News Update
February 5, 2014
AngusAuctions.com Launched Monday
Angus Productions Inc. (API) is proud to collaborate with DV Auction to better serve the Angus community through AngusAuctions.com.
API, the American Angus Association’s award-winning publishing entity, and DV Auction, the originator in online livestock-auction broadcasting, announced the partnership Monday, Feb. 3, which includes the creation of a marketing website for cattlemen to buy and sell Angus genetics.
DV Auction, a 15-year innovator and leader in online livestock marketing, will provide the core technology behind the service, now available at AngusAuctions.com.
“We are excited to position this service as the ultimate source in online exposure for the Angus breed,” says Dan Broz, DV Auction founder and CEO. “The exposure to our 186,000 registered account holders, as well as the 40,000 members of the American Angus Association will create tremendous value for cattlemen who buy and sell through this service.”
The full-service website features live auctions where visitors can bid online, plus dynamic features such as live auctioneer closes and “Buy It Now” pricing. The site also hosts several informative components that complement the marketing platform, educating producers about the value of Angus genetics in seedstock, and the commercial and feeding segments of the industry.
“With API’s industry knowledge and relationships, this new service is a premium opportunity for Angus genetics in today’s online marketplace,” says Terry Cotton, API general manager. “It’s a one-stop-shop for cattlemen who are looking for current market reports and integrating superior Angus cattle into their herd.”
Visit AngusAuctions.com or www.dvauction.com to learn more about the new partnership and to view a list of Angus cattle sales.
For more information, please view the full release here.
Carefully Considering Your Next Herd Bull
With record-high cattle prices and evidence of herd rebuilding in Kansas and across the nation, beef producers are likely going to buy some of the most expensive, but highest quality bulls they have ever bought this upcoming spring bull buying season, said Dan Moser, associate professor and beef cattle genetics specialist for Kansas State University (K-State) Research and Extension.
“Seedstock producers across Kansas and the country are producing the best bulls ever with the use of technology, expected progeny differences (EPDs) and DNA tests,” Moser said. “That information allows commercial producers to make more genetic progress using the same technology.”
For producers planning to buy a new herd bull this spring, now is the time to begin anticipating the potential high demand and price, while identifying the traits needed in that next sire. Moser said a good place for producers to start is writing out a job description for the next bull or bulls they plan to purchase. This description will depend on the producers’ marketing system now and in the next few years, goals for genetic improvement and their particular crossbreeding program.
The cattle industry, Moser said, is currently in a rebuilding phase due to recent drought and market conditions. Many producers who have retained a large number of heifers might view calving ease as a top priority in that next herd sire — a different approach perhaps than those producers who plan to use their bull mostly on mature cows.
For producers who have both heifers and mature cows, another solution might be to use artificial insemination (AI) on the heifers, Moser said.
For more information, please view the full release here.
IYFF Celebrates Family Farmers,
the Original Conservationists
Family farmers and ranchers are the original conservationists. They understand that caring for natural resources is crucial to the long-term viability of the family farm. As such, National Farmers Union (NFU) is proud to support conservation programs in the United States and conservation agriculture across the globe. In celebration of the United Nations naming 2014 the International Year of Family Farming (IYFF), this month Farmers Union will be highlighting the importance of conservation across the country and around the world
“With the global population expected to reach 9.6 billion by 2050, family farmers and ranchers have a great challenge before them to be able to feed and clothe people around the world,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “Production and conservation practices must be geared towards improving the productivity of the land in a sustainable fashion. With more mouths to feed and strained natural resources, it is now more important than ever to invest in conservation practices that help farmers adapt to a changing climate.”
“NFU works to ensure that the best policies are put in place in Washington and across the country so that Americans drink clean water and breathe clean air, and so that future generations can continue the legacy of family farming,” continued Johnson.
“As we continue to celebrate IYFF and the work family farmers around the world are doing to feed, clothe and fuel the word, we encourage everyone to join our efforts, get involved locally and join Farmers Union. Information can be found at www.nfu.org/membership.”
For more information, please view the full release here.
Weed Control Will Be Topic of Feb. 6 Webinar
How management practices can make a difference in weed control will be the topic of a Feb. 6 webinar conducted by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.
Barron Rector, AgriLife Extension range specialist, College Station, will present “The Truth About Weeds.” Rector will cover management practices that can positively or negatively affect weed production and resources useful in controlling weed problems.
This webinar is part of the Texas Range Webinar Series conducted monthly by AgriLife Extension’s ecosystem science and management unit. Each webinar is scheduled from noon to 1 p.m., according to Pete Flores, webinar coordinator in College Station.
Flores said the program has switched Webinar software, so those planning to attend should go to http://bit.ly/LIzkB1 to configure their computer before Feb. 6.
Participants seeking Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units must pay a $10 fee on the website. For all others, there is no fee, Flores said. Licensed agricultural private pesticide applicators participating in this webinar can earn one integrated pest management unit.
This webinar and others in the series can be accessed at http://naturalresourcewebinars.tamu.edu.
Continuing education units for archived webinars will be available for only one month following the live version of the webinar. After the month has passed, the webinar will still be available to watch, but participants will not be able to register for or receive credits.
For more information on the webinars, contact Flores at Pete.Flores@ag.tamu.edu.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal’s Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
Agronomists Offer Webinars for Corn,
Soybean and Wheat Growers Feb. 11 and 25
Growers wanting to learn more about corn yield optimization, corn-seed treatments and high-input soybean production can take advantage of a series of upcoming webinars taught by agronomists from Ohio State University’s (OSU’s) College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
The webinars offer participants insight into some of the key issues in grain production including updated information on fungicides and resistance, as well as how to best control weeds, said Greg LaBarge, an OSU Extension field specialist and one of the leaders of Ohio State’s Agronomic Crops Team.
The team also includes scientists from the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center.
“The advantage of offering these workshops via webinars is that it gives participants the opportunity to learn the latest agronomic information from their local Extension office or at home if there is not a location near them,” LaBarge said. “They can also view the recording any time after it is posted.”
The webinars will be Feb. 11 from 7-8:30 p.m. and on Feb. 25 from 10 a.m.-noon and repeated at 7-8:30 p.m. The webinars will also be recorded and available to view online 10 days after the program.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal’s Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
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