Friday, December 16, 2011

Kansas Beef Expo Market Show Results
December 10 - Hutchinson, KS
Top 5 Overall Market Ring A - Judge Randy Mullinix
Kayla Morrow Crossbred
Kyndel Reitzenstein Crossbred
Andrew Hodges Shorthorn Plus
Brooke Jensen Charolais
Beau Bremmer Chianina

Top 5 Kansas
Andrew Hodges Shorthorn Plus
Brooke Jensen Charolais
Brady Jensen Crossbred
Taylor Goering Limousin
Abby Wood Simmental
 
Top 5 Overall Market Ring B - Judge Scott Bush
Kayla Morrow Crossbred
Emma Vickland Crossbred
Beau Bremmer Chianina
Stetson Wiss Maine Anjou
Kyndal Reitzenstein Crossbred

Top 5 Kansas
Brooke Jensen Charolais
Brady Jensen Crossbred
Taylor Goering Limousin
Abby Wood Simmental
Andrew Hodges Shorthorn Plus

2011 Snow Angels Elite Female Sale
15 Heifer Sold with an average of $3,030
Champion Heifer, Shorthorn Plus - Mid Continent Farms sold for $4,750
Reserve Heifer, Angus - Armbruster Cattle sold for $6,750

Daily dose of lean beef good for the heart, study reveals

A new study provides evidence that eating beef everyday as part of a heart-healthy diet can improve cholesterol levels. The Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet (BOLD) study, to be published in the January 2012 edition of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that diets including lean beef every day are as effective in lowering total and LDL ‘bad” cholesterol as the “gold standard” of heart-healthy diets (DASH, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension).
Funded by the Beef Checkoff and conducted at Pennsylvania State University, the BOLD study evaluated adults with moderately elevated cholesterol levels, measuring the impact of diets including varying amounts of lean beef on total and LDL cholesterol levels. Study participants experienced a 10 percent decrease in LDL cholesterol from the start of the study, while consuming diets containing 4.0 and 5.4 ounces of lean beef daily.

(VIEW FULL STORY HERE)

Thursday, December 15, 2011

K-State Winter Ranch Management Seminar

A  K-State Winter Ranch Management Seminar will be held on Tuesday, January 10, 2012, from 4:00 – 8:30 p.m.  Locations for the event include Manhattan (Kansas State University), Ashland (Ashland Community Center), Osborne (Kansas National Guard Armory), Highland (Highland Community College) and Russell (Russell County 4-H Building).  The tentative schedule is as follows:
            4:00 p.m.         Registration
            4:30 p.m.         Winter Ration Development
            5:15 p.m.         Ranch Management Focus (Trey Patterson, Padlock Ranch, via webinar)
            6:00 p.m.         Dinner
            7:00 p.m.         Cattle Business Outlook (Glynn Tonsor, K-State Ag Economist, via webinar)
            7:45 p.m.         Hunting Lease Management
The webinar speakers will be addressing the audiences at all 5 locations simultaneously.  Local speakers at each location will address winter ration development using a computerized ration balancing program and diversifying ranch income with hunting leases.  Brochures for the event will be available through your local county office shortly and will be available at www.KSUbeef.org.  For additional information, contact Larry Hollis (lhollis@ksu.edu; 785-532-1246). 

What Constitutes A Good Bull?

Not only has the price of bulls increased, but so has the bull’s impact on an operation’s bottom line.

Not surprisingly, bull prices – just like the rest of the industry’s pricing structure – are seeing a major increase . It wasn’t that many years ago that a $5,000 bull was considered to be a rare commodity. But, it appears that will be closer to an average bull than an elite bull this year. The higher prices and growing input prices aren’t only escalating the value of cattle but underscoring the growing differences in cattle’s value.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

KLA HIRES POPELKA AS V.P. OF LEGAL AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

  (TOPEKA) – The Kansas Livestock Association (KLA) has announced Aaron Popelka will join the trade organization’s professional staff in early January as vice president of legal and government affairs. Popelka currently serves as chief counsel for U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran. He has been a key member of the senator’s staff since 2006 when Moran was in the U.S. House of Representatives and a member of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee. During his tenure with Moran, Popelka has worked on issues affecting agriculture, energy, environment, trade and water. He was very involved in helping to write the 2008 Farm Bill, of which Moran played a key leadership role during joint House-Senate Conference Committee negotiations.
Popelka was raised on a crop and cattle operation near Munden in north central Kansas. He graduated summa cum laude from Kansas State University with a degree in agricultural economics. At K-State, he was a member of Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity and the Golden Key Honorary.
He subsequently studied a concentrated program of agricultural law at the University of Nebraska, where he received a juris doctorate degree, with distinction. Popelka was in private practice with a law firm for two years before joining Moran’s staff.
“KLA is fortunate to have acquired a highly qualified attorney to join other experienced staff lobbyists and lead our legal and governmental affairs efforts, which are a major thrust of KLA’s mission to serve members,” said KLA Executive Vice President Dee Likes. “Aaron’s years of experience in agricultural law and expertise on legislative and regulatory issues at the highest levels of government will be a valuable asset to KLA members and the agriculture industry.”
               KLA is a trade organization representing the state’s livestock business on legislative, regulatory and industry issues at both the state and federal levels. The association’s work is funded through voluntary dues dollars paid by its members.

National Beef, LLC owners agree to sell an ownership interest

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - U.S. Premium Beef, LLC (USPB) and National Beef Packing Company, LLC (National Beef) today announced that the owners of National Beef have entered into a Membership Interest Purchase Agreement with Leucadia National Corporation (Leucadia) under which Leucadia will acquire approximately 79% of the outstanding ownership interests in National Beef. The operations and management structure of National Beef will remain unchanged.

"This transaction will enable us to address the liquidity desires of USPB's diverse producer ownership base while maintaining our highly successful cattle supply system and a sizable investment in beef processing," Steve Hunt, CEO of USPB, said in making the announcement. "Leucadia is a diversified holding company engaged in a variety of businesses; its broad and deep experience will enhance our partnership. Our goals for the future of National Beef are aligned and we look forward to a long and successful partnership."




(VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE)