News Update

News Update
Oct. 10, 2007

Dreamcatcher Ranch’s Gift Supports Angus Foundation

Their passion for quality, exceeding customer needs and educational philanthropy led Don and Karen Meador of Dreamcatcher Ranch, near San Marcos, Texas, to donate one-half of the sale-day proceeds of a bred heifer in their upcoming sale to the Angus Foundation. Their Change-Maker II Production Sale begins Oct. 27 at 1 p.m.

“I grew up livestock judging and showing steers in 4-H, and I always appreciated the help that I received from organizations that supported youth. I now have the opportunity to return the favor that I benefited from many years ago,” Don Meador says. “We feel that this heifer is one of the best Midland daughters of the group.”

The proceeds of DRMCTR Midland 6M01, donated to the Angus Foundation, will further supplement the $500,000 raised in The Texas Challenge. In addition, sales manager John Maurer will waive his fee for the designated lot, and Ultimate Genetics of Wheelock, Texas, has donated one flush after she calves.

Lot 142, DRMCTR Midland 6M01 blends the marbling ability of BR Midland with a direct daughter of Bon-View New Design 1407. She is bred to SS Objective T510 OT26 and is due to calve in January. The embryo is sexed as a bull.

“This is another wonderful opportunity for Angus breeders to add an exciting donor prospect to their herd, while simultaneously receiving recognition for supporting the education, youth and research activities of the Angus Foundation,” Angus Foundation President Milford Jenkins says. “We are extremely grateful to the Meadors for their generous donation and commend their dedication in supporting The Texas Challenge and our campaign.”

Funds raised by the auction of this female will count toward achievement of the Angus Foundation’s first capital campaign, Vision of Value: Campaign for Angus, which aims to raise $11 million by Dec. 31, 2011, to further support the Foundation’s education, youth and research efforts. To date, more than $3.7 million has been committed to the campaign through outright cash gifts, pledges and planned giving commitments.

To learn more about this female, contact Don Meador at 512-757-2714 or visit www.dreamcatcherranch.net. For more information about the Angus Foundation or making a donation to the Vision of Value: Campaign for Angus, contact Jenkins at 816-383-5100 or mjenkins@angusfoundation.org.

— Release provided by the Angus Foundation.

Increased corn production means more residue is available for grazing

Grazing corn residues is one way to reduce the cost of wintering beef cows in the upper Midwest, a North Dakota State University (NDSU) cattle expert says.

“With the increase in corn acres in North Dakota and the surrounding region this year, availability of corn residue also has increased, making this practice even more attractive,” says Greg Lardy, NDSU Extension beef cattle specialist.

Corn residue left behind after harvest includes the stalk, leaf, husk and cob, as well as downed ears. The amount of downed ears varies with the corn variety, but it can be as much as 3 to 5 bushels (bu.) of corn per acre. Generally, approximately 50 pounds (lb.) of residue is left on the field per bushel of corn harvested. For example, if you harvest 120 bu. of corn, you can expect about 6,000 lb. of residue per acre (120 bu. x 50 lb. of residue per bushel).

Obviously, the cow will not graze or use all of that material. At the most, a cow will be able to graze about 50% of that material (in this example, about 3,000 lb. per acre), Lardy says. One acre of corn residue should support a 1,000-lb. cow for about 1.5 to two months. Strip-grazing the fields (dividing the field and limiting access using electric fencing) will improve utilization and allow you to increase the stocking rate.

The residue portions with the greatest nutritive value include the husk and leaf. The cob is fairly high in digestibility, but very low in protein. The stalk is low in both protein and digestibility. The longer the cattle graze a particular corn field, the lower in nutrient content their diet will be. This is due to the cattle selecting the higher-quality material first and the loss of nutrients due to weathering. Longer-term grazing may require protein supplementation to meet the nutrient needs of grazing beef cows.

Corn residue also is low in most minerals and vitamin A. Therefore, producers should follow a good-quality vitamin and mineral supplementation program when grazing corn residue, Lardy says.

Corn residue can be grazed long into the winter feeding period, provided snow cover does not limit the cow’s selectivity and grazing ability. The length of time will vary from year to year. Once fields are snow-covered, the ability of the cow to select the higher-quality portions of the corn residue is limited.

Two factors are the biggest limitations to grazing corn residue in this area of the country. First, many cornfields are not fenced and, second, many do not have adequate water for grazing livestock.

“However, the amount of residue available for grazing and its cost effectiveness should cause beef cattle producers to at least consider this option as one means of lowering the cost of winter feeding,” Lardy says.

Grazing corn residue also may have other drawbacks. One is an increased risk of founder or acidosis if fields have greater-than-normal levels of downed ears. Gradually adapting cattle to grain prior to turnout into the cornfield may be warranted if high levels of downed ears are present, Lardy says.

Soil compaction is another issue. It’s often cited as a reason for not grazing cornstalks. However, data collected in Nebraska and Iowa demonstrate that this generally is not a major problem and grazing corn residues does not negatively affect subsequent yields.

— Release provided by NDSU Extension.

USDA Announces More than $11M in Water Quality Grants

Acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner announced today that more than $11 million in grants will be awarded to universities nationwide to address water supply and water quality issues in rural, agricultural and urbanizing watersheds. Highlighted among these grants are two projects that address bioenergy production and water resource issues.

The two projects, funded by the USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES), take unique approaches to addressing bioenergy development.

Investigators at Washington State University will explore the impacts of irrigating switchgrass for bioenergy development. The project will test long-lived, water-efficient perennial grasses for biofuel production to supplement the nation’s energy supply, saving water for human, food and other societal needs.

At the University of Wisconsin, investigators are attempting to address the environmental and economic effects of an emerging bio-economy in 14 Midwest states. Their efforts focus on how best to provide a research-based understanding of the issues and provide a robust outreach program that engages communities and key stakeholder interests in appropriate decision-making that respects local economies and the environment.

For a list of competitively awarded national and watershed-scale projects in fiscal year 2007, visit www.csrees.usda.gov.

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