CALF_News_April_May_2020

29 CALF News • April | May 2020 • www.calfnews.net ucts (i.e., animal fat, tallow, feather meal, fish meal, animal protein products).  Cattle may receive coccidiostats (Corid ® or DECCOX® are acceptable).  Cattle must move through VNB approved locations.  An onsite audit prior to shipping and/or marketing in a sale is required. Premiums paid Many TPV cattle are marketed through Superior Livestock Auction and Western Video Market. Saunders said those video sales reported that from 2017-2019, the average premiums paid to producers in the SAV program were $2.21 per hundredweight for heifers and $2.39 for steers. NHTC premiums aver- aged $6.03 per hundredweight for heif- ers and $5.51 for steers. VNB premiums were $8 for heifers and $7.69 for steers. Premiums will, of course, range from one operation to another, based on health protocols and other factors. To help get a closer idea of expected premiums, IMI Global and International Genetics Solutions have partnered to offer producers the IGS Feeder Profit Calculator. The calculator uses IGS’s huge and comprehensive set of genetic data to cal- culate the relative value of feeder calves in a one-of-a-kind, independent manner. Producers can see the value their management and genetic decisions are providing to their operation. “This enables them to have a benchmark from which they can make confident, knowledgeable choices about how to continuously improve their operations,” Saunders said. Another IMI program, BeefCARE, helps meet standards sought in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (USRSB). It is a multi-stakeholder initiative developed to advance, support and communicate continuous improve- ment in sustainability of the U.S. beef value chain. It provides a TPV standard, measures and monitors key indicators and metrics that are critical for sustainability and provides a mechanism for continuous improvement, Saunders said. “BeefCARE certification creates value by communicating the invaluable role that farmers and ranchers play in the care of their animals, the environment and how they interact with their local community,” she said. Since many cattle are black or red, IMI’s breed verification program enables producers to confirm the breed of their cattle. Specific EID tags are used to provide information to buyers. Costs for TPV programs will vary. Saunders said producers should expect to pay about $5 to $6 per head per year for an IMI Global SAV verification. The NHTC verification would average about $12.50 per head per year. Expect more trends toward TPV and source verification as U.S. beef export opportunities increase across the globe. That means a TPV on your herd may be a must. 