Factors influencing the price of value-added calves at Superior Livestock Auction

Master of ScienceDepartment of Agricultural EconomicsTed C. SchroederValue-added management at the cow-calf level is integrated across breeding, health and nutrition programs. Hedonic pricing models are necessary to navigate through the layered management standards imposed by certified health and marketing programs on the cow-calf sector. Previous research in feeder calf pricing models provides insight on the use and development of ordinary least squares in estimating price effects. Breed, vaccination program, age-and-source verification and natural-beef production have become more relevant as vertical coordination has influenced commercial cow-calf producers. This study provides the industry with new information pertaining to the revenue opportunities that exist for cow-calf producers through increased coordination in the beef industry. Video and satellite auction markets are recognized as a national pricing mechanism for feeder cattle in the United States. These markets represent the management and marketing practices of national cow-calf producers and the tastes and preferences of a national stocker and feedlot industry. Previous research in feeder cattle pricing models is applied to the current genetic, management, marketing and market structure information from video auction markets to discover relevant price effects pertaining to value-added calf production. More intensive value-added management practices were expected to enhance the revenue of cow-calf producers selling their calves through video auction markets. This research confirms that verified health and genetic claims produce higher calf prices compared to commodity calves. Weaned calves with at least two rounds of respiratory vaccinations generated an additional $5.50 to$7.50 per cwt., and weaning created $2.75 to$4.50 per cwt. in premiums over non-certified health programs. There were statistical differences among the premiums for each aggregated breed influence, and Angus and black and black-white faced cattle offered the highest breed premiums at $5.25 to$7.50 per cwt. compared to Brahman-influenced calves. Age-and-source verification presents the best opportunity for video auction market premiums among recently developed marketing programs. Statistically significant premiums ranged from $1.25 to$2.00 per cwt. for both steers and heifers over the last five years

The effect of value-added management on calf prices at superior livestock auction video markets

Value-added management practices for cow-calf producers have become prevalent as feeders have recognized the value of calves raised with certified health and weaning programs. Export markets requiring age and source verification or non-hormone treated cattle and advancement of markets for naturally raised cattle have also presented profit opportunities for cow-calf producers. This study estimates the value of value-added calf production and marketing programs. Weaned steer calves sold with certified health programs realized $7 to$10 per cwt premiums. Age- and source-verified steers received $1 to$2 per cwt premiums exceeding added costs of about $0.67 per cwt in 2010 despite rapidly expanding supply

The Effect of Value-Added Management on Calf Prices at Superior Livestock Auction Video Markets

Value-added management practices for cow-calf producers have become prevalent as feeders have recognized the value of calves raised with certified health and weaning programs. Export markets requiring age and source verification or non-hormone treated cattle and advancement of markets for naturally raised cattle have also presented profit opportunities for cow-calf producers. This study estimates the value of value-added calf production and marketing programs. Weaned steer calves sold with certified health programs realized $7 to$10 per cwt premiums. Age- and sourceverified steers received $1 to$2 per cwt premiums exceeding added costs of about $0.67 per cwt in 2010 despite rapidly expanding supply

Deciphering the Cellular Targets of Bioactive Compounds Using a Chloroalkane Capture Tag

Phenotypic screening of compound libraries is a significant trend in drug discovery, yet success can be hindered by difficulties in identifying the underlying cellular targets. Current approaches rely on tethering bioactive compounds to a capture tag or surface to allow selective enrichment of interacting proteins for subsequent identification by mass spectrometry. Such methods are often constrained by ineffective capture of low affinity and low abundance targets. In addition, these methods are often not compatible with living cells and therefore cannot be used to verify the pharmacological activity of the tethered compounds. We have developed a novel chloroalkane capture tag that minimally affects compound potency in cultured cells, allowing binding interactions with the targets to occur under conditions relevant to the desired cellular phenotype. Subsequent isolation of the interacting targets is achieved through rapid lysis and capture onto immobilized HaloTag protein. Exchanging the chloroalkane tag for a fluorophore, the putative targets identified by mass spectrometry can be verified for direct binding to the compound through resonance energy transfer. Using the interaction between histone deacetylases (HDACs) and the inhibitor, Vorinostat (SAHA), as a model system, we were able to identify and verify all the known HDAC targets of SAHA as well as two previously undescribed targets, ADO and CPPED1. The discovery of ADO as a target may provide mechanistic insight into a reported connection between SAHA and Huntington’s disease

Deciphering the Cellular Targets of Bioactive Compounds Using a Chloroalkane Capture Tag

Phenotypic screening of compound libraries is a significant trend in drug discovery, yet success can be hindered by difficulties in identifying the underlying cellular targets. Current approaches rely on tethering bioactive compounds to a capture tag or surface to allow selective enrichment of interacting proteins for subsequent identification by mass spectrometry. Such methods are often constrained by ineffective capture of low affinity and low abundance targets. In addition, these methods are often not compatible with living cells and therefore cannot be used to verify the pharmacological activity of the tethered compounds. We have developed a novel chloroalkane capture tag that minimally affects compound potency in cultured cells, allowing binding interactions with the targets to occur under conditions relevant to the desired cellular phenotype. Subsequent isolation of the interacting targets is achieved through rapid lysis and capture onto immobilized HaloTag protein. Exchanging the chloroalkane tag for a fluorophore, the putative targets identified by mass spectrometry can be verified for direct binding to the compound through resonance energy transfer. Using the interaction between histone deacetylases (HDACs) and the inhibitor, Vorinostat (SAHA), as a model system, we were able to identify and verify all the known HDAC targets of SAHA as well as two previously undescribed targets, ADO and CPPED1. The discovery of ADO as a target may provide mechanistic insight into a reported connection between SAHA and Huntington’s disease