News Update
Feb. 8, 2010

Angus Scholarship Opportunities Available

The Angus Foundation and American Angus Auxiliary are providing several scholarship opportunities to Angus youth pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees.

The Angus Foundation will offer two $5,000 scholarships given in memory of former American Angus Association executive vice president Richard “Dick” Spader. In addition, a number of $3,000 scholarships and $1,000 scholarships will be awarded. As in past years, other specific and special criteria scholarships administered by the Angus Foundation will also be available.

Eligible Angus youth meeting the qualifications for the Angus Foundation’s 2010 Undergraduate and Graduate Scholarship Programs will be considered by the Angus Foundation’s Scholarship Selection Committee.

The American Angus Auxiliary will also award scholarships to qualifying graduating high school seniors. Juniors must first be chosen as a state auxiliary scholarship winner before advancing to the national competition. Check with state scholarship contacts for specific state association deadlines.

The postmark deadline for American Angus Auxiliary and Angus Foundation scholarship applications is May 1. Scholarship recipients will be recognized at the 2010 National Junior Angus Show (NJAS) in Denver, Colo.

For more information regarding American Angus Auxiliary scholarships, visit www.angusauxiliary.com or contact Auxiliary Scholarship Chair Barbara Ettredge at 1001 Berend Rd., Pilot Point, Texas 76258; or 940-686-2958.

For more information regarding Angus Foundation scholarship opportunities, visit www.angusfoundation.org or contact Milford Jenkins, Angus Foundation president, at 816-383-5100 or mjenkins@angusfoundation.org.

YPC: A Place for Young Adults in the Beef Industry

“For young adults in the beef industry, the Young Producers’ Council (YPC) is the right idea, at the right time, for the right reasons,” said Forrest Roberts, chief executive officer of the National Cattleman’s Beef Association (NCBA), speaking to the YPC membership at the 2010 Cattle Industry Annual Convention and NCBA Trade Show in San Antonio, Texas, Jan. 29.

The YPC is for young adults, ages 18-35, who desire to develop their leadership skills and become more involved in NCBA policy development. It was established during the 2008 Cattle Industry Summer Conference and now has more than 300 official members and 1,100 members on Facebook. Membership is free for paid NCBA members and offers networking opportunities and continuing education.

“For those of you looking at NBCA’s new structure and wondering where you fit in, here it is: Leadership development. NCBA is committed to supporting YPC. We want to build a machine of leaders coming up through the industry ranks,” Roberts said. “Becoming a member of YPC is the first step in leadership development. To me, it looks like a natural progression: YPC member, then YPC officer and NCBA committee member, then NCBA officer. You are the future.”

New leaders appointed. Ben Spitzer, Fairmount, Ga. was appointed chairman, and Ben Neal, Nashville, Tenn., was appointed vice chairman. Sharon Breiner, Manhattan, Kan., was appointed to secretary-treasurer. Outgoing Chairman Dustin Dean of Texas will serve as an advisor to the board.

Eight individuals were appointed to the YPC board to serve as voting representatives on eight of NCBA’s committees. They include Evan Tate, Kentucky, Ag Policy Committee; Brandon Carlson, California, Cattle Health and Well Being Committee; Sarah Baker, Idaho, Federal Lands Committee; Travis Hoffman, Colorado, Live Cattle Marketing Committee; Rae Marie Gordon, Colorado, Membership Committee; Holly Foster, California, Property Rights and Environmental Management Committee; Wyatt Prescott, Arizona, Tax and Credit Committee; and Tonya Amen, Wisconsin, Resolutions Committee.

Three new task forces were created at the meeting, and leaders were appointed: Cari Rincker, New York, YPC Public Relations Task Force; Anna Aja, Arizona, YPC Membership Task Force; and Katy Groseta, Arizona, YPC Cattle Call Blog Task Force.

For more information, become a fan of YPC on Facebook or visit www.beefusa.org/ypc.

Producers can manage genetic defects in cattle

Several cattle breeds have experienced occurrences of genetic defects. University of Kentucky (UK) College of Agriculture Beef Specialist Darrh Bullock said genetic defects have caused quite a bit of concern in the past few years among seedstock producers. Now concern is spreading to the commercial industry.

“When dealing with genetic defects, it’s really important to know the facts so you can make wise selection decisions,” he said. “The defects that we are currently dealing with are lethal genes, which means if an offspring gets a copy of the gene from its sire and its dam, it will express the gene, and that will result in death or other symptoms associated with the gene.”

However, Bullock emphasized that if a calf gets a copy of the gene from only one parent, it will not show any signs of the disease but will be a carrier for that defective gene.

Producers can protect their cattle and breeding programs by DNA testing.

“All they have to do is send a blood sample, hair or semen to a certified lab approved by the breed association of the animal,” Bullock said. “If the animal tests positive for the genetic defect, it is a carrier and can pass that defect on to its offspring.”

He said that testing positive doesn’t necessarily mean a producer will see an animal expressing the genetic defect, but the possibility for that animal breeding to another carrier exists. Producers have to take extra precaution in their breeding programs to make sure that doesn’t happen.

If a producer mates a carrier dam to a carrier sire, there is a 25% chance the calf they produce will have the genetic defect, a 50% chance the calf will be a carrier of the defective gene and a 25% chance the calf will not carry the defect at all.

“If you mate two animals that have been tested defect-free, there is no chance of producing a carrier calf,” Bullock explained. “If you only buy genetic-defect-free bulls, there is no possibility that you have a genetic-defect calf, but if you have carrier cows in your herd, it will be possible to have a carrier calf.”

Bullock said the bottom line for commercial cattlemen is that if they think they may have potential carrier cows in their herds, they should select bulls that have tested free of genetic defects.

— Release by UK College of Agriculture.

KLA Testifies on Smoke Management Plant for the Flint Hills

The Senate Natural Resources Committee continued its hearing last week on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) insistence that a smoke management plan be adopted to reduce the chances of air quality violations caused by prescribed burning in the Flint Hills of Kansas. Kansas Livestock Association (KLA) Vice President and General Counsel Allie Devine reminded committee members that Flint Hills ranchers, for over 100 years, have cared for the land with great precision and skill. She said prescribed burning is an essential management practice for protecting the ecosystem and enhancing grazing lands. Devine also updated the committee on KLA’s efforts to inform its members of the regulatory challenges and the association’s commitment to work with state and federal officials on an appropriate remedy acceptable to Flint Hills landowners. Hearings will continue this week, focusing on additional air regulation efforts by EPA.

The proposal to create a smoke management plan for burning in the Flint Hills will be among those to be discussed during the KLA Legislative Meeting, Feb. 16 in Topeka. The day will begin with a complimentary lunch at the Capitol Plaza Hotel. KLA Legislative Affairs staff will gather member input on bills starting at 2 p.m. The social and dinner for KLA members and their legislators starts at 6 p.m.

Registration for the dinner is $25 per person. Call the KLA office at 785-273-5115 to make your reservations.

— Release by KLA.

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