Sunday, November 23, 1997

Where to haul a cow when it's turkey week

By J.T. Smith / Abilene Reporter-News

Before you hitch up your trailer to truck that ol' cow to the auction barn this week, be aware that most auction barns will be closed.

The Thanksgiving week shapes up like this:

-- Jordan Cattle Company will have no sale at its three facilities -- Mason on Monday, Brownwood on Tuesday or at San Saba Thursday.

-- Sweetwater Cattle Auction will be closed Wednesday for the holiday celebration, Darren Stevens says.

-- Coleman Livestock Auction also will be closed on Wednesday, Dan Edington reports.

-- David Coan says no sale at Ranger Livestock Auction on Thursday. Stamford Farmers and Ranchers Livestock Auction also will be closed for Thanksgiving on Thursday, Andy Holloway notes.

-- Gary Tate says Haskell Livestock Auction will be closed Saturday.

-- Colorado City Livestock Market also will have no sale Saturday, says Jim Calvert.

Abilene is one of few barns open

Abilene Livestock Auction is one of the very few auctions that will be open this week.

The Abilene facility will have its weekly sale as usual Tuesday, Randy Carson reports.

Weatherford Stockyards will hold its weekly sale Wednesday.

Mineral Wells Stockyards will have its regular sale Saturday.

If you can't remember all of these, then just scissor out the column and put it on your refrigerator door. Or -- perhaps on the dashboard of your pickup.

The winds of change upon cattle industry

Speaking of cattle, a Canadian beef packer says the "winds of change are upon us."

Jim Pattillo, CEO of XL Foods, Ltd., in Calgary, Alberta, also is a rancher and cattle feeder too.

Pattillo told the Texas Cattle Feeders Association Convention in Austin this past week that's he optimistic.

"There's a great future (for beef)," Pattillo assured. "But it's up to us to cyrstallize the vision -- and in today's world -- carefully reshape the sectored influence, how we work together and replace the trust that was in beef for so long and is quickly dissipating."

The need is evident, he said.

"Beef now has serious competitors," Pattillo said. "We must turn the light on our infrastructure and the consumer -- for after all, we are all in the food business."

Satisfying consumers is challenge

Pattillo said the beef industry -- particularly packers and retailers -- have an enormous amount of infrastructure hurdles to overcome in order to realign the basic product with consumers.

"The retailer has done a disservice to the product that -- ironically -- is a direct correlation to his repeat business," Pattillo said. "We have done a disservice to ourselves by not truly standing behind -- and marketing and developing our product."

But that situation will change, Pattillo assured the cattle feeders, because consumers will demand it.

And that's good for the cattle industry.

"If done correctly -- with the consumer in mind -- all the cattle industry will benefit," Pattillo said. "Beef is a generic product that when protocoled, gives you an identity and a future. If we further develop a product and market it properly, the value will follow."

For that to happen, Pattillo said every sector of the beef industry must "bridge the gap and forge the commonality" to make the market system operate more smoothly.

The beef industry's future is in its own hands, he noted.

"Our future success will be the result of better focus, a sense of balance, common purpose and a respect for differentiation."