News Update
May 18, 2015
Planning for Animal ID
Properly identifying cattle is essential to a well-operating herd where records are paramount. With advancing technologies, there are a lot of options to consider, including transportation regulations, when it comes to implementing an identification system that works in your herd.
“Animal identification is a very proven tool to tie data to an animal,” said Scott Holt, Allflex. “So whether you're looking for something very simple like a breeding date or pregnancy check on an animal, performance information on an individual animal, those tools on an ear tag enables you to do that.”
Watch more of Holt’s interview on this week’s The Angus Report.
You can also tune to RFD-TV to catch the program each Wednesday at 5 p.m. CDT, Saturday at 1:30 p.m. CDT or Monday at 7:30 a.m. CDT.
May Angus Journal Honors the Late Cory Watt, NJAB Chairman
Cory Watt left an impression difficult to shake. Almost in an instant, his personality was revealed by a contagious smile, deep-felt laughter and an obvious strength impossible to measure.
At 22 he had faced more hardship than most do in a lifetime. For more than a third of his life, Cory fought an unrelenting battle with cancer. Through multiple surgeries and radiation treatments for weeks on end, he trusted his faith and family to see him through.
His parents, Jody and Rebecca, and sister, Carly, were his constant caretakers and helped Cory find the strength to live every moment to the fullest.
“Any time the bad news would come, Cory wouldn’t get upset. He stayed calm and would always smile,” Rebecca said. “That was his thing, he had that beautiful smile.”
While hearts ache across the Angus community at the loss of its young leader, we also pay tribute to Cory’s legacy as a passionate Angus breeder and member of the National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) — an organization richly blessed by his influence.
Learn more about Cory’s love for life and his legacy in the full article on the Angus Journal’s website.
The Source: Why Haven’t You Enrolled?
American Angus Association members and the commercial cattlemen who purchase their bulls are truly the backbone of this association. I greatly enjoy working with cattlemen, registered or commercial.
This past week I trekked to Big Sky country and visited a few longtime AngusSource® customers. The Midland Bull Test sale is a great place to visit with a large group of producers, so it was also on my list to visit.
Another longtime AngusSource customer was at the Midland sale. Their production sale was right around the corner. They believe in the advantages AngusSource gives them in the marketplace. They sell their steers that don’t make the cut for bulls and have a commercial herd, too.
This year they plan to give their bull-buying customers the option to enroll in AngusSource or AngusSource Genetic. For every bull purchased they will pay the enrollment cost for 25 feeder calves into either program. They want producers to realize the marketing benefits that come with enrollment.
More than one person lately has asked me, “What benefit do I get from enrollment?”
Find the answer in the full article online at Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA.
USDA Invests $6.5 Million to Help
Conserve Water, Improve Water Quality
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced May 14 that the USDA is investing $6.5 million in the Ogallala Aquifer region this year to help farmers and ranchers conserve billions of gallons of water and improve water quality. Funding will be targeted to seven priority areas to support their primary water source and strengthen rural economies.
Underlying the Great Plains in eight states, the Ogallala supports nearly one-fifth of the wheat, corn, cotton and cattle produced in the United States. It has long been the main water supply for the High Plains’ population and is being depleted at an unsustainable rate. The reservoir was created more than a million years ago through geologic action and covers about 174,000 square miles; mainly in Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas (also known as the High Plains). The aquifer also covers part of South Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico.
Through the Ogallala Aquifer Initiative (OAI), USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is directing funding in fiscal 2015 to support targeted, local efforts to improve the quality and availability of this vital water supply.
For more information, please view the full news release.
Stretching Dollars at the Meat Counter
We’ve all done it … stood at the meat counter trying to figure out what to buy. Plus, if we’re having guests, the decision is even more critical. Throw in the expense, especially if the wrong choice is made, and the process can be daunting.
Kansas State University’s (K-State’s) Travis O’Quinn said there are ways to make smart choices and enjoy the flavor and aroma of meat while maximizing the grocery budget.
“There are a lot of options we have at the grocery stores right now to stretch our dollars when it comes to buying meat,” said O’Quinn, who is a meat science specialist with K-State Research and Extension. “Most consumers are familiar with T-bone steaks, ribeye strips and tenderloin steaks. However, many of those steak items are higher priced.”
In the last few years, alternatives to the more expensive cuts have been developed that produce satisfying grilling and eating experiences at a lower price than T-bones and tenderloins, said O’Quinn, who has a doctorate in meat science, specializing in meat quality and palatability and is a self-described grilling and barbecue enthusiast.
View all the meat counter tips in the full article on K-State’s research and extension website.
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