News Update
Nov. 20, 2009

Yon Named Miss American Angus

Sally Yon of Ridge Spring, S.C., was crowned Miss American Angus, Monday, Nov. 16, during the North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE) in Louisville, Ky.

Yon was crowned just prior to the announcement of grand champion bull during the Super-Point Roll of Victory (ROV) Angus Show at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center (KFEC). Read more.

Sixth Annual Southwest Beef Symposium set for Jan. 20-21 in Tucumcari

Texas and New Mexico Extension agencies will host their sixth annual Southwest Beef Symposium Jan. 20-21 at the Tucumcari Convention Center in Tucumcari, N.M.

Bruce Carpenter, Texas AgriLife Extension Service livestock specialist at Fort Stockton, said the symposium is tailored for southwestern beef producers. The event centers on four educational sessions and a trade show. It alternates yearly between locations in West Texas and eastern New Mexico.

“Questions about the economy and overall beef industry are on a lot of folks’ minds these days,” Carpenter said. “And with that in mind, in the first session on Jan. 20 we’ll hear from Jason Henderson, executive vice president with the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank, about the U.S. economy and its impact on agriculture. We’ll also hear from Josh Weingarner, director of government relations with Texas Cattle Feeders, regarding policy issues affecting our industry.”

Other speakers from the National Cattleman’s Beef Association (NCBA) and the University of Nebraska will address current animal welfare issues and the Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program.

On Day 2, in a session titled “The Cattlemen’s Tool Box,” Extension specialists from both states will discuss technologies in nutrition, genetics, health, risk management and livestock water. A short stocker cattle session by Dale Blassi of Kansas State University (K-State) will follow.

The lunch speaker will be Lowell Cattlett, dean of New Mexico State University’s College of Agriculture consumer and environmental sciences department.

The 2010 symposium will end with an afternoon session titled “Stockmanship and Stewardship.” It will be conducted by Curt Pate, a rancher and American Quarterhorse Association professional horseman and clinician from Newell, S.D.; and Ron Gill, rancher, associate, department head and livestock specialist at Texas A&M University, College Station.

Pate and Gill’s approach covers facility design, stockmanship skills and demonstrations in live-cattle handling techniques. They will also offer information on how better cattle handling can improve cattle performance and consumer confidence in beef.

For planning purposes, preregistration by Jan. 13 is recommended. Preregistration is $50. The fee includes a steak dinner, lunch, refreshments and printed proceedings.

For more information and to preregister, call Carpenter at 432-336-8585 or Clay Mathis at New Mexico State University at 575-646-8022.

A schedule of events and speaker information, as well as registration materials and lodging information, can be found at www.cahe.nmsu.edu/ces/swbeef.

— Release by Texas Extension Service and AgriLife Research.

Stockmen’s Association offers cattle feeding workshop

The North Dakota Stockmen’s Association (NDSA) Feeder Council will present Beyond the Bunk V, an educational program for anyone interested in the cattle feeding business, Dec. 16 at the Doublewood Inn in Bismarck, N.D. The day-long program begins at 10 a.m. and features six main speakers, including:

• NDSA President Jack Reich of Zap, N.D., who will provide an update on NDSA activities.
  
• Vern Anderson of Carrington, N.D., director of the North Dakota State University (NDSU) Carrington Research Extension Center of Carrington, N.D., who will highlight research conducted at the center.
  
• Steve Vilhauer of Aberdeen, S.D., a Tyson representative who will discuss age- and source-verified cattle, product procurement and demand.
  
• Rob Maddock of Fargo, N.D., an NDSU professor and meat scientist, who will describe differences between conventionally raised and organically raised beef.
  
• David Spickler of Riverdale, N.D., commodity manager for Blue Flint Ethanol in Underwood, who will highlight the ethanol industry and the use of coproducts.
  
• Blaine Hopfauf of Mandan, N.D., a veterinarian from Mandan’s Interstate Veterinary Clinic, will discuss identifying and treating sick cattle in feedlots.

The program is free to attend. Preregistration isn’t required, but is appreciated for planning purposes. To preregister, call 701-223-2522.

— Release provided by NDSA.

Watch for Poisonous Weeds Commonly Found in Hay

Minnesota is home to numerous toxic plants and weeds. Most weeds are not palatable and in a pasture, will be avoided by livestock if adequate forage is available. However, in hay, most livestock cannot differentiate weeds from beneficial long-stemmed forage, resulting in accidental ingestion and possibly a loss in performance or death.

Three weeds commonly found in Minnesota that remain toxic when dried in hay are hoary alyssum, wild parsnip and poison hemlock.

Hoary alyssum is toxic only to horses. It’s a perennial weed that is commonly found in pastures and hay fields after areas experience drought. Hoary alyssum is light green to gray in color with white flowers. The seeds are small and oblong and easily seen in baled hay. Horses that ingest hoary alyssum may experience stocking-up or swelling of the limbs, founder, and even death. The toxic dose of hoary alyssum is estimated at 20% (of the plant ingested) in hay, but is known to affect some horses differently. Some horses have a zero tolerance to hoary alyssum.

Wild parsnip is a biennial that is toxic to cattle, horses and sheep and is infesting ditches and fields in Minnesota.

Leaves are coarse, with saw-toothed edges. Flowers are yellow, and umbrella-shaped. Wild parsnip can contain a toxin called furanocoumarins and can create severe skin irritations. High levels of the toxin have been found in all parts of the plant, including the seeds. The toxic dose of wild parsnip is not known. Signs and effects of toxicity include severe sunburn (photosensitivity). If you suspect wild parsnip toxicity, remove the plant source. Move all affected animals to a shaded area. A topical treatment can be applied to skin lesions. Since wild parsnip is commonly found in ditches, hay harvested from ditches containing wild parsnip should not be fed to livestock.

Poison hemlock is found in wet sites or along streams. Poison hemlock is a biennial that produces a rosette of leaves near the ground in the first year of growth, followed by an erect, flowering stalk the second year. Leaves have a lacy appearance and smell like parsnip when crushed. Flowers are white and are borne in umbrella shaped clusters. The tap root resembles a small white carrot. Poison hemlock contains alkaloids that are toxic to cattle and horses when 0.5% and 0.25% respectively of body weight are ingested. Symptoms include death, salivation and excitement. Treatment is rarely possible.

Remember to work with a veterinarian if you suspect a plant poisoning. Several symptoms associated with plant toxicity can also be associated with other severe and deadly disorders. Evidence of poisonous plant ingestion, symptoms and diagnostic tests should be used to confirm poisoning from a toxic plant.

— Release by Krishona Martinson, University of Minnesota Extension.

— Compiled by Mathew Elliott, assistant editor, Angus Productions Inc.