News Update
December 05, 2011
Dec. 27 is Registration Deadline
for January Cattlemen’s Boot Camp
Cattle producers will gather for a Cattlemen’s Boot Camp Jan. 20-21, 2012, at the Utah State University South Farm in Logan, Utah.
The Cattlemen’s Boot Camp, which is hosted by Utah State University in partnership with the American Angus Association, provides purebred and commercial producers timely information presented by academic and industry professionals.
Open to all cattle producers, the event is funded by the Angus Foundation and features a day and a half of educational materials and speakers.
“We are excited to bring this educational opportunity back to the West,” says Shelia Stannard, Association director of activities and events. “Cattlemen’s Boot Camps are designed for all producers, and the topics covered will be beneficial for everyone.”
Topics will include business management, reproductive performance, nutrition, quality and yield grade, identification methods, source verification programs, cull cow marketing and communication in the beef industry.
“Cattlemen’s Boot Camps are not only a great way to learn about various aspects of beef cattle production, but they also provide breeders with the opportunity to share ideas with one another,” says Katie Allen, marketing and public relations assistant for the Angus Foundation. “Education is an important component of the Angus Foundation’s funding efforts, and this particular event is one that the Foundation is proud to support.”
Click here for more information, or visit www.angus.org. Registration is $75 per person and includes meals and educational materials. Registration forms are due Dec. 27 and can be sent to Misty Taylor at the American Angus Association, 3201 Frederick Ave., Saint Joseph, MO 64506; or registrations are accepted online. Late and walk-in registrations are not accepted.
Angus Night on the Mountain
The Angus Foundation, 2012 National Junior Angus Show (NJAS) host states and Spruce Mountain Ranch of Larkspur, Colo., invite you to an event to remember.
“Angus Night on the Mountain,” hosted by Tom and Lois Ames at their beautiful Spruce Mountain Ranch Jan. 11, 2012, during the National Western Stock Show (NWSS), will be an exciting evening and fundraising event that Angus breeders and friends of our breed will not want to miss.
“Having fellow Angus breeders and friends come to Spruce Mountain Ranch and participate in such a worthy event is humbling, and we are honored to be a part of it,” says Tom Ames.
The event is free and open to anyone, with transportation provided by Spruce Mountain Ranch. Buses will pick up attendees at the Denver Marriott City Center Hotel and NWSS starting at 5:30 p.m. and following the NWSS Angus Bull Sale. The ranch will be open beginning at 3 p.m. for those who would like to drive out early and see the facility and cattle before dinner begins at 7 p.m.
Following dinner, the Angus Foundation will offer at auction a limited number of items. Examples of confirmed packages include a scenic getaway trip for two to Arkansas; a west Tennessee outdoor experience for two Angus couples; a weeklong stay in beautiful Anthem, Ariz.; an antelope hunt in New Mexico; and an advanced reproductive technology package (click here for descriptions of the packages).
“It’s always humbling when Angus breeders offer to help the Angus Foundation raise money by their financially underwriting an event on our behalf,” says Milford Jenkins, Angus Foundation president. “You will want to join us for ‘Angus Night on the Mountain’ and help us show our appreciation to our wonderful Angus friends Tom and Lois Ames. Their support and that of the donors of our unique packages to be offered at live auction promise another fun and enjoyable social to help raise money for the Angus Foundation.”
In addition to the packages offered at auction to benefit the Angus Foundation’s education, youth and research programs, the 2012 National Junior Angus Show (NJAS) committee will be offering at auction a heifer pregnancy from Gardiner Angus Ranch, Ashland, Kan., to help raise funds for the show. The auction also will feature an elite 12 lots of Spruce Mountain Ranch’s finest Angus genetics.
“The females offered in this event are a young cross-section of the Spruce Mountain Program, as well as a genetic look to the future of our goals in the Angus breed,” says Mitch Rohr, general manager. “We feel strongly that each female has the potential to build a herd around and offer a balanced combination of genetic traits in a very complete, eye-appealing package.”
Assisting the Angus Foundation in event management is Larry Cotton and his team at Cotton & Associates.
“‘Angus Night on the Mountain’ will be an exciting time for all who attend and will also serve to assist the Angus Foundation and the 2012 National Junior Angus Show in their support of education and research for Angus breeders nationwide,” Cotton says. “There are a number of ‘fun-filled’ and interesting experiences offered along with a select number of Angus females presented by Spruce Mountain Ranch. The heifers offered will work in any Angus program and have been selected from top donors such as Basin Lucy 178E, GAR 044 Traveler 2328, Lady Jaye 4009 and others.”
The event will conclude with socializing and entertainment provided by Spruce Mountain Ranch. Those who wish to attend the event can look for signs at the NWSS that will detail bus information.
Visit http://bit.ly/ta7h9j for more information, including a description of the packages being sold.
ABS Global Welcomes Ben Lohmann
as Beef Sire Acquisition Manager
ABS Global, Inc. welcomes Ben Lohmann to the ABS beef team, assuming the position of beef sire acquisition manager.
Lohmann will work with the beef product management and sales team to direct and further ABS’ beef sire acquisition and development strategy. Lohmann will provide a key role to maintain ABS’ current industry leading lineup while taking our product offering to the next level.
Lohmann brings a wealth of experience across numerous breeds having assisted in the development, evaluation and marketing of tens of thousands of bulls through the Leachman Cattle Co. organization during the last 15 years. Of equal importance, his daily interaction on a customer service and consultation level with large numbers of commercial cattle producers provides him with a wealth of experience and understanding of the company’s core customer’s challenges and needs.
Lohmann will utilize his vast beef industry understanding to contribute in ABS’ beef genetic philosophies including the value of objective data, selection indexes, functional phenotype and crossbreeding, all in an effort to enhance producer profitability.
Lohmann will serve as the key link between ABS and the company’s bull owner partners while providing important product knowledge to customers, professional representative forces and the sales management team.
Lohmann received his bachelor’s degree in animal science and worked toward a graduate degree in ruminant nutrition at Kansas State University. He and his family reside in Grantville, Kan., where Lohmann will be based.
Deadline Extended — Producers
Reminded to Participate in Cattle Survey
Please help us assure that we continue to get widespread response from cattle producers across the United States to provide a strong production sector voice in the results and strategy of the checkoff-funded National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA). To assure full opportunity for producers to participate the survey will remain open until Feb. 6, 2012. The survey can be taken online at www.cattlesurvey.com and requires fewer than 10 minutes to complete.
The checkoff needs producer input for the following reasons:
The results of the survey will help drive the recommendation from the NBQA and assure that the strategies are developed based on a strong grassroots message.
Results of the NBQA will be used to enhance the beef industry’s message to supply chain partners, opinion influencers, and consumers. The survey provides an avenue for U.S. cattle producers to tell their collective story about on-ranch commitment to quality.
NBQA results will be used to demonstrate value to international customers.
Historically, the NBQA has yielded significant value to our industry by driving continuous improvement initiatives, providing strategic focus and demonstrating opportunities for increased demand and profitability.
For more information about your beef checkoff investment, visit MyBeefCheckoff.com.
Pre-Medicare Informational Programs
Dec. 12 at Alliance, Dec. 14 at Scottsbluff
Help is available for people who will be turning 65 within the next year and are receiving lots of mail about Medicare insurance. Jeanne Murray, University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) Extension educator and a Nebraska Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) volunteer, will make informational presentations on pre-Medicare issues Dec. 12 at Alliance and Dec. 14 at Scottsbluff.
The Alliance program will begin at 6 p.m. in the Box Butte County Extension Office, 415 Black Hills Ave. The Scottsbluff meeting will start at 6:30 p.m. in the Bluestem Room at the Panhandle Research and Extension Center, 4502 Avenue I. Enter the building from the doors off the south parking lot just east of the Nursing College entrance.
Topics include how and when to apply for Medicare; what to do for those who want to keep working and delay Medicare; explanations of Part A, Part B and Part D; descriptions of Medicare Advantage plans; deciding whether to purchase Medigap or supplemental insurance; and things to consider when choosing a plan. There will also be information on Medicare’s preventive services and MyMedicare.gov, the place where claim information is stored.
For adequate handouts, please RSVP for the Alliance meeting by Friday, Dec. 9, to the Box Butte County Extension Office at 308-762-5616, and for the Scottsbluff meeting by Tuesday, Dec. 13, to the Scotts Bluff County Extension Office at 308-632-1480.
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