News Update
January 10, 2012
New EPD Sorting Tool Available to Angus Producers
The American Angus Association is giving breeders — large- and small-scale — another powerful tool to advance herd genetics. Through the Association’s AAA Login, members can now access expected progeny difference (EPD) sorts, free of charge.
The new function allows users to sort any EPD or $Value for current sires, dams, or non-parent bulls and cows. Producers can focus searches on whatever criteria they are interested in viewing.
“The tool narrows down results for producers to match genetics to their particular herd goals,” says Don Laughlin, Association director of member services.
When sorting cattle in the database, a user can view the top 100 animals that meet the specified criteria. The more strict the search, the lower the number of results.
The EPD Sorts program debuted Friday, Dec. 9, 2011, and within two hours, 200 free searches were completed by Association members. Before the free selection process was added to AAA Login, searching specific EPDs cost $15 per EPD category.
The feature is particularly helpful for smaller-scale producers. The new function allows genetics from any herd to be easily found by other breeders looking to meet particular goals.
“Animals that do not meet minimum requirements to show up in the Sire Evaluation Report will be accessible via AAA Login’s sort tool,” Laughlin says.
This, and a host of other genetic tools are available through the Association’s data entry and management service, AAA Login. The service began in 2001 with 21 features, and has since grown to nearly 80 producer tools online. The site allows producers to register animals, submit Angus Herd Improvement Records (AHIR®), pay membership fees and more.
“We are constantly adding new features based on breeder feedback,” says Chris Stallo, the Association’s assistant director of information systems. “Our goal is to provide user-friendly programs that Angus producers can put to work on their operations.”
Current AAA Login users can click on the “Interactive Tools” menu to access the sort feature. Members new to the program can visit www.angusonline.org and click “Sign Me Up.”
For more information on using AAA Login, read the Angus Journal’s new column, “Login Lowdown.” Through this column, Associate Editor Kasey Miller explains a AAA Login feature every month. Subscription information is available at https://www.angusonline.org/Journal/JrnSubscr.aspx.
For more information contact the Association’s Information Systems at 816-383-5100.
Stallman Outlines Agriculture’s Successes, Challenges
“We are the 1% that is producing food and fiber for the other 99%,” Stallman declared in his annual address to the approximately 7,000 members gathered for the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) 93rd Annual Meeting.
Farm and ranch families are growing more food with fewer resources than ever before, Stallman said.
“Over a 20-year period, corn yields are up 41%. Per bushel soil loss has fallen by 70%. Water use per bushel of corn is down 27%. All major crops show similar trends,” said Stallman.
He also extolled the record-breaking growth in U.S. agricultural exports during the past year.
“We sold $42.5 billion more in agricultural products than we imported in 2011,” he added. “That number will stay strong into this year and, I am convinced, into the foreseeable future.”
American agriculture’s successes have come in the face of challenges, Stallman said, including droughts, and doubts about the future of ag policy, floods, and a deluge of government regulatory actions, storms, and an often tempestuous public conversation about the farmer’s role in feeding our nation.
Stallman discussed Farm Bureau’s Systemic Risk Reduction Program proposal, which he said would help protect farmers from catastrophic losses while recognizing today’s budget realities. He called on Farm Bureau delegates, who will debate farm policy and other issues Jan. 10, to put the organization on a solid footing.
Stallman said the cost of federal regulations falls the hardest on small businesses such as family-owned farms and ranches. He commended Farm Bureau members for their grassroots engagement to push back against government overreach.
Just as important as these policy concerns is the conversation with consumers, he said.
“We must engage directly with the consumer as an industry in ways we haven’t before,” Stallman said. “And while we must fully engage in this ongoing national dialogue about food and the devoted care we take when we grow it, we must also never ever forget to listen.”
He said the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance, a group of 77 ag organizations and companies including Farm Bureau, is doing just that by listening to and answering Americans’ questions, as well as giving farmers and ranchers an opportunity to raise their voices.
“From the environment to the economy, trade and jobs, we have a great story to tell,” Stallman proclaimed.
Daily Livestock Report by Steve Meyer and Len Steiner
Live cattle futures were modestly lower on Monday as market participants continue to fret about the state of beef demand. Beef supplies at the moment appear to be at or above year ago levels and there is some concern about the ability of the market to absorb higher supplies at current price levels.
The Choice beef cutout closed on Monday at $189.6 per hundredweight (cwt.), about $4.5 per cwt. or 2.3% lower than on Jan. 3, but still some 13.3% higher than the same period a year ago. While choice beef has shown some weakness, which is not all that unusual following the seasonal decline in some popular holiday features, the Select cutout has held up well. On Monday the composite Select cutout closed at $179.5 per cwt., about the same as last Tuesday and 11.3% higher than the same period a year ago.
In the last two years, both the Choice and Select cutout have trended higher into mid-January, pulled back some into late February and then surged higher into March and April as retailers and foodservice operators prepare for the start of the grilling season in May (there is some lag between the time wholesale orders come in and when the product will be marketed). It is still too early to make any pronouncements about trends given the few data points for the year but this is an issue that will be watched closely given the lofty price levels for a number of beef items.
Our report yesterday showed weekly slaughter tabulations but, as usual, the year-to-year comparisons for the holiday weeks are somewhat skewed and tell us little about the general trend in terms of steer, heifer and cow slaughter. After the normal holiday break, both fed and non-fed cattle slaughter are now above year-ago levels. Based on the preliminary slaughter data, U.S. steer and heifer slaughter for the seven days ending Jan. 9 was 533,000 head, 8.7% higher than the same period a year ago. Cow and bull slaughter during the same period was estimated at 151,000 head, 3.4% higher than the same period a year ago.
The big cow slaughter numbers are somewhat surprising given how aggressive producers were in liquidating the herd last fall. With improving feed supplies and strong calf prices, there is an expectation that cow slaughter will slow down in the first half of the year. It is possible that the surge in cow slaughter will be short-lived, driven in part by “tax cows” (cows that were not sold until the start of the year so as not to count in the past tax year). Prices for U.S. lean grinding beef are currently past the $2 mark and should cow slaughter start to dry up, we could see notably higher ground beef prices in the first quarter of 2012.
Missouri State Fair Offering Internships
for Summer Employment
College students interested in gaining work experience in the fields of marketing, public relations, journalism and agriculture communication have until March 7 to apply for summer internship positions with the Missouri State Fair.
According to Missouri State Fair Director Mark Wolfe, up to three interns will be hired for temporary, full-time employment within the Fair’s marketing office this summer. The positions are paid and offer some limited benefits.
An additional internship is being offered by the Youth in Agriculture (YIA) Committee for management of the Sale of Champions event with a hire date Aug. 6-19.
“The candidates selected for these opportunities will engage in a variety of marketing and communication-related experiences — from press release writing to special event planning,” Wolfe said.
Application forms for the positions are available by sending an email to Tammie.Nichols@mda.mo.gov. A completed application, cover letter, résumé and list of references are due to the Fair no later than March 7.
Some seasonal employment in other departments may also become available during the summer in preparation for the annual Fair, Wolfe said, with several hundred more jobs being offered for the 11-day event in August. Employment information will be posted online at www.mostatefair.com early this summer.
The Missouri State Fair will be celebrating its 110th year in Sedalia Aug. 9-19.
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