News Update

May 2, 2016

Bonding Tips

A first-calf heifer may act confused or indifferent toward her newborn calf. She may continue to lie there and not get up to lick the calf. When she finally does, she may seem surprised to see this strange new wiggling creature. The heifer may walk away, ignoring it, or she may kick the calf when it gets up and staggers toward her.

If you had to pull a heifer’s calf, this may disrupt the normal bonding process. If you take a cold newborn to the barn to warm and dry it before its mother has a chance to lick it, this may also disrupt bonding.

“One technique that helps facilitate proper maternal response is smearing birth fluids across the muzzle and tongue of the dam following an assisted delivery,” says Joseph Stookey, professor of animal behavior at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Saskatoon, Sask. “This seems to jump-start the maternal response. Simply pulling the newborn to the front of the mother may not be sufficient stimulus to trigger maternal behavior, especially for some first-calf heifers.”

To continue reading, access the Angus Media news article online.

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

Beef Talk: Managing Drought

This spring, like many, has the potential to give way to a dry summer. According to Adnan Akyuz, professor of Climatological Practices at North Dakota State University: “The current El Niño lived up to its expectation this winter. It was the strongest El Niño since 1998. The overall winter average was the sixth warmest and 50th driest statewide. Lack of snow cover and dry soil led to unusually warm spring temperatures ranging from 4° to 10° above average so far.

“In the long term, warm conditions will continue all the way through the growing season with the momentum gained from El Niño,” Akyuz adds. “Precipitation is hard to predict. However, dry soil usually leads to a warmer and dryer season.”

For more information, please view the full Angus Media news article online.

— Adapted from an article by Kris Ringwall, North Dakota State University Extension.

Along the Angus Trail: April 30

Along America’s Angus Trails is trying to be sensitive and caring for the nation’s air pollution problems, caused by the emission of noxious gasses and hot air.

Politicians love to regale us, while we watch the black smoke belch out of big diesel rigs on the interstate highways, from factories and power plants in the cities as we drive by, and from the fireplaces of big mansions — that our livestock are the real pollution culprits. The truth is, a lot more air pollution flows from the mouths of politicians than from the rear end of cows.

We read all the time about the contributions of cattle to methane pollution, and how if we just all switched to vegan diets, the air would be cleaner. Oh, and I’d like to be taller, too. Turns out, that was also a lot of hot air.

To continue reading, view the Angus Media news article online.

— Adapted from a release by Dan Green for Angus Media.

Compelling New Crop

“High hopes” is how South Dakota State University (SDSU) professor Bill Gibbons describes carinata, a new crop being researched for its promising potential in the Dakotas and Montana, and as a winter crop in the southeastern United States.

The oil from carinata seeds can be used to make biobased fuels, such as diesel and jet fuel. However, there’s also excitement for this new crop because it offers a new option for crop rotations, and it has potential for livestock feed.

The yellow-flowered carinata plant is a brassica, which is a genus of plants in the mustard family. A more familiar brassica crop is canola, which is commonly grown in Canada, Montana and North Dakota. Many farmers in these regions who are familiar with growing canola have also started to grow carinata. It is estimated North Dakota and Montana farmers planted about 6,000 acres of carinata in 2015.

For more information, please view the Angus Journal article online.

— Adapted from an article by Kindra Gordon, Angus Media.

Florida Bull Test Announced

The rules for the North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC) Bull Test in Marianna, Fla., have been announced. Bulls nominated by June 15 will be accepted for delivery July 26 with on-test weights taken Aug. 16 and 17. The test is for bulls born Aug. 15-Dec. 31, 2015. Purebred animals must be registered, and composites must be out of registered parents.

All Angus and Angus derivatives must be tested for AM status or must be accompanied by a letter from the breed association to indicate they are not a carrier. The diet will be a grain and forage-based diet formulated to target 3.5 lb. gain per day, with ad libitum access to hay, adequate for allowing expression of growth potential and development without overconditioning the bulls.

Interim weights are scheduled for Sept. 14, Oct. 11-12, and Nov. 9. Final weights will be taken Dec. 6-7, and the test sale will be Jan. 21, 2017.

For more information contact Cliff Lamb, bull test coordinator, University of Florida-NFREC, 3925 Hwy. 71, Marianna, FL 32446; phone: 850-394-9124, ext. 106, or 850-526-1621or visit the test website at http://nfrec.ifas.ufl.edu/fl_bull_test/index.shtml.

— Adapted from a summary by Linda Robbins, Angus Journal.

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

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