July 7, 2021 | Vol. 14 : No. 6
Nearly 400 cattlemen, academia and industry affiliates gathered June 22-25 at the Des Moines Convention Center, Des Moines, Iowa, for the 2021 Beef Improvement Federation Research Symposium & Convention. The 2½-day event featured a full day of tours in addition to educational programming focused on beef cattle breeding and genetic improvement.
The American Angus Association recently named Kelli Retallick-Riley president of Angus Genetics Inc. With a lifetime of experience in the cattle business, Retallick-Riley will lead the company’s genetic evaluation technology and research programs.
With spring comes awareness of severe weather — plus the need to plan ahead — and this year is no exception, says Jan Steen, community vitality specialist with Kansas State University (K-State) Research and Extension.
“We have insurance on our crops, vehicles and homes should disaster strike, but how are we protecting our important data? Digital photos and videos, documents and spreadsheets can be gone in a blink of an eye in a tornado or flood,” says Steen.
With time, change occurs and advancements in the beef industry are made. Since the 1970s, carcass weights have increased on average of 6 pounds per year, 80% of cattle are grading Choice or higher, and the environmental footprint of beef production has been reduced — all with the goal of meeting consumer demand and increasing the value of beef.
Video sales in the West really take off in June. In the next three and a half months, feeder calves, yearling steers and heifers will be offered in 18 sales hosted throughout the Rocky Mountain region. It seems there is some uncertainty as to what prices might be. High corn prices, drought and $116 live cattle are just a few of the market factors causing the uncertainty in what the price of calves might be.
The sun rises earlier, the days are hotter, and the building along Frederick Avenue is home to a few new faces. The American Angus Association welcomed seven young Angus enthusiasts to the team as summer interns. Amanda Alvarenga, Carson Gilleland, Sarah Harris, Riley Reep, Jim Stickley, Bree Taylor and Jessica Wesson are out of college classes for the next few months, getting some real-world experience in Saint Joseph, Mo.
After a year of virtual events, the Certified Angus Beef®(CAB®) brand will host the 16th annual Feeding Quality Forum in Fort Collins, Colo., Aug. 24-25. Since 2006, commercial cattlemen, cattle feeders and industry partners have gathered to network and learn about the current state and future outlook of the beef industry. This is the first year CAB is offering in-person and virtual registration options.
