AnSci Connection
The newsletter of the Department of Animal Science

December 2006

Rancher Writes Tribute to Beef Team

Rancher Diane Tribitt, of Hillman, MN, lost her husband in a rodeo accident 2 years ago. When her husband died, she inherited the everyday management of the ranching operation. In search of assistance and support, she contacted the U of M Beef Team who worked with her over the last few years.

After her husband's death, Diane also jumped into writing Cowboy Poetry. Below is a poem she wrote as a tribute to the Beef Team. Diane's poem was selected as one of the top 8 in a global competition, Lariate Laureate, on CowboyPoetry.com.

Upgrading the Herd
by Diane Tribitt

I rode through the herd and decided the ranch was sure need'n a change.
My cows were ready for wheelchairs and my calf crop looked just as strange.

The daddy's of those acorn calves were mostly tankers at the best;
Just some high fallootin' eaters that couldn't pass a semen test.

I needed some education on genetics and EPDs;
So I asked our local Beef Team to teach me 'bout pedigrees.

They shook their heads in disbelief as they checked out my sorry lot.
We ran the whole works through the chute and the Beef Team began to plot.

We culled out the thin and shelly cows, and sold those that forgot to calf.
By the time my old bulls were loaded my herd size was down to one-half.

I went and bought some replacements, black heifers that were Angus bred,
and bought some Angus bull power, in top five percents, black and red.

The Team said synchronization cut calving time down a few weeks;
We A.I.'d some and utilized some embryo implant techniques.

We used the new bulls for clean up. Our plan was exact and ideal.
I sure was anticipating new babies with Angus appeal.

Rumors 'bout upgrading my herd spread 'round at the coffee shop.
And city folk come drivin' by to check out my Angus calf crop.

With a renewed sense of cowboy pride I rode through that herd day and night.
But when the first calf hit the ground I dang near fainted at the sight!

This calf looked like an imposter with hair all red-speckled and white,
Standing there sucking a black cow...And two more were born that night.

I put them in the far pasture, tryin' to hide 'em from public view.
But those calves stood out like a sore thumb, and 'fore long most everyone knew

The word had spread like wild fire that my registered Angus bull
Threw red-and-white Shorthorn babies, and my pasture was darn near full.

But no-one asked why my black cows had Shorthorn calves on the ground
And the simple genetic deception made my herd "unique" and "profound!"

I've learned that embryo transfers don't boggle the fine minds of some
on ways of bovine reproduction...But how could the rest be so dumb!

© 2006, Diane Tribitt

Read more poetry by the Minnesota cowgirl poet, Diane Tribitt on her web site.
  

Gopher Dairy Club Wins 1st Place in Photo Competition

Each December, Holstein World magazine publishes a comprehensive directory of university dairy programs available for the benefit of prospective students and their families. In conjunction with this annual publication, Holstein World holds a photo competition in which dairy clubs may submit an entry to be judged by a panel of Holstein World staffers. The winning photo is then featured on the cover of the directory.

This year, the Gopher Dairy Club took several photos at Minnehaha Park in south Minneapolis. "Cascading into a World of Endeavors", the title of the Gopher Dairy Club's photo entry, placed first in the competition.

In addition to appearing on the cover, the Gopher Dairy Club placed a full-page color advertisement (pdf) in the College Directory using the winning photo.

The 2007 College Directory details approximately 38 college undergraduate programs from 25 states and Canada, and is available throughout the year online.
  

Grad Club Adopts a Farm Family for the Holidays

Club members had a lot of fun shopping for the family and they hope to continue this activity in the future. The Grad Club expresses their gratitude to all those who donated. It is really nice to know this family will have some presents under the tree this year.

Thank You and Happy Holidays from the Grad Club!
  

2006-2007 Carcass Merit Program

This year’s University of Minnesota Carcass Merit Program is underway. The Minnesota Carcass Merit Program provides an opportunity for seedstock and commercial cow-calf producers to evaluate how their genetics perform in the feedlot and on the rail. Roughly 2,300 steers/heifers have been enrolled in the Carcass Merit Program since its establishment, which has enabled producers to obtain detailed information on feedlot performance (average daily gain, feed intake, and feed efficiency) and carcass merit (dressing percentage, fat depth, ribeye area, USDA Yield Grade, and USDA Quality Grade), and the true value of their cattle based on carcass traits. Producers of these cattle will also learn how their cattle will function under a “retained ownership” program.

Carcass Merit also offers a mid-year and a wrap-up program for both current and future participants with presentations given by feedlot coordinators Alfredo DiCostanzo and Ryon Walker along with invited industry speakers. The mid-year program takes place in February and provides an opportunity for the producers involved to get information on how their cattle are progressing through the program. At the wrap-up program, participants receive final results on how their cattle performed. During the wrap-up program, a steak dinner is provided where each producer eats a steak from one of the animals they enrolled in the program. Producers have really enjoyed this segment of the program; often having them eat their own steak is one of the most valuable learning tools of the program.

The 2006-2007 Carcass Merit Program contains 126 head of cattle and is taking place at the University of Minnesota’s UMore Park in Rosemount. Conducting the program at UMore Park has allowed for greater student involvement from both the Animal Science and Veterinary Departments. U of M veterinarian Susan McClanahan along with a number of veterinary students helped with initial processing of the cattle and will continue their involvement throughout the duration of the program. 
 
Alfredo and Ryon are looking forward to this year’s program at UMore Park and are excited about the opportunity it will provide for students as well as the hands-on access it will give producers, which is not always possible in larger commercial feedlots.
  

Beef Team Presents at MSCA Annual Convention
- Lamb Receives Award

MDA Announces Excellence Award Winners
Contact: Michael Schommer, MDA Communications Director

Commissioner Gene Hugoson recently announced the winners of the fourth-annual Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) Excellence Awards. The awards celebrate innovation and leadership in food safety, environmental stewardship, international marketing and agricultural promotion.

Ralph Lentz received the Excellence Award for Environmental Stewardship. Lentz has owned his farm near Lake City since 1965. He was one of the state's first beef producers to convert his farm to managed grazing and has participated in many research projects on the impact of grazing on water and soil. He has traveled to Siberia as a grazing adviser. Lentz continues to observe and research his land and seek ways to improve. In accepting the award Lentz said, "If we are good to the land, the land will be good to us."

The MDA's Excellence Award for Food Safety was given to a group of four people who helped lay the groundwork for the development of the Level III Plant Pathology Bio-Containment Facility at the U of M. The group included former State Representative Dan Dorman of Albert Lea, Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council Chair Rob Hanks of LeRoy, and the Council's Vice Chair Ron Jacobsen of Wells, and Minnesota Soybean Growers Association Secretary Larry Muff of New Richland. Through their collaboration with many other agencies and individuals, the U of M's Bio-Containment Facility will be one of only three such research facilities in the country.

SunOpta Inc. received the Excellence Award for International Marketing. SunOpta manufactures ingredients for many food products and distributes them worldwide. The company has locations throughout Minnesota and has supported Minnesota farmers through the purchase and use of locally grown commodities. SunOpta has a long history of building international relationships and has participated in many trade missions and events with MDA staff and other state trade officials.

Chris Sukalski, a dairy farmer from LeRoy and former Animal Science graduate student, received the Excellence Award for Promotion of Minnesota Agriculture. Sukalski has assisted with many dairy promotions and volunteers for the Midwest Dairy Association. She has served on many dairy boards and has provided other dairy producers with public relations tools. She was successful in getting milk vending machines in local schools, and she is considered a role model in the dairy industry. Her motto is "Live as if you'll die tomorrow, and farm as if you'll live forever."

Commissioner Hugoson praised the winners as examples of dedication and leadership in the farm community. "Minnesota farmers and consumers benefit immensely from the work of these people," Commissioner Hugoson said. "It's our pleasure to honor them for their ongoing contributions."
 

Theme of I-29 Dairy Conference: The Milk Producer's Challenge

Who will value what we produce? How can we produce high quality, high value milk? The answers to these questions will be the focus of the 2nd Annual I-29 Dairy Conference.

Two conference locations are scheduled this year: January 31st at the Best Western Ramkota Hotel in Watertown, SD, and February 1st at the Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon, IA. Both days will begin with registration at 8:30 a.m. and will include the same panel of speakers. The program will start at 10:00 a.m. and adjourn at 3:15 p.m.

The morning session will include speakers Mitch Davis of Davis Family Dairies (Davisco) who will offer a processor's perspective on the future of milk fractionation product; Rick Lundquist, Lundquist and Associates, will discuss adding value to milk through balancing rations for amino acids; Lloyd Metzger, SDSU, will cover future trends in milk processing, fractionation, and pricing. The morning session will also include a Round Table discussion with Davis, Lundquist and Metzger.

Afternoon breakout sessions will address: 1) dairy nutrition strategies to achieve production goals, and 2) udder health strategies to achieve quality milk goals.  

At 1:15 p.m., participants may choose one of two breakout sessions:

• Current and Future Trends in Dairy Cattle Feeding – Jim Salfer, U of M Extension
• Nutrition and Mastitis: Food for Thought – Leo Timms, ISU Extension

The next two breakout sessions will begin at 2:15 p.m.  Participants may choose one of the following:

• Impact of 2006 Corn Silage on Milk Production and Components – Paul Kononoff, U of NE
• Fundamentals of Mastitis – Are Our Treatment Protocols Truly Cost Effective and Efficacious? – Gary Neubauer, Pfizer Animal Health

Pre-registration by January 24 is encouraged to ensure a reservation. The fee is $20 per person and includes lunch. For more information or to register, contact Valerie Denison, SDSU Dairy Science Department, Dairy Microbiology Room 109, Brookings, SD 57007 (telephone: 605-688-4116).

The I-29 Dairy Conference is sponsored by Iowa State University, South Dakota State University, the University of Minnesota, the University of Nebraska, and their Extension services.
  

Espejo Moving to College of Vet Med

Luis Espejo will be leaving us. In the spring of 2007, he will begin a Ph.D. program at the U of M College of Veterinary Medicine. He will be studying Johne's Disease under the advisement of Dr. Scott Wells. Luis completed an M.S. with Dr. Marcia Endres in December 2005 with work on lameness in dairy cattle in Minnesota. In 2006, Luis worked with Dr. Chester-Jones on nutrition of calves, and with Dr. Endres on welfare of dairy cows in Minnesota.
  

Two New Regional Livestock Extension Educators Join U of M Extension

James C. Paulson – Dairy Extension Educator at the Hutchinson Regional Extension Center. Jim grew up in Houston, MN, and received his graduate and undergraduate education at the University of Minnesota.  His graduate program, under the direction of Drs. Don Otterby and Jim Linn, involved forage research and extensive participation in dairy extension programs. Jim brings lots of enthusiasm for extension education as well as excellent dairy experience to the Minnesota Dairy Extension Team. Over the past several years, he has worked as a dairy nutritionist for All-American Coop /Land O'Lakes and Director of Dairy Farm Operations and Instructor at the Northeast Iowa Community College in Calmar, IA. Jim also has his own dairy herd of 45 registered Holstein and Brown Swiss dairy cows. 

Grant I. Crawford – Beef Extension Educator at the Hutchinson Regional Extension Center. Grant grew up on a large beef cow-calf farm in Beaver Creek, MN. He received his undergraduate degree in Ag Education with a minor in Animal Science at South Dakota State University. His Masters Degree in ruminant nutrition he received at the University of Minnesota under the direction of Dr. Marshall Stern. Grant currently is completing a PhD in feedlot nutrition under the direction of Dr. Terry Klopfenstein at the University of Nebraska. He should finish this in January 2007 and join the Minnesota Beef Extension Team shortly thereafter. 

We are excited to welcome these two new livestock extension educators. Although housed at the Hutchinson Regional Extension Center, both Jim and Grant will have state wide responsibility for dairy and beef extension education, respectively.
  

Thanksgiving/Turkey Media Day held November 15th

As one headline (Pioneer Press, November 16th) read... "Every turkey has its day". That day was November 15th at UMore Park in Rosemount with the annual Media Day event put together by the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association and the U of M.

Each year a flock of turkey is raised at the Turkey Research Unit with inputs provided by various sponsors and then marketed with product donated to food shelves. Several media representatives visited the turkey farm and had opportunities to view the turkeys being raised there as well as interviewing turkey producers and U of M faculty.

Media in attendance were from The Farmer Magazine, Sun Current Newspapers, Pioneer Press, Agri News, WCCO TV, KSTP TV, and Star Tribune. Morning shows were conducted by KARE11 and FOX.

Dr. Sally Noll thanks the U of M staff (Jeanine Brannon and Turkey Research Unit Staff - Fred Hrbek, Terrance Yourchuck, and Scott Welsh) for their assistance in getting the displays and flock ready for exhibit. And thanks to the sponsors of the event: Alpharma, Best Veterinary Solutions, Elanco, Farm Credit Services of Minnesota Valley, Gillis Agri Systems, IVESCO, Jennie-O Turkey Store (Willmar), Jennie-O Turkey Store (Barron), John Moorhouse, Kemin, Land O'Lakes Purina Feed, Minnesota Sawdust and Shavings, Novus International, and Peterson Hatchery.
  

Minnesota Participation in the 2006 National 4-H Poultry & Egg Conference

The 2006 National 4-H Poultry and Egg Conference was held November 15-16 at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center in Louisville, KY. This annual conference allows 4-Hers from all over the country to compete in educational events that help them learn to make and defend decisions, speak publicly, and gain poultry-related skills. This year, 136 senior 4-H’ers representing 25 states participated as teams or individuals.

This annual 4-H conference includes five separate events. In the Poultry Judging contest, participants are required to judge ready-to-cook chicken and turkey carcasses, live production hens and market eggs. In the Chicken and Turkey Barbecuing contests, participants barbecue four chicken halves or two turkey fillets and give an oral presentation on the corresponding poultry industry. In the Egg Preparation demonstration contest, participants prepare an egg dish and give an oral presentation on the nutritional value of eggs. In addition to these events, the conference includes an Avian Bowl contest, which is a round robin tournament in which the contestants are required to answer questions regarding poultry science, poultry meat and egg production, and information about the poultry industries.

The conference was funded through contributions of goods, finances, and services from many individuals, companies and commodity organizations. The Minnesota Turkey Council helped sponsor the awards for the Turkey Barbecue event.

Donors and Sponsors: Many business firms, associations and individuals provide funds and resources for the National 4-H Poultry and Egg Conference.  Listed below are the Donors and Sponsors who helped make this Conference possible.

Another Successful Minnesota Cattle Feeder Days

Another successful Cattle Feeder Days was held December 4th through 7th in Crookston, Morris, Slayton, Springfield and Rochester. Attendance was great; averaging 50 cattle producers at each location. A big thank you to the site coordinators: Carl Dahlen and Patty Malme in Crookston, Mindy Spiehs in Morris, Mike Boersma in Slayton, Rhonda Wulf in Springfield, and Lori Schott in Rochester.
  

Jared Voge

Jared Voge grew up on a small Quarter Horse farm in central Minnesota. His parents own a pharmacy in his hometown, as his dad is a pharmacist. He has two older brothers, Justin and Jeremy. Justin lives in Kansas with his wife and two year old son, and is a third year veterinary student at Kansas State University. Jeremy lives in St. Cloud, Minnesota, with his fiancée and four year old son.    

Jared attended the University of Wisconsin-River Falls as an undergraduate. He majored in animal science with an equine emphasis. Presently, he is a first year graduate student and is advised by Dr. Jon Wheaton.  

When Jared has some free time, he enjoys going to horse shows, hanging out with friends, and watching college basketball.
  

Former Animal Science graduate student John Cole and wife Misty have a new baby boy. Henry David was born on the morning of November 16th at 7 lb, 10 oz. This is John and Misty's second child; they also have a boy, Ellery James, who will be 3 in January.
   

no new grants to report this month
  

Department of Animal Science seminars are held September through May on Mondays at 3:00 p.m. in Room 365 Haecker Hall. Everyone is welcome. Please join us.

4-7 - Minnesota Cattle Feeder Days (5 locations around the state).

5-6 - Midwest Dairy Expo, St. Cloud Civic Center. Contact: Eir Garcia-Silva, MMPA, 320-203- 8336, or Jim Salfer, U of M Extension Service, 320-203-6093.

6 - Minnesota Dairy Leaders Roundtable Steering Committee Meeting, 12:30-3:30 p.m., Civic Center, St. Cloud, MN (in conjunction with the Midwest Dairy Expo). Contact: Ed Frederick, 507-835-3422. - Open to the Public -

14-15 - Artificial Insemination in Swine Training Course, Southern ROC, Waseca. Contact: Mark Whitney, 507-389-5541.

14-16 & 18-20 - Final Exams

25-26 - Christmas Holiday - the U is closed.

- January 2007 -

1 - New Year's Holiday - the U is closed.

3 - Southern ROC Winter Crops Day, Waseca and Lake Crystal, MN. For additional information, call the Southern ROC at 507-835-3620.

4 - Southern ROC Winter Crops Day, Kasson and Wykoff, MN. For additional information, call the Southern ROC at 507-835-3620.

5-19 - Minnesota Dairy Days-2007 (9 locations around the state).

15 - Martin Luther King Holiday - the U is closed.

16 - Spring Semester classes begin.

21-24 - 46th Annual National Mastitis Council Meeting, San Antonio Marriott Riverwalk, San Antonio, TX. Contact: Anne Saeman, 608-848-4615.

24-26 - International Poultry Exposition, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, GA.

24-26 - College Student Career Program, held during the International Poultry Exposition, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, GA.

31 - I-29 Dairy Conference, Best Western Ramkota Hotel, Watertown, SD. Contact: Valerie Denison, SDSU 605-688-4116.

- February 2007 -

1 - I-29 Dairy Conference, Northwest Iowa Community College, Sheldon, IA. Contact: Valerie Denison, SDSU 605-688-4116.

8-9 - Swine Wean to Finish Management Workshop, West Central ROC, Waseca. Contact: Mark Whitney, 507-389-5541.

10 - Horse Owner Education Day, College of Vet Med, U of M St. Paul Campus. Contact: Kristi Martini Starzynski, 888-241-0719.

15-16 - Swine Wean to Finish Management Workshop, Southern ROC, Waseca. Contact: Mark Whitney, 507-389-5541.

17 - Horse Owner Education Day, U of M Crookston Horse Facility, Crookston, MN. Contact: Kristi Martini Starzynski, 888-241-0719.

19 - Carver County Dairy Expo, Norwood-Young America, MN. Contact: Laura Torbert, 952-466-5300.

- March 2007 -

10 - Horse Owner Education Day, Foley Intermediate School, Foley, MN. Contact: Kristi Martini Starzynski, 888-241-0719.

12-16 - Spring Break

13-15 - Midwest Poultry Federation Convention, St. Paul RiverCentre, St. Paul, MN.

16 - Floating Holiday - the U is closed.

20-23 - 2007 PDHGA Dairy Calf and Heifer National Conference, Sheraton Burlington Hotel and Conference Center, Burlington, VT. Contact: Hugh Chester-Jones. 507-837-5618.

24 - Horse Owner Education Day, Cloquet Forestry Center, Cloquet, MN. Contact: Kristi Martini Starzynski, 888-241-0719.

- April 2007 -

19-20 - Farrowing Management Workshop, Southern ROC, Waseca. Contact: Mark Whitney, 507-389-5541.

- May 2007 -

15-17 - Minnesota Dairy Health Conference, U of M St. Paul Campus. Contact: Veterinary Continuing Education, 1-800-380-8636 or 612-624-3434.

- July 2007 -

26-27 - Swine Breeding and Gestation Management Workshop, Southern ROC, Waseca. Contact: Mark Whitney, 507-389-5541.