Is BVD Lurking in Your Cattle Herd?
Bob Goodlatte, Chairman, House Agriculture Committee to Speak At Virginia Angus
Ohio State Extension to Hold Johne's Meetings
Conservation Tillage Conference in 15th Year


Is BVD Lurking in Your Cattle Herd?
Increased incidence of abortion, unexplained calf deaths, and weak or poorly-developing calves may be signs of bovine virus diarrhea (BVD). This disease is immunosuppressive to calves and makes them susceptible to a variety of other diseases, according to Larry Hollis, Kansas State University Research and Extension veterinarian.
While the disease has been around for a long time, recent improvements in diagnostic capabilities have resulted in finding a higher incidence of the disease than previously thought. Economic losses have been better characterized.
Animals may become persistently infected (PI) and appear normal, while spreading the virus to other animals.
As performance problems with the PI animals become more widely known, demand will likely increase for producers to answer questions about how they can devise their own BVD-control strategies.
In order to help producers identify and control BVD, K-State Research and Extension will host the Central Kansas Cow/Calf Symposium Friday, Feb. 6, at the Russell County 4-H Building. Registration will begin at 9 a.m., with the program starting at 9:45 a.m.
The symposium also will cover other topics critical to the beef industry, including the national livestock identification program, cow leases, synchronization of estrus, maternal heterosis and more.
Program details are available from the Russell County K-State Research and Extension Office at (785) 483-3157.

Bob Goodlatte, Chairman, House Agriculture Committee to Speak At Virginia Angus
Bob Goodlatte, Chairman, House Agriculture Committee will address the membership of the Virginia Angus Association on February 7, 2004 at the Holiday Inn, Staunton, during the Virginia Angus Association's Annual Meeting. Chairman Goodlatte will be speak on the new challenges and changes faced by beef producers in our country. BSE, FMD, Trade & Marketing, and Homeland Security will all have an impact on the future of our industry.
The Annual Meeting will kickoff on Friday evening, February 6, with an awards banquet that will honor many some of the top producers and managers, as well as, juniors in the state. Saturday morning a buffet breakfast will be served from 7:30-8:30 a.m., followed by the Virginia Angus Annual Business Meeting. At 10 a.m. Chairman Goodlatte will address the attendees.
For further information you can contact The Virginia Angus Association, Ken Brubaker, Executive Director, P.O. Box 209, Fishersville, VA 22939; (540)337-3001.

Ohio State Extension to Hold Johne's Meetings
Ohio State University Extension will be holding a series of meetings about Johne_s disease this winter to inform producers about the disease and the programs available in Ohio for testing and control.
Topics to be covered include symptoms and description of the disease, methods of prevention and control, testing procedures and regulatory issues regarding the disease. Speakers will be from Ohio State Extension, the Ohio Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and producer members from the Cattle Health Advisory Committee to ODA.
The following is a list of meeting dates. For more information, contact the respective Ohio State Extension office.

March 9, 2004
12:30-3 p.m.
Salem First United Methodist Church, 244 S. Broadway, Salem, Ohio
Extension Contacts: Ernie Oelker (330) 424-7291 or oelker@ag.osu.edu, Diane Shoemaker (330) 263-3831) or shoemaker.3@osu.edu.

March 9, 2004
7 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
Millcreek Metroparks Mahoning County Farm, McMahon Hall, 7574 S R 46, Canfield, Ohio
Extension Contacts: Ernie Oelker (330) 424-7291or oelker@ag.osu.edu, Diane Shoemaker (330) 263-3831) or shoemaker.3@osu.edu.

March 10, 2004
1 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
Fisher Auditorium, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center
Wooster, Ohio
Extension Contacts: Tom Noyes (330) 264-8722 or noyes.1@osu.edu, Terry Beck (330) 264-8722 or beck8@postoffice.ag.ohio-state.edu, Roger Amos (419) 281-8242 or amos.1@osu.edu, Dean Slates (330) 674-3015 or slates.1@osu.edu.

March 15, 2004
noon-3:30 p.m.
Knights of St John Hall, Maria Stein, Ohio
Food will be served and a registration fee will apply.
Extension Contact: Joe Beiler (419) 586-2179 or beiler.1@osu.edu, Roger Bender (937) 498-7239 or bender.5@osu.edu, Woody Joslin (937) 498-7239 or joslin.3@osu.edu, John Smith (419) 738-2219 or smith.132@osu.edu, Steve Foster (937) 548-5215 or foster99@postoffice.ag.ohio-state.edu.

March 15, 2004
7 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
Shelby County Extension office, 810 Fair Rd., Sidney, Ohio
Extension Contacts: Joe Beiler (419) 586-2179 or beiler.1@osu.edu, Roger Bender (937) 498-7239 or bender.5@osu.edu, Woody Joslin (937) 498-7239 or joslin.3@osu.edu, John Smith (419) 738-2219 or smith.132@osu.edu, Steve Foster (937) 548-5215 or foster99@postoffice.ag.ohio-state.edu.

March 24, 2004
7p.m.-9:30 p.m.
Highland county (Location to be announced)
Extension Contacts: John Grimes (937) 393-1918 or grimes.1@osu.edu, Jeff Fisher (740) 947-2121 or fisher7@postoffice.ag.ohio-state.edu, Ray Wells (740) 702-3200 or wells.1@osu.edu.

Conservation Tillage Conference in 15th Year
From soil fertility to tillage systems comparisons to weed, insect and disease management, over 65 sessions with 70 speakers will encompass the topic of conservation tillage at the 15th annual Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference.
The event will be held Feb. 26-27 at Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio. The conference will begin at 9:30 a.m. and run to 5 p.m. on Feb. 26 and from 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. on Feb. 27. Topics include the politics of conservation, carbon sequestration, strip tillage, GMO corn issues, conservation buffers, water table control, modified relay intercropping, manure management and precision agriculture technology.
For a copy of the conference agenda and registration information contact the Hancock County Extension office at (419) 422-3851 or visit the web site at: http://hancock.osu.edu/ag/ctc/ctc.htm.