The Three Cs of Enhancing the Producer-Packer Relationship

At a glance 

The relationship between a beef cattle producer and their packer is a dynamic one. Packers are looking for consistent, quality beef daily. With volatile cattle markets, changing regulations, disease management and increasing input costs, producers have a lot to manage on top of remaining a dependable supplier for their packer.  

When it comes to making the most of your relationship with your packer, remember the three Cs: communication, culture and consistency.  

Communication

While it may seem like a simple task, it’s one that can often be overlooked. “We ought to stop and think about what it is the packer is looking for,” says Dr. T. Robin Falkner, veterinary technical consultant for Elanco Animal Health. “If producers aren’t already doing so, I encourage them to go and seek that relationship to learn more about what their packer’s expectations are and how you can help to supply them with the cattle they’re looking for.”  

Culture

For many producers, labor and turnover rates are keeping them up at night. Turnover doesn’t allow us to build a positive workplace culture. It’s important to invest and appropriately support employees beyond compensating them appropriately. Michelle Calvo-Lorenzo, Ph.D., chief animal welfare officer at Elanco, says a positive on-farm work culture can ultimately provide a positive impact on the relationships you have off the farm, such as with your packer.  

“A positive workplace culture will naturally lead to healthier animals. It all starts with the employees and encouraging them to feel empowered and more skilled every day, whether that’s through proper training or effective employer-employee management,” said Dr. Calvo-Lorenzo. “A focus on animal welfare and teaching your employees to properly identify, treat and prevent instances of disease will ultimately help reduce stress on the animals’ and employees’ lives. Workplace culture shouldn’t only focus on cattle. Rather, it should be inclusive of retaining happy and dedicated employees who want to come back to work every day to work toward a common goal. This can include reducing incidences of disease to become a preferred supplier and ultimately provide food for the world.” 

Consistency

When it comes to being a dependable supplier to your packer, health events can disrupt your ability to consistently supply cattle.  

“You may have predicted a group of cattle would be finished October 1, but because of health issues, now they won’t be finished until October 16,” says Dr. Falkner. “This opens the door for your packer to seek out other suppliers, so it’s important to prioritize managing health, especially bovine respiratory disease, to maintain consistency with your cattle.” 

Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) is most associated with feedlot and stocker operations. Cattle coming into feedlot operations usually check multiple boxes on the risk factor list for developing BRD, such as stress, exposure to disease and comingling. With increased labor, treatment and retreatment costs, BRD is the most common disease in U.S. feedlot cattle. In a 2001 study, it was estimated that BRD costs the U.S. beef industry $900 million annually in economic losses due to mortality, treatment costs and reduced feed efficiency. However, more recent research demonstrating additional losses in productivity, operational efficiency and carcass quality could drive those estimates much higher. ^1,2,3 

Prevention is the first line of defense against BRD. Having management protocols in place that reduce risk factors, along with a vaccine program can help protect your herd and provide more consistent cattle for your packer. But when animals do get sick, it’s vital to identify and treat them as soon as possible with the right treatment to ensure the longevity of treatment options and reduce the risk of resistance. Dr. Falkner recommends working closely with your herd veterinarian to develop a vaccination and treatment protocol fit for your operation and the needs of your packer.  

“While there are many uncontrollable aspects, communication, culture and consistency are three things you can control to help you to become the preferred supplier for your packer,” says Dr. Falkner.