News Update

Industry Events
August 28, 2007

Stocker Cattle and Wheat Management Workshop
Texas, Aug. 30

Cattle and wheat producers can update their knowledge of stocker cattle and wheat management at an Aug. 30 workshop sponsored by Texas Cooperative Extension.

Designed specifically for stocker cattle and wheat operators, the free program will be from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Dunn Right BBQ in Dunn, according to Greg Gruben, Extension agent in Scurry County. Participants can earn up to three continuing education units.

The morning agenda will focus on animal health, wheat management and a grain-price outlook. Country-of-origin labeling (often referred to as COL or COOL), ethanol and fuel prices, and hay values will be discussed during the afternoon program. Speakers include Extension specialists and educators, Texas Department of Agriculture representatives, and animal health industry representatives.

For more information contact Gruben at 325-573-5423; Cody Hill in Borden County at 806-756-4336; Jeff Wyatt in Dawson County at 806-872-3444; Greg Jones in Garza County at 806-495-4400; Bryan Reynolds in Lynn County at 806-561-4562; or John Senter in Mitchell County at 325-728-3111.

MU Southwest Center field day
Sept. 14, Mount Vernon

The University of Missouri (MU) will host a field day Friday, Sept. 14 at its Southwest Research Center near Mount Vernon.

A new 90-cow beef herd to be used for nutrition and forage research will be on display during the event, which includes one of five tours that will also encompass forage, dairy, horticulture and alternative biofuels. An exhibition area for agencies and agribusinesses will be open.

The one-hour field day tours, with four stops each, start at 9 a.m. and end at 1 p.m. Lunch will be served free to the first 1,000 visitors who register. After lunch, the annual meeting of the Ozark Electric Cooperative will take place.

At the field day, Rob Kallenbach, MU Extension forage specialist, will discuss the forage research plans associated with the beef herd. Pastures for the beef herd are being planted this fall. Paddock fencing will be built later.

Justin Sexten, new beef nutritionist with the MU Commercial Agriculture program, Columbia, Mo., will tell about how residual feed intake (RFI) research results can be used in herd management.

One stop on the beef tour will tell about feeding glycerol, a coproduct of biodiesel production.

The MU Southwest Center is located about four miles southwest of Mount Vernon. To reach the center from westbound Interstate 44, take Exit 44, and then turn left onto State Route H for two miles. Eastbound travelers on I-44 should take Exit 38, then continue east on the south outer road for four miles. For more information contact the center at 417-466-2148.

MU beef field day
Sept. 15, MU South Farm, Columbia, Mo.

Adding value to Missouri feeder calves is the theme of the annual beef field day at MU South Farm, Sept. 15.

Beef herd owners will hear several ways to capture more value from their feeder calves during the event, which will feature beef research and Extension programs at the Beef Research and Teaching Farm, off Highway 63, south of Columbia.

Topics will include adding value to calves by backgrounding, the value of preconditioning and evaluation of BVD (bovine viral diarrhea) effects, beef marketing and retained ownership.

Keynote speakers at noon will include Mike John, manager of MFA Health Track and past president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). John, a rancher from Huntsville, Mo., will give a “Beef Industry Update.”

The effects of genetics on adding value in beef cattle will also be discussed.

There will be continuous demonstrations at the beef barns. Topics include feed-intake research, use of coproduct feeds, use of timed artificial insemination (AI) and stockpiled fescue grazing.

There will be pasture walks on the newly established beef grazing paddocks.

Registration opens at 8:30 a.m. Demonstrations start at 9 a.m. and run until 4:30 p.m.

A free lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m. Reservations are required; to reserve a meal, call Judy Burton at 573-882-7327. Commercial exhibits will be on display in the barns.

Additional information can be obtained from farm manager Phillip Brooks at 574-823-7930. The MU farm is located 2.6 miles south of the AC exit on Highway 63. It is on Old Millers Road, behind the KOMU-TV tower.

Free Wildlife Management Workshop
Sept. 18-19, Helotes, Texas

Texas Cooperative Extension will present a free “Wildlife Management Workshop” during the evenings of Sept. 18 and 19 at the Helotes 4-H Activity Center at 12132 Leslie Rd.

The workshop will take place from 6:15 p.m. to 9 p.m. both days, with registration from 6:15-6:45 p.m. There will refreshments during registration, as well as during 7:45 p.m. breaks on both evenings.

Topics will include wildlife programs available through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), hunting season laws and regulations, wildlife food and feeding, and human effect on rangeland and wildlife.

One general continuing education unit will be offered each evening for private pesticide applicators licensed by the Texas Department of Agriculture.

Cattlemen’s Boot Camps
Sept. 21-22, Fayette County Extension Center, Lexington, Ky.
Oct. 29-30, Penn State University, State College, Pa.

The American Angus Association and Angus Foundation will conduct two Cattlemen’s Boot Camps this fall. More are planned for winter and spring. The Boot Camps will be hosted by the University of Kentucky in Lexington, and Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) in State College.

Boot Camps are two-day educational programs open to all cattle producers and cover all aspects of the beef industry, from basic production practices to the end product. All participants must preregister by the set deadline, and a minimal fee of $75 is charged to offset meals and materials.

The University of Kentucky Boot Camp is set for Sept. 21-22 at the Fayette County Extension Center in Lexington. The Boot Camp begins at 12:30 p.m. The registration deadline is Aug. 31.

The Boot Camp at Penn State is Oct. 29-30 at the Beef/Sheep Unit on the Penn State Campus. The activities begin at 8 a.m., and the registration deadline is Oct. 1.

Hotel blocks have been reserved at both locations and rates negotiated at Holiday Inn Express. In Kentucky, the Holiday Express Downtown, 1000 Export St., is the headquarters. Call 859-389-6800 and ask for the Cattlemen’s Boot Camp block to get the negotiated rate of $89.95 per night plus tax. Rooms must be reserved by Aug. 24 to get the rate.

In Pennsylvania, a block of rooms has been reserved at the Holiday Inn Express, Williamsburg Square. Call 814-867-1800 and ask for the Cattlemen’s Boot Camp block to get the block rate of $82 per night plus tax.

Complete schedules and program topics are available online at www.angus.org. In addition to these Boot Camps, a Boot Camp is set for Dec. 18-19 at Iowa State University in Ames. A Boot Camp is also tentatively set for early January at Washington State University, Pullman. Watch the web site for more information about these and other educational events.

Rangeland Water Harvesting Field Day
Sept. 27, Fort Stockton, Texas

Texas Cooperative Extension’s Pecos County office will be conducting a Rangeland Water Harvesting Field Day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sept. 27 at the Sherman Hammond Ranch.

“With an annual rainfall of only 12 inches (in.), water conservation is very important to us here in far West Texas,” said Jed Elrod, Extension agent in Pecos County. “Last year, the Hammond ranch only received about 7 in. of moisture, yet Hammond still has more forage than his adjacent neighbors.”

Hammond started water conservation measures on his ranch back in 1964 and remains excited about the long-term results of his efforts, Elrod said. Since then, he has developed and implemented a variety of water-saving techniques that have made his place an oasis for livestock and wildlife, even in times of prolonged drought.

“This field day will allow participants to see firsthand what he does and how he does it, mostly as a one-man operation,” Elrod said. Along with the rangeland water harvesting theme, the field day will also include talks on feral hogs, deer, game birds important rangeland insects, range seeding, importance of soils, range plant identification, range site descriptions and aquifer recharge capability.

Three Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units will be offered. Individual pre-registration is $15 if received on or before Sept. 21, and $25 thereafter.

To reach the ranch, go west on Railroad Avenue (which parallels the railroad tracks all the way to the Hammond Ranch). The ranch headquarters is about 25 miles from Fort Stockton’s landmark Roadrunner statue. Signs will be posted. For more information and to register, contact Elrod at 432-336-2541 or djelrod@ag.tamu.edu.

NCBA’s Western Region Joint Meeting
Sept. 28-29, Jackson Hole, Wyo.

Cattlemen from across the western United States are invited to attend a joint meeting of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s (NCBA) western regions. NCBA Region V includes the states of Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Washington and Wyoming, while Region VI is made up of Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah. Cevin Jones, Region V policy vice president from Eden, Idaho, and Greg Moore, Region VI policy vice president from Wagon Mound, N.M., will chair the meeting.

The event will kick off with a welcome reception and social hour on Friday evening, and Saturday will begin with a general session followed by breakout sessions focusing on cow-calf producer issues. These topics include emerging animal health issues, grazing regulations, and a discussion of the proposed enhancements to the beef checkoff program. A second breakout session will focus on cattle feeder issues, including air quality, manure management, and the effect of alternative fuels on the feeding industry.

The NCBA Region V and VI meeting will take place in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Public Lands Council (PLC). The PLC is an organization of public lands ranchers throughout the West, formed by NCBA, American Sheep Industry and Association of National Grasslands.

The registration deadline is Sept. 7. A full meeting agenda, along with hotel and registration information, is available at www.beefusa.org, under the “NCBA Events” section. More information is also available by calling NCBA at 1-866-BEEFUSA or NCBA Western Field Representative Dan McCarty at 406-855-2815.

Cattlemen’s Field Day
Oct. 2-3, Yatesville, Ga.

Three Trees Ranch will host a field day Oct. 2-3, at their Yatesville, Ga., location. Sponsored by Purina Mills, LLC, the one-and-a-half day seminar will focus on several key topics pertaining to ranch profitability, including:
• cow management with and without forage;
• the importance of bull development and mature bull conditioning to your reproductive success;
• how to effectively develop your heifers for performance and longevity;
• handling first-calf heifers and rebreeding; and
• Wind & Rain® mineral.

Participants registering for the free field day prior to Sept. 14 become eligible for drawings to win valuable prizes, including one ton of Purina Wind & Rain mineral and a certificate sponsored by Purina worth up to $3,000 toward the purchase of a Three Trees Ranch bull. On Day 2 of the field day, five winners will be selected for the mineral drawing, and one winner (who must attend both days) will be selected for the bull-purchase certificate. Must be present to win.

Each ranch or business that attends will be awarded a $250 certificate good toward the purchase of a Three Trees Ranch bull. Limit one certificate to each attending entity.

To make reservations, call Saralyn White at 863-425-5130, ext. 106, or Nancye Deloach at 615-315-4072.

LMA 2008 Auctioneer Championship qualifying round
Oct. 6, Turlock, Calif

The first of four regional qualifying championships for the Livestock Marketing Association’s (LMA’s) 45th annual World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC) will take place Oct. 6 at the Livestock Auction Yard Inc., in Turlock, Calif.

The Turlock contest will be the western regional qualifier. The other three are:
• Southwestern Regional, Oct. 25 at Cattleman’s Livestock Commission Co., Dalhart, Texas
• Eastern Regional, Nov. 27 at Fort Payne Stockyard Inc., Fort Payne, Ala.
• Midwestern Regional, Dec. 8, Lamoni Livestock Auction Inc., Lamoni, Iowa

Regional Champions will be named at each contest, and the top eight scorers at each contest will qualify for the 2008 WLAC, scheduled to take place next June in Durant, Okla.

Regional contestants must be at least 18 years old and employed by a livestock auction market. Complete contest rules and the official entry form are available at www.lmaweb.com, or by calling 1-800-821-2048.

The deadline for entering the Turlock and Dalhart regional contests is Sept. 1. The deadline for Fort Payne and Lamoni is Oct. 26.

Korea-U.S.-Japan International Joint Symposium
Oct. 15-16, College Station, Texas

Producing beef with high levels of oleic acid and other heart-healthy traits for both domestic and Asian consumption will highlight an international symposium Oct. 15-16 at Texas A&M University.

Top international beef researchers will headline the second Korea-U.S.-Japan International Joint Symposium. Discussions on the economics of producing high-quality beef for domestic and foreign markets, and the latest research on Wagyu (Japanese) and Hanwoo (Korean) breeds will be featured.

“Our target audience includes individual producers and companies or organizations that emphasize the production of high-quality beef for either domestic or foreign markets,” said Stephen Smith, conference chairman and Texas A&M professor of animal science. “Accordingly, the symposium will focus on important aspects of high quality beef cattle production for the U.S., Korean and Japanese markets.”

For registration information, visit http://animalscience.tamu.edu/symposium/index.html or phone 979-845-3939.

Purdue agribusiness conferences, seminars
Oct. 22-26; Nov. 13-14

Purdue University will conduct two conferences and seminars aimed at those in agribusiness. An agrimarketing seminar will take place Oct. 22-26, and a National Conference for Agribusiness: “Re-Thinking Service Strategies: Innovations that Drive Profit” is scheduled for Nov. 13-14.

For more information about these conferences and seminars, contact Purdue’s Center for Food and Agricultural Business at 765-494-4247 or agbusinessinfo@purdue.edu.

Beef Producers Seminar
Nov. 1, Maryville, Mo.

Beef producers are encouraged to attend the 2007 Beef Producers Seminar, Thursday, Nov. 1. The seminar begins at 4:30 p.m. at the Nodaway County/Community Fair building in Maryville, Mo. Cost of admission to the event is $10 per person and includes a beef dinner.

Darla Eggers, director of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Foundation, will serve as emcee for the evening’s events. The seminar features three guest speakers discussing beef cattle management topics.

Larry Hollis will discuss the proper handling of cattle. Hollis has worked in various aspects of the cattle industry, including the fields of veterinary service and education. Specializing in health management, he currently serves as an Extension beef veterinarian at Kansas State University.

Justin Sexten will discuss creative cattle nutrition. Sexten has experience in all phases of the beef industry and currently serves as an Extension specialist for the University of Missouri. His work focuses on beef cattle nutrition, with an emphasis in feeding management, grazing systems and coproduct utilization.

In addition to animal handling and nutrition topics, a “realizer” program presentation by Joe Powell will cover animal health management. Powell has practiced veterinary medicine for more than 40 years. He operates Nodaway Veterinary Clinic, Maryville, Mo.

For more information regarding the 2007 Beef Producers Seminar and to register for the meal, please contact the livestock specialist in your area or the Andrew County Extension Center at 816-324-3147.

The Beef Producers Seminar is sponsored by VitaFerm,® the American Angus Association and the University of Missouri Extension Service.

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