Texas A&M Summer Horsemanship Schools enter 46th year

Media contact: Blair Fannin, 979-845-2259, b-fannin@tamu.edu  Contact: Chelsie Huseman, 979-845-5264, chelsie.huseman@tamu.edu COLLEGE STATION – More than 100 former Texas A&M University Summer Horsemanship School instructors gathered as part of a reunion weekend to celebrate 46 consecutive years of the program at Texas A&M University. The event was held on the university campus and included guests of honor B.F. Yeates, Dr. Pete Gibbs and Dr. Gary Potter, all former founders/directors of the program that began in the 1970s. “This was the first-ever instructor reunion for the Summer Horsemanship School Program and… Read More →

Cow with better body condition has stronger calving process

Writer: Dr. Joe Paschal, 361-265-9203, joe.paschal@ag.tamu.edu Body condition scoring refers to evaluating the amount of body fat in a cow (or any other animal). Under normal grazing conditions, cows carrying more body fat are more efficient because they are more adapted to their environment. Cows (and bulls) that are more adapted to their environment are more fertile and productive. The value of body condition scoring has been known since at least the early 1960s when Dr. J. N. Wiltbank reported that cows in better body condition, or that were… Read More →

The Top 4 lessons learned at Camp Brisket

By: Jeff Savell, 979-845-3992, j-savell@tamu.edu & Kerri Gehring, 979-862-3254, kbgehring@tamu.edu COLLEGE STATION, Texas –  Camp Brisket, a joint venture between Foodways Texas and Texas A&M Univ., has evolved since the inaugural event held in 2013, to what is now an always sold-out, dream-come-true annual opportunity for pit masters of all experience levels to immerse themselves in beef. It is a great companion to the annual Barbecue Summer Camp, which has also developed a cult-like following and has drawn hundreds of attendees from around the country to Texas A&M. As… Read More →

Horn flies can damage cattle skin, need to be controlled

Writer: Dr. Joe Paschal, 361-265-9203, joe.paschal@ag.tamu.edu The other day when I was turning out the cows to a rested pasture full of green grass and winter weeds, I noticed many of them had several horn flies and other cows had quite a few. I guess it is going to be an early season. The horn fly, which seems to be a misnomer since they congregate on cattle without horns, too, were introduced to the U.S. from Europe in the late 1800s. They were called horn fly because they clustered… Read More →

AgriLife Research to study prenatal stress impacts in cattle

Writer: Adam Russell, 903-834-6191, adam.russell@ag.tamu.edu Contact: Dr. Ron Randel, 903-834-6191, ron.randel@ag.tamu.edu OVERTON – A $382,800 federal grant will fund research to identify the impacts of prenatal stress on beef cattle DNA, white blood cells, other tissue and subsequent changes in genetics related to temperament, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientist. Dr. Ron Randel, AgriLife Research physiologist, said the three-year grant will finance research focused on the “effect of prenatal stress on DNA methylation and correspondence with gene expression in cattle” at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in… Read More →

Jordan receives Distinguished Achievement Award

Writer: Adam Russell, 903-834-6191, adam.russell@ag.tamu.edu Contact: Dr. Ellen Jordan, 254, 968-4144, ellen.jordan@ag.tamu.edu STEPHENVILLE – Dr. Ellen Jordan, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service state dairy specialist in Dallas, was honored by Texas A&M University and the Association of Former Students with the University-Level Distinguished Achievement Award for Extension, Outreach, Continuing Education and Professional Development during a ceremony April 27 in College Station. This award is presented to a staff member, faculty member or administrator who has brought credit to Texas A&M University through his or her dedication, enthusiasm, attitude and effectiveness… Read More →

Both data, visual aspects of cattle count when making purchases

Writer: Blair Fannin, 979-845-2259, b-fannin@tamu.edu Contact: Dr. Jason Cleere, 979-845-6931, jjcleere@tamu.edu FORT WORTH  – When buying female replacement cattle or breeding bulls, it’s important to use data and visual observations to make the best selections, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert. Dr. Jason Cleere, beef cattle specialist from College Station, gave a series of demonstrations on conformation at the recent Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Convention in Fort Worth advising the best methods for buying replacements. “If I look at what the cow looks like visually… Read More →

The forgotten goat has grown in popularity

goats in a pasture

Writer: Dr. Joe Paschal, 361-265-9203, joe.paschal@ag.tamu.edu As I drive up and down the roads of South and Central Texas, I often see a pasture with goats, mostly Boers now. In the late 1980s, when I was still a young extension specialist, C. Wayne Hanselka, extension range specialist (now retired), and I decided to compile as much information about meat goat production as possible from folks in the business at that time. Other than dairy breeds and Angoras, goats back then were called “Spanish.” The Boers (“Boer” means “farmer” in… Read More →

Ranchers learn about the injection-site blemishes, value of beef carcass

Writer: Blair Fannin, 979-845-2259, b-fannin@tamu.edu Contact: Dr. Joe Paschal, 361-265-9203, joe.paschal@ag.tamu.edu FORT WORTH – A team of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialists demonstrated how much injection–site blemishes can diminish the value of high-end cuts from the beef carcass at the recent Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Convention in Fort Worth. Dr. Joe Paschal, AgriLife Extension livestock specialist from Corpus Christi, was joined by Dr. Dan Hale, AgriLife Extension meat specialist, and Dr. Tom Hairgrove, AgriLife Extension beef cattle veterinarian and food animal specialist, both from College Station, who… Read More →

Expert: Misplaced metal scrapie ear tags could pose risk to sheep shearer, sheep

Writer: Steve Byrns, 325-653-4576, s-byrns@tamu.edu Contact: Dr. Reid Redden, 325-653-4576, Reid.Redden@ag.tamu.edu SAN ANGELO – A switch from plastic to metal ear tags could spell trouble for sheep shearers and the animals they shear if the tags are incorrectly applied, said a shearing expert. Dr. Reid Redden, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service state sheep and goat specialist at San Angelo, said the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Animal Plant Health Inspection Service recently quit providing free plastic scrapie program ear tags to the sheep and goat community as a cost-saving measure. They are, however,… Read More →