Agricultural News
Oklahoma Angus Breeder John Pfeiffer Elected Chairman of Certified Angus Beef Board
Mon, 09 Nov 2015 19:50:49 CST
Cattlemen have experienced a roller coaster ride this year with volatile cattle prices. One factor that is helping moderate these wild price fluctuations has been branded beef programs, like Certified Angus Beef (CAB). The new CAB Board Chairman is John Pfeiffer, an Angus producer from Mulhall, Oklahoma. He said data has shown CAB has returned on average $50 per head back to the producer in added premiums. In this latest cattle market downturn, he said some feedlot cattle would have lost more money without CAB premiums.
With herd expansion taking place across much of the nation, Pfeiffer said the challenge is to continue to breed cattle with the best genetics to produce high quality beef. In the 1970's, the CAB acceptance rate would have been around seven to eight percent. This past year, some months averaged over 30 percent acceptance. Pfeiffer credits the work CAB has done in working with commercial cattle producers to purchase better genetics for improved marbling and carcass weights.
The cattle that meet CAB specifications will go into steaks and hamburger. CAB also continues to develop demand for new CAB products like beef tongue. Pfeiffer said CAB tongue is real delicacy in Japan.
"We depend upon all markets to utilize the entire carcass and benefit all of our retailers as well as our food service people," Pfeiffer said.
Looking ahead, Pfeiffer wants to see domestic and international demand for CAB to grow. Since joining the board four years ago, he has wanted to see CAB sell a billion pounds of product in one year. CAB has to sell 83 billion pounds a month to meet that goal. CAB started the new fiscal year in October by selling 89-billion pounds. Pfeiffer said that billion pound goal is attainable with more cattle numbers in feedlots, so he thinks there is enough high quality beef to hit that target.
Radio Oklahoma Network Farm Director Ron Hays caught up with Pfeiffer at the Angus Means Business Convention held last week in Overland Park, Kansas. Click or tap on the LISTEN BAR below to listen to their conversation.
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