News Update
August 23, 2013
Consign NWSS Angus Bulls Now
and Save
The American Angus Association is now accepting consignments for the 2014 National Western Angus Bull Sale held during the National Western Stock Show (NWSS) in Denver, Colo. The sale is set for Jan. 15, 2014, and producers can save $50 by acting now.
Consignments received on or before Sept. 15 are $400 per head. From Sept. 16 through the Oct. 1 entry deadline, the fee is $450 per head. Consignments must have Angus Herd Improvement Records (AHIR®) performance information to be eligible.
All bulls born before Jan. 1, 2013, must have passed a complete breeding soundness examination (sometimes referred to as a BSE), including both physical and semen, within 30 days of the sale.
The Angus Bull Sale Show will kick-off Angus activities at noon on Jan. 15, where prospective buyers will have the opportunity to preview the bulls before the sale begins. A panel of three judges will evaluate the bulls using a composite system to establish a sale order. Judges are Chris Styles, Brentford, S.D.; Jake Scott, Gordon, Neb.; and Joe Myers, Harrodsburg, Ky.
Attendees will be invited into the showring to inspect bulls after the grand and reserve grand champions have been selected.
Following the bull show, the 2014 Angus Foundation Heifer Package will sell in the Beef Palace Auction Arena at the Stock Show Complex. Immediately after, the National Western Angus Bull Sale will begin.
The NWSS Angus Bull Sale is the only sale managed by the Association. For more information contact David Gazda, sale manager and Association regional manager, at 706-296-7846. For entry forms contact the Association at 816-383-5100.
For more information, please view the full release here.
MU Researchers Study Embryonic Deaths
to Find Ways to Boost Beef Calf Crop
Beef herd owners would be shocked to learn they’d lost 25% of cow pregnancies in two weeks. It happens all the time and owners never know it.
“Huge losses occur before farmers know their cows are pregnant,” says Mike Smith, University of Missouri (MU) animal scientist. “Many losses occur before the cows know they are pregnant.”
Pregnancy checks in MU research herds show that three days after breeding, 95% of all cows bred are with calf. However, 14 to 16 days later pregnancies drop to 70%. Early embryonic death loss cuts calf crops.
Late embryonic death pushes losses higher. By day 30, pregnancy rates have dropped to 65%. Another 5% to 10% can be lost later in gestation.
Preventing pregnancy losses offers profit potential to the beef industry. That research continues at the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources.
New tools developed at MU allow early detection of pregnancies.
Smith, professor of beef reproduction, will report his work at a field day Sept. 17 at the MU Thompson Farm in northwestern Grundy County, west of Spickard, Mo.
Also, he will tell herd owners steps they can take to reduce embryonic losses.
“Genetic defects cause one-third of early losses. Those losses clear birth defects and genetic abnormalities,” Smith says. “That leaves two-thirds of losses to stress and other factors in cows.” Herd managers can reduce stress.
“We don’t know what causes all of these early embryonic losses,” Smith says. “But there are ways to save more calves through management.
For more information, please view the full release here.
Consumers Want to Learn About Agriculture at Fairs
For many people, the fair is the only time a family sees a farm animal. While the fair experience is not the same as being on a farm for a firsthand look at food production, visitors can still talk to the person who cares for the animals, ask questions or read information on educational posters. It is an opportunity for the exhibitors to share information on how they managed their animal to produce a safe, nutritious and quality product.
Exhibitors are representing the agriculture industry to the public and it is important for them to have knowledge and information to share. There are many sources of information, including those provided by Michigan State University (MSU) Extension and various commodity groups.
Even at the youth exhibitor level, consumers want to connect with who is producing the food they eat and the milk they drink. That conversation may leave a lasting impression on consumers and they will often share that information with others. For some fairgoers it will be the first time they see a cow being milked. What an opportunity to talk about what is done on the farm to keep the cows healthy and the milk safe and wholesome.
Common questions are how much an animal eats, what the animal is fed, how it is cared for each day and how old it is. These types of questions are great openers for youth or adults and set the stage to talk about how animals are cared for and what products they produce.
For more information, please view the full release here.
Deadline Approaching for State Fair of Texas
Don’t forget that youth entries are due online Sunday, Aug. 25 for the State Fair of Texas. Online entry must be completed before midnight Aug. 25 while all forms and W-9s must be postmarked by Sept. 1. The livestock office will be open until 6 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 25. Our phones and emails will be monitored and answered until midnight. If you have issues after the livestock office is closed, email livestock@bigtex.com and someone will be available to assist you. Remember: Your club password is your five-digit zip code.
Open entries are due online Sunday, Sept. 1. Mailed entries must be postmarked by Sept. 1. The phones and livestock@bigtex.com will be available all day on Sunday, Sept. 1.
Farming Gets Citified: Growers, Educators and Politicians Gather to Consider Feeding Houston
Amidst the asphalt, brick, mortar and penthouse views, green acres are popping up at the hands of city farmers, municipal organizers, educators and politicians — all hoping to feed the hungry, add household income and encourage a healthier lifestyle.
Getting dirty is easy. Yielding fruit, vegetables and animal products is harder. A state agency long associated with “cows and plows,” the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, has teamed up with Houston-area leaders to teach interested urbanites how to grow food.
“What we’ve done in rural areas throughout our 100-year history is easily translated into urban centers,” said Doug Steele, AgriLife Extension director, College Station. “Everybody is concerned about their food sources, their food supply and the health aspects of their food. What a great opportunity for AgriLife Extension to come together with our urban audiences and urban partners to talk about the benefits and value of locally grown food systems.”
Steele addressed the recent Houston Urban Food Production Conference, a first of what promises to become an annual event in the city, organized by AgriLife Extension’s Harris County office. More than 200 people attended to learn about everything from how to grow fruit, nuts, poultry and goats to marketing options, funding support and how to get organic certification.
“What we are attempting to do is to provide a linkage between the producers here and some of the local government agencies that provide regulation and such,” said Allen Malone, AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent in Harris County. “We hope that this conference will help bridge the gaps and open up an opportunity to start some dialogue that will allow for safe, affordable production.”
For more information, please view the full release here.
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