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New Feeder Calf Marketing Service Creates Opportunity for Hereford Cattle

New Feeder Calf Marketing Service Creates Opportunity for Hereford Cattle

March 5, 2020

Kansas City, Mo. — Hereford producers will have access to more marketing outlets for their feeder cattle thanks to a new partnership between the American Hereford Association (AHA) and S= Cattle Co., a cattle-buying business …





Kansas City, Mo. — Hereford producers will have access to more marketing outlets for their feeder cattle thanks to a new partnership between the American Hereford Association (AHA) and S= Cattle Co., a cattle-buying business owned and operated by Nolan Stone and based in Eaton, Colo.

Through this partnership, AHA field representatives will locate and source Hereford-based feeder cattle to be marketed through Stone, with the aim to increase marketing avenues for commercial Hereford producers — and drive additional value for the breed.

“The American Hereford Association is excited to announce this innovative partnership with a long-established expert in sourcing and feeding high-value feeder cattle. Combining Nolan Stone with our talented field staff, we gain momentum in driving more value for Hereford and Hereford-based genetics,” says Jack Ward, AHA executive vice president.

AHA field representatives and Stone will also help locate backgrounding opportunities for feeder cattle and will organize locations across the country to pull small loads of cattle to get them weaned, vaccinated and sorted into marketable, uniform groups.

A fifth-generation native Coloradan, Stone says he is looking forward to working with the Association to identify valuable, readily available Hereford-cross feeder cattle across the country. With nearly 20 years of experience in the cattle feeding business — 12 of which were spent as the general manager at the Five Rivers Kuner Feedlot — Stone sees opportunity for Hereford genetics in the marketplace, particularly with the premiums associated with baldy calves.

“[Herefords are] great cattle, increasingly productive, and obviously they have the maternal traits that made the Hereford breed famous,” Stone says, adding that first-generation (F1) Hereford crosses offer a valuable crossbred advantage because Hereford genetics differ from other breeds.

According to Stone, genetics are important when it comes to feeding cattle profitably. Coupled with a good vaccination program, cattle that perform predictably are most desired. Recently, the AHA reported a 20% increase in growth traits and an impressive 150% gain in marbling in the last decade.

“I think there’s a lot of order buyers out there, a lot of ways to market your cattle, and I try to focus on doing what I say: Making sure the cattle fit the descriptions that we provide to the buyers, and trying to get the best price for the seller and trying to find what the buyers want.”

The end goal is to create more options for producers, Ward says.

“Cattle across the country are continuing to get better. This opportunity will allow producers to more easily market those feeder cattle to buyers who value quality Hereford and Hereford-cross genetics,” he says.

To learn more about options for marketing your feeder calves, please contact your regional AHA field representative, found at Hereford.org.

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S=Cattle Co. is licensed and bonded through the Packers and Stockyards Division of the United States Department of Agriculture.

The American Hereford Association (AHA), with headquarters in Kansas City, Mo., is one of the largest U.S. beef breed associations. The not-for-profit organization along with its subsidiaries — Certified Hereford Beef (CHB) LLC, Hereford Publications Inc. (HPI) and American Beef Records Association (ABRA) — provides programs and services for its members and their customers, while promoting the Hereford breed and supporting education, youth and research. For more information about the Association, visit Hereford.org. For pictures and additional news releases, visit www.hereford.org/media.

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