The 2005 Texas A&M University Beef Cattle Short Course concluded Wednesday. Any comments about the blog entries and material from the Beef Short Course can be directed to b-fannin@tamu.edu.
-BLAIR FANNIN
b-fannin@tamu.edu
August 2005 Archives
Dr. Ron Gill, Extension beef cattle specialist, moderated this morning's beef cattle health workshop.
Gill stressed biosecurity has always been an issue. He urged ranchers to be vigilant in preventing disease from spreading through an operation after purchasing cattle.
"Normally if you get (a disease) introduced (in a herd), you have to deal with it from then on," he said.
Gill said it's critical ranchers quarantine recently purchased cattle until they clear health tests.
"It's just a common sense thing to do," he said.
A quarantine of 21 to 30 days will allow enough time "to make sure you've done all tests on them and make sure everything is all right."
-BLAIR FANNIN
b-fannin@tamu.edu
About half of the approximately 1,400 people attending this year's short course have attended before, said Dr. Larry Boleman, assistant vice chancellor at Texas A&M University and conference coordinator.
About 1 percent to 2 percent of the total travel to the short course from other countries, and 3 percent to 4 percent come from other states.
Only 10 percent of the attendees make their living solely from livestock, he said. The conference also brings in people who make their living as engineers and physicians - among other occupations - who raise cattle as a sideline.
One of the best parts of the short course is the trade show, he said, and this year's short course has 104 exhibitors on the inside of Rudder Tower and 10 exhibiting equipment, pens, and livestock outside.
The educational experience the participants have goes a long way, Boleman said. The attendees will go home and tell their neighbors about what they learned.
"They're considered leaders in their neighborhoods," he said.
And the Beef Cattle Short Course is the largest of its kind in the nation, he added.
-EDITH CHENAULT
e-chenault1@tamu.edu
Hamish Munro, and his wife, Eve, were attending this week's short course from Cumnock, New South Wales, Australia. He is attending on a Young People in Rural Industries scholarship from the Astralian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
He said while the National Animal Identification Program may be causing heartburn among cattle producers in the United States, if everyone worked together, "the small bugs could be worked out," he said. Benefits exist "at the end of the tunnel," he said.
Hamish and his countrymen have already been through this: a national identification program was first proposed in Australia in 1999, and as of July 1, all cattle have to be tagged at the point of sale. Austalia exports about 90 percent of its cattle.
Hamish, who is a fifth generation cattle producer, buys calves from cow/calf producers and then fattens them on mostly alfalfa pastures to about 1,270 pounds. When the program was first proposed, he had just graduated from an Australian university, and he saw a chance to add value to the cattle he was selling.
He and his family bought a software program that allows them to keep all of their records, including records of vaccinations and all buyer transactions.
The identification program allows ranchers to show buyers traceability and hormone-free status required by the European Union, their primary market.
EDITH CHENAULT
e-chenault1@tamu.edu
9:30 a.m.
Today's general session features a genetic symposium:
"The New Millennia: The Advent of Genetic Markers, DNA Tests and Incorporating Marker Assisted Selection Into Your Operation".
Producing superior beef now incorporates the use of DNA and other genetic science into herd breeding programs. Dr. Joe Paschal, Extension livestock specialist, is one of the headline speakers and will discuss commercially available genetic tests and markers.
-BLAIR FANNIN
b-fannin@tamu.edu
3:30 p.m.
Dr. Ted McCollum, Extension beef cattle specialist in Amarillo, led off the afternoon's session on "Improving Profit with Animal Identification."
McCollum said it's important to distinguish what the animal identification system is.
"The National Animal Identification System is focused on animal tracking and disease control."
He said a national plan had been in the beginning stages long before the first discovery of mad cow disease in December 2003. McCollum also noted the system is not just for beef cattle, but for other livestock, including swine and poultry.
The national system won't be fully implmented until 2008, but McCollum urged ranchers to register with the Texas Animal Health Commission for a premise identification number.
11:15 a.m.
Dr. Dan Hale, Extension meats specialist, gave an interactive video tour of both a feedyard and packing facility. More than 250 attended the Basic Ranch Management session.
A show of hands throughout the room indicated many had never visited either type of facility.
Steak from the Outback
Outback Steakhouse buys 80 percent of its beef from Cargill and another 20 percent from Tyson. All cuts are done at the plant and shipped in a box.
Implants
Ever wondered why implants are placed in a steer's ear? Hale explained the implants are placed in the ear since they are so close to a number of glands. Also, retention is higher when placed in the ear. The hormones in the implant help produce proteins, rather than fat. Hale said using implants is another method to add value to a calf.
After viewing Hale's session this morning, he said he hoped the participants now see themselves as "producers of food" rather than producers of calves.
-BLAIR FANNIN
b-fannin@tamu.edu
11:15 a.m.
More than 1,200 people pre-registered for this year's Beef Cattle Short Course. Dr. Jason Cleere, beef cattle specialist and event coordinator, said about 1,000 people had already shown up by Monday morning. That's up a little from previous years. More than 100 organizations and vendors had set up booths in the trade show as well, Cleere said.
"The Beef Cattle Short Course is shaping up really well this year," Cleere said.
He attributed the higher numbers to all of the advance publicity and excitement among beef producers.
"I think optimism is high this year. Prices are good, people are excited. When optimism is high, we see higher numbers as well," he said.
What's the major topic of conversation among ranchers this year? Rain, or lack of rain, Cleere said.
Edith Chenault
e-chenault1@tamu.edu
8:30 a.m.
More than 1,200 are expected to take part in this year's Beef Short Course. This morning's Basic Ranch Management session is a full house. More than 200 are listening to Dr. Dan Hale, Extension meat specialist, explain how calves move through the supply chain - from pasture to plate. Comments are open today. Anyone with a comment or question, click on the comment link or send an e-mail to the address listed.
-BLAIR FANNIN
b-fannin@tamu.edu
