Counties Currently Involved: 38
Total Days Planned: 890
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Barbour - 30 days Berkeley - 20 days Braxton - 8 days Cabell - 5 days Doddridge - 15 days Fayette - 15 days Gilmer - 10 days Grant - 20 days Greenbrier - 55 days Hampshire - 60 days Hancock - 2 days Hardy - 40 days Harrison - 30 days |
Jackson - 20 days Jefferson - 35 days Lewis - 30 days Marshall - 7 days Mason - 25 days Mineral - 35 days Monongalia - 20 days Nicholas - 40 days Ohio - 12 days Pendleton - 40 days Pleasants - 5 days Pocahontas - 90 days Preston - 40 days |
Raleigh - 15 days Randolph - 20 days Ritchie - 10 days Roane - 15 days Summers - 15 days Taylor - 30 days Tyler - 15 days Upshur - 20 days Wayne - 20 days Wirt - 6 days Wood - 15 days |
Contact Person: Phil Osborne
Situation Statement
The West Virginia beef industry is composed primarily of small, part-time production units that provide supplemental income for the family. Most of the operations are cow-calf and stocker cattle programs with a primary focus on feeder calf production and marketing. The size and scope of the operations depend upon the available forage resources. Approximately 10,500 farms support 202,000 beef cows, while another 1,500 operations background or stocker about 50,000 feeder cattle. The majority of the 525,000 acres dedicated to hay production is owned and operated by beef farmers.
The challenge to the commercial beef production in West Virginia is to remain productive and competitive while lacking both economies of scale and market access. The weekly livestock auctions and the special graded feeder sales traditionally have provided a commodity outlet for most producers. In recent years, there has been a decline in the number of livestock markets and most marketers and buyers of feeder cattle prefer to purchase cattle direct from the farm to avoid the stress and associated health problems with sale-barn cattle.
Feeder cattle raised in West Virginia are generally shipped to feedlots in the Midwest. The competitiveness of these cattle in the marketplace depends largely on the uniformity and the health of the animals that influence the subsequent performance and profitability in the feedlot. Marketing alliances are being developed across the country with a sole objective of adding value and profit potential.
West Virginia feeder cattle producers have begun to develop local marketing alliances. The potential of these programs is beginning to be realized by participating producers. The cooperative production and marketing effort of the alliances allows small producers to realize the same benefits as larger production units. The small local alliances are beginning to realize more opportunities in niche markets or with larger national alliances.
West Virginia beef producers historically have taken advantage of cooperative production and marketing programs. The yearling board sales and quality assurance sales have been popular with producers and buyers accounting for 90% of the yearling cattle sold at auction. The seed stock industry has embraced the cooperative marketing concept through the performance bull sales, the West Virginia Beef Exposition and breed sales.
Performance Goal
To enhance the reputation of feeder calves, increase producer participation in various marketing options, assist producers in preparing for value-based marketing, and introduce marketing and sales alternatives to beef producers.
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