News Update
Jan. 17, 2011

Angus Activities Concluded at National Western Stock Show

Angus events have concluded at the National Western Stock Show (NWSS) in Denver, Colo.

In Saturday’s Angus carload and pen show, grand champion pen of three honors went to Express Ranches, Yukon, Okla. Reserve grand honors went to Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla.

Grand champion carload also went to Express Ranches, with reserve honors going to Whitestone-Krebs, Gordon, Neb.

See all the results online. The American Angus Association has posted results to all of the shows at www.angus.org/showresults.

Utah Beef Cattle Field Day

The Utah Beef Cattle Field Day will be Feb. 8, 2011. The conference “Cowboy Science” will take place at the BYU Harman Conference Center 770 E. University Parkway, Provo, Utah.

The Field Day is organized each year by a committee made up of cattle producers, seedstock producers, Utah State University (USU) Extension faculty, Brigham Young University (BYU) faculty and affiliated industry representatives.

This year’s schedule includes the follow speakers and topics:

Morning Sessions:

• “Where Can You Add Value to the Cattle You Market?” — John Ferry, Corrine, Utah
• “Relationship Between Production Capability, Cow Size and Nutrient Requirements” — Ken Olsen, Extension beef specialist, South Dakota State University
• “Marker-assisted EPDs: Practical uses in sire selection” — Jack Whittier, Extension beef specialist, Colorado State University
• “Utah Grazing Improvement Program: Benefits to Utah Cattle Producers” — Troy Forrest, Southern GIP coordinator, Utah Department of Agriculture and Food

Luncheon Session:

• “Cattle Research and Education at USU: Where Are We Headed?” — Noelle Cockett, vice president and dean of agriculture, USU

Afternoon Sessions:

• “Mineral Nutrition-Impacts on Calving, Colostrum Quality and Calf Vigor” — Kerry Rood, Extension veterinarian, USU
• “Utah’s Brand Laws and Traceability” — Terry Menlove, director of Animal Industry Division, Utah Department of Agriculture and Food
• “Water Rights & Water Law” — Sterling Brown, vice president for governmental affairs, Utah Farm Bureau Federation

The event includes lunch and a cattle industry trade show. Registration with refreshments begins at 8 a.m., with the program starting at 9. For more information, contact Kim Chapman, Extension professor USU Extension at 435-893-0474, or e-mail at kim.chapman@usu.edu.

— Release by USU extension.

Dry Manure Applicator Certification Workshops Offered in February

Iowa State University (ISU) Extension will offer manure applicator certification workshops for dry manure operators on seven different dates and locations in February. The certification workshop is for both confinement site manure applicators and commercial manure applicators who primarily apply dry or solid manure.

“The information in this workshop will benefit not only those needing certification, but anyone using dry or solid sources of manure,” said Angie Rieck-Hinz, coordinator of the Manure Applicator Certification Program.

Workshop topics will include land application rules, new rules, stockpiling requirements, a quick review of winter application laws and manure nitrogen issues. The workshops are free to attend and open to all. Applicators will be required to submit certification forms and fees to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to meet manure applicator certification requirements.

Each workshop will begin at 1 p.m. Please register for one of the workshops by calling the number listed with the selected site. Workshop locations and dates are:

• Feb. 2, Branding Iron Restaurant, Thompson. Call 641-584-2261 to register.
• Feb. 10, Greenfield Chamber of Commerce meeting room, Greenfield. Call 641-743-8412 to register. 
• Feb. 16, Sioux County Extension Office, Orange City. Call 712-737-4230 to register.
• Feb. 17, Ellsworth Public Library, Ellsworth. Call 515-832-9597 to register.
• Feb. 18, Heartland Museum, Clarion. Call 515-532-3453 to register.
• Feb. 22, Washington County Extension Office, Washington. Call 319-653-4811 to register.
• Feb. 24, Buena Vista County Extension Office, Storm Lake. Call 712-732-5056 to register.

— Release by ISU Extension.

UNL Extension Offers Beef Cow Herd Profitability Workshops Feb. 3

Two University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Extension beef profitability workshops on Feb. 3 will help producers get their calves off to a good start in life.

The workshops will take place at the Washington County Extension Office, 597 Grant St. in Blair, beginning at 1 p.m., or at UNL’s Agricultural Research and Development Center near Mead at 6:30 p.m. Registration begins 30 minutes prior to the start of the meetings.

“Getting a healthy calf on the ground at calving time is critical to the success of any cow herd operation,” said Sara Ellicott, UNL Extension educator in Saunders County.

The workshops will include information on precalving and postcalving health, nutrition and management practices and decisions that can affect the cow and calf and affect the profitability of the operation.

“Pre- and postcalving cow diets can have a dramatic effect on the cow and her calf,” Ellicott said. “Adequate energy, protein and minerals are very important.”

Featured speakers are Richard Randle, UNL Extension beef cattle veterinarian, who will discuss cow herd health programs for the spring calving cow herd and vaccination programs for growing calves, and Rick Rasby, UNL Extension beef specialist, speaking on precalving and postcalving cow nutrition and mineral supplementation.

Ellicott and Monte Stauffer, UNL Extension educator in Douglas/Sarpy counties, will offer additional information on forage sampling and testing. Steve Tonn, UNL Extension educator in Washington County, will discuss body condition score at calving.

Preregistration is encouraged by phone, fax, e-mail or mail one week in advance — discounts apply. Cost is $10 for registrations received one week in advance (Jan. 27) or $15 after. Walk-ins are welcome.

Preregistrations will be accepted at the Douglas/Sarpy Counties Extension Office, 8015 West Center Rd., Omaha, NE 68124-3175 or call 402-444-7804; the Washington County Extension Office, 597 Grant St., Suite 200, Blair, NE 68008-2550 or call 402-426-9455 or the Saunders County Extension Office, 1071 County Road G, Ithaca 68033-2234 or call 402-624-8030.

Fees include reference materials and refreshments. Make checks payable to UNL Extension in Saunders County.

For more information or to register, contact UNL Extension educators Ellicott at 402-624-8030, 1-800-529-8030, e-mail sellicott2@unl.edu or fax 402-624-8010; Stauffer at 402-444-7804, e-mail mstauffer1@unl.edu or fax 402-444-6430; or Tonn at 402-426-9455, e-mail stonn2@unl.edu or fax 402-426-3577.

The workshop is sponsored by UNL Extension in Washington, Douglas/Sarpy, and Saunders counties. UNL Extension is in the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

— Release by UNL Extension.

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