unavailable.)

Tonsor, along with Dr. Ted Schroeder, professor of livestock marketing, Kansas State University and Dr. James Mintert, assistant director of Extension for Agriculture and Natural Resources at Purdue University, they authored the Beef Demand Determinant Study to identify the beef demand drivers in which the Checkoff programs should focus to have the most compelling effects on beef demand moving forward. (To view the full report visit MyBeefCheckoff.com). The key findings of the study identified seven broad beef product attributes as potentially salient demand factors that the beef industry may be able to influence and were the central focus of the study. Beef price; food safety; product quality; health; nutrition; social aspects; and sustainability were respectively identified as those key areas.

Although price is not an influential area for the Checkoff, it does have a high impact on consumers. The remaining areas are influential and these findings have helped refine the approach that the Beef Checkoff will take for future programs and ultimately serve to continually improve the ways that beef promotion, education and research are carried out.

Most notably on the national level, a new strategic promotion and advertising plan of work has been deployed that will integrate digital media everywhere possible and traditional media, namely print and radio, will be phased out. This new strategy is the proper course of action that targets the Millennial Generation (those born between 1980-2000) and specifically the older Millennials. The Millennial Generation is over 80 million strong in the U.S., and even though this number is close to the Baby Boomers, the Millennial Generation is unique in the fact that they are “building their life resume” every chance they get. They take the opportunity to share information about their daily lives, both in and out of the workplace, which then extends to their community… All online. The Baby Boomers have essentially stopped growing their families and their food spending is declining. However, the older Millennials are growing their families and their food spending is increasing. Millennials also tend to maintain close relationships with their Baby Boomer parents, offering yet another avenue for extended influence. The culmination of these factors and others are the reasons why the Beef Checkoff will engage and influence the target audience and continue to build beef demand.

On the state level, the Montana Beef Council Board of Directors reviewed project proposals from a variety of organizations from all across the state. The 2014 marketing plan includes many strong programs and incorporates new opportunities to engage, influence, educate and promote beef to Montana consumers. As a producer, you can expect to see beef promotion and digital media integration with the Montana State University Bobcats, in retail stores across the state, as well as with foodservice operators. Further steps will also be taken to build on the success of the Pasture to Plate Dietetic Intern Tour by hosting another tour as well as seeking influential participants for an  additional Pasture to Plate Tour. Many of the new strategies incorporated in national and state efforts seek to target ‘influencers’ with positive messages about beef and beef production. Influencers, in this context, are those that advise or offer advice to others in health, dietary and lifestyle choices. For instance, health, nutrition and fitness professionals, chefs, restaurateurs, bloggers and foodies.

These are just some of the strategies that will be activated in this new fiscal year. For more information, stop by the office, call us, check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or visit our website at MontanaBeefCouncil.org. And to see more of the great information available, visit MyBeefCheckoff.com, BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com and FactsAboutBeef.com.

Montana Beef Council logo

Programs with the Montana Beef Council are brought to you by the Montana Beef Producers and Checkoff Dollars.

**This article was originally published in the October 25, 2013 edition of Montana Stockgrowers Update.

 

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October 30, 2013 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Montana Stockgrowers Foundation on Social Media

Montana Stockgrowers Foundation LogoHelp Tell the Story of Montana Family Ranching

If you have been browsing Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest lately, you may have seen our newly launched Foundation social media accounts. MSGA’s Research, Education and Endowment Foundation is vital to helping our ranch community thrive…through scholarship opportunities, grants, avenues of public outreach and much more.

Members of MSGA can appreciate the philanthropy of REEF, but we don’t want to stop there. This is why we have created a social media platform for all the Foundation’s work. Having these outreach tools like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest allows for us to have a much broader reach, connect with other foundations and nonprofits and explore even more ways we can help Montana and the world.

Like the development of the MSGA social media platform, REEF will build its network and create innovate ways to promote Montana ranchers. Even though we are one state association, the products we produce ultimately go beyond our borders and feed the world. REEF is here to help make sure this continues to happen. By using public relations strategies, we can bring in more people, organizations and foundations to help with educational programs and philanthropic endeavors.

Screen Shot 2013-10-08 at 11.18.26 AMWe can’t do it alone!

If you have any ideas or information to share, please contact Lauren Chase: [email protected]. If you are interested in donating to REEF, please visit: www.mtbeef.org. Together we can help educate the future of Montana ranchers, help keep our legacy growing strong and help the feed world.

Social media sites:

***Help spread the word! Share these sites with all of your family friends!