Livestock Briefs - bovine TB found in a SD beef herd
PIERRE, SD
Officials confirm bovine tuberculosis has been found in a SD beef herd
State Veterinarian Dustin Oedekoven says meat inspectors initially identified the suspect animals in February during routine slaughter inspection of otherwise healthy appearing cattle. The cattle were traced to a herd in Harding County. Testing of the herd revealed additional infected animals.
Oedekoven says his office is working with the herd owner and U.S. Department of Agriculture officials to evaluate the extent of the disease. He says adjacent herds will be tested, and that bovine TB is not a food threat, because of milk pasteurization and meat inspection programs.
Bovine TB is a respiratory disease of cattle. South Dakota has been recognized as free of the disease since 1982, although the last affected herd was identified in 2011.
NEILLSVILLE, WI
Share-a-Heifer program benefits youth
The Wisconsin Milking Shorthorn Breeders Association is sponsoring the Kent Quinn Family Share-A-Heifer program to help young people who are interested in having a Registered Milking Shorthorn dairy heifer project. Youth ages 9–16 are eligible to participate.
The Wisconsin Milking Shorthorn Breeders Association will provide the award winner applicants with $700 towards the purchase of animal through the Wisconsin Milking Shorthorn Dairyland Sale to be held on April 29 in Neillsville Wisconsin.
Applications must be received by April 14, 2017. Applications are available by contacting Brenda (Damrow) Gudex at Brenda@fdlac.com or 920-296-4282.
The Wisconsin Milking Shorthorn Breeders Association is also sponsoring a scholarship to any student who is a state and/or national Junior Milking Shorthorn member and whose parents, grandparents or guardians are current WMSBA members. The student must be either a high school senior or current student at an accredited college or vocational school. Students must be under 21 years of age as of Jan. 1 of year applying. This scholarship will give special preference, but not limited, to students pursuing agricultural studies.
This application is due March 31 and can be requested from Ellie Fleming at ellie.fleming@genusplc.com or 315-778-8000.
FITCHBURG, WI
National DHIA presents scholarships to 24 students
The National Dairy Herd Information Association (DHIA) Scholarship Committee selected 24 high school seniors and college students as recipients of $750 scholarships. Judges evaluated applicants on scholastic achievements, leadership in school and community activities, and responses to DHI- and career-related questions.
To be eligible for a National DHIA scholarship, applicants must be a family member or employee of a herd on DHI test, a family member of a DHI employee, or an employee of a DHI affiliate. The DHI affiliate for the herd or affiliate employee must be a National DHIA member.
This year’s National DHIA scholarship winners include Wisconsin youth Kalista Hodorff of Eden and Alyssa Seitz of Seymour. For nine consecutive years, National DHIA has awarded scholarships in memory of Joe Drexler, who worked for NorthStar Cooperative DHI Services. Mitchell Schroepfer, son of David and Jolynne Schroepfer of Birnamwood, WI, is one of two of this year’s recipients.
HAYWARD, WI
Winter Graziers Conference set for March 25
The Northwest Wisconsin Graziers Network has announced that this year’s annual winter conference will be held from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. March 25 at the Lac Courtes Oreilles Ojibwa Community College (LCO College) in Hayward. Registration and the trade show will start at 8:30 a.m.
The agenda will include: Milk Goats vs. Meat Goats, Dan Considine, Milk Goat Producer, Portage, WI; Rotational Grazing, Brian Pillsbury; How to Graze Without Chemicals, Dr. Erin Silva; and Incorporating Bees and Other Pollinators into Grazing, Sue Menzel.
Advance registration is due by March 21, is $20 and includes a Native American lunch, snacks and materials. Late registration is $30. For more information or to register, call 715-635-3506.
PIPESTONE, MN
Additions noted to U.S. swine team
Nedap, a global leader in livestock management systems, announced the promotion of Brad Carson and the hiring of Chuck Woods and Tim Shanks to its U.S. swine technology team.
Carson has been promoted to vice president of Nedap Livestock Management U.S. Woods joins the team as a sales manager for the southern Midwest, working with swine producers to design and implement group gestation sow housing and other automated swine management tools, and Shanks will serve as a technical and service project manager, assisting dealers with technology installation and service, as well as working with producers to plan building and equipment needs.
These new positions will benefit U.S. producers who have implemented or want to implement automated individual feeding systems on operations of all sizes.