News Update
Dec. 7, 2010

Angus Foundation Heifer Set to Sell in January 2011

The Angus Foundation has announced that Camron “Cam” Cooper, owner of the Talon Ranch in Twin Bridges, Mont., will donate the 2011 Angus Foundation Heifer, set to sell at 5 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011, prior to the National Western Angus Bull Sale in Denver, Colo.

TR Barbara Perfection 9711 is the special heifer chosen to represent the Talon Ranch program. A February 2009 daughter of Sitz Upward 307R, she descends from the Connealy program on her paternal side. Confirmed safe in heifer calf to Connealy Thunder, she is expected to calve in late January.

“We are honored by the donation of TR Barbara Perfection 9711 from the Talon Ranch herd. This is an opportunity for Angus breeders to add proven genetics to their herds, while simultaneously supporting the future of the Angus breed,” Angus Foundation President Milford Jenkins says. Read more.

Secretary Vilsack Announces Cattlemen’s Beef Board Appointments

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced 40 appointments to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board. All appointees will serve 3-year terms.

“These appointees represent a cross section of the beef industry, and I am confident that beef producers and importers of cattle, beef and beef products will be well-served by them,” said Vilsack.

In 2009, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) statistics, top beef-producing states included Texas, Kansas, Nebraska, California and Oklahoma.

Newly appointed members representing cattle producers are: Eric Smith, Ala.; Weldon Wynn, Ark.; James Maxey and Manuel Rodrigues, Calif.; Harold Wick, Colo.; James Lefils, Fla.; Dan Hinman, Idaho; Jeanne Harland, Ill.; Donald Gurtner, Ind.; William Frazee and Kent Pruismann, Iowa; Brittany Howell and Steve Irsik, Kan.; Julianna Jepson, Ky.; Paul Kent, Minn.; Howard Hardecke and Brenda Black, Mo.; Leo McDonnell, Mont.; Albert Davis and David Wright, Neb.; Patricia Bikowsky, N.Y.; Elwood Barth, N.D.; Peter Guglielmino, Northwest Unit; Davis Denman, Ohio; Brett Morris, Brian Healey and Terry Detrick, Okla.; Patricia Venable, Ore.; Daniel Kniffen, Pa.; Vaughn Meyer, S.D.; Linda Crumley, Southeast Unit; Ronald Yeargin, Tenn.; Charles Kiker III, Charles Ezer, Anne Anderson, V. Anne Wirtz, and Jackie Means, Texas; Joseph Guthrie, Va.; and Alvin Bartz, Wis.

The newly appointed member representing importers is Lawrence Bryant, Va.

The Board oversees the collection of $1 per head on all cattle sold in the United States, and $1-per-head equivalent on imported cattle, beef and beef products. In addition, the Board contracts with established national, nonprofit, industry-governed organizations to implement programs of promotion, research, consumer information, industry information, foreign marketing and producer communications.

The 106-member Board is authorized by the Beef Promotion and Research Act of 1985. The Secretary selects the appointees nominated by beef, veal, dairy and importer certified organizations.

— Release by USDA.

Maintaining Cattle Health In Harsh Winter Months

Winter weather brings a unique set of challenges for beef producers and their livestock. This year, producers throughout the Great Plains and Midwest can expect their share of heavy snow and below-normal temperatures. Harsh weather — cold, damp and windy conditions — can be as tough on cattle as it is on those charged with keeping them healthy and in good condition.

Dennis Hermesch, professional services veterinarian, Novartis Animal Health, offers several important reminders for maintaining cow health in cold winter conditions.

“Cattle generally maintain body condition with temperatures above the 30-degree range,” said Hermesch. “But when temperatures dip below freezing they need more energy to maintain their condition. In winter grazing conditions this translates to increased protein levels, so the rumen bugs can produce more energy from forages.

“Cows may not be able to utilize energy from forages efficiently if protein is inadequate. Producers who haven’t already should talk to their veterinarian or nutritionist to determine protein supplements needed and feed intake levels required for excessively cold conditions.”

Hermesch adds that when cattle are stressed by cold, their metabolic rate increases in order to maintain body temperature. “The effect of this is that more feed or fat reserves are used for heat production and less is available for gain,” he said. “Weekly body condition scoring can help monitor this loss. Body condition scoring 20-30 head on a random basis once weekly can be a good indicator of whether protein levels are adequate for maintenance and gain,” said Hermesch. “Adding 1.5 to 2 pounds of crude protein per head every two days will complement marginal forages of late-winter grazing.”

Access to open water is critical as well, reminds Hermesch. “Making sure water sources are open and easily accessible to cattle is one of the most overlooked aspects of winter management,” he adds. “If cattle don’t maintain hydration levels, digestion of nutrients slows and energy production drops.”

Maintaining body condition is of utmost importance to pregnant animals, especially heifers, adds Hermesch. “Pregnant cows will use a significant amount of their energy to generate heat, rather than on the developing calf,” he said. “And when an inordinate amount of nutrients are used to produce heat, body condition begins to drop. This is especially detrimental to heifers and can lead to a reduction in the quantity of colostrum, which is one of the biggest reasons we see an increase in baby calf disease after harsh winters.”

Hermesch noted that Healthy Heifer™, a heifer management program from Novartis Animal Health, includes protocols that help producers maintain good body condition during winter months.

“Working with your veterinarian and nutritionist to ensure feed and facilities are optimized for winter nutrition and cow comfort will help you to protect your herd — especially pregnant heifers and cows — from the negative effects of harsh winter conditions and set the stage for a more profitable new year,” said Hermesch.

— Release by Novartis Animal Health.

Diet High in Proteins and Lean Meat Best for Weight Loss

For those wishing to lose weight or avoid gaining weight, eating a diet high in proteins with more lean meat, low-fat dairy and beans and cutting down on finely refined starches works best, according to a new study by the Faculty of Life Sciences at the University of Copenhagen.

A total of 772 families, including 938 adult family members and 827 children, participated in the study examining different diet types, making it the largest controlled random study in the world.

Of the 938 adult participants, 548 completed both the initial weight-loss phase and the subsequent six-month diet intervention where they were assigned to different diet types. The average weight regain among the participants was 0.5 kilogram (kg), but there were significant differences from diet-type to diet-type.

The group on the high-protein diet with a low glycemic index (GI) were the only ones that maintained their weight after the initial 11 kg weight loss and thus did not regain weight. In comparison, those in the low-protein/high-GI group showed a weight gain of 1.67 kg.

The study also noted that fewer participants in the high-protein, low-GI group dropped out of the project than in the low-protein, high-GI group.

“This may be due to a low-GI diet resulting in slow digestion and thus more stable blood glucose levels so that you feel good. Also, proteins result in greater satiety than carbohydrates and fat so that they did not feel hungry,” explains study author Thomas Meinert Larsen.

The results were recently published in the distinguished New England Journal of Medicine. (ANI). To view the study abstract, click here: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1007137.

— Release by American Meat Institute.

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