News Update

July 22, 2015

Assessing Transportation Stress

According to animal behaviorist and scientist Karen Schwartzkopf-Genswein, stress is a physiological response to real or perceived stressors — conditions or events that cause strain, tension, anxiety or pain. Transportation can include a number of stressors, including loading, unloading, commingling with unfamiliar cattle and delivery to an unfamiliar environment. Transportation may involve a period of restriction from feed and water, and discomfort due to heat or cold. Cattle also expend energy maintaining their balance during transportation. The longer the ride, the more tiring it is.

Schwartzkopf-Genswein, a researcher with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, talked about her efforts to better understand transportation stress during the recent Cattle Transportation Symposium in Fort Collins, Colo. She called it unreasonable for anyone to expect animals to experience a completely stress-free life. However, animal welfare is affected when stress responses shift energy away from normal biological functions.

— Adapted from an article by Troy Smith, Angus Journal field editor.

Honorary Angus Foundation Inductees Presented at the NJAS

Three deserving couples were recognized during the 2015 National Junior Angus Show (NJAS) as inductees into the Honorary Angus Foundation. In 1985, the National Junior Angus Board established the Honorary Angus Foundation to recognize and thank those who have shown incredible support of Angus youth.

The 2015 inductees are: Ed and Wilma Minix, Black Witch Farms, Athens, Ga.; Gordon and Robin Keys, Beaver Dam Farm, Middleburg, Va.; and Thomas and Catherine Chambers, Chambers Angus, Ontario, Ore.

Read about each of these families and their incredible contributions to Angus youth online in the American Angus Association’s newsroom.

— Adapted from a release by Carrie Horsley, Angus Foundation.

Champions Named at 2015 National Junior Angus Show

Nearly 800 Angus juniors and their families traveled to Tulsa, Okla., to compete in the 2015 National Junior Angus Show (NJAS) July 13-18 at the Built Ford Tough Livestock Complex at Tulsa’s Expo Square.

National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) members represented “Angus Leading the Way” as they exhibited 1,169 entries during the weeklong event that included more than a dozen educational contests in addition to the cattle show.

Kevin Jensen, Courtland, Kan., judged the 707 owned heifers; Chris Effling, Highmore, S.D., assisted in judging the owned heifers; Jim Pipkin, Republic, Mo., judged the 277 bred-and-owned heifers, 43 cow-calf pairs, and 73 bred-and-owned bulls; Dave Nichols, Manhattan, Kan., assisted in judging the bred-and-owned heifers and cow-calf pairs; and Matt Leo, Snelling, Calif., judged the 69 steers.

Go online to see the champions and class placings from the event.

— Adapted from a release by Amber Wahlgren, Angus Media.

Mark Scholl to Lead Farm Foundation Board

Mark Scholl of J and M Scholl Inc., Owensboro, Ky., has been elected chairman of the Board of Trustees of Farm Foundation. Joe Swedberg, who recently retired as vice president of legislative affairs with Hormel Foods Corp., was elected vice chairman. The election took place June 12 at the organizations annual meeting in Columbus, Ohio.

Created in 1933, the Foundation works as a catalyst for sound public policy by providing objective information to foster a deeper understanding of issues shaping the future for agriculture, food systems and rural communities. The Foundation does not advocate or lobby.

Scholl is president of J and M Scholl, Inc. a family agriculture holding company that includes a farming operation, an export grain business, a wind farm, and real estate holdings. Scholl worked in the finance industry before an interest in commercialization of value-added grains led to starting ExSeed Genetics. ExSeed was later sold to BASF, where he served as director of BASF Plant Science.

For more information, access the full news release online.

— Adapted from a release by Mary Thompson, Farm Foundation.

Multi-County Pond Management Workshop slated for Aug. 7

A Pond Management Workshop will take place Aug. 7 at the First United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, 1008 16th St. in Hondo, Texas. The workshop, which will be from 9 a.m.–1 p.m., is presented by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service offices in Bexar, Medina and Uvalde counties.

“This workshop is intended to provide landowners helpful tips on pond ecology, stocking rates for fish, selecting the right fish species for your needs, pond management, aquatic plant identification and mosquito control,” said Derrick Drury, AgriLife Extension agent for agriculture and natural resources for Medina County and a program presenter.

Three Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units — one in laws and regulations, one general and one in integrated pest management — will be offered.

For more information, please view the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.

— Adapted from a release by the National Grazing Lands Coalition.

— Compiled by Jena McRell, Angus Media.

Editor’s Note: The articles used within this site represent a mixture of copyrights. If you would like to reprint or repost an article, you must first request permission of Angus Productions Inc. (API) by contacting the editor at 816-383-5200; 3201 Frederick Ave., Saint Joseph, MO 64506. API claims copyright to this web site as presented. We welcome educational venues and cattlemen to link to this site as a service to their audience.