Chaps Summary for South Dakota, 1991

Calving distribution and calf performance data were summarized from the CHAPS (Cow Herd Appraisal of Performance Software) analyses of 61 South Dakota cow herds. CHAPS uses beef cow weaning weight records to calculate adjusted 205-day weights and ratios, keep lifetime production records on cows, calculate Most Probable Producing Ability estimates for cows, produce a sire summary and analyze production according to cow age and 21 -day calving periods. The 1991 summary represents 6,196 cows for an average of 102 cows per herd. The herds ranged in size from 19 to 277 head. The average midpoint of the calving season for these herds was April 9. The average actual birth and weaning weights were 78.8 and 507.0 Ib, respectively, with the average age at weaning 205.3 days. Overall, 82.8% of the females calved by day 42 of their respective calving seasons, although there was considerable disparity in the percent calved by day 42 between the HIGH and LOW (92.9 vs 69.7%) calving distribution herds. This difference is important since actual weaning weights declined 35 to 60 Ib for each 21 days later that calves were born. In addition to these data for the state summary, CHAPS provides valuable information for making within herd selection and management decisions

A new parameterization of an empirical model for wind/ocean scatterometry

The power law form of the SEASAT A Scatterometer System (SASS) empirical backscatter-to-wind model function does not uniformly meet the instrument performance over the range 4 to 24 /ms. Analysis indicates that the horizontal polarization (H-Pol) and vertical polarization (V-Pol) components of the benchmark SASS1 model function yield self-consistent results only for a small mid-range of speeds at larger incidence angles, and for a somewhat larger range of speeds at smaller incidence angles. Comparison of SASS1 to in situ data over the Gulf of Alaska region further underscores the shortcomings of the power law form. Finally, a physically based empirical SASS model is proposed which corrects some of the deficiencies of power law models like SASS1. The new model allows the mutual determination of sea surface wind stress and wind speed in a consistent manner from SASS backscatter measurements

Chaps Summary for South Dakota, 1992

Calving distribution and calf performance data were summarized from the CHAPS (Cow Herd Appraisal of Performance Software) analyses of 102 South Dakota cow herds. CHAPS uses beef cow weaning weight records to calculate adjusted 205-day weights and ratios, keep lifetime production records on cows, calculate Most Probable Producing Ability estimates for cows, produce a sire summary, and analyze production according to cow age and 21-day calving periods. The 1992 summary represents 11,661 cows for an average of 114 cows per herd. The herds ranged in size from 10 to 616 head. The average midpoint of the calving season for these herds was April 6. The average actual birth and weaning weights were 82.5 and 551.0 Ib, respectively, with the average age at weaning 21 1.4 days. Overall, 80.6% of the females calved by day 42 of their respective calving seasons, although there was considerable disparity in the percentage calved by day 42 between the HIGH and LOW (94 vs 61 %) calving distribution herds. This difference is important since actual weaning weights declined 25 to 35 Ib for each 21 days later that calves were born. In addition to these data for the state summary, CHAPS provides valuable information for making within herd selection and management decisions

Chaps Summary for South Dakota, 1990

Calving distribution and calf performance data were summarized from the CHAPS (Cow Herd Appraisal of Performance Software) analyses of 61 South Dakota cow herds. CHAPS uses standard beef cow weaning weight records to calculate adjusted 205-day weights and ratios, keep lifetime production records on cows, calculate Most Probable Producing Ability estimates for cows, produce a sire summary and analyze production according to cow age and 21 -day calving periods. The 1990 summary represents 6,771 calves for an average of 110 cows per herd. The average actual birth and weaning weights were 82.2 and 523.2 Ib, respectively, with the average age at weaning 199 days. Overall, 81.3% of the females calved by day 42 of their respective calving seasons, although there was considerable disparity in the percent calved by day 42 between the HIGH and LOW (91.9 vs 62.8%) calving distribution herds. This difference is important since actual weaning weights declined 37 to 60 Ib for each 21 days later that calves were born. In addition to these data for the state summary, CHAP3 provides valuable information for making within herd selection and management decisions

Chaps Summary for South Dakota, 1992

Calving distribution and calf performance data were summarized from the CHAPS (Cow Herd Appraisal of Performance Software) analyses of 102 South Dakota cow herds. CHAPS uses beef cow weaning weight records to calculate adjusted 205-day weights and ratios, keep lifetime production records on cows, calculate Most Probable Producing Ability estimates for cows, produce a sire summary, and analyze production according to cow age and 21-day calving periods. The 1992 summary represents 11,661 cows for an average of 114 cows per herd. The herds ranged in size from 10 to 616 head. The average midpoint of the calving season for these herds was April 6. The average actual birth and weaning weights were 82.5 and 551.0 Ib, respectively, with the average age at weaning 21 1.4 days. Overall, 80.6% of the females calved by day 42 of their respective calving seasons, although there was considerable disparity in the percentage calved by day 42 between the HIGH and LOW (94 vs 61 %) calving distribution herds. This difference is important since actual weaning weights declined 25 to 35 Ib for each 21 days later that calves were born. In addition to these data for the state summary, CHAPS provides valuable information for making within herd selection and management decisions

South Dakota Retained Ownership Demonstration

Three hundred forty-five steer calves representing 53 cow-calf producers were consigned to a custom feedlot in late October. Cattle were fed in one of two pens. One pen of calves received a moderate roughage growing diet for 39 days and then were switched to a high energy finishing diet (ACC). The other pen of calves received a moderate roughage growing diet for 109 days and then were switched to a high energy finishing diet (TWO). The ACC calves weighed 574 lb initially, gained 2.94 Ib per head daily and were slaughtered at 1147 Ib after an average of 196 days on feed. Average cost of gain and profitability were $52.31 per cwt and$38.75 per head, respectively. The TWO calves weighed 504 Ib initially, gained 2.77 Ib per head daily and were slaughtered at 1096 Ib after an average of 214 days on feed. Average cost of gain and profitability were $52.72 per cwt and$16.69 per head, respectively. Cattle slaughtered later in the spring were less profitable than cattle slaughtered earlier in the spring due to a weaker cattle market and wider choice-select price spread. Across either feeding program, average profits for cattle slaughtered after 170, 192, 199, 200 and 242 days on feed were $50.03,$64.42, $28.69,$27.39 and -$16.78 per head, respectively

Impact of Technology on Meat Safety

Innovations and new technologies tend to create apprehension among consumers who are not familiar with the technologies and their mode of action. This case currently exists regarding the use of hormones, antibiotics and other feed additives in livestock production. The purpose of this fact sheet is to familiarize consumers with some of the products of technology that are currently utilized in the production of meat animals and to provide an evaluation of how these products impact the safety of meat and meat products

Developing Cultural Competence among 4-H Leaders

Access, equity, diversity, and inclusion are essential elements of 4-H’s goals related to positive youth development and organizational sustainability. The 4-H organization has impacted over 6 million youth worldwide and continues to grow every day. At the county, state, and national level, 4-H programs have grown more diverse, making it essential that 4-H programs encourage and highlight cultural similarities and differences through education. However, training in cultural competence for 4-H leaders is lacking, which is the bridge to connecting diversity and inclusion. Cultural competency is an awareness of one’s own cultural identity and the ability to interact effectively and appropriately with people from other cultures. This project utilized a multidisciplinary and collaborative effort to deliver cultural competence training for 27 4-H young adult and adult leaders in a mid-South U.S. state. All participants completed pre-assessments of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), participated in 2-hour training sessions on cultural competence, and completed post-IDI assessments three months later. Overall, most 4-H leaders scored in the Minimization orientation, which is the most common orientation among adults. In order to advance beyond the Minimization orientation to the Acceptance orientation, 4-H educators need additional educational opportunities, which may aid them in understanding crucial differences between cultures. The cultural competency model of the IDI provides a valuable framework in preparing culturally sensitive 4-H educators to construct settings where equity, access, and opportunity are available to all youth, allowing 4-H members to better reach their potential as capable, caring, and competent leaders of today and tomorrow

Effects of Growth Pattern on Muscle Growth, Nuclei Number, Protein Accretion, and Body Composition in Heifers

The effects of compensatory growth on accretion of muscle mass, protein mass, and nuclei number of the supraspinatus and semitendinosus muscles were evaluated using seven serial slaughter groups of Angus x Limousin heifer calves (n = 28, BW 270 2 9.5 kg). Fractional growth rates of carcass protein and fat were also evaluated. To achieve compensatory growth, energy intake was restricted for 88 days (Phase 1) followed by adlibitum feeding of a high energy diet (Phase2) [LH]. Controls were allowed continuous ad libitum access to the high energy diet (HH). Muscle weights, body composition samples, and muscle biopsies were collected at various weight (465 vs 500 kg) or age (88 vs 186 days) constants. Phase 1 energy restriction limited body weight, carcass weight, carcass protein mass, and carcass fat mass (P\u3c.05). This was the result of the limited tissue fractional growth rates. The fractional growth rate of protein for heifers exhibiting compensatory growth was not increased but was maintained until maximum carcass protein mass was attained. Maximum carcass protein mass was attained by a weight of 465 kg. Any further increase in carcass weight was primarily attributed to an increase of carcass fat mass regardless of previous management. Energy restriction limited muscle, protein, and nuclei accretion rates. Heifers exhibiting compensatory growth sustained a linear growth potential until maximum muscle mass occurred at an end point similar to cattle not exhibiting compensatory growth. Muscle nuclei maintained a constant relationship to muscle mass independent of nutritional treatment, muscle type (supraspinatus vs semitendinosus), or days on feed. These data indicate compensatory growth alters the growth curve without affecting the mechanisms of growth

Factors Affecting Weaning Weight Production

Weaning weight records from a commercial cow herd were statistically analyzed to demonstrate suspected sources of variation in weaning weight. Data from first-calf heifers and mature cows (3 to 9 year olds) were analyzed separately. For every one day increase in calf age at weaning, weaning weight was increased by 1.65 and 1.76 Ib for first-calf heifers and mature cows, respectively. For every 1 percentage point increase in MPPA of the cow, weaning weight was increased by 4.5 Ib. A 10% advantage in weaning weights and weight per day of age (WDA) was observed in steers over heifers. A 3 and 6% advantage in WDA and weaning weight, respectively, was observed in bulls over steers. Weaning weight and WDA peaked among cows 4 to 6 years of age and then declined. Cows that were 3, 8 and 9 years of age produced calves with similar weaning weights. Calves nursing 3-, 7- and 8-year-old cows required more treatments for sickness than calves nursing 4- to 6-year-old cows. Production records provide valuable insight into causes of variation in cow productivity