News Update
October 30, 2017
Special Offer for TSU Applicators
Producers who order at least 200 Tissue Sampling Units (TSUs) will receive a free TSU Applicator, valued at $45. The offer will be available for 90 days and will end Jan. 30, 2018.
TSUs can be purchased in boxes of 10 or as part of an ear tag set that includes a TSU. TSUs and applicators are available to purchase from the American Angus Association through www.customcattletags.com or by calling the Association at 816-383-5100.
“This special offer is a great way to try implementing TSUs as a DNA sampling method,” said Ginette Gottswiller, director of commercial services. “Not only is it a fast and effective DNA collection method but it also gives you the ability to match the TSU with a visual ID or electronic ID, so you can easily tie your individual animal to the uniquely identified tissue sample.”
Angus Genetics Inc.® (AGI) began accepting TSUs as a DNA sample type for seedstock producers seeking genetic testing in early October. A TSU collects an ear punch from the animal, replacing tail hair, blood and semen sample types used for DNA testing. Similar to tagging an animal, the TSU has an applicator gun to collect the ear punch in an uncontaminated container.
Continue reading this Angus news release online.
Ensuring Bull Fertility
Much of a cow herd’s genetic potential lies with its herd sires, making bull fertility a vital component of an operation’s breeding program. John Kastelic, professor of animal reproduction and head of the Department of Production Animal Health at the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, explained the importance of producing and selecting healthy bulls at the Applied Reproductive Strategies in Beef Cattle (ARSBC) symposium Aug. 30.
Nutrition until 25-30 weeks of age can ultimately determine the reproductive health of a bull, Kastelic said. If bulls are fed at a moderate level up to 30 weeks of age, it not only optimizes the growth of the bull, but also his reproductive potential, he said.
“On the other hand,” he continued, “if we underfeed bulls prior to 25-30 weeks, we cause a permanent decrease in the size of the testes and, to some extent, delayed puberty.”
Overfeeding bulls after 25-30 weeks of age can cause reductions in semen quality and fertility, as well as other health issues.
For more information, read this Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA article online.
Cut Costs with Stockpiled Forages
Stockpiled forages and winter annuals can reduce the need for and cost of hay and other supplemental feed for beef cattle producers in regions with adequate annual rainfall, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert.
Jason Banta, AgriLife Extension beef cattle specialist in Overton, said producers can reduce the need for hay and supplements by providing stockpiled forage mid-November through December and winter annuals October through May.
“If they choose these options, we want them to know how to best utilize them,” Banta said.
For stockpiled Bermuda grass and Bahia grass, producers should bale the field for hay or graze the pasture down to 3-6 inches tall in the first part of September each year. Then fertilize and allow growth until the first frost, which is typically by mid-November in East Texas, Banta said. After the frost, the forage can be utilized until the first part of January.
“Utilizing stockpiled forage helps us avoid feeding hay for four to six weeks potentially,” he said.
Banta said producers should strip-graze the pasture by using electric fencing to restrict cows’ access to the forage if possible.
Learn more in the full Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA article online.
Completed Circle
Gordon Stucky says he has “always been a huge supporter” of the Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) brand. Two terms as an American Angus Association board member, culminating as president in 2014, galvanized that into a passion for the Kingman, Kan., rancher.
“I’ve always thought, we need each other,” he says. “I need their marketing, and they need me out here in production. Serving on the board with all the travel, people and the special meetings in Wooster, Ohio, helped me see what a perfect fit this brand is for what we’re doing on the ranch.”
That service began in 2006, just as CAB developed its “Targeting the Brand” logo, which would come to feature prominently in Stucky’s bull sale book by the time his second board term began in 2011. More than a statement of support, it was a selection aid for customers, because the logo was placed next to each bull that met CAB recommendations.
In fact, 2011 was a watershed year for the growing relationship between Stucky Ranch and CAB.
Read this Angus Journal article online.
Pain-control Drug Approved
Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the approval of a pain medication for use in cattle. Manufactured by Intervet/Merck Animal Health, Banamine Transdermal (flunixin transdermal solution) is the first drug approved in the United States for controlling pain in food-producing animals.
Now, a good many cattle producers may be familiar with Banamine or other trade names under which flunixin is produced. Such products have been available in the United States for use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian for the treatment of cattle. FDA approved uses for flunixin injectable solution, administered intravenously (IV), include control of pyrexia (fever) associated with bovine respiratory disease (BRD), endotoxemia and bovine mastitis.
What’s new is that Banamine Transdermal is approved for controlling pain — specifically the pain associated with footrot — as well as for controlling pyrexia associated with BRD. Previously, there were no approved drugs in the United States for relieving the pain of footrot or any other food animal ailment.
Also new is the method of administration. Banamine Transdermal is applied topically and absorbed through the skin, similar to pour-on formulations for controlling parasites.
Keep reading this Angus Journal article online.
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