South Dakota Beef Producer Marketing Alternatives

The general objective of the research presented in this thesis was to determine if differences in prices exist among several marketing alternatives available to beef producers. Beef producers are divided into two categories; feeders of beef for slaughter, and producers of feeder claves. The marketing alternatives analyzed are terminal market, direct buyers, auction sale barns and futures market. Specific objectives were: 1. To collect and analyze price data for slaughter cattle from the Sioux Falls terminal market, direct buyers, and futures contracts for a ten year period, 1973-1982, and determine if price differences existed between the three alternatives. 2. To collect and analyze price data for feeder cattle from the terminal market, futures contracts, and local auction barns for a five year period, 1978-1982, and determine if price differences existed between the three marketing alternatives