Upcoming Industry Events

Upcoming Industry Events
June 8, 2006

Northeast Oklahoma Angus Association Summer Picnic
June 10, Perkins, Okla.

The Northeast Oklahoma Angus Association (NEOAA) will host its 2006 Summer Picnic Saturday, June 10, at Limestone LLC, near Perkins. The picnic begins at 5 p.m.

Ty Groshans, American Angus Association assistant director of commercial programs, will be the featured speaker. He will give an overview of the AngusSource® program. In addition, cattle tours and an evening meal are planned.

For more information contact Jennifer Cubbage, NEOAA secretary, by June 4. There is no cost to attend, but an accurate meal count is appreciated. Jennifer can be contacted at circlecangus@yahoo.com or by calling (405) 612-5520 or (405) 743-9645.

UI Grazing Academy: Intensive Management of Irrigated Pastures
June 12-15, Salmon, Idaho

Farmers, ranchers and other agricultural professionals can improve their understanding of and skills in intensive management of irrigated pastures when the University of Idaho’s (UI) Lost River Grazing Academy meets June 12-15 at the Nancy M. Cummings Research, Extension and Education Center north of Salmon.

Topics will include low-stress livestock handling, power fencing, forage allocation, resource inventory, pasture evaluation, nutrient cycling, energy flow, pasture economics, planned diversity, irrigation management, grazing season extension, livestock nutrition, body condition scoring and niche production.

The cost of the program is $450 per person. Farmers and ranchers who register as part of a management team pay $450 for the first team member and $225 for each additional member. Continental breakfasts, seven meals and all materials are included. Local participants can register for the daylight portion of the program for $125 per day. To register, call Jim Hawkins, UI Extension educator, at (208) 879-2344 in Challis or toll-free at 1-877-854-9386.

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 for 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.

Animal Research Center Field Day
June 15, Lexington, Ky.

The University of Kentucky (UK) College of Agriculture will host a field day June 15 to showcase beef, swine and sheep facilities at the Animal Research Center (ARC) in Woodford County. A beef walking tour will start with the intensive research facility and include receiving, growing and finishing research, as well as electronic identification and continuous health monitoring.

The beef/sheep grazing tour will focus on reducing heat stress of yearling cattle grazed on tall fescue, intensive early grazing of fescue and stocking rates, and companion grazing. Another tour will show participants how to optimize forage management by highlighting research on nitrogen management in pastures, successful establishment of legumes in pastures, growing corn for grazing and show new options in pasture weed control.

Registration begins at 2 p.m. and 30-minute tours run from 3 to 4:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 6 p.m., and a welcome from the college at 6:30 p.m. The ARC is located on U.S. 62 near Versailles in Woodford County. For more information contact the UK College of Agriculture department of animal and food sciences at 859-257-2686.

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. 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. Call (816) 532-0811. Hotel rooms are available at the Best Western Hotel near Kansas City International Airport. Call (816) 464-2002 and ask for the American Angus Hall of Fame special rate.

Field Demos, New Equipment
June 17, Belle Valley, Ohio

Find the cutting-edge needle you’re looking for at Ohio State University’s (OSU) annual Hay Day, Saturday, June 17, in Belle Valley. Visit the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center’s (OARDC) Eastern Agricultural Research Station and see what’s new in hay-related science and technology.

“This year’s program will give you a chance to see and compare the latest forage harvesting equipment, working side by side,” said Daryl Clark, Extension educator with the Noble County office of OSU Extension. “And it gives you the chance to talk to company representatives one on one.”

Registration begins at 9 a.m. and is free to all participants. Field demonstrations begin at 9:30 a.m. and will include information on mowing, tedding, raking, baling of dry hay and wrapping of baleage.

Presentations will include “Harvesting Quality Forages” by Clif Little, Extension educator, Guernsey County office, OSU Extension, and “Secrets of Making Quality Baleage” by Bill Weiss, animal nutrition scientist/specialist, OARDC and OSU Extension.

“Featured this year will be making quality large-bale’ baleage,” Clark said. “Forage harvesting equipment from most major manufacturers will be demonstrated also.”

Contact Clark at (740) 732-5681 or at clark.15@osu.edu for more information. To get to the station, take exit 28 off Interstate 77, turn south on state Route 821, turn east (left) on state Route 215, go about one mile and turn right onto Band Ridge Road (Township Road 126).

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 summer 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.

Grass Point Farms Press Conference and Press Pasture Walk
June 28, Tomandl Farm, Medford, Wis.

A one-day symposium is being hosted at the Tomandl Farm in Medford, Wis., to educate and spread the word on pasture-raised farming practices, products, benefits and environmental effects.

Featured speakers include Brian Pillsbury, state grazing specialist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service; Kristy Laughlin, director of animal science programs for Humane Farm Animal Care; Tera Johnson, business innovation services for the Dairy Business Innovation Center; and the Tomandl family, hosts of the event.

Busses will depart at 8 a.m. from the Stoney Creek Inn to Tomandl Farm. A continental breakfast and lunch will be provided on site. Transportation will bring guests back to the Stoney Creek Inn after the pasture walk, no later than 3:30 p.m.

Contact Tali Hylen at (810) 730-0032 or tali@dca-dcpr.com, or Katie McDougall at (630) 661-3169 or katiem@dca-cdpr.com to confirm attendance by June 18.

Certified Angus Beef^® (CAB^®) Brand Builders
June 28-29, Wooster, Ohio

Join us June 28-29 and discover how to use the brand to drive the value of your program by creating opportunities for your customers. Understand the trends in cattle qualification for the brand as well as the facts behind why cattle miss the high quality target and ultimately the available premiums.

Studies validate the positive economic impact of high-quality beef production and the value of Angus genetics. Learn about the tools available to help you communicate these messages to your customers in your marketing efforts. Hear from progressive commercial operations and feedlots about what is working for them and the role you as a seedstock producer play in making them successful.

Registrations are due June 12, 2006. For more information contact Lance Zimmerman, CAB supply development marketing manager, at (330) 345-2333, ext. 252 or lzimmerman@certifiedangusbeef.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.

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. Smaller quantities with the American Angus Association’s logo on the back cover 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 American Angus Association and ask for the AngusSource/BRS Black Book representative. Books will be shipped to you by Nov. 15.

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

Cattlemen’s Boot Camp
August 29-30, University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana

The American Angus Association, Angus Foundation and University of Illinois (U of I) will conduct a Cattlemen’s Boot Camp Aug. 29-30 at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. The Boot Camp is open to all cattle producers and will overview the various segments of the beef industry as well as give perspective on emerging technologies.

U of I animal science professors, Association and Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB) staff and other guest speakers will present the program. Some small groups will be formed to allow for more hands-on interaction.

The event is set to begin at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 29, at the Holiday Inn in Urbana. Bus transportation will be provided to the University. The Boot Camp will conclude around 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 30.

Registration is just $75, which includes most meals and materials for the Boot Camp. Enrollment is limited, so sign up today by contacting the Association for registration materials.

Prior to the Boot Camp, an Angus Skills Lab will be conducted. The lab is designed for new Association members. It begins at 7:15 a.m. Tuesday at the U of I beef unit.

A block of rooms has been reserved at the Holiday Inn. Make reservations by calling (217) 328-7900, and be sure to ask for the American Angus Association block to get the negotiated rate. For more information contact Shelia Stannard, Association event coordinator, at (816) 383-5100 or log onto www.angus.org.

— compiled by Micky Wilson, assistant editor, Angus Productions Inc.