News Update
April 3, 2018
Enroll in MaternalPlus
and Get Rewarded
The American Angus Association is now offering a cash-back incentive for members enrolled in the MaternalPlus® program. Members will receive an introductory 5% cash-back rebate on Association fees on their first re-enrollment and an additional 2.5% cash-back every subsequent year they re-enroll.
“At the Association, we understand that our members’ time is valuable,” said Kelli Retallick, genetic service director at Angus Genetics Inc. (AGI) “We want to reward members who take time out of their busy lives to be a part of the program and build a database. The Angus breed was determined to be a maternal trait leader. We want to reaffirm that and make sure the Angus cow remains the queen of the beef industry.”
The American Angus Association and AGI are working hard to create a comprehensive database to serve as the foundation for a cow longevity or stayability-type selection tool, but first, more data need to be collected to make sure the sample size accurately represents the Angus breed.
“The MaternalPlus program is strategically designed for our Association to collect performance data from our membership to allow us to predict a stayability-type EPD (expected progeny difference),” said Jerry Cassady, Association member services director.
Read the full Angus news release online.
New Angus Journal Digital Edition Format Unveiled
The Angus Journal redesign has extended to a new format for the digital edition, and it’s now available to subscribers through their AAA Login. The new flipbook format will provide a better reading experience online for the new Angus Journal. A print subscription gives you complementary access to the digital edition, which is available before the magazine hits your mailbox and includes digital add-ons such as videos and extended photo galleries, or digital-only subscriptions also are available.
“We are excited about the continual changes at Angus Media and are continuing to look forward to the future,” said Rick Cozzitorto, Angus Media president. “The new digital edition of the Angus Journal is one more way we are working to better serve the membership and subscribers.”
The monthly publication contains more pages of quality editorial and breeder advertising than any publication in the industry. With more than 13,000 paid subscribers, it’s the primary source on the latest in beef cattle herd management, genetics, research and technology.
If you are a member, you can access the April Angus Journal issue by logging in at angusonline.org.
Continue reading this Angus news release online.
Prospective Plantings
Prospective plantings was released by USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) on Thursday, March 29, 2018, articulating the intentions of crop farmers planting principle crops. Futures prices reacted to U.S. corn acres coming in at 88.0 million acres, and soybeans at 89.0 million acres. These figures were considerably lower than trade analyst’s prereport estimates.
December corn futures closed 14¢ per bushel (bu.) higher on lower corn acres and September soybean futures moved 30¢ higher per bu. Prospective plantings showed overall lower principle crop acres, down 1.2 million acres. Corn and soybean acres are expected to decline broadly across many states both in the Midwest and other parts of the country. In the South, acres are expected to shift to cotton, which nationally is expected to gain 858,000 acres. Spring wheat is also taking a few acres, up 2.9% nationally.
Planting intentions wasn’t the only piece of new news to be had on Thursday. The quarterly Grain Stocks report was also released by USDA NASS and showed much higher stocks that last year for corn and beans. Corn stocks grew 3% or 266 million bu. compared to March 1, 2017, and was outside the upper range of pre-report estimates.
View the full report online at www.dailylivestockreport.com.
K-State ASI To Host Open House Activities April 7
The Kansas State University (K-State) all-campus open house will take place April 7 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, including the Food Science Institute, has several activities planned for the event.
The annual K-State Meat Science barbecue contest and Little American Royal (LAR) contest will take place at Weber Hall. The public is welcome to join the barbecue contestants for lunch at noon and then watch the LAR showmanship contest, which begins at 12:30 p.m. in Weber Arena.
Food Science Club will host the following activities in Call Hall 156.
- Product development — participants will learn about a food product that has been produced by K-State Food Science students. Strawberry jam will also be sold.
- Cornstarch slime — participants will create cornstarch slime and learn about colloid systems.
- Hand washing with glow germ — participants will see the differences between cleaning their hands with soap and hand sanitizer.
- Trail mix — participants will have the opportunity to make their own food product with various trail-mix items.
For more information please view the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events.
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