News Update
March 3, 2015
NMSU to Host 54th Tucumcari Performance Bull Test and Sale
New Mexico’s statewide cow herd decreased during recent years due to severe drought conditions. As weather conditions improve, cattle producers are now investing in the future as they rebuild their cow herds with higher-quality genetics from regionally adapted registered herds.
One place to find that genetic stock is at the 54th annual Tucumcari Performance Bull Test and Sale. The sale will be Saturday, March 14, at the New Mexico State University (NMSU) Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari. The live auction will begin at 1 p.m. following a lunch at 11:30 a.m.
“We have had some outstanding bulls participate in the performance test,” said Marcy Ward, NMSU Extension livestock specialist. “The cattle in this year’s test have out-performed other bull tests across the country. The top 85% performing bulls will be sold on March 14. This is a great opportunity for a producer to improve their herd’s genetics.”
The Tucumcari Performance Bull Test is one of the country’s longest-running programs. Since its creation in 1961, bulls from more than 25 different breeds have participated in the 16-week program that gathers objective performance data for improving the profitability of beef cattle. Producers from throughout the United States have used the sale to improve the genetics and quality of their herds.
This year’s Angus bulls are from Cornerstone Ranch, Fort Sumner; Hartzog Angus Cattle, Bovina, Texas; J-C Angus Ranch, Moriarty; McCall Land & Cattle, Albuquerque; Netherton Angus, Las Animas, Colo.; Oklahoma Panhandle State University, Goodwell, Okla.; Riverside Angus, Las Animas, Colo.; Salazar Ranches, Espanola; Sanchez Angus, Belen; and Walker Angus, Tucumcari.
“Producers have entered their bulls into the performance test to see how each animal develops in our controlled feeding program,” Ward said. “We track the bull’s average daily gain, pen feed efficiency and carcass development, while producing 56-day, 84-day and 112-day performance reports.”
On the sale day, buyers will review the performance results while viewing the animals. The producers with the top-performing bulls will be awarded a jacket.
Prior to the sale, potential buyers may visit www.aces.nmsu.edu/ces/beef/ to view videos of each bull that will be for sale.
ASHCA Announces 2015 Agricultural Safety Grant Recipients
The Agricultural Safety and Health Council of America (ASHCA) Safety Grants Program has announced 11 awards for 2015.
The grants are intended to foster new “champions” of worker safety and health, said Leon Graves, Safety Grants Committee chair and ASHCA board chair representing Dairy Farmers of America. The committee favored proposals that facilitated adoption of evidence-based safety/health strategies by producers, hired farm workers and their families.
These grants (up to $10,000) were awarded in 2015.
- “Hazard Communication Training (bilingual) for Agricultural Operations/Supervisors at Six Worksites,” Roger Isom, Western Agricultural Processors Association, Fresno, Calif.
- “Farm Safety Education and Monitoring to Reduce Injury and Death Risk from Manure Storage Gases,” Thomas Eskildsen, Yates County Soil & Water Conservation District, Penn Yan, N.Y.
- “Bites, Stings and Venomous Things — A Bilingual Resource for Agricultural Workers,” Amanda Wickman, Southwest Center for Agricultural Health, Injury Prevention & Education, Tyler, Texas.
- “Providing Safety Training for 120 Disabled Veterans Working in Urban Gardens,” Lovay Wallace-Singleton, Veteran Employment Base Camp, New Bern, N.C.
- “Development of a Sustainable Farm Hazard Identification Program: Building a Bridge between Farm and Fire Department,” Marybeth Vargha, New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health, Cooperstown, N.Y.
- “The South Central Pennsylvania Anabaptist Youth Trauma Prevention Consortium: Providing Safety Resources to Anabaptist Families,” Ronald Baier, Lancaster General Health, Lancaster, Pa.
- “Sustainable FARMEDIC Training for Ag Workers & 1st Responders in Arkansas: Decreasing Ag Injuries through Standardized Training,” Brent Cox, Regional Center for Disaster Preparedness Education, Jonesboro, Ark.
- “Harvest Safety First: Training Equipment Operators in Six States,” Mary Beauchamp, KB Custom Ag Services, LLC, Ault, Colo.
- “Company-wide Safety Training (bilingual) for 600 Agricultural Workers,” Gloria Bell, CAPAY Organic, W. Sacramento, Calif.
- “Good Agricultural Safety Practices (GASP!): Providing Bilingual Safety Training for H2A Employees,” Michaelene Rowe, Snake River Farmers Association, Heyburn, Idaho.
- “Farmworker Women’s Reproductive Health Project: Minimizing Heat-Related and Ergonomic Complications,” Holly Baker, Farmworker Association of Florida, Apopka, Fla.
For more information, please view the ASHCA website here.
Take the LongRange® (eprinomectin) Challenge
Merial introduces the 2015 LongRange® (eprinomectin) Challenge. Cattle prices are up, but so are production costs, and producers continue to feel the strain on profit outlooks this year.
To help promote greater profits and optimize herd health in 2015, Merial will help take on some of the production risks through the LongRange Challenge.
LongRange is the first extended-release injectable dewormer that provides cattle producers season-long persistent parasite control for up to 150 days in a single dose, depending on the parasite species.
To participate in the challenge, producers simply purchase LongRange between Jan. 1, 2015, and Dec. 31, 2015, and treat their cows, cows and calves, or stockers with it this calendar year. If cattle do not gain weight, or demonstrate better performance vs. a comparison group using any other parasiticide or parasiticide combination, Merial will compensate the producer with a Merial brand product of their choice to cover the cost of LongRange used.
“Merial recognizes that in a tight economy, it’s difficult to justify input costs if you aren’t sure you are getting enough return, but nothing pays off like parasite control, spring or fall,” says Joe Dedrickson, Merial Veterinary Professional Services. “The goal is for producers to see a financial gain from their parasite control investment. Because we have confidence in this product, we are willing to back it so that if improvements aren’t achieved, producers won’t risk a profit loss on treatment expenses.”
“The gain alone will cover the cost of using LongRange this year,” Dedrickson says. “There are a lot of variables that can rob producers of production and profits. But between the proven results of parasite treatment and the promise of the LongRange Challenge, we are certain producers won’t lose money on this input.”
If producers are not ready to step up to LongRange, they can still take the challenge with Eprinex® (eprinomectin) or any Ivomec® (ivermectin) brand product.
For more information, please view the full release here.
AgriLife Extension Sets Ranchers Workshop
for March 25 in Coke County
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will conduct a ranchers workshop from 6-8:30 p.m. March 25 at the Robert Lee Recreation Hall, 150 County Park Road in Robert Lee.
Topics included in the program are land leasing, cattle herd health for summer and fall, range health, and a pesticide update.
“The Coke County Ranchers Workshop will be beneficial to those leasing land, landowners, producers and land managers,” said Morgan Runyan, AgriLife Extension agent in Coke County. “The program topics have been tailored to help answer various questions about ranching in Coke and surrounding counties.”
One Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education unit in the general category will be offered.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
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