News Update
Dec. 2, 2010

‘BlackOnTrack!’ Angus Magic at Churchill Downs’ Grosses More Than $330K to Benefit the Angus Foundation

BlackOnTrack!, the Angus Foundation biennial gala and auction on Nov. 13, raised more than $330,000 in gross income to support the Angus Foundation’s Vision of Value: Campaign for Angus goal of raising $11 million by Dec. 31, 2011.

Held at the prestigious home of the Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., the magical night drew nearly 400 Angus supporters from across the country who gathered for fine dining, racing entertainment, and a live auction featuring elite Angus genetics and other unique items.

Providing entertainment for the guests was the first-ever mock horse race, titled the Angus Steaks Race. Eight corporate entities sponsored horses to run in the mock race and dinner stations for event guests. Read more.

Select Sires Hosts Annual Roy A. Wallace Memorial Symposium on Bovine Reproduction

Nearly 60 leading researchers in bovine reproduction from universities across the country invested their time in the Roy A. Wallace Memorial Symposium on Bovine Reproduction. The 15th annual two-day symposium was hosted by Select Sires in Columbus, Ohio, on Oct. 21 and 22, 2010.

“Principal researchers selflessly shared the outcomes of their most recent research,” stated Mel DeJarnette, reproduction specialist at Select Sires. “The group offered many constructive challenges and critiques to each other’s research efforts and collectively discussed ideas for future research. A commonly stated goal of attendees is not to come to get the answers, but rather to leave asking better questions.” 

The progress made by this group during the last 15 years has been astounding. Originally focused on beef cattle reproduction, the group in 1995 was excited about a system that achieved 45%-50% pregnancy rates after three or four days of estrus detection. Today, multiple systems are available that yield 60% and higher pregnancy rates in well-managed beef herds with single fixed-timed artificial insemination (AI). Considerable progress has also been achieved in lactating dairy cows, but remains a primary opportunity and target for future research.

Through cooperative research efforts with these recognized experts, Select Sires has facilitated the development of synchronization protocols that are more effective, allowing producers to realize better AI conception rates. In 2009, Select Sires invested $250,000 to initiate and/or complete 38 research projects, and by the close of 2010 an additional 40 projects will have commenced and/or concluded. These projects include Select’s in-house laboratory trials to optimize post thaw semen survival through enhanced cryopreservation procedures, joint research trials with universities or other partners funded through Select’s competitive grants program, and field fertility trials conducted through the Program for Fertility Advancement™ (PFA™).

— Release by Select Sires.

Ranching for Profit II Program Set For Dec. 17 in Alpine

The Texas AgriLife Extension Service will conduct the second in their Ranching For Profit series from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 17 in Room 124 of the Range Animal Science Building on the Sul Ross State University campus east of Alpine.

The series is a county cluster program involving Brewster, Jeff Davis and Presidio counties in collaboration with the university.

“We’ll cover some topics in this program that most producers probably have heard of, but few in our area have tried,” said Jesse Lea Schneider, AgriLife Extension agent in Presidio County. “Arming our producers with the knowledge they’ll need to attempt these marketing ploys should go a long way to making those who want to try it successful.”

The program’s scheduled speakers are Carla Spencer, Farm Service Agency, Alpine; Rob Hogan, AgriLife Extension economist at Fort Stockton; and Jimmy LaBaume, Sul Ross State University professor.

Morning topics include:

• Grass, Forage and Range Insurance
• Commodity Futures Trading Techniques
• Hedging for Producers and Processors
• Hedging Strategies and Techniques

Afternoon topics will include:

• Hedging Using Options on Commodity Futures Contracts
• Introduction to Options on Agricultural Commodity Futures Contracts
• Option Trading Strategies for Producers and Processors

It will conclude with a question-and-answer session.
The program and lunch are free, but an RSVP for lunch is requested by Dec. 10 so an accurate count can be made.

For more information and to RSVP, contact Schneider at 432-729-4746, or Logan Boswell, AgriLife Extension agent for Brewster and Jeff Davis counties, at 432-837-6207.

— Release by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service.

South Dakota Farm Women Join Others in Seeking CommonGround

Family farms in South Dakota, and across America, have helped build the safest and most affordable food supply in the world. Women from these rural farms play a vital role in running the farm and growing the nation’s food supply. That’s why the South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council (SDSRPC) is calling on farm women to stand up and tell their stories as part of a new movement called CommonGround.

“The point of CommonGround is to foster conversations about the food we grow and eat,” said Laura Neilson, a South Dakota dairy and row-crop farmer. “We want real dialogue between women from America’s farms and women making food choices in our cities and towns.”

South Dakota is one of five states helping to kick off the CommonGround movement.  The other four states beginning a CommonGround program are Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky and Nebraska; other farm groups are also encouraged to become involved. 

“Women from family farms in these five states are volunteering their time to connect with women in urban areas,” said David Iverson, Astoria farmer and chairman of SDSRPC. “We hope these conversations about the food we grow and eat will expand to every state.”

Women farmers in South Dakota and around the nation are encouraged to get onboard by visiting the CommonGround website at www.FindOurCommonGround.com. Please also visit the CommonGround Facebook page at www.facebook.com\commongroundnow, and follow CommonGround on Twitter at www.twitter.com\commongroundnow.

— Release by CommonGround.

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