CALF_News_October_November_2020

42 CALF News • October | November 2020 • www.calfnews.net Trail’s End EVAN SLACK , 86, passed away Sept. 19. His farm broadcast- ing career spanned 68 years, culminating in his ownership of the Evan Slack Network, based in Denver, Colo. Mr. Slack was inducted into the National Asso- ciation of Farm Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2009. BILLY ALLEN , 84, passed away Sept. 19. He trained and showed American Quarter Horses, earning 11 world championships, and owned a breeding herd of 175 horses at its peak. Mr. Allen was inducted into the American Quarter Horse Association Hall of Fame in 2019. He is survived by his wife, Connie, and four children.  While fast food and carryout restaurants have partially recovered from the pandemic lockdowns, there’s no quick revival for full service restaurants. Aherin warned beef produc- ers, feeders and marketers not to expect “the foodservice indus- try to recover to pre-COVID levels until 2022 to early 2023.” As recovery continues, look for restaurants and retailers to ask for that key producer documentation on how cattle were produced and raised in an animal welfare-conscious environ- ment.“Data management and documentation are vital for traceability,” Aherin said.“You can’t manage it if you can’t measure it.” He added that export development must also continue.“We need to work to maintain global trade, which is critical to ‘value creation’ for U.S. beef. We can’t implement protectionism and expect to export.” Hedge Them or Else? Blach was asked,“How long can the feeding sector survive equity erosion?” “We have to do a better job of managing risk,” he responded. “The lion’s share of cattle that lost money [during the COVID-caused price decrease] had the opportunity to lock in a profit. We need to take more singles and doubles and not always shoot for a home run.” Don Basse, president AgResource Co., and regular presenter at the Feeding Quality Forum, projected live cattle prices at about $106/ cwt., the fourth quarter. While USDA pegs the first quarter of 2021 at $105, “we’re at $112. If [futures] price hit $116 to $118, that’s going to be a big opportunity to be pricing cattle.” USDA’s projected corn yield is 178.5 bu. per acre. AgResource estimates the average yield at 179.5 bu., Basse said, adding that prices may fall back to the $3.20/bu. level at corn harvest.“[As a cattle feeder] let the corn market come back to you in October or November,” he suggested. He said spot corn prices could vary widely this winter, from $3 to $3.65 in early 2021. Depending on basis, prices should be $3.25 to $3.35. “Cattle feeders and farmers need to be good managers of margins,” Basse said.“South America will plant fence to fence. There will be an abundance of grain.”  Don Basse, AgResources, says if futures prices hit $116 to $118 the first quarter of 2021, “that’s going to be a big opportunity to be pricing cattle.” Photo courtesy CAB FEEDING QUALITY FORUM Continued from page 41 Company Allflex Livestock Intelligence has hired Paul Koffman as North America Lead. He will be responsible for the company’s livestock identification, monitoring and traceability businesses in the United States and Canada. Lallemand Animal Nutrition has pro- moted three employees in the North American product management and marketing teams. Kip Karges, Ph.D., is the new ruminant feed additives prod- uct manager. Erin Carter will serve as senior brand communica- tions lead – ruminant and equine feed additives. Lauren Kasten is now brand communications lead – forage additives. Tyson Foods announced its work to verify sustainable beef production prac- tices on more than 5 million acres of cattle grazing land in the U.S. Working with Where Food Comes From , the largest provider of certification and verification services to the food industry, Tyson Foods will source cattle from BeefCARE™ -verified beef producers. The program is rec- ognized by the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef. To ensure improved management of grasslands and rangelands, Tyson Foods will also work with The Nature Conservancy  to evaluate ON THE HUMAN SIDE Continued from page 39 and enhance the environmental components of the current BeefCARE program.  Zinpro has hired two marketing professionals, Megan Lehman and Rachel Meyer . Lehman will serve as global marketing manager, and Meyer will serve as regional marketing manager – North America. 