Animal Ag Bites 8/5

Carrie Muehling

  • Zoetis has signed an agreement with Colorado State University (CSU) to establish a research lab at CSU that will explore the livestock immune system and target new immunotherapies – paving the way for new alternatives to antibiotics in food-producing animals. The new 3,000-square-foot Zoetis Incubator Research Lab will operate at the Research Innovation Center on CSU’s Foothills Campus starting in early 2020.
  • Dr. Sacit “Sarge” Bilgili, interim department head of Auburn University’s Department of Poultry Science, was recently recognized with the 2019 Poultry Science Association Distinguished Poultry Industry Career Award, sponsored by U.S. Poultry & Egg Association.
  • USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation announce the completion of a funded research project at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, in which researchers found a practical method to reduce litter moisture. A complete report, along with information on other Association research, may be obtained by going to www.uspoultry.org.
  • Dairy farmers and allied members of the dairy community will join together to cheer on the Green Bay Packers as they take on the Kansas City Chiefs, Aug. 29 at the annual Packer Tailgate Party which is being coordinated by the Dairy Business Association.
  • Vets Plus, Inc., in conjunction with the University of Wisconsin-Stout, recently presented the first-ever international conference on the growing use of nutraceuticals to benefit companion and production animal health. The International Conference on Animal Health Nutraceuticals, or ICAHN 2019, was conducted July 17-19 at UW-Stout’s Memorial Student Center conference facility in Menomonie, WI.
  • Farmers are invited to submit nominations for the 2020 Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year contest, brought to you by Purina. The grand prize winner – Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year – will win a year’s worth of Purina dry dog food and $5,000 in prize money for his or her farmer to offset travel costs to attend the American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention in Austin, Texas, Jan. 17-22, 2020. The winner will be recognized at the Farm Dog of the Year award ceremony at the convention. Up to four runners-up will win $1,000 each in prize money.
  • While producers have traditionally participated in Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) because it’s the right thing to do, there is sound research that indicates BQA certified producers can benefit financially as well. According to a recent study by the Beef Checkoff-funded BQA program and conducted by Colorado State University, results show a significant premium for calves and feeder cattle sold through video auction markets.
  • The American Feed Industry Association honored Peter Ferket, Ph.D., with the AFIA-Poultry Science Association Poultry Nutrition Award at the PSA Annual Meeting last week in Montreal, Quebec.
  • Jennifer Houston, President of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, joined President Trump and other NCBA officers at a White House signing ceremony for an agreement that will establish a duty-free quota for high-quality American beef in the European Union.
  • The 2019 Cattle Industry Summer Business Meeting in Denver wrapped up with a meeting of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Board of Directors. This year’s meeting saw the rollout of a new NCBA podcast, Cattlemen’s Call, which focuses on the people who make up the beef industry. The podcast is hosted by ag broadcaster Lane Nordlund and can be accessed at https://www.ncba.org/CattlemensCall.aspx.
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