Sunday, June 22, 1997

Abilene Cattle Feeders doing more than feeding cattle

By J.T. Smith / Abilene Reproter-News

Most folks know Abilene Cattle Feeders is a big and ultra-modern feedlot with a capacity of 30,000 cattle.

But ACF also is busy beyond just fattening cattle to finish nowadays.

Throughout the year, ACF always has 1,000 to 4,000 head of calfhood-vaccinated, open black heifers for sale.

All the heifers have have been given vaccines of 7-way Black Leg, 4-Way, IBR, Autogenous Pasturella, Bacterin, Ivomec, and O.C.V.

"They have not been implanted and are not branded," Gary Gentry, ACF general manager, said.

Varying with the time of year, the heifers will weigh 450 to 850 pounds - depending on their pastures.

As of mid-June, ACF had 112 all black Brangus, 189 Brangus baldies, 612 all-black Angus, and 392 English black baldies.

"These heifers are running on native grass and weigh 675 to 775 pounds," Gentry reported.

Looking ahead, ACF will have 266 all-black Brangus, 384 all-black Angus, and 200 English baldies weighing 725 to 825 pounds on Oct. 1.

ACF also will have more than 3,000 head weighing 450 to 550 pounds.

"The minimum purchase is usually 200 head because the heifers are running in pretty rough pastures and are hard to gather," Gentry noted. "Currently, we will sell a minimum of two loads of the Brangus and Brangus baldies because they are close to the sorting pens."

The Abilene business is attracting customers from a wide area of the United States - including Kansas, Texas, Florida, and Missouri.

ACF is able to contract for a certain size and type of open black heifers for delivery in any month.

Gentry has more information at his office, (915) 692-5945, or you can some times catch him on his mobile phone at (915) 669-5906.

Breckenridge cattleman helps Japanese promote beef

Speaking of our cattle industry, millions of Japanese consumers will learn accurate information about U.S. beef's safety and wholesomeness this summer.

This is thanks to recent efforts of the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), the Texas Beef Council (TBC) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA).

The information comes through five Japanese journalists who toured the Texas beef industry May 31 to June 6.

"Texas beef producers were proud to host the Japanese media in cooperation with USMEF," said Chaunce Thompson, TBC chairman and a Breckenridge cattleman. "The journalists observed the entire beef chain from rancher to feeder - to packer, processor, and end user."

The Japanese journalists got an understanding of the HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) and other beef safety programs from the ranch to the consumer.

"The lesson they learned - and the one they will take back to their readers - is that U.S. producers are committed to providing our global customers with the highest quality, safest beef supply 100 percent of the time," the Stephens County rancher said.

The journalists' publications represent a total daily circulation of 20 million Japanese readers.

These writers got to hear from Texas A&M University beef specialists, visit Texas cattle feedyards, and Freedman Food Service of Dallas, a state-of-the-art processing company.

The Japanese visitors also dined on beef at many of Texas' top restaurants. They visited the meat departments at Central Market, a modern store that is part of the H-E-B chain, and Randall's Superstore, both in Austin.

Many other Texas stops were far too numerous to mention.

Dr. Richard McDonald, executive vice president of the Texas Cattle Feeders Association, explained that the American cattle industry's Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program exceed the standards set by both USDA and the Food and Drug Administration.

Japan is the No. 1 customer of U.S. beef. In 1996 alone, Japan bought 514,657 metric tons of beef worth $1.9 billion.

Cattle represent the No. 1 commodity in the Abilene region as well as Texas.