News Update
June 19, 2017
Rick Cozzitorto to Lead
Angus Productions Inc.
An accomplished business executive and collaborative leader, Rick Cozzitorto takes the helm as Angus Productions Inc. (API) president June 30. He brings decades of experience in livestock marketing, sales and encouraging teams to reach new heights.
Cozzitorto will lead 40 employees at API, the industry-leading communications arm of the American Angus Association in Saint Joseph, Mo. The company operates a multi-faceted media approach to serve quality-minded beef producers nationwide.
“An Angus breeder himself, Rick Cozzitorto understands the great value behind the business breed, and is well-suited to provide unrivaled marketing support and opportunities for Association members through API,” says Allen Moczygemba, American Angus Association CEO. “We’re fortunate to benefit from his expertise and look forward to his leadership on the team.”
Over the course of his career, Cozzitorto has been involved in high-level sales and marketing, employee management and livestock publications. As a young professional, he served as an American Angus Association regional manager.
Most recently, Cozzitorto served as the executive director for U.S. cattle sales with Merck Animal Health. He was an effective member of the national leadership team, in charge of recruitment, placement and talent development throughout the organization.
Cozzitorto’s time with Merck Animal Health spanned nearly 12 years, during which he was promoted four times for demonstrating outstanding performance and leadership. He has led teams to accomplish multi-million-dollar sales goals, and has a keen eye for identifying opportunities, establishing partnerships and creating new avenues for business development.
“Building on the experiences I’ve gained so far in my career, the chance to come back to Angus and the breed’s outstanding organization was one I couldn’t pass up,” Cozzitorto says. “The people truly make the business, and some of the best people I know are Angus breeders or are affiliated with the Association.”
Cozzitorto also brings to API significant experience in media sales and livestock publications. His time with the American Angus Association allowed him to see how the organization and API provides brand-building opportunities for Angus breeders.
During his career, Cozzitorto was the co-founder and CEO of TC Publishing in Merced, Calif., which produced the California Cattleman magazine. He was also a former board member of the Livestock Publications Council.
As API president, Cozzitorto will lead a dedicated team of professionals who serve Angus breeders through marketing and advertising services, including sale books, websites, advertising and custom marketing plans. API is also home to Angus Media’s unique range of print, television and digital programs, including the trusted Angus Journal, the commercial cattleman’s Angus Beef Bulletin, weekly The Angus Report on RFD-TV and the popular documentary series I Am Angus.
“The Angus breed has given my family so much over the years, and now it’s my time to give back,” Cozzitorto says. “With the incredible team assembled at API, we will be able to offer our members the best marketing options for their operations — and help keep them in business for generations to come.”
A graduate of Texas A&M University, Cozzitorto earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science and industry with a focus on business and marketing. His passion for Angus cattle has continued through the years, and he and his family have continued to be involved in the American Angus Association on many levels.
His wife, Melissa, is active in the American Angus Auxiliary and the Kansas Angus Auxiliary. Their daughter, Alexandria, is the current Kansas Angus Queen and has gained much experience through the National Junior Angus Association. The Cozzitortos manage an Angus herd on their farm near Lawrence, Kan.
For more information from API and the American Angus Association, visit www.angus.org.
New FMD Rapid-diagnostic Kit
Licensed for Use in U.S. Livestock
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T) announced June 19 the licensing of a rapid-response (three-hour) foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) diagnostic kit by the USDA Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB).
Developed by a large research consortium of federal agencies, academia and animal health industry scientists, this is the first licensed FMD diagnostic kit that can be manufactured on the U.S. mainland, critical for a rapid response in the event of an FMD outbreak. This diagnostic kit provides animal health first responders with an important tool to mitigate the potentially catastrophic economic and animal-welfare impacts of an FMD outbreak.
This high-performance test can be used for cattle, swine and sheep, and will be commercialized and sold by Veterinary Medical Research and Development Inc. (VMRD), a U.S. manufacturer of veterinary diagnostics.
“This assay will be a pivotal tool for U.S. emergency preparedness and response and for ensuring the resiliency of U.S. animal agriculture, a critical infrastructure,” said Acting DHS Undersecretary William Bryan.
To read the full release, click here.
Delayed Hay Harvest Calls for Testing
This year’s delayed hay harvest calls for hay testing. University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist Anthony Ohmes says farmers benefit from routine hay testing.
Hay quality varies based on forage species, maturity, management, harvest conditions, and insect or disease damage. Guessing the quality of hay fed to livestock could result in lower profits, Ohmes says. Knowing the hay’s nutrient value can help livestock owners decide if animals need supplements.
Ohmes suggests that farmers sample each lot separately. A lot comes from the same field and forage makeup, and is grown and harvested under the same environmental conditions. “Every field and cutting will be different,” Ohmes says.
Use a 12- to 24-inch hay probe, he says. It should be 3/8 to 5/8 of an inch in diameter. Do not grab or hand pull samples. Samples collected that way do not provide uniform results and could lead to misleading values.
Sample multiple bales out of a hay lot. The lot should represent at least 10%, or at least 15 random bales.
The sampling method varies for each bale type. On large round bales, take samples on the curved side of the bale and remove the outer layer if moldy. Avoid sampling from the outside of the bale. On large square bales, take samples at a 45° angle on the side of the bale or 90° angle on the end of the bale. Sample small square bales through the center and end.
For more information, read the full article here.
Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Carried Diseases
on the Rise in Ohio
A steadily rising number of Lyme disease cases are being reported in Ohio transmitted by a tick that can be as small as a poppy seed.
Every year since 2010, when Ohio’s first population of blacklegged deer ticks was discovered in Coshocton County, the number of people infected with Lyme disease has increased. Last year’s statewide total of 160 human cases of the disease is more than three and a half times the 2010 total.
Besides the increase in Lyme disease, more Ohioans are also reporting cases of other tick-related diseases, leading to concern about tick populations that used to be rare in the state.
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.