News Update
December 6, 2012
MCA Will Host Missouri’s Largest Cattlemen’s Trade Show
The Missouri Cattlemen’s Association (MCA) will host the largest trade show designed specifically for Missouri’s cattle farmers and ranchers during the 45th Annual MCA Convention and Trade Show. The convention will be at the Holiday Inn Select & Executive Center, Columbia, Mo., Dec. 11-13.
The trade show will open Dec. 12 at 9 a.m. and Dec. 13 at 8 a.m. The two-day event will feature nearly 100 agricultural companies and organizations with a focus on the cattle industry.
“We are excited about the 2012 trade show and what it has to offer to Missouri cattlemen,” said MCA Executive Vice President Mike Deering. “This is a great opportunity for producers to learn about new products, trends and technologies that could possibly increase efficiency and profitability on the farm.”
Anyone interested in attending the 45th annual convention can register online at mocattle.com or can call 573-499-9162.
Southwest Beef Symposium Slated for Jan. 15-16 in Lubbock
As 2013 approaches, cattlemen should mark those brand new calendars for the Southwest Beef Symposium, set for Jan. 15-16 at the Overton Hotel and Conference Center in Lubbock, Texas.
“This is the eighth year the Texas and New Mexico Extension agencies have collaborated on the annual event that alternates yearly between locations in West Texas and eastern New Mexico,” said Manny Encinias, New Mexico State University Extension livestock specialist at Clayton, N.M.
Encinias said the symposium will center around three educational sessions and a trade show.
Bruce Carpenter, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service livestock specialist at Fort Stockton, said the first day’s initial presentations will deal with the cost of doing business, with a special focus on the cost of commodities. This will be followed by presentations on how best to manage those costs at the ranch level.
The first day’s program will end with a rancher panel tasked with sharing what they and their organizations are doing to address the commodity input issue. The panel will include representatives from New Mexico’s Silver Spur Ranches (Bell and T.O.), B&H Herefords, and the Clavel Ranch as well as Texas’ Four Sixes Ranch.
Carpenter said the Jan.18 program will cover a wide range of topics.
For more information and the full release, click here.
NCBA’s Cattlemen's College® Lineup Set for Feb. 5-6 in Tampa
Now in its 20th year, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s (NCBA) Cattlemen’s College has established a reputation as one of the most thorough cattle producer education programs in the nation. Sponsored by Pfizer Animal Health, the 2013 edition of Cattlemen’s College offers a wide range of informative, one-of-a-kind, hands-on educational workshops designed for cattle operations of every size and sector.
The program will be Feb. 5-6, 2013, in Tampa, Fla. Early registration for Cattlemen’s College and the convention ends Jan. 11.
Cattlemen’s College workshops include an outstanding lineup of industry experts during the course of two jam-packed days. On Tues., Feb. 5, attendees will be able to participate in classes about reproductive technologies and low-stress cattle handling principles. Learn how to put reproductive technologies to work in your cow-calf operations to enhance the performance and profitability of your herd, as well as learn about appropriate methods of moving cattle as a herd, penning techniques and pressure points in moving animals.
Farmers Union Scholarship Applications Now Being Accepted
National Farmers Union (NFU) is encouraging students to apply for several scholarships made available through the general farm organization and its affiliated foundations. The amounts vary from $1,000 to $2,000.
“We are thrilled to once again scholastically honor the best and brightest young Farmers Union members and aid them on their path to becoming future leaders of their schools, communities and the Farmers Union family,” said NFU President Roger Johnson.
The National Farmers Union Foundation and Farmers Union Industry (FUI) Foundation present scholarships to college students in memory of Stanley Moore, a long-time leader of North Dakota Farmers Union who later became vice president of National Farmers Union.
The NFU Foundation Moore scholarship is open to Farmers Union members and their children who are seeking funding to attend a two- or four-year accredited college or university, or technical school for any area of study. The foundation presents several scholarships in the value of $1,000 annually.
For more information and the full release, click here.
University of Minnesota Cattle Feeder Days Scheduled
The University of Minnesota will host its Cattle Feeder Days program at several different locations across the state throughout Dec. 11-13.
For more details, read the story from Farm & Ranch Guide available by clicking here.
Applications Now Being Accepted for
2013 NFU Beginning Farmers Institute
NFU is now accepting applications for its 2013 Beginning Farmers Institute (BFI) program. The annual program, now accepting its third class of students, is open to individuals who are new to farming, are in the process of transferring an operation from a relative or non-relative to themselves, or are contemplating a career in farming or ranching.
“The Beginning Farmer Institute underscores our commitment to growing a new generation of family agriculture,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “This program will answer the questions new farmers have, and more importantly share our expertise to answer questions that people might not think of asking when they begin farming.”
The BFI program helps students gain insight and practical skills needed by beginning farmers and ranchers, including business-plan writing, financial planning, and researching available programs to help starting up and sustaining a successful operation.
Applicants accepted into the 2013 program will attend three separate education sessions in the spring and fall of 2013, in Washington, D.C., and Minneapolis, Minn., respectively, with a final session culminating at NFU’s annual convention in March 2014 in Santa Fe, N.M. Program topics at the education sessions will include business planning, USDA programs, taxes and recordkeeping, estate transfer and marketing.
For more information, click here.
OSU Extension to Host Informational
Meeting on Bovine Anaplasmosis
A disease that could cause death in cattle but hasn’t gotten much attention in Ohio is being reported to veterinarians, indicating a need to get more producers to understand what the disease is and how to combat it, a pair of Ohio State University (OSU) Extension experts said.
Bovine anaplasmosis is a bloodborne disease that could cause severe anemia shortly after a cow is infected, which in some cases results in death or abortions, said William Shulaw, an OSU Extension beef/sheep veterinarian. Cows that recover from the disease become a lifetime carrier of the bacteria that causes it unless it is successfully treated, he said.
The disease is typically transmitted through biting flies and blood-contaminated inanimate objects such as hypodermic needles, some tagging instruments, surgical instruments, nose tongs, and possibly tattoo equipment, Shulaw said.
Although there is a disease called “anaplasmosis” in human beings, it is not the same and the disease in cows is not transmitted to humans, he said.
“It’s a disease that’d been in Ohio for quite a while, with veterinarians reporting several cases each year, yet many producers don’t know about it,” Shulaw said. “Most cases are reported in the fall, which suggests that horseflies are a common vector for the disease in our region.
“Incubation is a few days to a couple of months, but it can occur any time of the year when the disease is transmitted.”
To help producers learn more about the disease, OSU Extension and the Morgan County Soil and Water Conservation District are sponsoring a free workshop on the subject Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. in the Morgan High School cafeteria, 800 Raider Drive, 3.2 miles south of McConnelsville at state Route 376.
For more information and the full release, click here.
Editor’s Note: The articles used within this site represent a mixture of copyrights. If you would like to reprint or repost an article, you must first request permission of Angus Productions Inc. (API) by contacting the editor at 816-383-5200; 3201 Frederick Ave., Saint Joseph, MO 64506. API claims copyright to this web site as presented. We welcome educational venues and cattlemen to link to this site as a service to their audience.