Utilizing Ultrasound Technology to Improve Livestock Marketing Decisions |
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| Authors: | Jayson L Lusk Randall Little Allen Williams John Anderson Blair McKinley |
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| Institution: | Jayson L. Lusk is Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, Mississippi State University.; Randall Little is Associate Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, Mississippi State University.; Allen Williams is Assistant Professor, Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, Mississippi State University.; John Anderson is Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, Mississippi State University.; Blair McKinley is an Extension Beef Specialist, Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, Mississippi State University. |
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| Abstract: | This study estimates the value of using ultrasound technology to improve cattle marketing decisions by optimally choosing a particular marketing method. For the particular group of cattle analyzed, results indicate that using ultrasound information to selectively market cattle could have increased revenue by $25.53/head, $4.98/head, or $32.90/head, compared with simply marketing all animals on a live weight, dressed weight, or grid basis, respectively. Even if producers incorporate such information as placement weight, days on feed, and breed into their expectations about final carcass characteristics, our results indicate that ultrasound measures could improve average revenue by $4.16/head. |
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