Oklahoma Quality Beef Network's Gant Mourer Says Value-Added Programs Really Do Pay Off

May 24, 2016

By Gant Mourer

OSU Extension Beef Value Enhancement Specialist

The Oklahoma Quality Beef Network is a joint project of the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service and the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association to help producers improve the quality of their cattle and better access value-added marketing programs. OSU Extension Beef Value Enhancement Specialist Gant Mourer says that value was seen this past fall and winter when feeder cattle prices collapsed.

“It was a really hard year, and every week, as we approached December, it seemed to get harder and harder and a lot of us went through that,” he says. “But what we found is pre-conditioning these cattle, we still maintain the value of those animals.”

Mourer says that while most producers still lost money during the down trending market conditions, those who participated in a value-added program mitigated their losses.

“Just simply hanging on to that calf for 45 days and not managing them at all, not weaning them, not doing anything with them - we lost about $250 a head over that short period of time,” he says. “But through these management practices and marketing that way - or being a reputable producer - we only lost about $100 a head. So we saw about $100 to $150 a head value in a down market year.”

Oklahoma Quality Beef Network's Gant Mourer Says Value-Added Programs Really Do Pay Off

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