News Update

November 7, 2016

Angus Elects Board Members, Officers

The American Angus Association announced officers and directors elected to its Board of Directors during the 133rd Annual Convention of Delegates in Indianapolis, Ind. Those serving the Association for three-year terms are: Richard Dyar, Crossville, Ala.; Dave Hinman, Malta, Mont.; Alan Miller, Gridley, Ill.; Jonathan Perry, Fayetteville, Tenn.; and Barry Pollard, Waukomis, Okla.

Charlie Boyd, May’s Lick, Ky., was elected as Association president and chairman of the Board. He succeeds Jim Sitz, Dillon, Mont. Charlie, wife Paula, and sons Blake and Logan operate Boyd Beef Cattle.

A total of 312 delegates from 39 states and Washington, D.C., represented Association members during the Annual Convention of Delegates hosted Nov. 7 during the 2016 Angus Convention.

More than 2,000 Angus breeders and commercial cattlemen attended the three-day event and enjoyed educational sessions, a packed trade show, networking and entertainment.

— Adapted from a news release by Jena McRell, Angus Media.

Welfare Research Update

Understanding better the pain animals may experience and how best to provide relief are the objectives of cattle welfare studies in Canada. During the 2016 International Symposium on Beef Cattle Welfare (ISBCW) June 8-10 in Manhattan, Kan., Ed Pajor, professor of animal behavior and welfare at the University of Calgary Veterinary Medicine, reported on ongoing research.

Pajor said studies of how age and handling by humans influence pain assessments and mitigation are part of a five-year project involving both beef and dairy cattle. Researchers are assessing pain experienced by animals of different ages and the effects of treatment with anti-inflammatory medication (Meloxicam) administered through different methods.

“Researchers want to identify the method and age at which castration causes the least pain and stress, comparing banding versus surgical castration, by looking at various physiological and behavioral indicators,” explained Pajor. “[Researchers] also will be looking at rates of wound healing following castration with different knife incisions — scalpel versus Newberry castrator.”

Continue reading in the Angus Media news article online.

— Adapted from an article by Troy Smith for Angus Media.

Beef Talk

The daily CattleFax report just popped into my email and did not bring the positive news one would like. The Oct. 10 values were $98.87 for live cattle and $124.65 for feeder cattle. I had a simple thought: “What? Two-digit live-cattle prices!” My second thought: “We have got to get costs down!”

For someone trained in genetics, my mind was trying to make sense of a $1.30 cost per pound (lb.) of weaned calf per exposed cow. This was not good because this was my conclusion of costs when gross margins per cow were exceeding $1,000 in many beef operations.

Prior to this thought, I was thinking of what would happen if gross margins dropped to $600 and direct and overhead expenses were $650 per cow. Earlier this fall, I expected a gross margin of $700 and expenses of $650; this was a positive thought based on the new market prices. Now I am thinking I should go back to my original thought, and check the savings account.

Beef production management is a swing from market highs to market lows, and back and forth.

Read more in the Angus Media news article online.

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

USDA Announces 2017 CSP Sign-Up

On Nov.4, the USDA announced the beginning of the 2017 sign-up period for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), the nation’s largest working lands conservation program. This year’s sign-up announcement is particularly noteworthy, as it is the first year that major programmatic changes will be in place after two years of intensive planning by USDA.

The program reinvention is significant given the considerable reach of CSP — more than 70 million acres are already enrolled, and more than 20 million acres will be enrolled or renewed in 2017. Total program enrollment is expected to reach more than 80 million acres by next year.

Farmers and ranchers interested in enrolling have until Feb. 3, 2017 to complete the initial CSP application, which is a simple form that asks for basic information regarding land ownership, type of production and contact information.

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) offices will begin processing applications on Nov. 14. For more information, view the full NSAC news release online.

— Adapted from a release by the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.

NPPC Comments on USDA Response Plan

National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) last week submitted comments to the USDA on the agency’s proposed plan for responding to emerging animal diseases. Being developed by the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Veterinary Services (VS), the plan is supposed to outline efforts by VS, states and the livestock industry to respond to new and emerging diseases in ways to minimizing their economic impact.

In its comments, NPPC suggested that the proposed plan’s top-down decision making be modified to be more inclusive of the states and the livestock industry.

NPPC suggested that USDA seek new authority to pay indemnity to producers in such situations. It also recommended that the agency seek new resources to implement the disease response plan, so that funds won’t be taken from existing USDA programs.

— Adapted from a release by the National Pork Producers Council.

USMEF Conference Concludes with Election of New Officers

The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Strategic Planning Conference wrapped up Friday, Nov. 4, with the election of new officers. USMEF chairman for 2016-2017 is Bruce Schmoll, a soybean and corn producer from Claremont, Minn., where he lives with his wife, Tarrie. Schmoll is a past president of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association and for several years has represented the oilseed producing sector on the USMEF Executive Committee.

Schmoll has also served on his county planning and zoning board and on a township board of supervisors. He drew on that experience when addressing USMEF members, reminding them of the opposition and obstacles livestock producers often face when attempting to locate or expand hog production or cattle feeding facilities.

For more information, view the USMEF news release online.

— Adapted from a release by Michael Igoe, U.S. Meat Export Federation.

— Compiled by Paige Nelson, field editor, 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.