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Maine-Anjou Voice ::
Kyla
Nesheim / Jeana Sankey ::
204 Marshall Road :: PO Box
1100 :: Platte City MO 64079-1100
Phone - 816.858.9954 :: Fax - 816.858.9953 ::
E-mail:
voiceeditor@kc.rr.com |
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October 2007 - Headquarters
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Climbing That Hill
by John Boddicker, executive vice
president
We all have choices in life, what hill or hills we choose to climb,
how steep and how long, or if we choose
to climb at all. I would like to compare
the decision of the American Maine-Anjou
Association (AMAA) Board of Directors to
institute a commercial marketing program
to that of running a marathon. Neither
is easy, both take a tremendous amount
of preparation, both are goal oriented,
both have their detractors and both
provide for a real sense of
accomplishment, regardless of the mile
marker stage completed. Each, however;
begs the question, what in the world am
I doing?
Marathon courses vary from very flat, which I would call friendly,
to those that test one's will, varied
with shorter steep inclines, to those
long inclines which makes it feel heaven
must be on the other side as long as
its taking to get there! Our commercial
marketing program is still in the
beginning stages of the marathon, one
that, at every turn, has tested the will
to succeed by those who have chosen to
run the course.
With this edition of the Voice focusing on the Maine- njou breeds
commercial segment, I would like to give
you an updated perspective of
accomplishment.
Mission Statement
The purpose of the AMAA's commercial programs is to increase the
demand for Maine-Anjou cattle in the
commercial industry.
Unequivocally, an increase of interest has occurred, along with an
increase of industry awareness. I am not
sure the term, demand, can yet be used,
but there are those who search out
Maine-Anjou genetics. Back to the
marathon train of thought, we are in the
process of climbing that long hill.
Objectives
Target large-end commercial
Maine-Anjou bull customers for follow-up
service.
Organize special feeder cattle sales
in cooperation with state associations,
sale barn facilities and satellite
auction companies.
Maintain and develop relationships
with feedlots to promote Maine-Anjou
feeder cattle, increase marketing
opportunities and provide needed
follow-up.
Conduct herd, feedlot and packer
visits to promote the breed with special
consideration in areas of low market
penetration by the Maine-Anjou breed.
Build a network of industry contacts
through involvement with cattleman's and
cattle feeder organizations.
Relate to university and extension
animal scientists and other leaders on
the contributions of the Maine- Anjou
breed in the commercial industry.
Coordinate with other Maine- Anjou
staff members for breeder educational
programs, commercial newspaper feature
stories and testimonials.
Provide feedback to the breed on
performance of Maine-Anjou cattle, the
breed's greatest supporter externally
and the breed's greatest critic
internally.
Work with existing staff in programs
that will assist Maine- Anjou breeders
in producing a better seedstock product.
Work to develop programs that will
assist Maine-Anjou breeders in providing
improved service to their commercial
customers.
To assist Maine-Anjou breeders in
providing improved service to their
commercial customers.
To assist AMAA members & commercial
customers in merchandising their feeder
cattle and to help them discover the
true value of the cattle they produce.
To enhance the marketability of
Maine-Anjou influenced feeder cattle.
To reassure commercial customers of
their decision to purchase Maine-Anjou
genetics.
To coordinate/encourage communication
between the segments of the beef cattle
industry and to provide information
feedback.
To provide education to seedstock and
commercial producers regarding the
feeding and packing segments and the
performance of Maine-Anjou cattle.
Encourage commercial producers to
insist the Maine-Anjou bulls they use be
registered and transferred.
The Report Card
I am not going to attempt to give an A through F to each one of
these objectives but rather give an
overview of some of the program's major
accomplishments. The listed
accomplishments would, in themselves,
meet a variation of one of more
objectives.
Since its inception, the National Sire Test program has
yielded some very worth while data but
has struggled to attract breeder's
interested in making the investment to
acquire carcass EPDs on a particular
bull or bulls. We would
encourage anyone interested in the
program to contact Dave Steen for
further details. Current averages of
carcass data from this program are:
Choice Quality Grade .............
73.2%
Yield Grade
............................... 2.97
REA
..........................................
13.07
HCW
............................................
782
Live Wt.
....................................
1,236
As you can see, this data makes a case for the use of
Maine-Anjou genetics. From this data we
have produced carcass EPDs on 103
Maine-Anjou bulls.
This fall, we will be heading into our
sixth annual National Maine-Anjou
Influenced Steer and Heifer Feeding
Trial. The basic intent of the feeding
trial is for producers to learn about
their genetics and help them make future
selections as it pertains to the
positive development of performance and
carcass traits used in their individual
programs. That basic intent has
sometimes got lost due to market or
performance swings that have hindered
the profit/ loss picture. Irregardless,
whether an individual has used the data,
the association as a whole has greatly
benefited. Coupled with the national
sire test data, Dave Steen shares this
data with commercial producers across
the country to enhance the salability of
Maine-Anjou genetics. The program has
had approximately 150 consignors from
nine states while expanding to include a
junior member division.
The Cattle Show on RFD-TV
We are entering our third season promoting the Maine-Anjou breed on
a segment of the "The Cattle Show."
Without a doubt, this has been a good
investment of time and money for both
the association and individual breeders
who have participated. This program
gives the breed a chance to showcase
itself in front of a potential audience
of over
30 million viewers. The viewings have
resulted in countless inquiries with
resulting sales of Maine-Anjou genetics.
These programs can be seen on your local
cable TV stations, or Direct 379 and
Dish 231. This fall, the AMAA will be
taping another segment to air on RFD-TV,
The Cattle Show at the following
times:
Monday, Nov. 27, 2007 @ 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2007 @ 4 a.m. & 8 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 2, 2007 @ 10 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2008 @ 8 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2008 @ 4 a.m. & 8
p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 3, 2008 @ 10 p.m.
For a month, following the week of each of these airings, you can view
the show on the internet by going to
www.24-agtv.com
. Go to the home page and select the TV
guide to select the Maine-Anjou show.
Classified Ads
Another program that has garnered much
use, in both placement of ads to
resulting sales, is the Maine-Anjou For
Sale sites. The program has now evolved
into a true classified ad look with a
$20 per month charge that can either be
set up by you, the advertiser, or by
contacting the Voice department.
Just visit our Web site at
www.maine-anjou.org and click
on the classified ad heading. As of June
2007, there has been 7,806 hits on the
feeder cattle site, 18,603 hits on the
female site and 20,396 hits on the bull
site.
Source and Age Verification
The AMAA is happy to announce a working
relationship with IMI Global to provide
a Source and Age Verification program to
all Maine-Anjou partners. Check Dave's
column in the August/September 2007
issue of the Voice along with an update
placed in this issue on page 35 for more
details on this timely and important
issue.
Daily Attention Makes For an Easier
Race
The interrelation of the aforementioned programs, with the daily
activities of the commercial marketing
program and its director, should go
without saying. The data provided from
various programs, published performance
and carcass EPDs and testimonials of
success solidify the fact that
Maine-Anjou cattle have the versatility
to work in any program and provide the
genetic diversity to design a breeding
program that works for them.
Feedyards that have had the opportunity to feed Maine-Anjou
influenced calves are finally seeing the
true value of this breed. Because of the
calves the commercial marketing program
has helped place, calves have been
properly identified as "Maine-Anjou
sired." Interest is growing every day by
feedyards that would like to feed Maine
influenced cattle, but keep in mind, an
ever growing prerequisite are calves
that come with a known feeding history
and related carcass data.
Commercial cattlemen are more aware than ever of what a Maine-
Anjou bull can do, yet there are many
who have not been reached. In the midst
of the objectives, programs and
accomplishments, the association is
trying to set an improved stage for you,
the Maine- Anjou breeder, to market your
product. This improved stage does not
mean that at every bull sale we would
have orders for a bull or bulls.
Different than the marathon runner he/she knows that at 26.2 miles
the race is over, the American
Maine-Anjou commercial marketing program
will always have a moving finish line.
The hill will, at some point, be
conquered, it may get steeper or longer
as we go, it will certainly have its
spells of struggle, but in the end, as
each mile marker is passed, the
determination, endless miles traveled
and effort made by a few will benefit
many.
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