Industry Events

Industry Events
March 30, 2006

NIAA Annual Meeting
April 3-6, Louisville, Ky.

The 2006 Annual Meeting of the National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) will take place at the Galt House Hotel and Suites in Louisville.

The meeting will include presentations by more than 50 of the world’s most recognized experts on animal health issues, including avian influenza, foot and mouth disease (FMD), bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), and other domestic and foreign animal diseases (FADs).

A special daylong symposium on Thursday, April 6, titled “Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity,” will be built around a hypothetical outbreak of FMD. Also, the latest on the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) will be highlighted on Wednesday afternoon, April 5.

For a detailed schedule of events and information about registration and hotels, visit www.animalagriculture.org or call (270) 782-9798.

Gerrish Grazing Seminar
April 4-7, Snow Camp, N.C.

Southeast graziers can learn to become efficient, low-cost cattle producers via a Jim Garrish hands-on Management-Intensive Grazing (MiG) School at Braeburn Farms in Snow Camp.

The program includes discussion on year-round grazing, contract grazing, fertility management, grazing cell design and pasture-finished beef. Other topics will include balancing animal demand and forage supply, managing for a variable stocking rate, pasture improvement, and fence and water development.

To learn more call (208) 876-4067 or email dawn@americangrazinglands.com.

Farm Maintenance Welding Workshop
April 4-7, Cleveland, Ohio

A special welding workshop for farmers or anyone who works on farm equipment will be held at Lincoln Electric Co. in Cleveland. The workshop schedule includes:

Tuesday, April 4: Shielded metal arc welding process (Stick), including the four classes of mild steel electrodes, and specialty electrodes for nonferrous and hardfacing.

Wednesday, April 5: Gas metal arc welding process (MIG), including welding mild steel, stainless and aluminum, and selecting proper gas and wire.

Thursday, April 6: Flux core welding process, and plasma and oxy fuel cutting, including new process developments for both techniques.

Friday, April 7: gas tungsten welding (TIG), including proper gas and electrode selection.

Class sessions are planned for 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily and will be taught by Lincoln Electric corporate trainers. Participants, who must be at least 18 years old, can register for one day for $100 or for all four days for $350. To register contact Vicki Wilson at Lincoln Electric at (216) 383-2240 or vicki_wilson@lincolnelectric.com, or download the registration materials from the Ohio FFA Organization Web site at www.ohioffa.org/foundation/docs/ffa4-hweldingschool.pdf.

Auburn University Annual Conference
April 6-9, Auburn, Ala.

Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine will host its 99th Annual Conference at The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center in Auburn.

The conference will offer many opportunities for alumni and colleagues to learn about medical advances and catch up on the latest veterinary news. The conference will include class reunions, a golf classic, veterinary education classes, a trade show and more.

Conference registration for veterinarians includes 25 hours of continuing education credits, a certificate of attendance, a CD-ROM of notes, some meals and receptions, and admission to the exhibit hall. Class reunion members and golf classic participants may register separately.

To register, visit www.vetmed.auburn.edu, complete the appropriate registration form and bring it to the conference for on-site registration. Contact The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center at 1-800-228-2876 or visit www.auhcc.com for accommodation information.

AI Refresher Course
April 8, Colby, Kan.

Kansas State University Research and Extension and Colby Community College are cosponsoring an Artificial Insemination (AI) Refresher Course from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Colby Community College Farm in Colby.

Designed to update cattle producers on the latest in bovine AI, the course will be divided into two sessions. The morning session will include topics such as cow management and nutrition, synchronization, and keys for a successful AI program. The afternoon session will focus on semen handling and palpation.

The $50 registration fee, requested by March 31, includes a noon meal, supplies and the palpation lab. To register, send a check payable to Kansas State University to Sandy Johnson, NW Research & Extension Center, P.O. Box 786, Colby, KS 67701.

For more information call Johnson at (785) 462-6281 or e-mail sandyj@ksu.edu, or contact Marcy Ward with Colby Community College at (785) 462-3984, Ext. 256, or marcy@colbycc.edu.

BIF 38th Annual Research Symposium and Annual Meeting
April 18-21, Choctaw, Miss.

The 2006 Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) meeting will be at the Pearl River Resort. Meetings begin with an opening reception Tuesday evening, followed by a symposium sponsored by the Ultrasound Guidelines Council titled “Basics of Ultrasounding Beef Cattle for Genetic Improvement.”

General sessions will focus on how cow-calf producers can meet retail and consumer targets and how they can best fit into their production environments. BIF will honor several individuals, including its seedstock and commercial producers of the year. A tour on Friday will visit the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station at Mississippi State, EE Ranches Inc. of Winona, Gaddis Farms of Bolton, and the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum in Jackson.

For more information, including registration, hotel and travel details, visit http://msucares.com/livestock/beef/bif2006.html, or call Jane Parish at (662) 325-7466 or Blair McKinley at (662) 325-3691. For Angus Production Inc.’s (API’s) coverage of the event, as well as archived coverage of past BIF meetings, visit www.bifconference.com.

— compiled by Meghan Soderstrom, assistant editor, Angus Productions Inc.