News Update

May 4, 2017

First Shipments of U.S. Beef to Brazil

Secretary Sonny Perdue announced May 4 that the first shipment of fresh U.S. beef has arrived in Brazil following a 13-year hiatus. The entrance of American beef into the Brazilian market ushers in promising long-term economic opportunity for U.S. beef producers.

“With Brazil’s large market reopened to the United States, U.S. beef exports are poised for new growth. I look forward to Brazilians getting the opportunity to eat delicious American beef, because once they taste it, they’ll want more of it,” said Perdue.

Brazil closed its market to imports of U.S. fresh beef in 2003 over concerns about bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). Since then, the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have worked continuously with Brazilian officials to regain market access.

Learn more in the USDA news release online.

— Adapted from a release by the USDA.

Angus Value Discovery

While cattle genetics keep improving, no national carcass challenge has tracked that since 2012 — until now. The Angus Value Discovery Contest began this spring as a means of carcass data collection and friendly competition for commercial Angus producers, nominated by their seedstock or genetics providers. Artificial insemination (AI) companies and registered Angus breeders are nominating customers to enroll groups of at least 30 calves.

Commercial cow-calf operators who use registered Angus bulls and those who feed the high-quality progeny are discussing enrollment with seedstock suppliers or AI company reps. That’s according to Kara Lee, production brand manager for the cosponsoring Certified Angus Beef^® (CAB^®) brand.

Customers who buy and use the best bulls, feed the progeny and report results could win a share of nearly $5,000 in a contest that builds relationships along with better herds, she says. Genetics providers contribute 25% of prize value in credit if their nominee wins grand or reserve champion pen, and CAB pays the rest.

Learn more on CAB’s website www.cabpartners.com.

— Adapted from a release by Steve Suther, Certified Angus Beef LLC.

Selection on $B Improves Feed Efficiency

Angus dollar values ($Values) are designed to help breeders balance selection emphasis among a variety of traits to improve profitability. Such multitrait selection becomes difficult when the traits are unfavorably related. An example of a group of traits with an unfavorable correlation includes growth, marbling and feed intake.

In general, cattle that excel for yearling weight and carcass weight, and produce high-quality carcasses with higher marbling scores, tend to have higher levels of feed intake. Depending on market conditions, this increased feed cost in the feedlot can negate some of the additional revenue achieved through carcass-quality premiums and increased carcass weight.

Two different genetic values describe feed intake and efficiency in Angus cattle. Residual average daily gain (RADG) estimates gain differences among animals at a constant level of feed intake. If one sire has an RADG expected progeny difference (EPD) of 0.28, compared to another with an RADG EPD of 0.13, the 0.15 difference indicates the first sire’s progeny should gain 15 hundredths of a pound more per day while consuming an equal amount of feed.

Continue reading this Angus Journal column online.

— Adapted from a release by Dan Moser, Angus Genetic Inc.

Scott City is site of 2017 K-State Cattle Feeders College: Cattle Crew Session

The 2017 Kansas State University (K-State) Cattle Feeders College is set for May 25 at the William Carpenter 4-H Building, 608 Fairground Road in Scott City, Kan. Registration begins at 4 p.m.

The conference is designed for the men and women who work in the cattle department of the feedlot business. It offers presentations, the “Top Hand” Cattle Feeding Industry Employee awards and a complementary dinner sponsored by Lallemand Animal Health.

Cattle industry personnel who would like to recognize a colleague or employee are encouraged to nominate them for the 2017 Top Hand Cattle Feeding Industry Award. Nominations are requested by May 19 to Justin Waggoner, jwaggon@ksu.edu or 4500 E. Mary St., Garden City, KS 67846.

For more information, visit the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events.

— Adapted from a release by Mary Lou Peter, K-State Research and Extension.

Only a Few Days Left for the Convention Room Block

We invite you to the 2017 Canadian Angus Association (CAA) “Coming home-where it all began in 1905” National Convention taking place June 8-11 in Brandon, Man.

Convention this year is hosted by Manitoba Angus. The Angus block of rooms will be released on Saturday, May 6.

Convention will kick off with the President’s Reception in the evening on Thursday, June 8. The reception will take place at the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum and includes an extensive selection of appetizers and tour of the museum. On Friday, June 9, Cattlemen’s Connection Day, two different panels will discuss industry topics. Some of the panelists include Joe Bouchard, Brett Rystephanick, Ed Pajor and Fawn Jackson. We will also tour operations in the area. The day will wrap up with a delicious supper and socializing at HBH Farms.

For more information, visit the CAA website online.

— Adapted from a release by Canadian Angus Association.

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

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