News Update

News Update
April 17, 2007

BIF Meeting Registration Opens

The Rocky Mountains provide the backdrop for the annual meeting and 40th anniversary celebration of the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF). The meeting will be June 6-9 in Fort Collins, Colo., and will focus on the future of genetic evaluation and improvement with a variety of presenters from around the country.

The meeting will take place at the Hilton Fort Collins. This year, meeting organizers will be gathering audience responses throughout the meeting and basing some discussions off group feedback.

Besides a full-slated schedule, two tours are also offered. For a complete schedule and program details or to register, go to www.beefimprovement.org and click on the conventions tab. Pre-registration is due May 15. For information contact Willie Altenburg at 970-568-7792 or willie@rmi.net, or Mark Enns at 970-491-2722 or mark.enns@colostate.edu.

The BIF Annual Research Symposium and Annual Meeting is hosted by Colorado State University, Colorado Livestock Association, Colorado Cattlemen’s Association and the Beef Improvement Federation.

Angus Productions Inc. (API) is again providing detailed online coverage of the popular event, available at www.bifconference.com. There, cattlemen may access a complete meeting and tour schedule, accommodations and travel information, registration details, and links to past coverage. During the event, the site will also include synopses, PowerPoint® presentations and audio coverage of the general sessions, as well as coverage of the committee meetings. Proceeding papers provided by session speakers will also be posted.

Tyson, ConocoPhillips Enter Renewable Fuel Venture

ConocoPhillips and Tyson Foods Inc. have partnered in a venture that is expected to use beef, pork and poultry byproduct fat to create renewable diesel fuel, according to Meatingplace.com.

According to the article, both Tyson and ConocoPhillips will begin making improvements in order to begin pre-processing animal fat and producing the fuel in several refineries. Production is expected to eventually reach as much as 175 million gallons per year, the article noted.

Managing Freeze-Damaged Alfalfa

Hard freezes in early April damaged alfalfa in Kansas and other regions, which means that producers will have to decide how to manage their stands in the aftermath of the freeze, said Jim Shroyer, agronomy state leader for Kansas State University (K-State) Research and Extension.

“Where the alfalfa is damaged by freeze, the leaves will probably turn dark, then start falling off a few days later. The plants may also collapse or fall over if the stems are injured,” Shroyer said. “Where this occurs, producers may want to mow or shred the plants and let them start over with fresh regrowth.”

But mowing or shredding plants damaged by freeze isn’t always necessary, Shroyer said. “This should only be done if the growing point clusters are frozen, the new regrowth is occurring only from the base of the plants, and the plants can be cut without damaging the new regrowth.”

If producers do plan to shred or cut their damaged stands, they should leave at least 2 to 3 inches (in.) of stubble, Shroyer said. This will help encourage regrowth after the plants have been cut.

If damaged stands are cut, producers should watch the regrowth for alfalfa weevil and pea aphids, and treat immediately if needed, said Jeff Whitworth, K-State Research and Extension entomologist. If an insecticide had been applied to alfalfa for weevil control before the freeze, growers should be aware of any residual insecticide in the alfalfa that may affect how it can be utilized.

Freeze-damaged alfalfa that is only 6 to 8 in. tall or less will be slower to regrow after mowing or shredding than taller alfalfa, Shroyer said.

Alfalfa plant sensitivity to freeze is strongly related to the amount of growth it had before the freeze, said Bruce Anderson, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Research and Extension forage specialist. Plants that are 12 in. tall are much more likely to experience significant damage than 3-in.-tall plants. Anderson’s comments:

• If the low temperature was above 28º F in the field, there should be little significant effect on any alfalfa, except for some singed leaf edges.

• New seedlings are generally tolerant of cold weather, partly due to heat rising from the soil and to natural plant tolerance. Seedlings no older than first trifoliate growth stage can probably handle temperatures in the low 20s. As they grow, cold tolerance lessens so seedlings at the 4th or 5th trifoliate stage may be injured similarly to alfalfa seeded late last summer.

• On well-established stands, during the next few warm weather days, watch for:

(a) New growth emerging from the tip. This means plants are recovering nicely and no action is necessary.

(b) New growth emerging as branches below the tip. This means the growing point was killed, slowing plant development significantly, but recovery is occurring. No action is necessary.

(c) New shoots emerging from crown buds. This means the growing point was killed and very little new growth can be expected from existing shoots. Cut or graze if sufficient growth is available for economical harvest before new shoots get tall enough to be damaged by the harvest. A word of caution: Cutting or damaging new regrowth shoots will cause severe, sometimes even fatal, damage. If the new regrowth has grown too tall to safely cut the plants, just let the new shoots develop and expect to take the first cutting much later than normal.

If the growing point cluster has been frozen and plants are severely wilted, the plants should be harvested or shredded as quickly as possible to encourage new shoots from the crown. If the plants are not harvested or shredded, new shoots will come eventually, but much slower and less densely than if existing plants are removed.

In all situations, if plants are laid over by the freeze and do not straighten back up, removal of this injured growth will hasten regrowth significantly.

• Well-established, healthy plants should start regrowing from new shoots emerging from the crown within seven days of favorable temperatures. Old diseased plants and last year’s planting will take longer to start regrowing and some may not survive at all. New seedlings frozen to ground level are very likely dead, and the stand should be reseeded as soon as possible, or planted to another crop.

— Adapted from a K-State Research and Extension release.

— compiled by Crystal Albers, associate editor, Angus Productions Inc.