The Weight of the World is On My…Horns?

Melissa Sandfort

It seems like my grandpa knows a little bit about a lot of things. Jack of all trades, master of none is how some people put it. I like to think he’s a walking dictionary, encyclopedia and history book, and I enjoy his stories. The other day, I asked him to pull something out of his treasure trailer that he thought would make for a good story. At first, when I heard what these were, I thought, “How vain. Fixing purebred cattle horns just so they look good.” Shows you how much I knew about these cast iron horn weights.

Back in the day, these were tightened, using a set screw, to the end of purebred Hereford bull horns to train them to the correct curvature. Breeders knew what the proper curve was in order to meet the requirements necessary to be purebred stock.

As I read more about this so-called horn training, I found out that there are fewer problems with horned cattle maneuvering down an alleyway or going through a chute by using a newer technique called sloping.

Want to know more? Read this 2009 article from HerefordWorld.org that talks about horn curvature and also highlights pain prevention and dehorning techniques. That was my history lesson for the day, and a story that helped me get over feeling like horn weights were just for a bull’s good looks.

Until we walk again…

Uncategorized

Novus Celebrates Green Acres Farm

Cindy Zimmerman

Novus International employees from around the world joined with the community of Montgomery County, Missouri and the agriculture industry statewide to celebrate the opening of their new research facility Green Acres Farm.

“It was really important for us to find a welcoming community,” said Novus CEO Thad Simons at the ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday. With him were Missouri Director of Agriculture Dr. Jon Hagler and newly elected State Representative Bart Korman of Montgomery County; as well as other company, state and local representatives.

Dr. Hagler was joined by his new wife State Rep. Linda Black of southeast Missouri. “Just to tell you how important Novus is to me, we stopped here on our way to the honeymoon,” Hagler said as he introduced his wife.

Listen to or download remarks from Rep. Korman, Jon Hagler and Thad Simons here: Novus Green Acres

See photos from the event in our Flickr photo album.

Here’s a little video tour of Green Acres Farm, led by Novus manager of product research Skip Hampton.

Audio, Dairy, Livestock, Novus International, Poultry, Research, Swine, Video

NAFB Convention Week

Chuck Zimmerman

It’s a beautiful morning in Mid Missouri. It’s NAFB convention week. It’s also fall deer hunting time! Opening day for me is this Saturday. In fact, I’m forcing myself to spend today and part of tomorrow getting the camp set up. Then it’s on to KC, MO for NAFB.

Remember that you can follow all the action as the farm broadcasters get together with the Twitter hashtag, #NAFB.

NAFB

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • John Woolfolk, Jackson, Tenn., was announced as the new president of the American Hereford Association (www.hereford.org).
  • Syngenta has received a prestigious Agrow Award in recognition of the company’s new Agrisure Viptera corn trait in the Best Novel Agricultural Biotechnology category.
  • BASF Crop Protection is adding a level of flexibility to its CLEARFIELD Production System for Rice, enabling growers to use Beyond herbicide within a wider application window through expansion of the Beyond herbicide use pattern.
  • DTN/Progressive Farmer is pleased to announce that Linda H. Smith will be joining the newsroom as Markets Editor.
    Zimfo Bytes

    National Peanut Board iPhone App

    Chuck Zimmerman

    The National Peanut Board has entered the iPhone app world.

    “Peanuts: Energy for the Good Life®” iPhone app offers recipes, snack suggestions and a five-minute mindfulness meditation exercise with Stephan Bodian, author of Meditation for Dummies® ― tools to help you care for your body and mind throughout every part of every day.

    The app features more than 30 dietitian selected recipes and allows you to set reminders to have a snack or take a break. Snacks supply energy throughout the day when hunger strikes, and help to prevent overeating during meals. With more protein than any nut, USA-grown peanuts and peanut products are great snacks that provide the energy needed to “trump the slump” and get through the day.

    Don’t forget to get the AgWired iPhone App!

    Ag Groups, Peanuts

    NAMA Creates Young Professionals Membership

    Chuck Zimmerman

    National Agri-Marketing AssociationFresh out of college agrimarketing professionals whether they are new to the National Agri-Marketing Association or not and under age 25 will now receive a discount on their membership. The organization has created a Young Professionals Membership after a lot of discussion on committees and with members.

    In response to these discussions, we’ve created the Young Professionals Membership. This membership category offers a discounted membership to recent graduates and new hires under the age of 25, who are already engaged in an agri-marketing business – agency, media, company, etc.

    Dues for these Young Professionals would be half the amount paid by regular members until they reach the age of 25 – this is half of national dues as well as half of chapter dues. Once they reach 25, they will pay the full membership dues. Watch your email for more information coming soon on the Young Professionals membership.

    Many businesses pay dues for their more seasoned employees. This will provide a cost-effective means for businesses to provide development and networking opportunities to their entry level employees. The development and networking opportunities would naturally help the younger employees become a bigger asset to their employers.

    NAMA

    Quarry & Syngenta Canada Agree To Marketing Partnership

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Quarry Integrated Communications and Syngenta Crop Protection Cananda have agreed to a new, multi-year marketing partnership.

    SyngentaAccording to Patrick Crampton, Head of Marketing for Syngenta Canada, Quarry’s deep knowledge of the agriculture industry, combined with its ability to service all of Syngenta Crop Protection’s marketing communications needs in an integrated manner was the impetus for the partnership. “Syngenta Canada is excited to join forces with a team of highly skilled, marketing communication professionals who will be working on our behalf to share our vision of delivering outstanding crop protection solutions to Canadian producers.”

    “As the agriculture industry undergoes a state of transformation, Quarry looks forward to working with Syngenta Canada to navigate this rapidly changing environment,” stated Ken Whyte, President of Quarry Integrated Communications Inc. “We are thrilled to support Syngenta Crop Protection – an already highly regarded and respected brand – going forward. For Quarry, the partnership feels like an ideal match.”

    Agencies, Agribusiness

    Zimfo Bytes

    Melissa Sandfort

      Zimfo Bytes

      Vagueness of GIPSA Proposal Concerns Montana Producer

      Cindy Zimmerman

      The basic problem with the proposed Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) rule as far as Montana cow-calf producer Bill Donald is concerned is that it is just too vague.

      “We can have intelligent people that read it and come up with a very different analysis of what it will or won’t do,” Bill says. “It’s so hard to make a comment about what the rule may or may not do because it doesn’t define some things very well.”

      He does believe the proposed rule has the potential to have a severe adverse impact on value-based marketing programs that producers currently utilize and because it is so vague he fears that it will lead to apprehension on the part of both buyers and sellers going into a year with one of the smallest cattle herds in history. “The market has always responded negatively to apprehension,” he says. “If people don’t know the playing field, if they don’t know what the premium is going to be for a given product or commodity, they tend to pull back and – at least in the short term – that makes for lower prices.”

      Bill, who is the president-elect of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, says the most important thing for producers to do right now is to make comments on the proposed rule before the November 22 deadline. “It is going to impact every producer in the cattle industry,” Bill said. “Every time the government comes up with a rule like this, it’s incredibly important for the people who are going to be impacted to let the governing agency know how it will impact them.”

      Producers can submit comments directly on-line and more information about the rule and comment period is available on the NCBA website.

      Listen to or download my interview with Bill here: Bill Donald Interview

      Audio, GIPSA, Livestock, NCBA

      Farm Foundation Forum Tackles Obesity, Food & Policy Issue

      John Davis

      Our friends at Farm Foundation are offering another one of their free conversations on agricultural policy in this country … this time tackling the issue of the connection between obesity, food and the nation’s agricultural policy on Tuesday, November 9 from 9-11 am at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. :
      What’s the Connection?

      Presenters will be:

      * Jon Doggett, Vice President of Public Policy for the National Corn Growers Association;
      * Mary Muth, Director of the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Program at RTI International; and
      * Michael Jacobson, Executive Director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

      Each presenter will get 10-15 minutes to make their case, followed by a discussion moderated by former Texas Congressman Charlie Stenholm.

      Make your reservation by noon Friday, November 5 at the Farm Foundation website.

      Farm Foundation