Caldwell County Agline

Below is a list of up coming beef cattle events that will be close to Caldwell County. More details will follow. If you have a specific question about an event listed below please email me at Seth_nagy@ncsu.edu.

December 18, 2009, 1 pm	Butner Performance Tested Bull Sale, Granville County Livestock Arena
January 6, 2010	Shelby Area Beef Conference
January 7, 2010	Statesville Area Beef Conference
January 9, 2010 9:30 am	Mountain Area Beef Conference, Haywood County Agricultural Center, Waynesville
January 9, 2010, 1 pm	Waynesville Performance Tested Bull Sale, Haywood County Agricultural Center, Waynesville.
January 10, 2010	NC Environmental Stewardship Award Nominations Due. Go to http://www.nccattle.com for nomination information and to view last year’s winning packet
January 19, 2010	NC Forage and Grasslands Council Winter Conference. “Efficiently managing diverse grazing resources” featuring Dr. Fred Provenza (Utah State University), Nashville, NC
January 20, 2010	NC Forage and Grasslands Council Winter Conference. “Efficiently managing diverse grazing resources” featuring Dr. Fred Provenza (Utah State University), Monroe, NC
January 21, 2010	NC Forage and Grasslands Council Winter Conference. “Efficiently managing diverse grazing resources” featuring Dr. Fred Provenza (Utah State University), Fletcher, NC
February 19 and 20, 2010	NC Cattlemen’s Conference.  Hickory, NC.  Cattlemen’s College on Heifer Development and Marketing Programs, 9 am to noon on February 19.
May 8, 2010	CEFS Spring Festival, Center for Environmental Farming Systems Small Farm Unit, Goldsboro.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced the approval of the EAZI-Breed CIDR Sheep Insert (progesterone solid matrix) for induction of estrus in ewes (sheep) during seasonal anestrus. This progesterone Controlled Intravaginal Drug Release (CIDR) is a steroid hormone that allows out-of-season breeding in sheep.

The data to support this approval were gathered in collaboration with the National Research Support Project\u20137 (NRSP-7), a USDA program intended to support the approval of new animal drugs for minor species of agricultural importance.

"Members of the U.S. sheep industry have long cited this type of product as their top priority need," said, Dr. Meg Oeller, Director, Center for Veterinary Medicine, Office of Minor Use and Minor Species Animal Drug Development.

EAZI-Breed CIDR Sheep Insert is manufactured by Pharmacia and Upjohn, a division of Pfizer, Inc., New York, NY.

Source: FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine News, 11.16.09 Read FOI FDA official approval

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced last week USDA's intention to purchase $50 million of pork. The Department will seek the lowest overall costs by surveying potential suppliers and publicly inviting bids to assure contracts are awarded to responsible bidders.

The pork purchase will help farmers greatly reduce their sow herd in a market where production costs continue to exceed market value.

Each year, USDA purchases a variety of high-quality food products to support the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, the Summer Food Service Program, the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program and The Emergency Food Assistance Program. USDA also makes emergency food purchases for distribution to victims of natural disasters.

Government food experts focus on ensuring all purchased food is healthy and nutritious. Food items normally are required to be low in fat, sugar and sodium. The commodities must meet specified grade requirements and be USDA-certified to ensure they meet government standards of quality. USDA purchases only commodities produced in America.

As of August 13, 2007, twenty-seven states had meat inspection programs for products produced and sold within their states. State meat inspection standards must be "at least equal to" federal standards.

Most state inspection programs duplicate USDA standards. Yet despite the equality in standards (with USDA), state-inspected meat may not sell in interstate commerce.

Recently, USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced it would publish proposed regulations to implement a new voluntary cooperative program under which selected state-inspected facilities would be eligible to ship meat and poultry products across state lines.

Currently the proposal is in a comment period. Comments must be received on or before Monday, November 16 through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov or by mail to FSIS Docket Room, USDA, FSIS, OPPD, Docket Clearance Unit, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Stop 5272, Beltsville, MD 20705. All comments must identify FSIS and the docket number FSIS-2008-0039.

The 58 bulls at the Butner Bull Test were weighed and ultrasounded on October 20, 2009. Bulls at Butner will be weighed off test November 16 & 17.  At that time the two weights and heights will be averaged together to get the final weight and height.  The breeding soundness exam will be performed on November 17.  Below are the minimum requirements for a bull to make the test.

1. Average Daily Gain on test ratio of 85 or above within breed.
2. Adjusted 365-day weight ratio of 93 or above within breed.
3. Minimum adjusted 365-day frame score of 5.0 or above.
4. Pass Scrotal Circumference minimum of 32cm.
5. Pass Breeding Soundness Exam.
6. Pass a screening committee evaluation for physical soundness.
7. Disposition.

The Butner Bull Sale will be December 18, 2009 at the Granville County Livestock Arena.

FULL 84 Day Report

The Avery County Cooperative Extension Center will be hosting a Pasture Management Field Day on Tuesday, October 20, 2009. A meal will be provided immediately after the workshop is completed. Please call the Avery County Cooperative Extension Center by Friday, October 16, 2009 to register. Please find the field day flyer linked below.

Below is a summary of the results from the October 6, 2009 NC Cattle Industry Assessment Referendum.  The vote must be a two/third majority to pass, consequently, the referendum did pass.

Counties reporting: 101
Counties reporting no votes: 21

Votes "for" - 839
Votes "against" - 306
Votes illegible - 3
Total votes - 1147

 More information is available at http://www.nccattle.com

A Tri-State Cow-Calf Conference will be held at the fairgrounds at Gray, Tennessee on September 22 and 23, 2009. A tour of three Tennessee cow-calf operations will take place at 1:00 p.m. followed by a light supper and brief program on September 22 with an 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. meeting on September 23. Topics covered at the meeting on the 23nd will include Beef Cattle Outlook, Utilization of By-Product Feeds in Beef Cattle Diets, Managing Genetic Defects and Enhancing End Product, What A Cow-Calf Producer Can Expect From a Custom Feedlot, Making the Decision to Market My Calves or Retain Them and Weaning Healthy Calves. There will also be a panel of Virginia cow-calf producers who will share information about their operations. Attendees will also have the opportunity to visit a trade show of agribusinesses who support the cattle business. While the focus of the meeting is towards cow-calf producers, anyone in the cattle business will benefit from the information presented. The meeting is sponsored by the University of Tennessee Extension, Virginia Cooperative Extension and North Carolina State University-A & T State University Cooperative Extension and a USDA Risk Management Education Grant. Advance registration is requested to plan for materials and a steak lunch. Registration is $10 before September 16 and $15 thereafter. Registration information is available through local County Extension Offices. One may also review information on the conference on the Internet at the following address: www.tnbeefcattleinitiative.org.

The Johnston County Goat Producers and NC Cooperative Extension will present the fourth Dairy Goat Field Day.  The event will be held August 1st at the Johnston County Livestock Arena on County Home Road just off Highway 210 in Smithfield, NC starting at 9 AM and ending around 2 PM.

The day will feature several different opportunities where new and experienced goat producers can learn goat care. There will be demonstrations on soap making, cheese making, sanitary milk handling, hoof trimming, and goat milking. There will be instruction on practical nutrition for milk production, milk goat selection and mastitis testing, as well as other topics of interest.

A few product vendors will be displaying their wares to participants. For more information contact: Ron Hughes at (919) 989-5380 or ronald_hughes@ncsu.edu.

August 11-12, 2009: Mid-Atlantic Grass-Fed Beef Conference “Making Sense of Grass-Fed Beef” at the Sheraton Imperial RTP in Durham, NC. The conference kicks off with a Pre-Conference Tour to Baldwin Beef, Rogers Cattle Company, and Triple B Farms. Conference sessions will address the economics of grass-fed beef, genetics, grazing management, processing, marketing, and the benefits of eating grass-fed beef. For complete details, download the conference brochure and registration form. Contact Sandy Maddox at 919-658-7682 for more information.

May 28th, 2009 @ 6:30 PM
Sugar Grove, NC
The class will cover foot trimming and care for the grazing season. It will also cover de-worming and management of parasites. Please call the Extension office at 264-3061 to register.

Event Location
2478 Bethel Road
Sugar Grove, NC 28679

Contact
Eddy Labus at Watauga County Cooperative Extension - (828) 264-3061

The Butner Beef Cattle Field Lab, NC A&T, Upper Piedmont Research Station, Tidewater Research Station and the Center for Environmental Farming Systems will be holding a cattle sale at 11:00 am on Saturday June 6, 2009 at the Upper Piedmont Research Station in Reidsville, NC. 

The sale will consist of 37 registered Angus, 15 halfblood Braunvieh heifers and 84 commercial females.  They will be available for viewing  at the sale site on Friday June 5.

The Watauga County Cooperative Extension and the Watauga County Cattlemen\u2019s Association are sponsoring an educational program on"Chute Side Beef Quality Assurance" on Tuesday, May 12 at High Country Farm (Claud Austin\u2019s farm), 321 Johnson Street in Boone. Dr. Jim Turner, Extension Livestock Specialist, and Eddy Labus, Extension Agent, will be doing the program. There will be a registration fee of $7 per person, which includes dinner. Registration will begin at 6 p.m.

Directions:

Turn off of Hwy. 321 onto Deerfield Road. Turn right on Mary Street (just before Watauga Medical Center). Go to the stop sign, and turn right on W. Virginia Street. W. Virginia Street turns into Johnson Street. Continue to the end of the street.

Learn how to dehorn, castrate, move cattle, and properly give injections to cattle at the Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) chute side meeting.  The program will take place May 12 at 5:30 pm in Watauga County.  The tentative meeting agenda is:

• Introduction - Bryan Blinson
  
• Animal Handling - Eddy Labus
• Working facility design - Dr. Jim Turner
  
• Castration and dehorning - Dr. Mark Alley
  
• Syringe and needle selection - Dr. Mark Alley
  

For more information please contact the Caldwell Extension Center.

The Alexander County Spring Goat Show is scheduled for Saturday May 2, 2009.  The youth showmanship show and wether show is open to all youth in NC.  After the youth show will be the will be the ABGA sanctioned show.  The entry forms and class listings are available at the Alexander County website.  If you have any questions please contact Allison Brown (allison_brown@ncsu.edu or 828-632-4451).

Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler reminds equine owners that now is the best time to vaccinate their horses, donkeys and mules against West Nile virus and Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis.

State Veterinarian Dr. David Marshall said these diseases are now endemic to North Carolina, but they are easily preventable.

"We haven't had a lot of cases of EEE or West Nile the past few years, but the disease cycle ebbs and flows in our state," Marshall said. "Horse owners should not let down their guard. They should continue to vaccinate against these diseases, and take other precautions to minimize standing water that would allow mosquitoes to breed."

In 2008, North Carolina had 12 reported cases of EEE in horses, and 11 of them were fatal. It is estimated there are as many as four unreported cases of EEE for every one that is reported.

Horse owners should talk with their veterinarians to determine the best time to start the vaccination process for EEE and West Nile virus. Both vaccinations initially require two shots, 30 days apart, for horses that have no prior vaccination history. Neither vaccination fully protects the animal until several weeks after the second shot, so it is best to vaccinate as early in the mosquito season as possible.

Marshall recommends a booster shot of each vaccine be given every six months in North Carolina because of the extended active mosquito season.

Symptoms of WNV in horses can include loss of appetite and depression, fever, weakness or paralysis of hind limbs, convulsions, impaired vision or hyper-excitability.

Symptoms of EEE, also known as "equine sleeping sickness," include impaired vision, aimless wandering, head pressing, circling, inability to swallow, irregular staggering gait, paralysis, convulsions and death.

People, horses and birds can become infected from a bite by a mosquito carrying the diseases, but there is no evidence that horses can transmit the virus to other horses, birds or people through contact.

• Extension Horse Husbandry Website: A new website has been launched.  Please update your bookmarks to  http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/horse/Webpages/NCSU_EHH_Home.html
• Newsletter: A new issue of the NC 4-H Horse Program Newsletter has been posted.  Please read the newsletter for updates such as event location changes, contest schedules and other educational opportunities. http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/horse/Webpages/NCSU_EHH_4H_Newsletters.html
• Calendar of Events: Please visit the calendar of events page at http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/horse/Webpages/NCSU_EHH_Calendar.html

The North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, North Carolina State University and Clemson University have teamed up with the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) to offer the second annual regional youth horse judging contest.  The contest will be held on Saturday, May 16, 2009 in conjunction with the Region 10 AQHA Horse Show in Clemson, SC.  Rules and entry forms can be found on the Extension Horse Husbandry website at: http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/horse

The judging contest will feature a special youth division for junior and senior 4-H teams and individuals.  Both teams and individual awards will be provided in a number of categories.  The Region 10 Horse Judging Contest provides youth with a great opportunity to further expand their horse judging knowledge.  Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Many farmers had received a survey asking about their water use. This has raised many questions as most producers don't know exactly how much water a cow drinks in a day. Water use will differ dramatically by type of animal and environmental temperature, but for planning purposes (and for the survey in question) you need to know the maximum amount of water an animal (and the herd) would use in a given day. Here are the figures we use for planning purposes assuming a 90 degree high temperature. This information is adapted from the National Research Council's publication Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle.

• Lactating cow: 25 gallons/day
• Dry cow: 14 gallons/day
• 600 lb stocker: 13 gallons/day
• 1000 lb finisher: 21 gallons/day
• Mature bull: 21 gallons/day

Using those numbers, a 100 cow herd (including 3 bulls) with spring calving would use a maximum of 2563 gallons per day. A 100 cow herd with fall calving and marketing of the calves before the heat of summer would use a maximum of 1363 gallons per day during the summer, but during peak lactation (November) with high temperatures in the 60s they would need 1833 gallons per day (11 gallons for bulls and 18 gallons for cows). The same fall calving herd that keeps all their calves over the summer would need to plan for 2763 gallons per day with peak use during the heat of the summer.

We've had many questions about a cow tax.  It was tax the number of cows because of the methane they produce in normal metabolism. The answer to the question is"there is no plan to enact such a tax".  The rumor was started when EPA published an "Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking" that outlined actions that would be needed should the Clean Air Act be applied green house gas emissions. The point they were making is that strict enforcement of the Clean Air Act would have devastating effects on every sector of the economy including agriculture. This information comes from Bryan Blinson from the North Carolina Cattlemen's Association.

Presented by REINS, the conference is for horse owners and enthusiasts, veterinarians, rescue organization members, and anyone interested in exploring and remedying the unwanted horse issue in North Carolina.  The conference will seek answers to a number of questions including,  1.  How bad is the problem of the unwanted horse in North Carolina? 2.  What resources do we have, as individuals, organizations and as a State, to address the problem? and  3.  What is being done on a national level to address the problem of the unwanted horse.

Agenda

 8:00 -  9:00 Registration

 9:00 -  9:15 Welcome & Introductions

 9:15 - 10:00 What is the Unwanted Horse

10:00 - 10:30 The State's Perspective of the Unwanted Horse

10:30 - 10:45 Break

10:45 - 11:15 The Veterinary Medical Perspective of the Unwanted Horse

11:15 - 11:45 The Animal Control Officer's Perspective of the Unwanted Horse

11:45 - 12:15 The Equine Rescue Groups Perspective of the Unwanted Horse

11:45 - 12:00 Assignment of Breakout Groups

12:00 - 3:00 Working Lunch  (Breakout Group Discussion & Planning)

 3:00 - 4:00 Panel Discussion and Identification of Action Points

 4:00 - 4:30 Wrap- Up, Evaluation, Adjourn

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) this weekend adopted a policy that urges Congress to oppose legislation that would restrict the market, transport, processing, or export of horses, to recognize the need for humane horse processing facilities in the U.S. and not to interfere with state efforts to establish facilities in the United States.

The passage of the policy provides the authority for NCSL staff in Washington, D.C., to lobby on Capitol Hill as it effectively establishes the position of the states. NCSL is a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the nation's 50 states, its commonwealths and territories.  The Horse Industry Policy received overwhelming majority support at the NCSL annual fall forum in Atlanta, Ga., Dec. 11-13. The policy was co-sponsored by Representative Sue Wallis of Wyoming, and Representative Dave Sigdestad of South Dakota.

Wallis, who is a vice chair of the agriculture and energy standing committee at NCSL, said, "We have received an absolute flood of support from literally every crook and cranny of this nation, and from all walks of life. We had letters of support from Horse Councils nationwide, we heard from horse owners, horse rescue and recovery organizations that are over-whelmed and without options, breed registries, professional rodeo cowboys, horse owners and many, many people who are sincerely concerned about the fate of horses and the equine industry."

WHEN:   Thursday, Jan 15th 2009 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (approximately) at the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center, Mills River, NC. Driving directions are available from the MHCREC web page at http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/fletcher/directions.html

TARGET  AUDIENCE:  The target audience is beef producers seriously considering getting into pasture-based, farm finished, direct marketed beef and those who are just starting and who are at the initial stages of developing a new enterprise.

THE PROGRAM:    Program content will include effective marketing, alternative livestock production systems for finishing beef, forage production systems, risk and risk management strategies, and the economics of going from a cow-calf operation to finishing cattle and direct marketing  beef.   Production systems will include all forage fed, limited grain finishing and heavy grain finishing regimes.  We plan to include a panel of successful producers.  Presenters will include Dr. Matt Poore, Dr. Sue Ellen Johnson and Dr. Geoff Benson, who are all Cooperative Extension specialists at NCSU.

REGISTRATION:   Space is limited.   Make reservations in early to assure seating.    For reservations call (828) 687-0570 Ext. 122. Walk-ins are welcome if space is available.

To request accommodations for persons with disabilities, contact Geoff Benson, at (919) 515-5184 no later than five business days before the event.  North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race color, creed, national origin, religion , sex, age, veteran status, or disability.  In addition the two Universities welcome all persons with our regard to sexual orientation.

January 3rd, 2009 at the Mountain Research Station and Haywood County Agricultural Office Building Waynesville, N.C. will be a program of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service in cooperation with the North Carolina Cattlemen's Association. 

Program

Haywood County Agricultural Office Building

9:00 a.m. Registration
9:30 a.m. Welcome and Introductions - Dr. Jim Turner
9:45 a.m. Beef Quality Assurance Chuteside Demonstration - Drs. Jim Turner and Mark Alley
11:00 a.m. Adjourn to Bull test and Receive Final Results - Danny Hyatt
11:15 a.m. Bull Test Station - Receive Final Results on Individual Performance and View Bulls - Gary Gregory and Danny Hyatt
12:00 noon Sponsored Lunch at the Haywood County Agricultural Office Building
1:00 p.m. 29th Annual Waynesville BCIP Bull Sale - Bryan Blinson

Everyone will have an opportunity to see the bulls at the Mountain Research Station Saturday morning.  They will be auctioned Saturday afternoon while viewing a video of the bulls by sale order.  The bulls will remain at the research station and can be picked up Saturday evening, or between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. the following week.  They must be picked up by Friday January 9th.  Each animal sold becomes the property of the purchaser as soon as sold but will not be released until settled for.  Animals will be fed and cared for the following week at the buyer's risk. 

Conference Sponsors

• North Carolina Farm Bureau
• Pfizer Animal Health
• Southern States
• Sevier Farmers COOP

For further information please contact Jim Turner (Jim_Turner@ncsu.edu or (828) 456-7520)