News Update
August 12, 2015
Cattlemen’s Boot Camp
Hosted this September in Florida
Cattle producers are invited to gather for a Cattlemen’s Boot Camp Sept. 21-22 at the Jackson County Agricultural Center in Marianna, Fla. The event is hosted by the American Angus Association in partnership with the University of Florida and provides purebred and commercial producers timely information presented by academic and industry professionals.
Registration is now available online and open until Aug. 25.
Open to all cattle producers, the event is funded by the Angus Foundation and features a day and a half of educational speakers and hands-on activities to help improve their herd operations. The workshop is packed with pertinent information including bull selection, reproductive technologies, genetic markers, forage management and much more.
For more information and a complete schedule, please view the full Angus news release.
Angus Foundation Silent Auction Raises $13,000
Bids on more than 150 items raised $13,000 toward the Angus Foundation’s mission during the annual Silent Auction during the 2015 National Junior Angus Show July 13-18 in Tulsa, Okla. Proceeds from these items help fund support for Angus education, youth and research initiatives.
“The silent auction offers a unique opportunity for collectors of Angus memorabilia and those who create Angus art,” says Milford Jenkins, Angus Foundation president. “The variety attracts people of all ages and allows the Angus Foundation to raise unrestricted funds for the Angus breed’s ever-growing education, youth and research needs.”
Dick and Diane Beck, Sharpsburg, Ga., purchased the top-selling item for $1,000, which was a hand-sewn quilt titled, “Peace,” donated by Ann Simpson in memory of her children, Jeff and Mandy.
For more results from the 2015 silent auction, view the complete release online.
Anthrax Confirmed in Texas Equine
The first Anthrax case in Texas for 2015 has been confirmed in equine in Uvalde County. The premises is located approximately 25 miles northwest of Uvalde. The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) has quarantined the premises. TAHC rules require proper disposal of affected carcasses and vaccination of livestock on the premises prior to release of the quarantine.
Anthrax is a bacterial disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, which is a naturally occurring organism with worldwide distribution, including certain parts of Texas. (It is not uncommon for anthrax to be diagnosed in the southwestern part of the state.) A vaccine is available for use in susceptible livestock in high risk areas.
Acute fever followed by rapid death with bleeding from body openings are common signs of anthrax in livestock. Carcasses may also appear bloated and decompose quickly. Livestock displaying symptoms consistent with anthrax should be reported to a private veterinary practitioner or a TAHC official.
For more information, please view the full TAHC release online.
Stockgrowers Re-affirm Support for COOL
The South Dakota Stockgrowers Association (SDSA) Board of Directors met last week and voted unanimously to re-affirm member-developed policy calling for mandatory country-of-origin (COOL) labeling. The Stockgrowers Association called on Congress and the Senate to reject recent proposals that would seek to make the program voluntary or repeal the labels completely.
“We will not support any effort that repeals or weakens COOL,” said Bob Fortune, president of SDSA. “South Dakota Stockgrowers has always worked to ensure that our customers know where their food comes from, and we will not compromise that position.”
After the WTO ruled against the United States’ labeling program, Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) introduced a bill to repeal COOL on all beef, pork and poultry products, but has been unable to secure enough votes to move the bill forward. At the same time, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) introduced legislation that would repeal COOL on those products even though labels on poultry and ground beef and pork were not included in the WTO ruling. Stabenow’s proposal would allow the Secretary of USDA to implement a voluntary label on some United States raised meat products.
For more information, please view the full news release online.
Range, Pasture and Cow-Calf Program set Aug. 26 in Haskell
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Haskell County will host a Range, Pasture and Cow-Calf Program Aug. 26 at the Haskell Civic Center, 200 S. Ave. B, Haskell.
Registration will begin at 8 a.m. with the program at 8:30 a.m. Registration will be $20, which includes lunch. Three general Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units will be offered.
“There will be great information at the program and I encourage you to attend,” said Jason Westbrook, AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent for Haskell County. “We will have AgriLife Extension specialists here who have not previously presented in Haskell. Please take advantage of this time to ask them any questions you have related to your range, pasture and beef cattle needs.”
Topics include brush and prickly pear management in the Southern Rolling Plains; fire ecology, pre-fire, post-fire; cow-calf management;ranching production and financial efficiency; and much more.
View the complete news release for more details and information.
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