Would You Pay More For A Steak From A Black Cow?

Apparently many Americans will.  I was fascinated by an article written by Steve Raabe for the Denver Post because while I've given extensive thought to how color effects the sale of many products and businesses I have never even thought about how color might effect the sale of cattle.

Excerpted from Steve's article:

The blackening of the American cattle industry is in full swing. Bolstered by dominant genetics and the success of black-Angus beef-marketing campaigns, black-hide cattle are the darlings of the livestock sector.

"Color is part of the game," said Tom Field, a professor of animal sciences at Colorado State University. "A consumer would never know the difference between beef from a black animal or a red animal. But in a marketplace where we still price animals on a live basis, it's logical that the industry will let hide color, in part, dictate value."

To read the entire article:  The New Black

Drawing courtesy of the American Angus Association and renowend Angus artist Frank C. Murphy