Ginette Gottswiller
The Source
New programs soon to be released from Commercial Programs Department.
“Hey poop scoop, you got another one!” yelled my mom. It was a hot day, and you could see the steam rising off those black-and-white cows. I didn’t want to go back in that darn hot barn for another pile. My shovel was still kind of heavy, because I didn’t clean if off very well in the spreader. Why did I always have to scoop the poop?
My parents told me it would build character and that I would thank them one day.
“Fat chance,” I thought to myself.
You know what? They were right.
I learned to keep chugging along no matter what, and perseverance paid off. Though I’m not working in a hot barn, I’m still grumbling to myself because I can’t seem to make fast enough progress getting the additional process-verified program (PVP) claims added to AngusSource®. It takes perseverance to get paperwork and approvals. It’s like getting the last eight head to go in the barn. I can finally see the end in sight. Hopefully by the end of June, producers will have more options under the AngusSource PVP.
We are adding non-hormone treated cattle (NHTC), AngusSource Never Ever 3 (AS-NE3), AngusSource Cattle Care and Handling (AS-CCH), and AngusSource Calf Management (AS-CM).
If you have called in and spoken with Sarah or Dalon lately, I’ll bet they have told you about the upcoming changes. We are pretty excited to offer additional verification options to producers who want to add value to their feeder calves at market time. Needless to say, the American Angus Association is committed to helping ranchers obtain the best value for their dollar. The prices for these programs are very competitive, and now you can work with AngusSource for all of your verification needs.
There’s more
AngusSource is not the only program to add new features. Angus Link™ is the new feeder-calf program that will debut later this summer. Producers will be able to enroll their calves in AngusSource and Angus Link to get the most information possible to potential buyers, more than ever before.
It doesn’t stop there, either. The American Angus Association is in the process of building the most comprehensive mobile recordkeeping app available to cattle producers. Commercial producers will be able to use the Angus Black Book mobile app to keep every record needed to stay profitable in the cow-calf sector. It will let multiple users access as much or as little data as the ranch administrator will allow.
I have two favorite features:
- 1. All the animals can be put in pastures; and
- 2. It works off-line and once you get back into range, it syncs with the cloud. No more keeping three different calving books. Everyone on our place will know what cow calved and who needs to be tagged. Start watching the app store for the Angus Black Book mobile app in early August 2018.
It has been a busy six months, but I think you will be pretty darn excited about the changes and additions going on in the Commercial Programs Department at the American Angus Association. We are getting down to the final stretch, and I can finally see the end in sight. Perseverance pays off!
Editor's Note: Ginette Gottswiller is the director of commercial programs for the American Angus Association.