News Update

March 6, 2017

New Political Realities

As former White House Press Secretary under President George W. Bush, Dana Perino is no stranger to the world of politics. As it turns out, she’s no stranger to ranch life, either.

Now a host on Fox News’ The Five, Perino makes her home in New York City, where she admits she hasn’t driven a vehicle in seven years. Even so, she hasn’t forgotten the roots from which she came.

Perino addressed a very large and very eager crowd at the Feb. 3 opening session of the Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show in Nashville, Tenn.

“What you’re doing every day to help feed the country and the world is so important,” she told listeners, “but I also really appreciate how each one of you is trying to preserve the Western way of life.”

Earning a standing ovation from attendees, Perino colorfully illustrated some of the current political realities and uncertainties and what cattlemen can attempt to predict from the Trump administration.

Perino was born in Evanston, Wyo., where her family raised cattle. Her uncle Matt still ranches on an operation that has grown to 50,000 acres.

Continue reading in the Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA article online.

— Adapted from an article by Shelby Mettlen, Angus Media.

Feed Value Calculator

Feed costs exceed 50% of annual beef cattle production costs, and with the current market situation, the pressure to determine the most cost-effective feedstuffs has become even more important.

South Dakota State University (SDSU) Extension has developed a feed value calculator to compare protein and energy supplement options. The spreadsheet allows producers to select supplemental feeds and compare them to baseline feeds. The benchmark for energy supplements in this spreadsheet is corn; whereas, for protein supplements, it is soybean meal [44% crude protein (CP)].

To generate the most accurate results, producers should have feeds analyzed and should include the actual laboratory results in the spreadsheet. With byproduct feeds, analysis can vary significantly from batch to batch. These differences may alter the ration, which affects cattle performance and ration cost.

— Adapted from an article by Adele Harty, Heather Gessner & Taylor Grussing, South Dakota State University.

Protein’s Effect on Reproduction

Nutrition and reproduction go hand in hand. Researchers have documented that excess protein has a negative impact on fertility in dairy cattle, as increased concentrations of plasma urea nitrogen and milk urea nitrogen are associated with suppressed fertility. Patrick Gunn, assistant professor and beef cow-calf extension specialist from Iowa State University, explained how protein affects beef cow fertility at the 2016 Applied Reproductive Strategies in Beef Cattle (ARSBC) Symposium last fall.

He highlighted the relationship of nutrition and fertility in beef cattle, saying protein is a key nutrient that may be overlooked in rations, especially when cows are grazing low-quality forages.

Dietary crude protein is broken into rumen degradable and rumen undegradable protein. Gunn explained that degradable proteins are those that can be absorbed as amino acids for microbial protein synthesis. Undegradable protein is that which is left over and passes to the intestine.

Continue reading in the Angus Media news article online.

— Adapted from an article by Kasey Brown, Angus Media.

Association Perspective

I need to register those heifers. I wonder if those DNA tests have come back. We’ve got to finalize that guest list, and what are we going to serve? Where are we going to live? I’ve got to see how they want to advertise their sale this year.

I’ve got to outline an agenda for the AngusSource® meeting. … Will it work? Who’s going to cover that sale for me? Who can I get to go to that meeting? I’ve got to get the article done for the Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA, the script for Boot Camp, my two presentations for Boot Camp … that’s coming up … fast. I forgot to pay that bill. Did I write Jack a thank you? Wait. … Did I call Hannah?

All I want to do is sleep, just for a few hours.

It’s no secret that in today’s society we are pulled, called and stretched in all directions. What matters? What’s important? Where do we devote our time? When do we say no? How do we get it all done?

— Adapted from an article by Alex Tolbert, American Angus Association.

Tackling Food Myths at Alliance Summit

Two dietitians will address attendees at the 2017 Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit in a panel titled “Food History: Fact vs. Fiction and Dispelling Myths About Food.”

The panel will focus on how to debunk myths about food and farming that frequently circulate online and in the media. Panelists include Leah McGrath, corporate dietitian for Ingles Markets and Amber Pankonin, a registered dietitian nutritionist and adjunct professor.

The 2017 Summit, themed “Connect to Protect Animal Ag” will be hosted May 3-4 in Kansas City, Mo. The conference will build on the 2016 Summit’s focus of taking action to secure a bright future for animal agriculture. Speakers will give the audience actionable solutions to take home and implement on their farm or in their business. Early registration rates are available through April 3 by visiting www.animalagalliance.org/summit.

For more information, view the Alliance news release online.

— Adapted from a release by Hannah Thompson, Animal Agriculture Alliance.

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

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