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Virginia Cooperative Extension -
 Knowledge for the CommonWealth

Spring ROP Shipment

Livestock Update, March 2001

Bill R. McKinnon, Extension Specialist, Livestock Marketing, Virginia Tech

The next scheduled shipment, as part of Virginia's Retained Ownership Program is Thursday, April 5, 2001. This shipment should suit those producers who backgrounded their calves through the winter. Shipment points are located to accommodate the largest number of cattle consigned.

Most Virginia beef producers have little idea how well their cattle perform in the feedlot or hanging upside down on the rail. In coming years, this information and the improvement of those characteristics will be important in determining the value of feeder cattle. The Virginia Retained Ownership Program offers producers the opportunity to gain feedback on a sample of their cattle. Participants may consign as few as five head to the ROP program.

The cattle from several consignors are shipped as a group to the participating feedlot, Decatur County Feed Yard at Oberlin, Kansas. Up front costs to the participants include a $10 consignment fee which is used to cover ear tags, weighing charges, health papers, mailings, etc. After shipment, the consignors are billed for trucking charges. Feedlot costs are financed and paid out of proceeds from the sale of the cattle at finishing.

The cattle are sorted for final marketing and sold on a carcass value grid. Participants will receive individual feedlot and carcass performance data on their cattle. Many past participants have used the ROP information to adjust their breeding programs.

For further information regarding the Virginia Retained Ownership Program, contact Bill McKinnon, Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist at Virginia Tech, 540/231-9160 or a local Extension agent.

Va. ROP Consignment Form - PDF format



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