News Update
May 23, 2011

View The Angus Report

The May 20 edition of The Angus Report, available at http://bit.ly/jw0zaQ, focuses on Alabama's tornado damage and recovery, the Angus Foundation's innovative new cull cow program, and the ROV show season. The American Angus Association's online news program covers a variety of topics in a traditional television news format. Watch www.angus.org for reports posted each Friday.

Drought Site Receiving an Overhaul

In the spring of 2000 we found ourselves in the midst of a severe drought in many areas of the country. Cattlemen needed information and they needed it right then and there. That summer we launched the "Dealing With Drought" informational website, found at http://bit.ly/jI2bZU, compiling on the website information we had published and as many resources as we could find available online.

With the assistance of Field Editor Barb Baylor Anderson, we've continued to update the site with additional information as it came available, offering links to research, weather forecasts, news releases, articles and livestock-production information from notable sources in the United States and around the globe.

With 11 years behind us, we thought the site deserved an overhaul, so we've redesigned it, freshening up its look and content. We'll continue to prioritize additions to the site throughout the summer as cattlemen continue to experience drought and look for information to lessen its impact on their ranches and their profitabilities.

2011 Cattle Industry Summer Conference Details Released

National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) President Bill Donald said cattlemen shouldn't underestimate the importance of attending the 2011 Cattle Industry Summer Conference Aug. 1-4 in Kissimmee, Fla.

"Although the winter cattle industry convention is the largest cattle industry gathering in the country, the Cattle Industry Summer Conference is where the industry's roadmap is developed. Our producer-driven committees will meet and put forth critical policy positions for consideration of the full membership at the 2012 convention," said Donald. "This is truly where the rubber meets the road. There is no better example of cattlemen taking pride and ownership in the future of their organization and industry."

During the conference, cattlemen can expect to hear from an array of speakers and hear about the latest trends in cattle marketing and management. Donald said the meeting has something for everyone in the cattle industry.

"The meeting is full of dynamic speakers and industry updates that will assist in making cattlemen more informed and better prepared to overcome challenges and capitalize on opportunities," he said.

Registration and the full membership brochure are available online at www.beefusa.org. To receive additional information about the 2011 Cattle Industry Summer Conference not found on the website, call the NCBA Association Marketing Department at 303-694-0305 or e-mail at meetings@beef.org.

— Release by NCBA.

Washington Governor Signs Bill to Phase Out 'Battery Cage' Housing for Hens

Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire May 10 signed Senate Bill 5487, creating legislation to improve animal welfare in commercial egg-laying chicken operations, reports American Humane Association (AHA) officials. The legislation, based on guidelines developed by the scientific panel at AHA, will phase out the use of "battery cage" housing for egg-laying hens. The law will mandate use of an approved AHA housing system, requiring more space and the use of what is known as the enriched colony model.

Enriched colony housing allows hens to exhibit natural behaviors such as spreading their wings and turning around, as well as providing behavioral needs such as nests, perches and scratching areas, which are necessary to ensuring a humane environment.

"This is a significant step toward improving animal welfare for commercial egg-laying chicken operations in Washington and can be a model for the rest of the country," said Tim Amlaw, vice president of American Humane Certified (AHC) animal welfare. "We're gratified that the law incorporates American Humane Certified animal welfare standards that have been developed through extensive research."

The AHC program is supported by science-based standards and third-party audits. Certified producers must meet the standards created by animal scientists and veterinarians and reviewed frequently by a scientific advisory panel that includes Dr. Joy Mench from the University of California, Davis, and world-renowned expert Dr. Temple Grandin.

For more information about the AHA Farm Animal Program and a list of AHC producers, visit www.thehumanetouch.org.

— Adapted from release by AHA.

Triangle Vaccines Get a New Name, New Look

Triangle® vaccines, long-time staples of the Fort Dodge Animal Health vaccine line, now have a new look and updated names. As part of the expanded Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc. (BIVI) portfolio, Triangle® 5 has replaced Triangle® 4 + Type II BVD, and Triangle® 10 replaces Triangle® 9 + Type II BVD.

Triangle 5 and Triangle 10 will also appear in a bottle with a new green label this summer. The familiar Fort Dodge Animal Health yellow label has been replaced by a green label more closely aligned with the design of the BIVI family of products.

Although the packaging for Triangle 5 and Triangle 10 has changed, beef and dairy cattle producers will still find the same powerful protection from this killed-virus vaccine to aid in the prevention of disease caused by bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) Types 1 and 2, parainfluenza 3 (PI3) and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR). Triangle 10 also aids in the prevention of disease caused by five serovars of Leptospira (L. canicola, L. grippotyphosa, L. hardjo, L. icterohaemorrhagiae, and L. pomona).

For more information on Triangle 5 or Triangle 10, contact your veterinarian or BIVI representative or visit www.bi-vetmedica.com.

— Release by Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc.

48th Stiles Farm Field Day Scheduled for June 21

The 48th Stiles Farm Field Day scheduled for June 21 will feature presentations on fencing options for feral hog control, discussions on farm safety, fertilizer carryover during drought, and updates on cotton root rot and aflatoxin in corn.

"Drought is on the minds of most Texas farmers right now," said Archie Abrameit, Texas AgriLife Extension Service farm manager. "We think we have some topics that might assist them during these historic dry times with regards to preserving fertility in soils. Plus, we will demonstrate some options in controlling feral hogs, which are a problem statewide."

The Stiles Farm is located at 5700 Farm-to-Market Road 1063, near the intersection of U.S. Highway 79 and FM 1063, 1 mile east of Thrall, Texas. Cost is $10 with registration starting at 7:45 a.m. At 8:30 a.m., tours will begin with the following scheduled presentations:

• Fencing for livestock and feral hog control, Billy Brown, Stay-Tuff Fence territory manager.
• Spill prevention control and countermeasures and farm safety, Brad Urbanczyk, environmental safety manager, Texas A&M University, and Elizabeth Sullivan, environmental safety specialist, Texas AgriLife Research/AgriLife Extension Service.
• Fertilizer carryover in drought conditions, Mark McFarland, AgriLife Extension soil fertility specialist.
• Cotton root rot and aflatoxin research update, Tom Isakeit, AgriLife Extension Service plant pathologist.

The afternoon session will feature a program on sunflower production led by Calvin Trostle, AgriLife Extension agronomist, along with equipment demonstrations.

The Stiles Farm is a non-profit, self-supporting institution established by bequest of the late J.V. and H.A. Stiles for the advancement of agriculture to benefit all Texans. A field day is held at the Stiles Farm each year to introduce producers to the latest research and best management practices.

— Release by Blair Fannin, AgriLife Today.

— Compiled by Katie Gazda and Shauna Rose Hermel, Angus Productions Inc.