Member & Industry News Briefs
Highlights from the
Spring Board Meeting
The NALF board met in Lincoln, Nebraska for its
April board meeting. The location of the meeting
afforded the opportunity for the board to tour
both the Tyson packing house at Dakota City
and the Neogen/GeneSeek lab in Lincoln, Neb.
Both stops were valuable to the board as to be
updated on the operations of both companies.
The Tyson tour of the Dakota City packing plant
was extremely informative for the board on
current industry demand within the commercial
cattle business. The board was able to tour the
fabrication facility at the plant and hear from Tyson
staff about changes in the beef market versus just
five years ago. It was evident that packing houses
have adjusted to today’s larger slaughter weights
on fed cattle in their facilities. With feedyards
feeding cattle to larger out weights in an effort to
roll back breakevens on cattle, the facilities have
adjusted their operations to accommodate the
larger carcass weights while at the
same time increasing the efficiency
of their output on a daily basis.
It was also evident that the
industry is producing a much larger
percentage of cattle in choice and
prime grade categories versus just
five to seven years ago. The retail
market demand for cattle grading
in the upper 2/3rds of choice
and higher has driven premiums
high enough to send the signal
to the commercial cattle business
to supply that product. It was
also evident that there are more
branded programs being utilized to
market the higher quality product
throughout the industry. It is not
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uncommon for most plants to now average 80%
or higher choice cattle of their weekly production.
This would compare with 50-60% just 10 years ago.
It is apparent that the industry is focusing on retail
pounds that are of high quality to capture the
premiums that come with consistent eating quality
and consumer satisfaction. With a larger percent
of the consumers today consisting of millennials, it
was also noted that natural cattle production and
programs continue to increase as well. Additionally,
much of this product can be also utilized for
export programs which continue to increase.
The tour of the GeneSeek lab was very informative
to the board as well. The staff at the lab toured
the board on the processes used once DNA is
submitted and received at the lab in Lincoln. The
team was briefed on the products offered at the
lab that have increased informational accuracy
DIAMOND HILL
CATTLE COMPANY
Limousin & Lim-Flex
BULLS FEMALES SHOW HEIFERS
GENETIC OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE YEAR-ROUND
Newcastle, OK Mark Barker, DVM
(402) 520-5846 [email protected]