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July 22, 2003

Cooperative Beef $olutions Launch a Success

Shawano, WI- Cooperative Beef $olutions™, a new program developed to increase beef producer profitability, was introduced at a press conference on May 30 at the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) Conference in Lexington, Kentucky. The session gave industry members a chance to learn about the new program and to talk to representatives of the four participating companies that comprise Cooperative Beef $olutions.

Four of the beef industry’s leading technology companies have combined efforts to offer producers the most progressive genetic improvement along with individual animal management and marketing program available in the industry today. Genex Cooperative, Inc., a subsidiary of Cooperative Resources International (CRI) located in Shawano, Wisconsin, offers superior genetics to the program through Artificial Insemination or Genex sired natural service herd bulls available from Genex seedstock customers. CRI subsidiary Central Livestock Association also plays a key role in placement and sales of cattle in the upper Midwest.

Midwest MicroSystems, LLC of Lincoln, Nebraska, adds its Cow Sense® suite of software to Cooperative Beef $olutions, providing participants with easy to use, yet the most advanced on-ranch analysis and profit-driven decision tools based on individual animal management.

The additional off-ranch cattle measurement, management, marketing, and animal performance feedback functions will be provided by the ACCU-TRAC® Electronic Cattle Management (ECM®) System from Micro Beef Technologies, Ltd. of Amarillo, Texas.

Decatur County Feed Yard, LLC near Oberlin, Kansas, performs the feeding and finishing aspects of the program along with the individual measurement and sorting of cattle in its state-of-the-art ACCU-TRAC® ECM facility. ECM® returns measured individual carcass data from the packer and links it to live performance data.

The attendees of the press conference showed a great deal of interest in the program. “I am impressed by the Beef $olutions program that will coordinate the use of sophisticated technology, genetic improvement of cattle and optimization of production efficiency and carcass endpoint to improve the consistency of beef. I am encouraged the program is open to any progressive cow/calf producers,” said Dr. Michael E. Dikeman, Professor at Kansas State University and Registered Simmental breeder.

“There needs to be increased coordination between industry segments if the beef industry is to remain competitive with other protein sources. Cooperative Beef $olutions is a model for this concept as it provides cow-calf producers with access to the services of a major genetic supplier, a state-of-the-art feeding company, and a leading information management system in a single coordinated package,” declared Dr. Harlan Ritchie of Michigan State University.

Dr. Gene Rouse of Iowa State University also attended the session and stated, “In the future we must share information and technology up and down the beef cattle industry chain to get “Beef $olutions”. Each firm in Beef $olutions is doing what it does best and sharing it with all parties.”

“We are happy with the response from the industry attendees,” remarked Willie Altenburg, Associate Vice President-Beef Marketing, Genex Cooperative, Inc. “It is great to hear positive feedback from such influential industry people.”

For more information, visit http://www.cooperativebeefsolutions.com or contact any of the program representatives below: