| CALENDAR OF EVENTS | |
|
April | |
| 15 | Oklahoma State Packer Feeder Game - Highlands County Agri-Civic Center, Sebring , 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. |
| 20 | DeSoto County Cattlemen's Association Spring Meeting - Family Service Center Annex, 7:00 p.m. |
| 27 | Farm Credit of Southwest Florida Annual Meeting - Hardee County Agri-Civic Center, Wauchula, 6:00 p.m. |
| 25-27 | 17th Annual Reproductive Management School - Hardee County Agri-Civic Center, Wauchula |
| 28 | Ag-In-The-Classroom Program for DeSoto County 6th Grades - Family Service Center |
|
May | |
| 3-5 | 49th Annual Beef Cattle Short Course - Sheraton Hotel, Gainesville |
| 12 | 9th Annual 4-H/Sprint Golf Classic - Lake Wales Country Club |
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June | |
| 1 | Range Cattle Field Day - Research and Education Center, Ona |
| 28-30 | Florida Cattlemen's Association Convention & Allied Trade Show, Marco Island |
I usually do not rerun the same article in my monthly newsletter, but I feel that the information in these two paragraphs are positive enough to address twice. The National Cattlemen's Beef Association and The Florida Cattlemen's Association both have website's that you may be interested in taking a look at. The address for the NCBA is: http://www.beef.org and the FCA is: http://www.floridacattlemen.org/. The availability of information on the internet is nearly endless. If you have not gone to our South Florida Beef/Forage Program website, the address is: http://www.ifas.ufl.edu/~sfbfp/beef.html. At this website, you should be able to find any information that you might be looking for whether it is beef or forage information.
I am including with this newsletter a copy of the Service and Product Directory. This listing is not an endorsement, rather it is an attempt to provide a one-stop-shop service concept for you the Beef Cattle Producers. If you have a service or a product that is not listed, follow the instructions on the attached page or contact me direct at the DeSoto County Extension Office at 993-4846.
In January, I conducted a two-night series of classes on Agriculture and the Internet. We included information on how to use Netscape Navigator to surf the World Wide Web. Emphasis was also given on how to use and manage bookmarks. We also spent time learning how to use e-mail (electronic mail) both for business and home. I am interested in doing this two-night program again for agriculture producers who are just beginning to use a computer and the internet. I would like to have at least 15-20 participants for this next class. If you would like to participate, please call our office to sign up. Once we have 15 enrolled, we will set the dates of the next two classes and contact those of you who are signed up for the class. I imagine that the earliest will be later in April or in May.
The 2000 DeSoto County Cattlemen' Association Spring Meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, April 20, 2000 at the Family Service Center Annex. All members along with their family are invited to attend. Members are asked to bring a covered dish. You may bring one guest to the steak dinner. Members bringing more than one guest will be asked to pay $10.00 per each additional guest.
The DeSoto County Fair is now history. Congratulations to Sony Hutson for raising the Grand Champion Steer ( produced by John Burtscher) and Danielle Frederici for raising the Reserve Champion (produced by Steve Sorrells). As always this community turned out on sale night and made the project a financial success for the 4-H members who raised steer calves. I would also like to thank the Mrs. Susie Brewer 4-H College Scholarship Committee: Cary Mercer, Clyde Hollingsworth and Robert Symons for their hard work and for reaching the goal of $100,000 for the Scholarship Fund. This year the 4-H Scholarship Steer was raised by Tyler Caruthers.
The 17th Annual Reproductive Management School of the South Florida Beef/Forage Program will be held in Wauchula on April 25-27, 2000. The purpose of the school is to strengthen managerial capabilities of owners and operators of beef cattle ranches. This is an intense course in reproductive management of the cow herd. Although the topic of pregnancy diagnosis is given extensive treatment in this program, participants should not expect this training to make them proficient in that skill. Rather, it is hoped that an improved understanding of the broad subjects of breeding herd management will be achieved and that individuals enrolled in this course will be better equipped to work with their veterinarians in accomplishing breeding program objectives. The course is conducted with the volunteer assistance of area food animal veterinary practitioners.
The School will begin on Tuesday, April 25th at 8:00 a.m. at the Hardee County Agri-Civic Center. Please contact this office for Registration in the School at 993-4846. Currently there are a few slots left to fill before we reach the cutoff number, but do not delay contacting us at the Extension Office.
The Forty-Ninth Annual Beef Cattle Short Course will be held this year at the Sheraton Hotel, Gainesville, Fl on May 3-5, 2000. Being the first short course of this new century, it addresses reproductive management, a major factor in the profitability of your beef cattle enterprise.
This year's short course features Florida beef producers, University of Florida staff and 15 professionals from various parts of the U.S. The short course will cover such topics as innovative, practical methods of estrous detection and synchronization. The program will also include discussions of new genetic approaches to beef production.
By far, the number one problem for beef producers in marketing to the consuming public has been shown to be tenderness. Two scientists at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center have found a genetic marker for potential tenderness in beef cattle. The technology may hold the key to the elimination of most tough beef from the marketplace within 10 years-as long as animals with this potential are managed correctly. The researchers have developed a DNA test to determine genetic potential of beef cattle. After four years of studies, the test has proven to be more than 99 percent accurate. The new test will determine a beef animal's potential for high marbling or very little marbling and tenderness at an estimated cost of less than $10 per head. Think about what I reported last month concerning Canada's requirement that all cattle be electronically identified before they can leave the ranch of origin. Should the U.S. develop this requirement and then by blood test feeders and packers will know if they are buying Tough or Tender Feeder Cattle and what that might mean to the bottom line on prices. The test has implications for Seed Stock Producers as well as feeder cattle. If a bull had all the indications of potential for both tenderness and marbling ability, how much more would he be worth than a bull with only some or even none of that potential. Good reasons to participate in the Reproductive Management School and the Beef Cattle Short Course this year. Reproductive management has always been important, but if these types of test become widespread, then it will be very important for producers to be utilizing the very best reproductive management practices.
Included in this Newsletter is an agenda for the Ona Field Day on June 1, 2000. The morning activities will be devoted to various production and forage topics, but will also include the Florida Cattlemen's Association Manual on Cow/Calf Best Management Practices (BMP's) by Mike Milicevic. Please return the registration form or call Ona at 735-1314 to make reservations for the free steak lunch.
Picture compliments of the Ona website located at: http://www.ifas.ufl.edu/~ona/onahp.html
If you have any comments or need additional information, please contact the DeSoto County Extension Office at (941) 993-4846.
Sincerely,
James F. Selph
DeSoto County Extension Director, IV, Livestock
James F. Selph
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