On the Front Lines of Controversy:
OX assists study of wolf-livestock interactions.
As wolf populations have grown in the northern Rocky Mountains, including in Idaho, incidents of wolf predation on cattle and sheep have increased.
Rough tallies are annually made on livestock death and injury losses caused by wolf predation, but little is known about the indirect effects of wolf-livestock interactions on cattle production.
Casey and Cindy Anderson helped collect data and gather facts about the wolf presence on the OX for a research project* carried out in western Idaho-northeastern Oregon on how cattle work the country with and without the presence of wolves. Read more.
Bryce Schumann
Association Perspective
Long-range initiative starts with you.
Beginning this month, the American Angus Association will begin gathering input from members, their customers and other industry stakeholders in an effort to develop long-range strategies.
While Association statistics show a very positive fiscal year (FY) in 2010 — with $2.5 million in the black and growth in several areas, including registrations, sale averages and AngusSource® enrollments — the purpose of this long-range strategy is to continue that success and our breed's relevance into the future. Read more.
So, What Do You Think?
The American Angus Association seeks your input as it begins a long-range planning initiative.
The American Angus Association Board of Directors is reaching out to producers to seek their input as it launches a long-range planning initiative to identify and assess the needs of members and their customers.
Association President Joe Hampton says the organization will seek member input through a variety of methods, including speaking with members at different functions and gathering input through an initial nine-question survey available online and as an insert in the January and February editions of the Angus Journal and the January Angus Beef Bulletin.
Read more.
Go directly to survey.
'Tweet Up' in Denver Feb. 3
Angus organizations to host a gathering for 'tweeps' and others.
If you're a cattle rancher who uses Twitter, you won't want to miss a special gathering Feb. 3 during the 2011 Cattle Industry Annual Convention in Denver, Colo. The American Angus Association (@AngusAssoc), Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB, @BlackInkBasics) and Angus Productions Inc. (API, @ABBeditor) will host a "tweet up" for Twitter followers and others who'd like to learn more about communicating via social media.
The gathering is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 3, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., at the Angus booths during the "Colorful Colorado Wine Tasting Reception" in the NCBA Trade Show.
Anyone who uses Twitter is invited to attend the "tweet up" for discussions about the convention and other current issues affecting the beef industry; just look for the Angus balloon.
You can follow the Association, CAB and API's Angus Beef Bulletin using the Twitter handles @AngusAssoc, @BlackInkBasics and @ABBeditor, respectively. Tweeps following coverage of the 2011 Cattle Industry Annual Convention and Trade Show can use the hashtag: #NCBA11. For more information, contact Crystal Young or CAB's Laura Nelson.
And don't forget to follow API's online coverage of the event in the newsroom at www.4cattlemen.com.
Groups React to Wilderness Order
Secretarial order may jeopardize livestock grazing on BLM lands.
The Public Lands Council (PLC), National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA), the American Sheep Industry Association and 20 other livestock groups Jan. 18 sent a letter to Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar expressing concerns regarding the Secretarial Order 3310 (the Order), issued Dec. 23, 2010, titled, "Protecting Wilderness Characteristics on Lands Managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)."
The Order directs the BLM to designate areas with wilderness characteristics under its jurisdiction as "Wild Lands" and to manage them to protect their wilderness values. According to the letter, the organizations that signed represent an industry that accounts for 18,000 grazing permits on 157 million BLM acres. PLC Executive Director and NCBA Director of Federal Lands Dustin Van Liew said shifting the focus from multiple uses to management for wilderness characteristics presents a threat to activities such as livestock grazing. Read more.
Ranchers, Public Lands Users Get Voice
Ninth Circuit ruling restores ranchers' voice in environmental lawsuits.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Jan. 14 abandoned the "None but a Federal Defendant" rule that for more than 20 years has prevented anyone but a federal agency from defending cases brought under the Administrative Procedures Act (APA) that allege violations of the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) and other environmental laws. Public Lands Council (PLC) Executive Director and National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) Director of Federal Lands Dustin Van Liew said the decision is a major victory for livestock ranchers and other public lands users. Read more.
What’s Inside …
In this January edition of the Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA, you'll find valuable articles devoted to the management, marketing, and health and nutrition of your beef enterprise. Select from the tabs at the top of the page to access this month's entire offering by category. A few select features include:
• The Corn Supply Continues to Tighten
• The Future of Beef, Cows and Grass
• Lessons from 50 Years of Ranching
• Are RFI, Tenderness Connected?
• Tips for Using Calf Warming Boxes
News Briefs …
The American Angus Association and its subsidiaries generate a wealth of information to keep members and affiliates informed of what's happening within the industry as well as with the programs and services they offer. Click here for easy access to the newsrooms of the American Angus Association and Certified Angus Beef LLC and the Angus e-List archive.
New Beef Position to Focus on Animal Care, Food Safety and Profitability
A newly created position in Ohio State University (OSU) Extension will address animal welfare, beef management and production, and preharvest food safety for Ohioans.
"Animal care and food safety are key issues for Ohio farmers and consumers alike. This position will help promote practices recommended by the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board," said Keith Smith, associate vice president for agricultural administration and director of OSU Extension. Read more.
Farmers Can Prevent Hearing Loss, Skin Cancer
For farmers and ranchers, exposure to loud equipment and long days in the sun are part of the job, but the hearing loss and skin cancer that can result are preventable, Carolyn Sheridan, rural nurse and clinical director for Agri-Safe Network, told attendees of the 92nd Annual Meeting of the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF).
The equipment and tools farmers use, often for long stints, are noisy. And the animals, such as pigs, certainly aren't quiet. Producers may think they've simply gotten used to the noise, but they're really not hearing it. Read more.
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