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"Cattlemen Working for Cattlemen"

An overview of the Cattlefacts market information network

The Cattlefacts Market Information Network

Cattlemen make a living by breeding and selling cattle, just like a farmer makes a living by growing pumpkins or a builder by building houses. But, how much money a cattleman gets paid for the cattle he sells depends on how much the 'cattle market' is prepared to pay on the day he sells. Unfortunately, that can vary a lot on the same day from one cattle buyer to the next. That's where Cattlefacts come in.

Price Benchmarking

Cattlefacts is what is called a market information system. Through it, a cattleman can find out what the real market value of his cattle is on any day. For example, Cattlefacts market reports tell him which cattle buyers are paying how much money for different types of cattle. This important information is called "price benchmarking" and if a cattleman has it, he knows what others are actually being paid for cattle they sell, and by that, what is a reasonable price for a buyer to offer him.

The main reason "price benchmarking" is so important to a cattlemen is because cattle buyers will always try to offer him as little as possible for his cattle. That's because they want to make a good profit when they sell the cattle as meat. Of course from a cattleman's point of view he needs to sell cattle for as much money as he can possibly get so that he can stay in business. Now because there are only a few cattle buyers and many thousands of cattlemen trying to sell their cattle to those same few buyers, the buyers tend to have the upper hand. Unless, that is, cattlemen have a price benchmark to bargain from.

So, the price benchmark information that Cattlefacts provides helps cattlemen to get the most money from a cattle buyer that is available on the day. At the same time it helps them to avoid selling for less than they could get. The difference between the two possible values could amount to hundreds or thousands of dollars on a truck load of cattle. Cattlemen can't afford to loose or miss that sort of money when they sell cattle and still remain in business for long.

Market information sources

Cattlemen can get hold of market information in several different ways. For example:

1. They can ring their neighbours and see what they know.
2. They can listen to the radio or buy a rural newspaper.
3. They can contact the cattle buyers themselves and ask them.
4. They can use the Cattlefacts network.

Cattlefacts gives advantages

Cattlemen usually do some or all of the above and they are all helpful in some way but Cattlefacts is designed to give cattlemen some advantages that other sources can't provide. For example:

1. Neighbours often know only the local picture, but cattle can be sold profitably a thousand kilometres away from a property, so the local picture may be misleading. Cattlefacts provides a State wide picture of cattle prices.
2. Its hard to remember all the cattle prices you hear in a radio broadcast and market reports in rural newspapers are often a week old by the time they are read. Cattlefacts market reports are available to members by fax and on the Web all the time and are always up to date.
3. While cattle buyers undoubtedly strive to be honest, as we have mentioned, their clear interest is in getting your cattle as cheaply as possible so they may be inclined to offer you a price that is a lesser value than they have offered to others. Of course they wouldn't tell you this. On the other hand all the prices in Cattlefacts reports come not from what cattle buyers have told us but directly from cattlemen who are selling to those cattle buyers. As a result, cattlemen can trust Cattlefacts information as true, accurate and reliable. That's why they can use it as a benchmark against which to judge prices that buyers offer them.
4. Doing any or all the above, with the exception of Cattlefacts, takes quite a bit of time, cost and effort and, as explained, the result may not be reliable. By comparison, getting hold of Cattlefacts market information is effortless, virtually instant, always accurate and on average costs no more than any one of the other methods.

While Cattlefacts market information may not be everything to everyone, you may now see why it has certain clear advantages for cattlemen who want to get the most money when they sell cattle. To help cattlemen even more, Cattlefacts provides other services including a "CattleTrader", regular price projections into the future called "Outlook" reports and a market analysis service. Most Cattlefacts services are totally free. All are conveniently available on the Web at http://www.cattlefacts.com.au/ as well as by fax.

The keys to Cattlefacts: Cooperation and Networking

The most important feature of the Cattlefacts system is that it is an information "NETWORK". The network is made up of cattlemen (cattle properties) who share equally in the benefits, the information and the costs of operating the network. While many Cattlefacts services are free and public, the most valuable "price benchmarking" information is available only to cattlemen who make up the network (members). That's because they are the only ones who put their information into the network and pay a fee to keep the network running. They are called Cattlefacts members and they control the network themselves, a bit like a cooperative. They always put in their selling information whenever they sell cattle so that all members of the network share the benefit of that information.

Cattlefacts is a great example of how cooperation between individuals can magnify small individual strengths for a big effect. Because it is totally unsubsidised by government or industry and is completely funded by its member-property fees, it is also an example of an interest group that gets on with helping itself. Or, as we say in the Cattlefacts credo, "Cattlemen working for Cattlemen". We think it's the only principle to go with.

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Go to working cattlemen's Cattlefacts.
See a list of Cattlefacts services

Further information: Brian Herne (Cattlefacts CEO) 29 Annie Wood Ave Mackay 4740 Aust. (07) 4942 1457
Email: bherne@cattlefacts.com.au  Web: http://www.cattlefacts.com.au/