National Angus Conference And Tour Set
For September 24-27 In Mandan, N.D.
MANDAN, N.D. Plans are
underway for the 2003 National
Angus Conference and Tour,
scheduled September 24-27 in
Mandan, N.D.
The American Angus Associa
tion has planned a program full
of top-notch beef industry speak
ers lined up for the one-day con
ference program.
The North Dakota Angus As
sociation (NDAA) is putting the
finishing touches on the more
than two-day tour, which will
feature Angus herds from across
the state.
The theme for this year’s event
is “Take Initiative,” and the con
ference speakers will challenge
both seed stock and commercial
producers to “take initiative”
when selecting genetics, manag
ing resources and exploring mar
keting options.
Wet Weather May Rot Soybean Yields
COLUMBUS, Ohio Wet soil
conditions have been the root of a
lot of problems this planting sea
son and soybean growers contin
ue to struggle with added stress
from hot weather.
Ohio soybean fields are begin
ning to dry, but 18 percent re
main saturated, and resulting
root-rot diseases are increasing
estimated yield losses.
Lancaster Farming's Boarder & Trainer has
another fantastic section scheduled Aug. 9. The
summer B&T is scheduled to include a feature
on Percheron horses, an interview with two
"horse dentists," pictorial coverage of a major
horse show, and how one horse owner turned
her experiences into an inspirational book. Also
included: housing and fencing requirements for
horses and a special column on draft horses,
along with many other goodies, watch for it!
“We are excited to sponsor the
National Angus Conference and
Tour,” says Wayne Cole, Senior
Manager-Cattle Marketing,
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedi
ca. “Given the rapid changes in
technologies, products and mar
keting strategies in the beef in
dustry, this is an important event
for any beef producer wishing to
leant about increasing their prof
itability.”
Speakers on the program in
clude Daryl Strohbehn, lowa
State University; Barry Dunn,
South Dakota State University;
Ron Lemanager, Purdue Univer
sity; Kevin Yon, Ridge Spring,
S.C.; Gene Harris, Killdeer, N.D.;
and Vance Uden, Franklin, Neb.
Presentations will also be given
on herd health and beef quality
assurance.
“In June, we had fairly wet soil
conditions throughout most of
the month,” said Jim Beuerlein,
an Ohio State University agron
omist. “There was plenty of op
portunity for soybean plants to
get infected with all the root rot
diseases, and that probably hap
pened in most fields.
“Now that we’re in July,
things have dried out and tern-
Vi
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Following the conference,
members of the NDAA will
showcase some the best Angus
genetics their state has to offer.
Attendees will have the opportu
nity to see some of the best herds
in the state as well as see diverse
environments and scenic areas.
Members who will host tour
stops include Tokach Angus
Ranch, EUingson Angus Ranch,
Schaffs Angus Valley, Frey
Angus Ranch, McCumber Angus
Ranch, Vollmer Angus Ranch,
Brooks Chalky Butte Ranch and
Fairview Angus Ranch. Other
breeders will also be featured at
centralized stops.
Registration materials for the
event will be available soon. Re
quest them by contacting Linda
Campbell at (816) 383-5100 or
lcampbell@angus.or
peratures are up and beans are
growing,” he said. “And since
they have been infected, we ex
pect to see these diseases, with
wanner soil temperatures, start
ing to develop and destroy root
systems.”
To this point, growers have
planted 97 percent of Ohio’s soy
bean crop, according to the Ohio
Agricultural Statistics Service.
This is compared to 100 percent
last year.
Late planting, combined with
root rot diseases, will produce
smaller plants with fewer nodes.
Plants that usually average 3 feet
of growth may only be I.S feet to
2.5 feet tall, said Beurelein, who
also is a professor in horticulture
and crop science. Growers can
expect lower yields from smaller
plants and fewer pods.
Depending on the rest of the
season, it is estimated that yields
will be below 40 bushels per acre,
compared to the normal 43 bush
els to 44 bushels per acre. Any
additional stress on the plants,
such as recent high temperatures,
will increase disease and yield
losses.
New Pest Bugs
Soybean Growers
WOOSTER, Ohio Along
with the stresses of the weather,
soybean growers might be faced
with yet another problem: soy
bean aphids. The pest was recent
ly identified in a Wooster field
and entomologists are encourag
ing growers to scout their fields.
Soybean aphids are relatively
new to the United States and to
Ohio State University research
ers. The pests were first identified
in 2000 and were a major prob
lem in northern Ohio and sur
rounding states in 2001, said Ron
Hammond, an entomologist with
the Ohio Agricultural Research
and Development Center. Last
year researchers were prepared to
battle the bug, but it was almost
non-existent.
“Two years ago, we didn’t re
ally realize we had the pest until
too late,” Hammond said. “And
last year, it didn’t really show up
it was low throughout the Mid
west. We don’t really know what
it will do this year, but we hope
it’s like last year.”
Based on the soybean aphid
damage seen in 2001, Minnesota
was expecting to spray over two
million acres last year. Ohio was
prepared to spray one-half mil
lion acres, and that was based on
damage seen only in the northern
part of Ohio, Hammond said. If
the aphids get into bigger soy
bean regions, it could be a major
problem.
A population of soybean
aphids can easily reduce yields by
five to 10 bushels per acre, Ham
mond said. Injury from soybean
aphids include pod abortion, and
later in the season, small seed de
velopment.
NILE To Host 2003-04
National Red Angus Show,
Junior Show
BOZEMAN, MT The Red
Angus Association of America
(RAAA) has named the Northern
International Livestock Exposi
tion (NILE) as the location for
their 2003-04 National Show and
National Junior Show.
The National Red Angus Jun
ior Show will be on October 15.
Judges for the National Junior
Show will be announced at a
later date. The National Red
Angus Show will be conducted
October 26.
Randy Daniel, Colbert, Geor
gia will serve as the lead judge,
and Troy Thomas, Harold, South
Dakota, as the associate judge for
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 26, 2003-A33
If the soybean aphid becomes a
problem, farmers would be facing
$lO to $l5 per acre of additional
costs for spray, Hammond said.
However, because it only takes
three to four bushels to cover
spray cost, the cost of spray is
well justified compared to the
losses caused by soybean aphids.
“I hope it’s a problem we don’t
have to get into,” Hammond
said. “Growers have enough to
handle with the weather and
prices. They don’t need to have
another problem.”
The pests, which cover the
plant and suck the juices out of
it, can get into the thousands per
plant, Hammond said. Growers
want to keep numbers minimal,
but do not want to spray too soon
or it will allow for the aphids to
return by the end of the season. It
is recommended to wait to spray
until early- to mid-July when the
plants are flowering and setting
pods, and the majority of plants
are covered with 250 or more
aphids.
Soybean aphids, which are
often mistaken for small potato
ieafhopper nymphs, overwinter
on buck-thom. This host is
usually found along hedges, fence
lines, and wooded areas. But the
Wooster field where the aphids
were identified is not close to
hedges, fence lines or woods,
Hammond said.
The aphid also is thought to be
a cool-season pest because of its
invasion of northern United
States, but researchers are not yet
sure. If the aphids are a problem
this year, more traits will be fig
ured out.
the 2003-04 National Show. The
RAAA uses a two-judge system,
providing the lead judge with a
Red Angus breeder as an associ
ate to help familiarize him with
the EPDs and the focus of the
breed.
The 21st annual NILE Red
Angus Auction will be conducted
Friday, October 17.
The entry deadline is Septem
ber 15. Premium lists, entry ap
plications and information can be
obtained by calling the NILE at
(406) 256-2495, or the RAAA Na
tional Office at (940) 387-3502.
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