Marbling Matters
These last weeks have led to a lot of speculation. Will U.S. cattle prices plummet in the wake of President Trump’s tariff policy? Will ranches retain heifers to build back their herds? Will consumers continue to pay a premium for beef in the grocery store?
Like many, we don’t have all of the answers. But, we do believe that homegrown, USA-born, bred and raised beef is a superior product. As a seedstock producer, we also subscribe fully to the fact that genetics don’t just matter, but they can be that differentiating factor that pays for itself come sale day. US Premium Beef recently released new data supporting this very shift.
National Beef became the first packer in 2024 to offer a grid premium for cattle enrolled in AngusLink Genetic Merit Scorecard (GMS) with a score of 100-149. This program doesn’t require an on-site audit and allows a producer to enroll calves, providing a genetic score based on the expected progeny differences (EPDs) from the bulls that sired the calf crop. The Beef Score is utilized by feeders, who can quickly assess that a higher Beef Score will equate to more genetic potential for desirable carcass traits, post-weaning growth and daily gain. Currently, a score of 100 represents the industry average.
GMS cattle performed better in the feed lot, weighing an average of 820 as compared to non-GMS cattle at 798. More importantly, GMS cattle reached that weight faster at 191 days of feed, while non-GMS lots reached the lighter weight on 207 days of feed. Not only were these pounds important, but they were higher quality. 48.86% of GMS cattle scored Prime, compared to 8.20% of non GMS cattle. Overall, this led to $155.30 more per head for producers enrolled in the GMS program. Oh, and did we mention, 96% of GMS cattle in this study were black-hided, as compared to 78% of non GMS cattle.
At Kinger Cattle, we actively encourage customers to leverage all programs and opportunities for securing a premium on their cattle. As the market and consumer shift toward a preference for Prime-graded beef, it’s important to think about how carcass genetics may impact your operation. We’re proud that 70% of the bulls sold at our first Annual Production Sale on March 4, 2027, are currently within the top 20% of the industry for marbling, and we’ll be selling over 20 bulls that are leading the industry in the top 5% for the marbling EPD. As American ranchers look to continue boasting higher quality products, investment in quality, carcass-driven sires may be key. Learn more about our program, or sign-up to receive our sale catalog on our website.