Upcoming Industry Events

Upcoming Industry Events
May 18, 2006

Growing Iowa’s Cattle Industry Conference
June 5, West Des Moines, Iowa

The Value-Added Agriculture Program and Iowa Beef Center, both of Iowa State University Extension, have teamed up to host “Growing Iowa’s Cattle Industry: Ethanol, Opportunities and Economic development.” The conference, held at the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation Building, will assist producers, lenders and economic development leaders in exploring ways to work together to expand Iowa’s cattle feeding industry.

Registration is $40 before May 30 and $50 after May 30, and should be sent to Growing Iowa’s Cattle Industry, Attn: Suzanne Schuknecht, 468 Heady Hall, Ames, IA 50011.

UT Beef and Forage Field Day
June 15, Knoxville, Tenn.

A joint event of the Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station and the Eastern Region University of Tennessee (UT) Extension, the field day will begin at 7:30 a.m. with registration and a trade show on the grounds of the Blount Unit of the East Tennessee Research and Education Center.

The field day will feature a panel discussion on trends and patterns in consumer demand for beef, and how consumer preferences relate to cattle producers in Tennessee. Field talks will be presented on topics including how to make culling decisions for the cow herd, factors to consider in bull selection, hay quality and feeding needs, controlling weeds in pastures, and other pasture management tips.

Following a sponsored beef brisket lunch, Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) training will be offered if enough participants preregister in this optional training.

Preregistration is requested by June 9. For more information contact Patricia Daniels, UT Institute of Agriculture marketing and communications, at (865) 974-7141.

Stockyard Collector’s Club Annual Meeting and Auction
June 16-17, Smithville, Mo.

The event starts Friday afternoon with tours of the American Royal Museum in Kansas City, Mo., the Jerry Litton Museum and the American Angus Hall of Fame, both in Smithville. A social hour begins at 5:30 p.m. with live entertainment, and a complimentary meal, including Angus filet, fresh fruit and wine will be served at 6:30 p.m. The Annual Memorabilia Auction will start Saturday at 9 a.m.

Attendance responses are requested by June 1 by calling (816) 532-0811. Hotel rooms are available at the Best Western Hotel near the Kansas City International Airport in Missouri. Call (816) 464-2002 and ask for the American Angus Hall of Fame special rate.

K-State Electronic Beef ID Crash Course
June 21-22, July 19-20, Manhattan, Kan.

The programs will be held at the Kansas State University (K-State) Stocker Unit outside of Manhattan and will include live-animal demonstrations, hands-on use of animal identification (ID) equipment, a review of available technologies, and how to budget a system.

K-State Extension beef specialist Dale Blasi says this summer’s programs are a follow-up to the K-State Beef ID Academy programs that were held in the summer of 2004.

The June 21-22 program is aimed at operators of feedyards, sale barns and stocker-grower operations. The July 19-20 program is aimed at cow-calf producers and veterinarians. Space is limited to 100 attendees in each session. For more information, contact Lois Schreiner at (785) 532-1267 or lschrein@ksu.edu.

Farm Progress Hay Expo
June 21-22, Strawberry Point, Iowa

The nation’s largest two-day hay show is heading to northeast Iowa again in 2006. Matt and Jana Hamlett will host the event on their farm near Strawberry Point on Highway 3.

The two-day hay extravaganza will showcase mowing, conditioning, baling, hay handling and silage demonstrations on 200 acres of alfalfa and forages. Visitors will be able to compare the various equipment brands operating side-by-side under actual field conditions.

For more information contact Matt Jungmann at (630) 462-2230 or shows@farmprogress.com, or visit www.hayexpo.com.

AngusSource^®/BRS Black Book order deadline
July 15 deadline

It’s time to order your 2007 Beef Record Service (BRS)/AngusSource® Black Books. The pocket-sized books include a 2007 calendar as well as space to keep management records on your cow herd.

The books make a great promotional tool or gift to your commercial bull buyers. You can custom-order your books for $2.50 each, which includes your operation’s logo and contact information foil-stamped onto the back cover. Custom orders require a 100-book minimum order. If you would like to order smaller quantities with the American Angus Association’s logo on the back cover, those are available for $2.50 each.

BioZyme is a major partner in the production of these books, and a VitaFerm® ad will appear on the inside front cover, which reduces book costs to producers.

Custom orders must be placed by July 15. To place orders, contact the Association and ask for the AngusSource/BRS Black Book representative. Books will be shipped to you by Nov. 15 — just in time to distribute to your customers during the fall marketing and holiday seasons.

Contact the Association’s commercial programs department to place your order by calling (816) 383-5100 or e-mail Brenda Schafer at bschafer@angus.org. For more information visit www.angus.org/assoc_highlight.html.

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