09-07-11 A Letter to USDA Ag Sec Vilsack from the Cattle Identification Group (CIDG)

September 7, 2011

The Honorable Tom Vilsack

Secretary

U. S. Department of Agriculture

1400 Independence Ave., S.W.

Washington, D. C. 20250

Dear Mr. Secretary:

The Cattle Identification Group (CIDG) was formed a couple of years ago to provide input into the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) development of an Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) framework and plan for the identification and traceability of cattle moving interstate.  The participating members of the CIDG represent all classes of cattle and segments of the cattle industry with membership spanning the length and breadth of this country. 

09-07-11 Gelbvieh Adds Value When Feeding Cattle

Feeder calves with Continental breed influence and the potential to hit the mark on Quality and Yield Grades are in demand at feeder calf markets across the country. The added pounds of carcass produced are adding dollars to the cattle feeder’s pockets.

“A bull that sires 20 head of the heavier-finishing steers each year has created $1,148 in additional progeny value versus another bull that sires the lighter-finishing steers,” says Tom Brink, JBS/Five Rivers Cattle Feeding, the largest fed cattle marketer in the world. The feeder wants the added carcass weight that Gelbvieh and Balancer® genetics bring to the equation.

Recent feeder cattle auctions show demand from feeders for Gelbvieh-influenced SmartCross® genetics. Cedar Top Ranch from Nebraska sold 800 pound steers for $147.50. Bedke K Savy Ranch from Idaho sold 490 pound steer calves at $156.00 and 580 pound steers at $140.00. Owl Mountain Ranch located in Colorado received $150.00 for steers weighing 475 pounds. DMD Livestock from Nebraska reached $142.00 on steers weighing 740 pounds. Reiber Ranch out of Montana got a price of $135.00 for 690 pound steers. The Buckingham Cattlemen’s Association in Virginia sold Gelbvieh/Balancer SmartCross steer calves weighing 540 pounds at $147.50 and 580 pound steers for $146.00 in their recent August Tel-O-Auction.

09-07-11 CO Gov Hickenlooper signs Executive Order to continue No Kid Hungry Colorado Campaign

DENVER ­— Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011 — Gov. John Hickenlooper today signed an executive order to continue the No Kid Hungry Colorado campaign (formerly the Colorado Campaign to End Childhood Hunger by 2015) at a Hunger Free Colorado event.

The campaign, initiated by former Gov. Bill Ritter and Lt. Gov. Barbara O’Brien in 2009, works to increase the number of children receiving nutritious meals in school breakfast and summer lunch programs while developing a comprehensive plan to end childhood hunger in Colorado by 2015.

“Many families have been hit hard by the economic downturn,” Hickenlooper said. “School breakfast programs help ensure children have access to nutritious foods so they can study hard in school, grow strong and lead active lives. The No Kid Hungry Colorado campaign is making certain those who falls on hard times know about these programs and that no child in Colorado goes hungry.”

The campaign is a partnership between the Office of the Governor, Share Our Strength and Hunger Free Colorado. Together, these leaders are committed to ending childhood hunger in Colorado by removing the roadblocks to existing programs so that Colorado’s children get the food they need.

For more information about the campaign, visit www.hungerfreecolorado.org and www.strength.org.

B 2011-003

EXECUTIVE ORDER

Get ready for CSU Ag Day on September 10th…History of CSU Ag Day: From Beef Cookout to Signature Event

CLICK HERE for more information

(The BARN – Briggsdale, CO) Joining me by telephone is Dr Dennis Lamm, CSU State PDP Coordinator and the director of CSU AgDay. This year AgDay is celebrating it’s 30th Anniversary, in an effort to raise awareness about Colorado’s Agriculture & the research that contributes to it’s success @ CSU. Not to mention, CSU AgDay raises money for scholarships too. Learn more about CSU & Dr Dennis Lamm by listening to the interview…

090711_CSUAgDay30th_DrDennisLamm_12m35s 

Find out who the 2011-12 CSU AgDay Scholarship Recipients are - CLICK HERE

FOR TICKET INFORMATION – CLICK HERE

LEARN MORE ABOUT CSU AgDay – CLICK HERE

Check out CSU AgDay on Facebook too – CLICK HERE

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August 30th – FORT COLLINS - Ag Day, a Colorado State University trademark event that celebrates the state’s agricultural industry and the bounty of food it provides, began as a small beef barbecue launched by CSU athletics legend Thurman “Fum” McGraw.

The event, marking its 30th anniversary on Sept. 10, has grown dramatically through the years and now annually draws some 3,500 people for a football-day feast of Colorado-grown food. Ag Day showcases many commodities that have blossomed in Colorado with knowledge gained from CSU research.

Even more, Ag Day proceeds provide critical funding for scholarships granted to deserving students in the College of Agricultural Sciences. Each year, the event typically funds between 12 and 15 student scholarships amounting to $2,000 each, said Dennis Lamm, event coordinator.

In just one sign of Ag Day’s stature, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper proclaimed Sept. 10 “CSU Ag Day” in the state of Colorado. The official proclamation reads, in part, “CSU and its partners continue to help ensure a positive future for Colorado’s agricultural industry – an industry that plays a vital role in our state’s economy.”

On its 30th anniversary, Ag Day is scheduled 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Sept. 10, and precedes the home-opener football game pitting the CSU Rams and the University of Northern Colorado Bears. The event will offer a bountiful meal and a variety of entertainment and activities, including a brief program that includes Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture John Salazar and recognizes people who have contributed to Ag Day’s success through the years.

09-07-11 Feed A Horse Like A Horse… All Night Long: Dr Getty explains why

CLICK HERE to listen to Dr Getty on this month's edition of the Getty Equine Nutrition Corner inside the BARN...

True or false? Horses don’t need as much hay during the night because they sleep. False, and dangerous. Equine nutrition expert Dr. Juliet Getty frequently has to bust this myth. Believe the facts:

·         Horses are awake and moving most of the time.

·         Mature horses will sleep up to two hours per day, broken into short periods.

·         These 15 to 20 minute naps are intermittent throughout the day and night.

In other words, horses do not sleep for long periods of time the way humans and some other animals do. Being prey animals, horses must get their sleep in frequent breaks of short duration, ideally in a group situation where some take turns resting while others remain alert for dangers.

One more fact to keep in mind:

·         The horse’s digestion is designed to process food continuously.

Horses are trickle feeders, designed to graze continuously to keep the digestive system functioning normally, thereby preventing ulcers and colic. Feeding them in sync with their natural instincts and physiology requires that they have forage available any time they want it. And that means 24/7.

The solution is simple: Feed enough hay at night to make certain there is some left over in the morning. If your horse runs out of hay and you wake to find him kicking and pawing, he is hungry. But even if he seems to be waiting patiently, he is in discomfort or outright pain due to the acid bathing his empty stomach. Certainly, he is also mentally stressed; this stress can lead to a multitude of health problems (including, ironically, persistent overweight).

09-07-11 Fendt “Build and Quote” Website Makes Choosing and Pricing New Tractors Faster and Easier

The Fendt® “Build and Quote” website http://www.buildandquote.fendt.com lets producers configure and price new tractors from the comfort of home.

DULUTH, Ga. (Sept. 7, 2011) — Farmers shopping for new tractors from Fendt^® can easily configure, price and compare the newest equipment right from their home office using the new Fendt “Build and Quote” website found athttp://buildandquote.fendt.com/. The newly launched online tool simplifies the initial shopping process by allowing farmers to sort through available equipment options and design a tractor to fit the unique needs of their individual farming operations.

“The ‘Build and Quote’ equipment configuration tools we’ve created are user friendly and intuitive to use,” explains Tim Lyon, sales operations director at AGCO. “By using these tools to learn about the products available, farmers will be able to get a better understanding of the many features and options available and receive the list price online automatically. They can mix and match the various options before requesting a formal quote or before visiting the dealer to finalize the machine configuration.”

Create “Build” summary, request official “Quote”