As we work into the first days of summer, now would be a good time to revisit your marketing plans. Every operation should develop and maintain a marketing plan.

These plans can be very simple to very complex, depending on your situation and level of detail. These plans need to be flexible and easily updated as things change.

As you look at creating a marketing plan, you need to answer these five questions:. If you have a current operation, this can be easy to come up with.

wugadukucevu.web.fc2.com – wugadukucevu.web.fc2.com

For instance, you already know whether you are producing for a niche market i. If you have a spring calving herd, you should already know the number and sex of the calves you plan to sell. You also need to determine the target weight you want them to reach at time of sale. If you are selling a replacement heifer or cow, you need to determine the target age, as well as whether she will be open or pregnant at time of sale.

Within the beef industry, there are several options. Auction barns have had a long tradition of selling cattle and calves. Market animals can also be sold through online forums or video auctions, as well as direct marketing to local feedyards.

Some have even been known to post sales on Craigslist. It is important to identify your target market and explore all the options available to you to sell your product. When do you plan to physically market the animals? Establishing your price may occur at a different time than when you physically market the animal. You should feel comfortable with the methods of selling and pricing your cattle. Some producers may only use cash markets or cash forward contracts, while other producers may feel comfortable using the futures market or options market.

Livestock Risk Protection LRP Insurance is another option to consider when pricing your cattle. More information on LRP for feeder cattle can be found at: You should find an acceptable level of risk and pricing method you can be happy with. The best pricing methods may change from year to year and what your neighbor did may not be the best choice for you.

Given current market conditions and price expectations, what are the goals and objectives you seek to accomplish with your marketing plan? Keep in mind, seeking only to get the highest price can expose you to more risk than you can handle or feel comfortable. Your goals should be a combination of getting a good price and controlling the risk associated with the market place.

Identify specific strategies and tools that can help you reach your marketing goals and objectives.

Latest Ag Market Prices and Agriculture News | wugadukucevu.web.fc2.com

Specify actions you need to take and deadlines you need to meet in order to put yourself on a timeline that keeps you proactively implementing your plan and managing the market risk. Creating a marketing plan can help alleviate stress as well as emotion in implementing your marketing strategy.

Understanding your cost of production will help establish your pricing objectives and the triggers that make the marketing plan more valuable. Make sure you continually evaluate your plan and establish contingency or backup plans you can implement if there are price or market changes that differ from your original expectations.

Scroll Down for more stories. Skip to main content. Register Sign in Subscribe Newsletters. Menu Drovers Cattle Network Search form Search. Marketing plans for your livestock operation. By Kate Brooks, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension July 27, 4: No comments Log in to comment.

If you're a human, don't change the following field Enter your name Your first name. More information about text formats. Plain text No HTML tags allowed. Lines and paragraphs break automatically. Leave this field blank. Drovers Radio Drovers Radio: Israel open to U.

Objective Livestock | First choice for progressive livestock producers

Colombia now full open to U. NEWS FROM AGWEB The Shrinking Immigrant Labor Pool Posted On Jun. A Kansas Farmer's Message to Trump Posted On Jun.

Strong Demand For Choppers As Moods Improve Posted On Jun.

Drovers About Us Advertise Contact Us Site Map Feedback. Facebook Link Twitter Link Instagram Link RSS Index Link. All Rights Reserved One Penn Square West 30 S. Welcome to our redesigned homepage!