News Update
August 9, 2013
‘The Angus Report’ Explores Stockmanship on Aug. 12
Most cattlemen would agree that proper animal handling is a top priority. How does that translate into everyday tasks on the ranch? The Angus Report, a 30-minute news program geared toward cattle producers, leads that discussion at 7:30 a.m. CST (8:30 a.m. EST) next Monday, Aug. 12 on RFD-TV.
During the special episode, The Angus Report’s Crystal Albers is joined by renowned stockmen Curt Pate and Ron Gill. Both experts host livestock-handling workshops around the country on behalf of the checkoff-funded Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program.
“To me, when you are in charge of caring for an animal, it is our duty to give that animal the best care that you can — no matter what,” Pate says. “If we look at it from a profit standpoint, it makes it so much easier to implement that good care.”
The BQA program outlines 10 keys to effective cattle handling, and The Angus Report shares tips on each of those guidelines. The experts also explain the economic benefits associated with low-stress animal handling, including a stronger immune system, increased rate of gain and higher conception rates.
Proper stewardship can provide a safer environment for those working on the ranch, as well. “When we improve the welfare of the cattle, we also improve the well-being of the people working the cattle, so it all ties together,” Gill says.
For more information, please view the full release here.
Environmental Stewardship Award Program Regional Winners Announced
Seven cattle operations from across the country were recognized as 2013 regional Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP) winners during the 2013 Cattle Industry Summer Conference in Denver, Colo., Aug. 8. The seven regional winners will compete for the national ESAP award, which will be announced during the 2014 Cattle Industry Annual Convention and Trade Show in Nashville, Tenn.
ESAP, now in its 23rd year, was created to recognize beef producers who make environmental stewardship a priority on their farms and ranches while they also improve production and profitability. The ESAP award is sponsored by Dow AgroSciences; USDA-NRCS; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA); and the National Cattlemen’s Foundation. The regional winners are Mountain Meadows Farm, Sudbury, Vt.; Kissimmee Park Properties, St. Cloud, Fla.; BitterSweet Acres, Greenville, Iowa; Frank and Sims Price Ranch, Sterling City, Texas; Padlock Ranch Co., Ranchester, Wyo.; Kualoa Ranch, Kane‘ohe, Hawaii; and Gracie Creek Landowners Association, Burwell, Neb.
Regional and national award winners have been commended for their commitment to protecting the environment and improving fish and wildlife habitats while operating profitable cattle operations. The common trait among all winners is the desire to leave the land in better shape for future generations while also inspiring the next generation of land stewards.
“America’s farmers and ranchers are passionate about their land, and it shows through conservation and environmental stewardship efforts,” said NCBA President Scott George. “The cattle industry is continually improving upon our environmental sustainability, and these seven finalists set an example that we should all strive to achieve. We look forward to naming one of these seven great cattle operations as our 2014 national ESAP award winner in Nashville next year.”
Farm Transition Planning; Are You Ready for the Unexpected?
Every farm business faces a host of risks from weather, disease, markets and ever-changing ag policies. However, there are five major risks every farm transition plan should consider and develop contingencies to address them. They are the dreaded five D’s: death, disability, divorce and disagreements. Any of the dreaded five D’s can create a situation that can seriously damage or even cause the farm business to fail. It is essential for all farms, and particularly those developing a farm-transition plan, to develop plans that will reduce these important risks.
Most farmers are optimistic by nature and sometimes forget that even the best laid plans can and do fail. Discussing and planning for the five D’s is not a pleasant task, but nonetheless it is a task every farm business should address as it establishes goals and makes plans for the future. It is not possible to eliminate these risks, but Michigan State University (MSU) Extension recommends using proper planning to reduce the likelihood these negative events can impede or even destroy the farm transfer or farm business.
Preparation is the key to surviving any one of the five D’s. Don’t ever grow so smug as to think your farm business is immune. Cultivate honest and open communication among farm family members and non-farm spouses so issues can be addressed before they cause suspicion and distrust to develop and spoil relationships. Assume any one of the five D’s is a possibility on your farming operation and plan accordingly.
A farm transition and business succession workshop will be in Bad Axe, Mich., on Aug. 13, 20 and 27 where this and other important farm business tools will be discussed.
For more information, please view the full release here.
Social Media Helps Inform Beginning Farmers
A blog for beginning farmers has reached a milestone with more than 100,000 visits.
The Beginning Farmers and Ranchers development program through University of Missouri (MU) Extension was started three years ago with a grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Debi Kelly, an MU Extension associate, says they wanted to reach out to beginning farmers through social media, so in addition to a website they also created a Facebook page and a blog.
“Those things can be pretty interactive and are updated on a regular, daily basis,” Kelly says. “So beginning farmers can get the information immediately instead of going to a site that is just stagnant.”
Whether it is upcoming events taking place across the state, general information about agricultural topics or breaking news, Kelly says updating the blog is what allows them to reach that number of people visiting the site.
“The key is making sure you have something to put out there every single day,” Kelly said. “That is what will keep farmers going back to it on a regular basis.”
Kelly says there is a lot of good information provided and she welcomes feedback and suggestions for additional topics for the blog. She also says that the interactive nature of Facebook allows farmers to discuss topics.
“People are posting questions that they haven’t been able to find answers for and other farmers that are on the Facebook group will respond with their ideas and suggestions,” Kelly says. “It is a great networking opportunity for those farmers, as well.”
For more information, please view the full release and blog here.
Genetic Detectives Use Interrogation,
Profiling to Understand Sick Cells
Profiling, interrogation and surveillance are great tools — especially when the detectives are genetics researchers seeking an understanding of essential cellular processes.
An international team of scientists have developed a method of measuring complex genetic interactions between mutants in a protein complex, gathering thousands of data points to create a “fingerprint.” That, in turn, enabled the team to profile and predict behavior at the cellular level. The study is in this month’s edition of the journal Cell.
“Our long-term goal has been to look at how genes are turned on and off, and then possibly how to regulate that,” said Craig Kaplan, assistant professor of biochemistry at Texas A&M University and Texas A&M AgriLife Research in College Station. “It turns out that with the genetic profiling, we were able to predict the action of several mutants without having to measure every one, because we know the relationships between them.”
Kaplan collaborated with Nevan J. Krogan and Christine Guthrie, both with the University of California–San Francisco, as well as with researchers from the University of British Columbia–Vancouver and the University Medical Centre Utrecht–The Netherlands.
The study involved Saccharomyces cerevisiae, popularly known as baker’s yeast, commonly used in research. However, scientists believe the results are predictive of what would be seen if studying the same process in human cells.
For more information, please view the full release here.
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