News Update
September 14, 2011
Washington Junior Angus to Benefit from Flush Donation
A flush of “Sitz Fanny 3877” has been donated by Crouthamel Cattle Co. of Touchet, Wash., and Camas Prairie Angus Ranch of Grangeville, Idaho. This 1997 daughter of GDAR Traveler 044 offers expected progeny differences (EPDs) of BW +3.3, WW +37, YW +76, and MILK +21 and has been a star of their donor program. Her progeny record includes a 102 weaning ratio on eight head and a 105 yearling ratio on 6 head. The buyer will be able to flush this donor immediately to the bull of their choice. DNA Embryo Transfers of Deer Park, Wash., will donate their services to produce and conduct the flush procedure.
The proceeds from this flush will be divided between the individuals who exhibit cattle or participate in any contest at the 2012 National Junior Angus Show (NJAS). Individuals must be Junior members residing in the state of Washington, or out-of-state Juniors who purchase animals in the 2011 Evergreen Exclusive Angus Sale. These animals must be the animals exhibited.
This donation flush will be sold to the highest bidder(s) by auction as part of the Evergreen Exclusive Angus Sale Oct. 8, 2011, at the Benton-Franklin County Fairgrounds in Kennewick, Wash.
This sale will offer 70 registered Angus female lots and 50 halter-broke 4-H and FFA project steers. Information and sale catalogs may be requested by contacting Kendall Cattle Sales of Potlatch, Idaho, at 208-858-2163 or kendall@potlatch.com.
South Dakota Stockgrowers Offer Ireland Agriculture Tour
The South Dakota Stockgrowers Association is hosting an exciting, 10-day Ireland Agriculture tour from April 30 to May 9, 2012, and is accepting reservations for the trip. The unique tour includes visits to Irish dairy, sheep and cattle farms, two horse studs, and a cheese-processing facility, as well as tours of the Blarney Castle, traditional Irish villages, and the Atlantic coastline.
“This is an amazing way to experience Ireland that most people will never have the opportunity to do, and we’re very excited to share it with everyone,” said Silvia Christen, development director for the Stockgrowers Association. “This tour is customized for Stockgrowers and takes us to the romantic castles, historic cities and rural landscape of Ireland, but we’ll also be out on several different farms and actually talking with Irish producers.”
The tour will travel across Ireland with stays in Dublin, Galway City, Cork, County Clare and a traditional rural village. Also included in the trip are a tour and tasting at the Middleton Whiskey Distillery and the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin.
A detailed itinerary for the entire tour can be found at www.southdakotastockgrowers.org or by calling Christen at 605-342-0429. For reservations, please contact Leslie Bowman at Dakota Travel by calling 605-341-0744.
Cost of the trip is $2,494, and includes all hotel stays, breakfast each morning, most evening meals, all activity and tour fees, professional tour guides, and all transportation in Ireland. Airfare is not included. Travel to and from the USA can be arranged from anywhere in the USA when making a reservation for the tour. A non-refundable deposit of $800 is required when making a reservation. Reservations will be taken as long as spaces are available and until Jan. 31, 2012.
Trans Ova Genetics Opens New IVF Satellite Center in Louisiana
Trans Ova Genetics announces a new satellite center, in partnership with JC Bar Genetic Center, located in Livonia, La. JC Bar Genetic Center, a locally owned and operated donor and recipient housing facility located 45 miles southeast of Baton Rouge, known for their excellent donor care, will host the new Trans Ova Genetics satellite center. The new location offers breeders facilities that are closer to their breeding operation and well-equipped to both house and synchronize donors.
The new satellite center will combine the technical expertise of Trans Ova Genetics professional services team with the donor care and attention to detail that is provided by JC Bar Genetic Center. The team will be led by Shane Bellow, center manager at the Centerville, Texas, location, who will work closely with James and Brandon Chenevert, owners and operators of JC Bar Genetic Center. With this combination, breeders will not only have the opportunity to multiply the success of their herd, but will be able to do so while being conveniently close to home. The JC Bar Genetic Center location will begin monthly aspirations in August 2011.
While the JC Bar Genetic Center is equipped to house and synchronize donors, clients will also have the option of synchronizing donors at their home and hauling them to the center on the day scheduled for aspiration. The Trans Ova team will aspirate donors at the Louisiana Center and return to the Texas lab in order to fertilize and incubate the oocytes. Viable embryos can then be transferred into Trans Ova recipients, a weaned calf program, or breeders can choose to have their embryos shipped to their homes where they can then be transferred into the breeder’s recipients. If the client chooses to freeze the viable embryos, the embryos will be stored at the Centerville location.
For more information on the new location of Trans Ova Genetics, or to schedule procedures, please contact Trans Ova Genetics Texas Center at 866-924-4586. For more information visit www.transova.com.
Kissel Named President and CEO of Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc.
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc., (BIVI) is pleased to announce Albrecht Kissel as its new president and CEO. Kissel will assume responsibilities over U.S. domestic sales and marketing, research and development, and manufacturing operations for BIVI, effective Sept. 1.
With nearly two decades of experience in the animal health industry, Kissel has been an integral part of BIVI’s success. He began his career with BIVI in sales and marketing and has led teams in Germany, Austria, Southeast Asia and China. In 2002, he was named global head of business development and charged with growing the animal health business through mergers and acquisitions, including the most recent acquisition of certain assets of Fort Dodge Animal Health.
“Dr. Kissel has always demonstrated excellent leadership qualities,” says George Heidgerken, Kissel’s predecessor, who recently was named head of Corporate Division Animal Health. “He will continue to grow our business and tenaciously seek opportunities to bring value to our customers.”
Most recently as vice president, Americas, Kissel created and implemented business strategies for Canada, the United States, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Southern Africa and all countries in South America.
Kissel, a native of Germany, will be relocating to the Saint Joseph, Mo., area with his family.
“I look forward to the many opportunities that lie ahead,” Kissel says. “We continue to invest in personnel, facilities and technology, while pursuing our mission to improve productivity for livestock producers and the quality of life for companion animals and their owners.”
BIVI (Saint Joseph, Mo.) is a subsidiary of Boehringer Ingelheim Corp. based in Ridgefield, Conn., and a member of the Boehringer Ingelheim group of companies.
FFA Membership Skyrockets to All-Time High
In the past year, more than 17,000 new students have joined FFA, setting a new all-time high in the organization’s membership since it was founded in 1928.
During the 2010-2011 school year, FFA membership grew to a record 540,379 students, up 17,070 students from 523,309 members in the 2009-2010 school year. The number of FFA chapters in the United States, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands also grew with the creation of 106 new, chartered FFA chapters.
Texas tops the list of states with the largest FFA membership with 81,694 students; followed by California with 70,555; Georgia with 31,616; Missouri with 25,096; and Oklahoma with 23,562. The 10 largest FFA chapters are all in California.
Texas also tops all states for largest FFA membership growth during the 2010-2011 school year, followed by California, North Carolina, Georgia and Utah. FFA chapters can now be found in 18 of the 20 largest U.S. cities, including New York City, Chicago and Philadelphia.
Burton Eller Retires from NCBA
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Senior Vice President of Member Services and Industry Affairs Burton Eller will be retiring from NCBA after more than 30 years of service to the U.S. cattle industry. NCBA CEO Forrest Roberts said Eller has been an important part of the NCBA team and an unwavering advocate of the U.S. beef cattle industry.
“Burton has a unique ability to connect with the grassroots producers and feeders in our industry. His industry experience and wisdom is something I greatly respect,” said Roberts. “His more than three decades of service to this industry has certainly made it better for cattlemen and women.”
Eller began his service to the industry in Denver, Colo., with the former American National Cattlemen’s Association. He served as vice president of government affairs for the former National Cattlemen’s Association (NCA) from 1981-1991.
“Burton played a pivotal role in the development and passage of the Beef Promotion and Research Act in the 1985 Farm Bill,” said Roberts. “He led the efforts to secure congressional passage of the one-dollar-per-head national beef checkoff.”
Eller served as the CEO of NCA from 1991-1996. As CEO, Roberts said Eller improved the financial health and resources of the association, which resulted in one of the most effective commodity organizations in agriculture. Eller was actively involved in the merger of the former National Livestock and Meat Board and NCA to form NCBA in 1996. Eller also served as the deputy undersecretary of marketing and regulatory programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) during the Bush Administration. At USDA, he provided counsel in directing policies, programs and administration of the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA).
Eller returned to NCBA in 2008 to lead NCBA’s Washington, D.C., office. Most recently, he served as NCBA’s senior vice president of member services and industry affairs. Eller is leaving NCBA to spend more time with his family and his cattle operation. According to Eller, he plans to remain active in NCBA and the cattle industry. His last day is Sept. 30.
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