News Update

February 11, 2016

Angus Association Implements
Bylaw Changes

American Angus Association members will now notice a change in voting eligibility following bylaw amendments passed at the organization’s 2015 Annual Convention of Delegates last November.

During that meeting, Association voting delegates passed three amendments to the bylaws that affect who can serve as an “eligible voting member” and the timing of the nomination period. Eligible voting members are those who are able to nominate, be nominated, vote or be elected in the annual election of delegates.

To be considered an eligible voting member and participate in the election process, individuals must meet all of the following requirements within the preceding 12 months from when the nomination period begins: active regular or life membership; 18 years of age or older; registered at least one animal or completed a minimum level of business with the Association or Angus Genetics Inc. (the dollar amount specified by the Board of Directors is $250, exclusive of membership fees, merchandise or other exclusions)

The nomination period for 2016 begins April 11; therefore, above criteria must be met by the end of the previous business day, Friday, April 8, to participate in the 2016 delegate process, according to Chris Stallo, vice president of operations.

Go online for more information.

— Adapted from an American Angus Association announcement.

Herdsmanship: It Just Comes Natural

Herdsmanship comes naturally to Cody Bock. The Hanna City, Ill., native is no stranger to the showring, either. Bock, a herdsman for Dameron Angus in Lexington, Ill., was named the 2016 Herdsman of the Year by a popular vote during the National Western Stock Show (NWSS), hosted Jan. 13-15 in Denver, Colo.

“It’s a great honor,” Bock says. “I work for a lot of people who have won the award before me, and it’s a great feeling to be on that list.”

Now a resident of Towanda, Ill., Bock grew up showing Angus cattle on his family’s registered-Angus operation and developed a love for the breed. Bock’s mother’s family raised Angus cattle and his father’s family raised Herefords. Needless to say, they stuck with Angus.

To read more, access the full Angus news release online.

— Adapted from a release by Shelby Mettlen, Angus Media.

Cold Stress in Calves

Calves that are severely chilled at birth, without assistance to warm or dry them and to make sure they ingest colostrum in a timely manner, have poor survival rates. If a calf gets too cold before it suckles, it’s hard for the calf to get the teat in its mouth. The calf won’t obtain energy for keeping warm or antibodies to protect it against disease. Its ability to absorb antibodies from colostrum also diminishes as the calf becomes colder.

Producers need to be prepared for cold weather and try to minimize cold stress rather than just try to deal with cold calves, advises Charles Stoltenow, North Dakota State University Extension veterinarian.

“The No. 1 thing is the effect of wind and wet,” he says. Dry cold is not as hard on baby calves as being wet.

For more information, please view the full Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA online.

— Adapted from an article by Heather Smith Thomas, Angus Media.

When to Assist

Most cows and heifers progress normally through the stages of labor. Sometimes, however, the calf does not start into the birth canal, and the cow does not begin hard straining. Knowing when to check a cow is crucial — and you have to be watching her to know how long she’s been in early labor.

Mark Hilton, Purdue University veterinarian, says a good rule of thumb is to look for progress every hour.

“If we don’t see progress in an older cow, there’s a problem,” Hilton says, noting the calf’s head or a leg may be turned back, the calf may be coming backward or breech, or some other situation may be preventing it from coming into or progressing through the birth canal. “In heifers, lack of progress is usually due to the calf being too big.”

— Adapted from an article by Heather Smith Thomas, Angus Media.

Conservation Reserve Program

The USDA is reminding farmers and ranchers that the competitive sign-up deadline for its most popular voluntary conservation program, the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), is Feb. 26, 2016. This will be one of the most competitive general sign-up periods in history, in part due to a statutory limit on the number of acres that can be enrolled in the program. The most competitive applications will be those that combine multiple conservation benefits, such as water quality and wildlife habitat.

For the past 30 years, CRP has provided financial incentives to farmers and ranchers to remove environmentally sensitive agricultural land from production to be planted with certain grasses, shrubs and trees that improve water quality, prevent soil erosion and increase wildlife habitat.

For more information, please view the full USDA news release online.

— Adapted from a release by the USDA.

— Compiled by Paige Nelson, field editor, Angus Journal.