News Update
October 19, 2015
Angus Association Grows in 2015
The Angus breed is enjoying one of its most successful years on record, according to recently released American Angus Association year-end figures.
In fiscal year 2015, which ended Sept. 30, registered-Angus bulls averaged more than $6,700 per head, up more than $1,500 dollars per head from the prior year. Sales of registered-Angus females reported to the Association averaged more than $5,300 per head, a 45% increase.
“These increased prices reflect the strength of the demand of Angus genetics for the commercial cattle industry and filling the demand for quality beef,” said Rich Wilson, chief financial officer and interim CEO of the American Angus Association.
Meanwhile registrations, membership and the use of genomic tests all experienced increases, as well.
“The Association had over 320,362 registrations for the year,” Wilson said. “A substantial increase for us, the highest since the 2008-2009 economic downturn. Cattlemen continue to recognize the value of genomic testing and their selection in management decisions. When we added the new low-density tests, that just increased the impact of this information.”
Watch Wilson’s full interview on this week’s The Angus Report.
Fall Management Tips
October usually marks the transition from the mild portion of our fall season to cooler weather and shorter days. Frost usually occurs sometime in the month depending on your location. The shorter days and cooler nights signal that cool-season forage growth will be declining soon. Diligent grazing management through the use of strip-grazing is a good way to stretch this precious commodity.
Moving the fence as frequently as possible will allow more efficient utilization. Be careful not to allow access to too much area at one time. If you are unsure if your forage allowance is adequate, you can provide an average- or poorer-quality bale of hay for the cattle to access. If the cattle are eating a great deal of hay, then you probably need to expand your forage allowance.
October also signals the peak month of calf marketing. Sellers should focus on preconditioning and grouping calves to increase market price.
To read more tips for your area, view the full article in the Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA.
Colostrum Considerations
At calving season, you’ve got a newborn calf looking a little cold in the 10° F weather. It looks like he’s been up and suckling, but is there anything else you can do to help give him a little extra energy?
Providing one feeding of a colostrum supplement may provide the boost the calf needs, suggests Beth Saxton, national sales manager for APC Consumer Products, which offers a line of colostrum supplements and replacers under the brand name Lifeline®.
In another scenario, if a calf hasn’t had any colostrum yet, she recommends providing one feeding of a colostrum replacer to provide all the nutrition needed for newborns. Saxton underscores a message many producers have heard before: Getting colostrum into a calf as soon as possible after birth is essential.
She explains, “A calf is born with absolutely no immunity; there are no antibodies circulating in the bloodstream. Colostrum is the only source of antibodies to the calf.”
For more information, view the full Angus Journal article.
Preventing Foothill Abortion
Among cattlemen it is commonly referred to as “foothill abortion” because it was originally recognized as an abortion disease occurring among cattle that grazed the foothill regions of California, western Nevada and southern Oregon. According to University of California-Davis veterinarian Jeff Stott, the disease’s technical name is epizootic bovine abortion (EBA) and, in infected herds, it can result in up to 90% fetal mortality.
Stott provided information about EBA and control efforts during the Applied Reproductive Strategies in Beef Cattle (ARSBC) symposium hosted Aug. 17-18, in Davis, Calif. He explained that a live virulent vaccine is currently being field-tested, but the future holds promise for development of a DNA-based vaccine to immunize cattle against EBA.
For more information, please view the full Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA article.
Workshop for Farm/Ranch Women set in Gatesville
New U.S. census data indicates more women are managing farms today in Texas and a series of workshops is scheduled to help cater to this trend, according to an expert.
Annie’s Project is an educational program dedicated to strengthening women’s roles in the modern farm enterprise, said Jason Johnson, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service economist, Stephenville.
The series will be offered in six sessions from 6-9 p.m. each Tuesday beginning Nov. 3 through Dec. 8 at the Coryell County Civic Center located at 301 Veterans Memorial Loop (Complex Circle) in Gatesville.
As an overview of the fundamentals of maintaining a farm or ranch, Annie’s Project empowers farm women to be better business partners through networks and by managing and organizing critical information, Johnson said.
For more information, view the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events.
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