News Update
November 15, 2017
Angus Convention Gives Away
More Than $100,000 in Grand Prizes
The grand prize giveaway during the 2017 Angus Convention packed the stands with hopefuls. A gleaming black Caterpillar 289 Compact Track Loader with a silver Angus decal, and a Priefert and Tru-Test Complete Cattle Handling System sat front and center of the arena. More than1,500 convention attendees entered for their chance to take home the prizes, but only two won big.
David Lutchka of Grass Lake, Mich., took home the cattle-handling system, valued at $27,000.
“I’ve never had this happen to me before,” Lutchka said. “When I found out I was a winner, the only thing I could think was ‘holy cow.’ This thing will add to the operation by removing the wooden alleyway that we have. It’ll make it safer, a little more efficient.”
The cattle-handling system, donated by Priefert and Tru-Test, is designed for about 35 head. The corral features a solid sweep with a straight working alley, adjustable to one of four widths, leading to a Priefert Model S04 Squeeze Chute. The Tru-Test XR5000 Indicator, HD1010 load bars, scale mounting brackets and XRS2 EID stick reader are all part of the package and capture a wide range of animal information.
Continue reading this Angus news release online.
Farm Bureau Seeks Full Withdrawal of
Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices Rule
Regarding the Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices Rule, American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) President Zippy Duvall said:
“The American Farm Bureau thanks Secretary Perdue for delaying the Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices Rule. The health and well-being of livestock is a top priority for all farmers and ranchers. We work with a host of specialists, from animal scientists to nutritionists, to manage our farms in the best manner possible to ensure wholesome, healthy food. This rule, on the other hand, has been about pushing an agenda rather than advancing food safety or animal welfare. Animal welfare metrics do not meet the original intent of the Organic Production Act.
“Organic farmers and ranchers would be forced out of the organic sector or out of business entirely if this rule goes into effect and forces them to arbitrarily change their production practices. We hope that as the Agriculture Department reviews this rule, it will conclude, as we have, that the rule is an act of federal overreach and should be withdrawn.”
National Beef Quality Audit: Part Two
Newly released audit data about market cows and bulls suggests the industry has made significant improvements in several areas, including herd management techniques, animal welfare and handling, hide damage, injection-site location, and bruises.
In all cattle types surveyed, the vast majority of cattle walked normally into the packing facility with no apparent lameness. There has been a trend toward increased body condition scores in beef and dairy cows since 2007, the research showed, while body condition has stayed relatively constant for the bull population. Meanwhile, about 98% of cattle surveyed had no visible swellings resulting from an injection of animal health products, and incidence of injection-site lesions in the round have dropped considerably since 1998.
While identification of bruising in the 1999 National Cow and Bull Beef Quality Audit helped lead to significant industry improvements in bruise reduction from 1999 to 2007, there is still an opportunity to decrease the prevalence of carcass bruising. In addition, greater attention to the size and location of brands could reduce lost opportunities in hide value.
Learn more in the full Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA article online.
Congressional Tax Plans Jeopardize
the Farm Safety Net, CBO Analysis Says
Amidst the steepest drop in farm profitability in a generation, U.S. Congressional leadership is proposing tax reform legislation that would jeopardize all funding for farm bill commodity safety net programs.
The two tax bills being considered in both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives would add $1.5 trillion to the federal deficit. According to new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analysis of the bills, that $1.5 trillion deficit increase would need to be offset by eliminating all funding for vital farm programs such as Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC), among other mandatory federal spending programs.
“If Congress passes legislation that increases the deficit, they will subsequently be forced to cut federal spending. In the case of the tax bill, current law could require 100% sequestration of all commodity program payments and other farm bill programs,” said National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson. “Tax cuts for the highest income brackets should absolutely not come at the expense of programs that protect our nation’s family farmers and ranchers.”
For more information, read the full NFU news release online.
There’s Money for That
Do you operate a farm or ranch and want to make improvements to your land? Do you want to design a plan for pasture fencing or stock water development to improve grazing management? Maybe you need a strategy for control of invasive plant species. Or, perhaps you want to implement practices or projects to enhance wildlife habitat.
Agricultural producers interested in conserving natural resources can seek advice from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency within the USDA. Since 1935, the primary service of the NRCS (originally known as the Soil Conservation Service) has been to provide technical assistance to private landowners and managers. Trained agency personnel will apply their expertise to the development of customized conservation plans and resource management systems. The assistance is free to the producer.
With funding authorized through the federal farm bill, the NRCS also provides financial assistance to implement approved projects that benefit both agricultural producers and the environment. When there is existing or potential for degradation of soil, water, air, plant or animal resources, to the extent the sustainability or intended use of those resources is impaired, the NRCS can help tailor a remedy and can, in many cases, help pay for it.
Keep reading this Angus Journal article online.
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.