March 4, 2005 — The following is a list of some immediate events of interest scheduled in Montana, Arkansas, Missouri and Washington.
Montana video conferences scheduled
The Montana MarketManager program, in conjunction with the Montana Beef Network, is hosting a series of two interactive video conferences March 10 and March 21 across Montana.
Animal identification (ID) and country-of-origin labeling (also referred to as COOL or COL) will be addressed in the first video conference, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. March 10. Following a panel discussion, conference participants will have the opportunity to question panelists from 13 telecast locations, including Billings, Bozeman, Dillon, Glasgow, Great Falls, Havre, Jordan, Kalispell, Lewiston, Miles City, Missoula, Roundup and Stanford.
The second video conference, telecast from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. March 21, will focus on preparing for the breeding season, including a discussion on female synchronization. Participants in Baker, Billings, Bozeman, Dillon, Glasgow, Glendive, Great Falls, Havre, Jordan, Kalispell, Malta, Missoula, Miles City, Roundup and Stanford will also have opportunities to question panelists.
Space is limited at all locations. Producers interested in the March 10 conference may arrive without reservations; however, seating is not guaranteed. Producers interested in the March 21 conference may contact Chris Labbe at (406) 761-4596 or chris@montanamarketmanager.org by March 14 to reserve a space. Visit www.montanamarketmanager.org/st/education/lworkshops.html for a complete schedule of locations and more information.
Antiterrorism training for animal industry personnel
The Animal Agriculture Alliance will host an antiterrorism course, titled “Practical Antiterrorism Training for Food, Agriculture and Animal Industries: A Common Sense Approach,” March 8-10 in Fayetteville, Ark. The hands-on training program is meant to teach a commonsense approach to preventing targeted violence and international disruption of operations.
For a detailed course description, contact Law Enforcement Academic Research Network (LEARN) Threat Management Systems at (901) 219-9917 or info@protectiveintel.com. For registration visit www.animalagalliance.org, or contact (703) 562-5160 or info@animalagalliance.org.
MU breeding, marketing meetings scheduled
Fixed-time beef breeding and calving tips will be main topics at a University of Missouri (MU) meeting for cattlemen March 8 in Linneus. The free program will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Forage Systems Research Center and will include calving tips, research results of timed artificial insemination (AI), AI protocols, sire selection, expected progeny difference (EPD) usage, calving assistance and more. Refreshments will be served. To register call (660) 895-5121.
MU will also host a meeting, titled “New Marketing Strategies,” beginning at 6:30 p.m., March 10 at the MU Thompson Farm. The event will focus on learning to sell the improved genetics developed through fixed-time AI. MU experts will review research on breeding cows by appointment, and a Kansas feedlot representative will explain how producers can participate in feeding their cattle in value-added marketing channels. Premiums paid for quality cattle, sire selection for AI and EPD indexes will also be topics of discussion.
Coffee and cookies will be served at the free meeting. Advance registration is requested by calling (660) 895-5121.
Bull test speaker to explain $Value indexes
Sally Northcutt, genetic research director at the American Angus Association, will be the featured speaker at the Washington Cattlemen’s Association/Washington State University (WCA/WSU) All-Breed Bull Test Social Hour and Breeders’ Forum Tuesday, March 22, at the WSU Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center, near Prosser. The event will provide cattlemen with a chance to socialize before the annual WCA/WSU bull test sale and an opportunity to learn more about a cutting-edge topic from a nationally known speaker.
Northcutt’s presentation, “Selection Tools — The Index Approach,” will explain how the American Angus Association’s new $Value indexes can be used by seedstock and commercial cattlemen to enhance the evaluation of bulls for their genetic merit in regard to economic traits. Other breed associations have provided similar indexes to help cattlemen deal with the increasing amount of data available on registered seedstock.
Northcutt works closely with the Association Performance Programs Department to coordinate research activities, production reviews and the application of the National Cattle Evaluation (NCE). She previously was a private consultant for individual producers and was an Oklahoma State University Extension beef cattle breeding specialist.
The social hour will begin at 6 p.m., followed by Northcutt’s presentation at 7 p.m. The bull sale will start at noon Wednesday, March 23, at the Research and Extension Center. The top 100 bulls of the 135 bulls on test will sell. Complete test data, including 120-day test gain and ultrasound carcass information, will be available online at www.prosser.wsu.edu/Faculty/Linton.html or by contacting test records coordinator Jean Smith at (509) 735-3551.
For more information about the bull sale or the social hour and breeders’ forum, contact Art Linton at (509) 786-9268.
