You probably don’t raise “average” cattle; let’s hope they are above that — and getting better. But you can do more than hope. The top half of all cattle today are selling through carcass merit programs. The other half sell as a commodity, sliding lower in value compared to premium beef. You can’t afford to stake your future on these unknowns.

There’s no reason to choose between what consumers want and the kind of cows that work on the ranch. Research finds no link between cow herd functionality and selection for the high-quality genetics that hit the Certified Angus Beef^® (CAB^®) brand target. A profitable future demands a goal of known quality and added value. That means finding out exactly what you produce, taking action to move it closer to what the market values, and selling it in ways that turn the value into cash.

All of the resources on this web site have been tailored to help you build that profitable future by means of example stories, how-to stories, thought-provoking commentary and “what if” tools and links.

One way to aim for, and get paid for hitting the CAB brand target is to work with one of the several dozen CAB-licensed feedlots across the United States. Through relationships with those feedlots, you can discover individual data for a few dollars per head. Since 1978, the world’s leading beef brand has built strong and stable demand with up to $50 million in premiums paid directly from licensed packers to producers of CAB-accepted cattle each year.

If you don’t want to retain ownership, remember that buyers will still keep track of how your cattle perform. Can you afford to let them know what you don’t? Make your thirst for knowledge part of your marketing plan. Your auction manager may help track calves after the sale; offer to pay the buyer for individual carcass data to keep improving your herd.

There’s no point in keeping secrets. Tell the market what you produce, how you manage them and why. Accept feedback as verbal advice as well as higher or lower bids to guide those changes that never stop. Demand the same openness from suppliers, and build a network across all segment lines. It’s not the traditional, independent ranching life, but this proactive approach lets you maintain control so that there will always be a robust ranching tradition for future generations.

You have to stay well ahead of average, and you can’t stand still. Genetic progress either moves forward or loses ground.

You have to aim for something. The market says, “Aim High.”