News Update
June 17, 2010

Wean Early Without Working Overtime   

Weaning calves at half the typical age calls for re-thinking your calendar, but it doesn’t obligate a management overhaul. With a few key tweaks, ranchers already weaning at home can reap the rewards of calves that gain faster, convert cheaper, perform better and reduce cow costs.

“We started weaning calves early because of drought,” says ruminant nutritionist Jeff Heldt. “Now we do it because it makes sense from a cow feed-cost and grass-availability standpoint.”

Heldt, a field consultant for Land O’Lakes Purina Feed, works with cattlemen in the western portions of Nebraska and South Dakota who have moved their weaning date toward a 90-day target. The result? An average savings of $40 per cow in feed costs and 25% increase in forage availability. Read more.

Marketing Communications Pro Joins NCBA

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) announced today, June 17, Kim Cooke will join as vice president of communications effective June 28.

Cooke, a veteran of agricultural marketing and communications, leaves a 20 plus-year career at Rhea & Kaiser Marketing Communications, a leading agri-marketing and communications firm, where she led teams working on a variety of agricultural clients such as Bayer CropScience, Pfizer Animal Health and the American Soybean Association.

“Kim brings a proven track record of agricultural marketing and communications successes. She is an exceptional leader who knows how to develop talent and empower teams. I have known Kim for many years and have seen her transform teams, brands and companies. We are thrilled to have her joining NCBA and working for the largest segment of the nation’s food and fiber industry,” said Forrest Roberts, CEO, NCBA.   

Cooke will be based in NCBA’s Washington, D.C., office and will lead the overall communications strategy for the organization, including grassroots advocacy, member and organizational communications, spokesperson training, media relations and public affairs. She will serve on the association’s Senior Leadership Team.

“I am excited to join the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association team and proud to help steward the voice of the nation’s cattle farmers and ranchers,” Cooke said. 

She grew up on a diversified grain and livestock farm in Iowa and received a bachelor of science degree in agricultural journalism from Iowa State University. Cooke will reside in the D.C. area with her husband, Brett, and two children.

— Release by NCBA.

Summer and Steaks Sizzle at Third Annual Food & Wine Festival

The beef checkoff made its debut at the third annual Food & Wine Festival at National Harbor® last weekend in Maryland. Thousands of food and wine lovers enjoyed the two-day event, which offered world-class opportunities to learn about the latest food and beverage trends in a beautiful and unique setting along the Potomac River, just south of Washington, D.C.

Visitors followed their noses to the beef checkoff tent, where Mike and James Brannon of Roseda Beef grilled more than 240 pounds of beef tenderloin steaks for everyone to sample.  Beef Ambassador Street Teams, sporting “I Heart Beef” T-shirts, directed guests into the booth as the beef checkoff’s mascot, Patty Melt, braved the 90-plus degree heat to make an appearance.

National Beef Ambassadors Ellen Hoffschneider and Jackson Alexander, along with Carol Abrahamzon, National Beef Ambassador program manager, and Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative staff member Lisa Jones, answered consumer questions about beef’s 29 lean cuts, safe grilling tips and today’s beef production practices. Street Team members tweeted about the event and posted snapshots all weekend long under the @BeefFWFNH handle.

Executive Chef Dave Zino of the NCBA, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff Program, led a cooking demonstration on the Viking Stage, preparing a simple Teriyaki Steak and Couscous recipe from the Healthy Beef Cookbook. The checkoff also hosted the inaugural “So You Think You Can Grill Cook-off” in the tent on Sunday afternoon to crown the newest amateur grill master of the National Capital Region. Finalist Lincoln Rhoads of Fairfax, Va., put his grilled flank steak against Jason Yaskoir’s “Fried, Fried, Fried Veal Burger.” Rhoads’ recipe reigned supreme in the contest, winning him the title and a brand new Weber grill.

For more information about your beef checkoff investment, visit MyBeefCheckoff.com.

— Release by The Beef Checkoff Program.

State Beef Conference to Focus on Value Optimization

Kansas State University (K-State) Research and Extension will host the 2010 K-State Beef Conference Aug. 12 with the theme “Value Optimization.”

Registration will begin at 8 a.m., followed by the program at 9 a.m. in the Frick Auditorium of Mosier Hall in K-State’s College of Veterinary Medicine Complex in Manhattan. In addition to on-site participation, attendees can register to view the conference live at Pratt Community College, Butler Community College or the WaKeeney Public Library. More information and online registration is available at: www.asi.ksu.edu/beefconference or by calling Charlotte Bruna at 785-532-1280.

The program includes the following presentations and speakers:

• Welcome — Ken Odde, department head, K-State Department of Animal Sciences & Industry;
  

• Challenges facing the cow/calf industry — Sam Hands, Triangle H Cattle Co.;
  

• Characterizing change in the beef industry — Justin Waggoner, K-State SW area beef specialist;
  

• What are buyers looking for? Presentations and panel discussion — Moderator: Larry Hollis, K-State Department of Animal Sciences & Industry with panelists Mark Harmon, Joplin Regional Stockyards; Tom Brink, Five Rivers Cattle Feeding; and Paul Branch, Superior Livestock;
  

• Backgrounding systems — Presentations and panel discussion — Moderator: Dale Blasi, K-State Department of Animal Sciences & Industry with panelists Gene Holthaus, Holthaus Farms; Rich Porter, Porter Farms; and Kenny Knight, Knight Feedlot;
  

• Pasture lease rates — Kevin Dhuyvetter, K-State Department of Agricultural Economics;
  

• Wet distillers storage: no bags, no forage required — Justin Waggoner, K-State SW Area beef systems specialist; and
  

• What have we learned today? — Greg Henderson, Drovers magazine.

The early registration fee of $60 per person or $100 for two from the same family, ranch or organization is due by July 30. The registration includes conference materials, a noon meal and refreshments.

The 2010 K-State Beef Conference is co-sponsored by K-State Research and Extension, Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health and Quality Liquid Feeds.

— Release by K-State Research and Extension.

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