News Update

News Update
May 5, 2008

Sioux Falls Regional Market to Join 45-year Championship Tradition

The almost-new auction market, Sioux Falls Regional Livestock (SFRL), is getting ready to host June 28 an industry event steeped in tradition — the 45th annual World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC). Part of that tradition is three world champions who came from the Dakotas in the contest’s first decade: Robert Schnell, then from Lemmon, S.D., who won the top title in 1968; Bob Steffes, then from Arthur, N.D., in 1972, and Jim Strain, then living in Martin, S.D., in 1973.

SFRL co-owner and vice president Brad Klostergaard says he is excited to host the contest, which is sponsored and conducted by the Livestock Marketing Association. The daylong contest, a real livestock sale, starts at 8 a.m. Klostergaard said he expects to have 3,500-4,000 head of cattle going through the salering.

“We have a lot of great producers in this area who will bring their cattle in for this sale,” he said. Thirty-three semi-finalists will be moving those cattle from the sellers to the buyers, in a demonstration of the competitive marketing process.

As they sell several drafts of cattle, the contestants are judged by a panel of market owners and professional livestock dealers. Judging criteria are vocal clarity and quality, bid-catching ability, ability to keep the sale moving, and by the judges answering the question, “Would I hire this auctioneer to work for me?”

The 2008 champions take home thousands of dollars in cash and prizes, including a year’s use of a free truck to the winner.

Podcasts from National Institute for Animal Agriculture annual meeting now available

If you missed the annual conference of the National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) April 1-3 in Indianapolis, Ind., you can still catch the discussion through Truffle Media Networks podcasts. Audio proceedings of conference seminars and presentations are now available online through NIAA’s web site (www.animalagriculture.com) and Truffle Media Network’s four animal agriculture web sites: BeefCast.com, DairyCast.com, PoultryCast.com and SwineCast.com.

The podcasts provide audio access to NIAA’s four opening general sessions, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer’s address and Undersecretary Bruce Knight’s ID.INFO Workshop keynote presentation. Additional podcasts include various seminars and forums covering disease control, animal welfare, international trade, food safety and security, animal identification (ID) and information systems, and other issues.

Ranchers Roundup Set for May 20 in Sonora

Ranching amid skyrocketing grain and fuel prices will be the focus of this year’s Ranchers’ Roundup set for 8:30 a.m. May 20 in Sonora’s Sutton County Civic Center.

Texas AgriLife Extension Service offices in Sutton, Schleicher and Crockett counties will conduct the program. Three Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units will be available for those with a pesticide applicator’s license.

“Tighter management, trimming costs and optimizing your resources is what this program is all about,” said Pascual Hernandez, AgriLife Extension agent in Sutton County. “Fuel costs just keep going up, and grain prices have been setting record-high prices for some time now. We don’t know when this will ever stop, but there are some things that ranchers can do to optimize their bottom line.”

Topics during the day will include: Feed and Fuel Price Outlook, Ranch Management to Minimize Cost, Brush Control Cost Comparisons, Current Issues Facing the Livestock Industry, Livestock Assistance Program/Resources and Alternative Income from Rangeland.

Individual registration is $15 by May 16 and $25 thereafter. The fee covers a noon meal and educational materials. To preregister or for more information call the AgriLife Extension office in Sutton County at 325-387-3101.

AgriLife Extension Program to Focus on Fly Control

The Texas AgriLife Extension Service office in Parmer County will conduct an Animal Pest Control Meeting beginning at 10 a.m. May 27 in the Bovina EMS Building.

“Warm weather plus feedlots equals fly-time in our area,” said Benji Henderson, AgriLife Extension agent in Parmer County. “This meeting’s purpose is to bring producers and feedlot operators information on the latest and most cost-effective fly control treatments for cattle confinement lots and for fly control in general.”

Ted McCollum, AgriLife Extension beef cattle specialist at Amarillo, will be the day’s presenter. The meeting is free and open to the public. One Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education unit in the general category will be offered to those with a private applicator’s license. For more information call Henderson at 806-481-3619.

Camp Cooley Ranch Announces Complete Dispersal

Camp Cooley Ranch, Franklin, Texas, has announced the complete dispersal of its entire registered female herd of Brangus, Charolais and Angus cattle. Because of possible exposure to an exotic wildlife disease — from the wildebeest herd living in the ranch’s game preserve to females in an adjacent pasture — a “hold order” was placed on the ranch, forcing it to cancel two spring female sales, Klaus Birkel explains. Although the hold order has since been lifted, the loss of sale revenues motivated the decision to disperse.

The female dispersal will be at the ranch June 18-21. Camp Cooley’s annual bull sale remains scheduled for Nov. 13-15, and its Customer Appreciation Sale will be April 3-4, 2009. Contact Birkel at email@campcooley.com for further information.

Cow Size — A Foundational Issue

Knowing the weight of the cows being turned out to grass is something every producer needs to know. As the search for grass and feed continues, one needs to reflect on research regarding cow size. The simple answer is that one size does not fit all.

For more of Kris Ringwall’s BeefTalk story visit
www.ag.ndsu.edu/news/columns/beeftalk/beeftalk-cow-size-2013-a-foundational-issue/.

— compiled by Tosha Powell, assistant editor, Angus Productions Inc.