The American Simmental-Simbrah Foundation board has launched a fundraising drive titled "Brand Yourself in Simmental History." The opportunity offers the ability to be included in the American Simmental Association's (ASA) newly-built office building and landscaping. Several levels of sponsorship exist offering different recognition from naming the conference room, to hanging your ranch brand in the building.

The first level of support offers two price levels: History Area Brand. Walk into the main foyer of the building and turning left, the history area of the ASA office looks out at the beautiful Montana scenery.  This main attraction is a perfect place to have a ranch or personal name branded into a piece of weathered barn wood from the "old" office building. Two price levels exist at $5,000 and $1,000 options.

The most intriguing option is the opportunity to name the conference room, offered via a bid-off style.  Bidders can visit simmental.org/foundation to bid for their opportunity to name or dedicate the ASA's conference and board meeting room. The first bid starts at $20,000, but the highest bidder gets their opportunity to leave a mark.

For anyone looking for an outdoor theme, 22 donors can adopt a tree. Twenty-two trees line the driveway and entrance of the office building and will boast the name of their choice for $2,500. Three prime location trees exist at the front door of the building for $5,000. Adopting a tree is offered on a first-come, first-serve basis, so those interested are encouraged to donate early.

All donations for the Foundation can be designated to one of three Foundation segments: youth, education or science. Donations can also be specified for a specific event or project. Any person or business interested in "Branding Themselves into Simmental History" is encouraged to contact an American Simmental-Simbrah Foundation board member, found at www.simmental.org/foundation. Any questions about the fundraising drive can be directed to Director of Youth, Emily Lochner at elochner@simmgene.com.

"Feed the Future" Program

The American Hereford Association is partnering with BioZyme Inc. and the Hereford Youth Foundation of America launched the "Feed the Future" program on Sept. 1.

BioZyme Inc. will contribute $1 to HYFA through "Feed the Future" for every bag or tub of eligible Biozyme supplement bought by AHA members through 2017. Eligible products include ConceptAid®, Heat™, Cattleman's Blend™, the Mineral Lyk Tub, 30:13 Protein Tub™, Roughage Fortifier and Sure Start® Pellet.

"We are thrilled to be launching this new program with our longtime friends from BioZyme Inc.," said Amy Cowan, AHA director of youth activities and foundation. "They have supported the JNHE as our tittle sponsor and are taking their support to a whole new level. This program means big things for the Hereford breed."

To participate in the program, participants must take a picture of their invoice with eligible purchases and email a copy of the invoice to Hereford@biozymeinc.com or text a picture(s) of the invoice to 816-383-3109.

Money raised from "Feed the Future" will directly benefit Hereford youth through leadership and scholarship opportunities.

For more information about the program, contact Erin Creason, BioZyme Inc. Inside Sales Coordinator, at 816-238-7084.

Preconditioning Pays

By Che Trejo, DVM, Zoetis Beef Technical Services

Producers make mindful decisions to precondition their calves to help ward off sickness and prepare calves for weaning, commingling and travel to feedlots. However, if they don’t take the step to enroll in a third-party-verified preconditioning program, are they reaping their much-deserved rewards?

Recent auction market sales data demonstrates the value producers can gain through preconditioning calves — as much as $72 more per head if enrolled in SelectVAC^® compared with similarly preconditioned cattle not enrolled in SelectVAC.  As good stewards of the animals in our care, we understand there is much more behind the choice and investment in preconditioning cattle than dollar signs alone.

From cow/calf to feedlot sectors, preconditioning is the most conscientious choice producers can make for the betterment of their animals’ health. Preconditioning programs promote calf growth, enhance immune function and minimize stress as calves move from their ranch of origin to the stocker or backgrounder operation and then to the feedlot. A study demonstrated that calves enrolled in SelectVAC were four times less likely to get sick or die in a feedlot setting than calves with an unverified health history. Preconditioning calves well ahead of stressors like shipment and commingling allows time for calves to respond to vaccinations and help avoid potential health risks, such as bovine respiratory disease (BRD).

Combine preconditioning with sound weaning practices to best protect your calves from infectious challenges they could encounter during their most delicate periods of early life.

Additional ways to promote Calf Wellness:

• When working cows, handle calves with care to avoid unnecessary stress.
• Practice controlled separation strategies at pre-weaning to avoid abrupt weaning patterns for young calves.
• Better-orchestrated practices centered around branding and pre-weaning can decrease stressors at weaning. 

Selling cattle with a history in a verified preconditioning program, like SelectVAC, provides transparency to buyers because the program documents which products were administered and when. With lower chances of sickness and death, feedyard operators purchasing calves preconditioned with SelectVAC may no longer feel the need to administer antibiotics on arrival. Among growing consumer concerns over antibiotic usage, this benefit becomes increasingly important.

Producers who choose to precondition their calves know the decision isn’t always driven by economics. It’s the best decision for the health of their calves, as well as the cattle industry at large.

Bayer Releases Study Results

Bayer Animal Health announces results from a clinical field study for the performance of Zelnate DNA Immunostimulant on arrival with modified live viral (MLV) vaccine on arrival or delayed.

Goals for the study were to examine how Zelnate may improve health and performance outcomes when used on arrival, and to observe the potential benefits of delaying the MLV vaccine until after initial stress and Mannheimia haemolytica challenges are experienced.

Key study results are as follows:

• At the conclusion of the study, Zelnate significantly reduced overall mortality at every measured time frame (60 days, 116 days and close-out), regardless of whether the MLV vaccine was administered on arrival or MLV delayed 30 days.
• Zelnate significantly reduced BRD mortality at 60 days (with a 30.2 percent reduction in total mortality and a 28.4 percent reduction in BRD mortality) and 116 days (with a 31.5 percent reduction in total mortality and a 27.5 percent reduction in BRD mortality) compared to calves not treated with Zelnate. Zelnate followed the same trend at close-out.
• Although not statistically significant, Zelnate showed a trend in reducing the BRD case fatality rate throughout the study.
• Delaying the MLV significantly reduced second BRD treatments at all three time frames, and significantly reduced BRD re-treatment risk at 116 days and close-out.

“Because BRD remains such a challenge in the cattle industry, Bayer is focused on finding new and innovative ways to attack this devastating disease,” says Jim Sears, senior technical services veterinarian, Bayer Animal Health. “That includes looking at how recently developed products, such as Zelnate, can be used in different ways and at different stages in a producer’s BRD prevention and treatment protocol.”

The study included a total of 5,179 crossbred heifer calves at a commercial feedlot in southwest Kansas and looked at whether multiple biologicals in the arrival processing of medium to high risk cattle in a feed yard may be causing undue levels of stress and compromising the immune system. The primary BRD challenges faced by such cattle in the early stages of their feeding period are usually associated primarily with or caused directly by Mannheimia haemolytica infections.

“Overall, we saw an added value of including Zelnate in processing cattle, with Zelnate consistently improving survivability, resulting in a 22 percent reduction in overall death loss, regardless of on arrival or delayed processing,” says Sears.

“These study results remain consistent with prior studies in demonstrating how Zelnate reduces mortality in cattle herds.”

For more information or to obtain a copy of the report, call Bayer Veterinary Services at +1 (800) 422-9874 or visit www.Zelnate.com.

DewEze® Kicks Off 20,000 Likes in 200 Days Sweepstakes “Like” DewEze For a Chance to Win a Bale Bed

HARPER, Kan. –Backed by decades of durability, DewEze, a division of Harper Industries, Inc. (HII), unveiled its 20,000^th bale bed off the line. The first bed was introduced to the market in 1984. To mark this significant milestone, HII wants to celebrate with customers, dealers and employees who have played a key role in making DewEze the industry-leading bale bed manufacturer.

Now through February, DewEze will be running the “20,000 Likes in 200 Days” Sweepstakes for a chance to win a bale bed, valued up to $15,800! To be eligible, participants must “like” the DewEze Facebook page, www.facebook.com/DewEzeMfg, then click on the contest to enter. The grand prize winner will be announced during the National Farm Machinery show in Louisville, Kentucky February 16, 2017.

DewEze is showcasing the company’s promise to ranchers, dealers and employees with a series of special events and promotions across North America. The customized 20,000^th bale bed, a 682 Pivot Squeeze, will be on display at more than two dozen shows, open houses and field days over the next six months. Follow the 20,000^th Bale Bed journey by visiting www.DewEze.com.