Tag: American Cattlemen

MJE Livestock Equipment Partners with Pearson Livestock Equipment to Enhance Ranching Operations Nationwide

Posted on by Twin Rivers Media

MJE Livestock Equipment Partners with Pearson Livestock Equipment to Enhance Ranching Operations Nationwide

Article and photo courtesy of MJE Livestock Equipment

Montezuma, KS – May 6, 2024,  MJE Livestock Equipment, a leading provider of innovative livestock handling solutions, is excited to announce a new strategic collaboration with Pearson Livestock Equipment, one of the most respected names in the cattle handling industry.

This partnership is a testament to our commitment to ranchers nationwide, as it aims to provide them with the finest squeeze chutes, enhancing their working facilities and portable corrals, and ultimately, their operational efficiency.

With a well-earned reputation for quality and reliability, Pearson Livestock Equipment’s squeeze chutes are renowned for their durability and functionality. MJE Livestock Equipment is proud to integrate these top-of-the-line chutes into its product offerings, with headgates painted in MJE’s signature steel blue to ensure they integrate seamlessly with existing equipment, providing ranchers with a product they can trust.

“This collaboration represents a pivotal step in our commitment to providing comprehensive solutions to the ranching community,” said Heather Jantz, Chief Operating Officer at MJE Livestock Equipment. By incorporating Pearson’s well-regarded chutes into our lineup, we are not just adding a product; we are completing a suite of tools that enable ranchers to manage their livestock more effectively and efficiently.”

The partnership between MJE and Pearson is founded on a shared vision of enhancing the rancher’s workflow and operational efficiency. Pearson’s squeeze chutes, known for their robust construction and ease of use, perfectly complement MJE’s existing range of portable corrals and working facilities. This holistic solution is designed to support the health and productivity of their herds, demonstrating our understanding and support for the challenges ranchers face.

“We are excited to work alongside MJE Livestock Equipment, a company that mirrors our dedication to the agriculture industry,” said Brice Sawin, Sales Manager at Pearson Livestock Equipment. “Our squeeze chutes are designed to meet the rigorous demands of modern ranching, and through this partnership, we can ensure that more ranchers have access to the equipment they need to succeed.”

MJE Livestock Equipment’s dealer network will be crucial in distributing these chutes, ensuring that ranchers throughout the United States can easily acquire and integrate these advanced handling solutions into their operations.

Ranchers interested in learning more about the enhanced range of products now available through MJE Livestock Equipment and its dealers should visit www.mjelivestockequipment.com or contact their local dealer. This partnership signifies the joining of two leaders in the field and marks a significant advancement in the resources available to the ranching community.

About MJE Livestock Equipment

MJE Livestock Equipment makes the lives of farmers and ranchers easier through strategic herd management advice, facility design, and American-made livestock equipment built with innovation that makes ranching easier and cattle safe, healthy, and happy.

To learn more about MJE Livestock Equipment and become part of their fast-growing network of dealers, visit our website: www.mjelivestockequipment.com/dealers

About Pearson Livestock Equipment

Pearson Livestock Equipment is known for its commitment to quality and durability, producing some of the industry’s most respected cattle handling equipment. With a focus on innovation and reliability, Pearson continues to set the standard in the livestock equipment market.

This Old Hat Contest Rules

Posted on by Twin Rivers Media

This Old Hat Contest Rules

NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. ALL FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, AND MUNICIPAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS APPLY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.  PLEASE READ AND FOLLOW ALL CONTEST RULES AND REQUIREMENTS.

  1. Eligibility

This Old Hat Contest (the “Contest”) is open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia who have reached the age of majority at the time of entry. Employees of Twin Rivers Media, LLC and other companies associated with the promotion of the Contest, and their respective  parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, and advertising and promotion agencies, as well as the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings, and children) and household members of each such employee, are not eligible. The Contest is subject to federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

  1. Sponsor

The Contest is sponsored by Twin Rivers Media, LLC, located at 1517 3rd Ave NW, Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501. 

  1. Agreement to Official Rules

Participation in the Contest constitutes the entrant’s full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules and the Sponsor’s decisions, which are final and binding. Winning a prize is contingent upon compliance with these Official Rules and fulfilling all other requirements set forth herein.

  1. Contest Period

The Contest begins on May 1, 2024, at 12:01 AM CST and ends on May 30, 2024, at 11:59 PM CST (the “Contest Period”). Entries that are submitted before or after the Contest Period will be disqualified. Submissions will be accepted during the Contest Period online only at  https://www.facebook.com/americancattlemen.

  1. How to Enter

Online: This method of entry will be available by visiting  (https://www.facebook.com/americancattlemen) and following the directions provided to fill out the entry information and submit it.

To enter, submit a photo of your old (Cowboy) Hat by placing the image in the comment section of the post for (Cowboy) Hat contest, of the American Cattlemen Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/americancattlemen.

Limit one (1) entry per person, per email address, and per household for the duration of the Contest Period. Entries received from any person, e-mail address, or household after the first entry will be disqualified. Upon submission, all images become the property of the Sponsor and will not be acknowledged or returned, and contestants consent to the use of submitted images in promotional materials.

  1.         Judging Criteria

A committee of judges will view each submitted photo and choose the contest winner based on the “most in need” of a new hat.  The winner will be selected on or about May 31, 2024.

  1. Winner Notification

Potential winners will be notified by Facebook Messenger. Each potential winner will be required to complete, electronically sign, and submit a Declaration of Compliance within five (5) days of the date notice or attempted notice is sent, to claim his/her prize. If a potential winner cannot be contacted or fails to submit the Declaration of Compliance within the required time period, or if the prize is returned as undeliverable, the potential winner forfeits the prize. Potential winners must comply with all terms and conditions of these Official Rules, and winning is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements. If a potential winner is disqualified for any reason or forfeits the prize, the Sponsor will award the applicable prize to an alternate winner by random drawing from among all remaining eligible entries. Only three (3) alternate drawings will be held, after which the prize will remain un-awarded. Prizes will be fulfilled approximately 8-10 weeks after the conclusion of the Contest. The prize winner will be required to sign a CONTEST DECLARATION OF COMPLIANCE AND RELEASE.

  1. Prizes

 Prize: (1) $500 Gift Certificate from Shorty’s Caboy Hattery, to be used towards purchasing (1) 50X hat from Shorty’s Caboy Hattery. The prize has no cash value.

  1. General Conditions

If the operation, security, or administration of the Contest is impaired in any way for any reason, including, but not limited to, fraud, virus, bug, worm, unauthorized human intervention, or other technical problem, or in the event the Contest is unable to run as planned for any other reason, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion, the Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, either (a) suspend the Contest to address the impairment and then resume the Contest in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of these Official Rules or (b) terminate the Contest and, in the event of termination, award the prize at random from among the eligible, non-suspect entries received up to the time of the impairment. The Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Contest or acting in violation of these Official Rules or an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to damage the website or undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and should such an attempt be made, the Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages (including attorney’s fees) and any other remedies from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. Failure by the Sponsor to enforce any provision of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.

  1. Release and Limitations of Liability

By participating in the Contest, entrants agree to release and hold harmless the Sponsor, and each of their respective parent companiess, subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies, other companies associated with the Contest, and each of their respective officers, directors, employees, shareholders, representatives, and agents (the “Released Parties”) from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Contest or receipt or use of the prize (including any travel or activity related thereto), including, but not limited to: (a) any technical errors associated with the Contest, including lost, interrupted or unavailable Internet Service Provider (ISP), network, server, wireless service provider, or other connections, availability or accessibility or miscommunications or failed computer, satellite, telephone, cellular tower or cable transmissions, lines, or technical failure or jumbled, scrambled, delayed, or misdirected transmissions or computer hardware or software malfunctions, failures or difficulties; (b) unauthorized human intervention in the Contest; (c) mechanical, network, electronic, computer, human, printing or typographical errors; (d) application downloads, (e) any other errors or problems in connection with the Contest, including, without limitation, errors that may occur in the administration of the Contest, the announcement of the winner, the cancellation or postponement of the event and/or the flyover, if applicable, the incorrect downloading of the application, the processing of entries application downloads or in any Contest-related materials; or (f) injury, death, losses or damages of any kind, to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrants participation in the Contest or acceptance, receipt or misuse of the prize (including any travel or activity related thereto). Entrants further agrees that in any cause of action, the Released Parties’ liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating in the Contest, and in no event shall entrants be entitled to attorney’s fees. Released Parties are also not responsible for any incorrect information, whether caused by site users, tampering, hacking, or any equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest. Entrants waive the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages. This contest hosted by Twin Rivers Media, LLC is not sponsored, endorsed, administered, or associated with Facebook.

  1. Disputes

The parties hereto irrevocably agree that all actions or proceedings in any way, manner or respect, arising out of or from or related to, the Contest or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by courts having situs in Webster County, Iowa. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation, and enforceability of these Official Rules, entrants’ rights, and obligations, or the rights and obligations of the Sponsor in connection with the Contest, shall be governed by and construed per the laws of Iowa, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules, which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than Iowa.

  1. Privacy 

Information collected from entrants is subject to the sponsor’s privacy policy.

Research confirms FerAppease® improves carcass characteristics of finishing cattle

Posted on by Twin Rivers Media

Research confirms FerAppease® improves carcass characteristics of finishing cattle

Article and photo courtesy of FERA Diagnostics and Biologicals

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (April 30, 2024) — In a two-part Texas A&M University research study by Cooke et al. (2024)*, researchers administered FerAppease to finishing cattle and evaluated its impact on carcass characteristics. Results showed that FerAppease, a unique analogue of the naturally occurring Maternal Bovine Appeasing Substance (MBAS), lowered plasma cortisol concentration upon slaughter and improved carcass dressing percentage. The study was recently published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society of Animal Science (ASAS) in the journal Translational Animal Science.

“Feedlot cattle are exposed to several stressors during processing for slaughter, such as handling, transport and exposure to new environments, and that stress can directly impact carcass and meat quality traits,” said FERA Diagnostics and Biologicals founder and CEO Rodrigo Bicalho, D.V.M, Ph.D. “That’s where the industry can benefit from research-proven strategies to mitigate stress in feedlot cattle prior to and during slaughter. FerAppease is a patent-pending mixture of fatty acids that replicate the composition of the original bovine appeasing pheromone. Research has shown that it alleviates the physiological consequences elicited by stressful management procedures.”

In the two-part study, researchers used self-treatment devices (oilers) to apply FerAppease, eliminating the need to handle cattle. “Administration of MBAS to cattle on feed should be passive and without physical handling or processing; otherwise, the stress elicited by these events could offset the benefits,” said Dr. Reinaldo Cooke, professor at Texas A&M Animal Sciences Department and lead investigator of the research. “Oilers are commonly added to feedlot pens as self-treatment devices for insecticides and can also be used to deliver MBAS to cattle prior to slaughter.”

In Experiment 1, researchers evaluated the use of oilers with FerAppease on carcass characteristics of finishing cattle in a large-pen commercial feedyard. The study included 954 Angus-influenced finishing steers housed in six original pens with each pen split into a pair of experimental groups so that the number of steers and average pen body weight were similar. The oiler was added to one of the experimental pens seven days prior to slaughter, while the control pen did not contain an oiler. The oiler delivered 120 mL of FerAppease per steer during the seven-day period. Results showed that carcass dressing percentage was greater (P = 0.02) in the FerAppease-treated steers compared to the control steers (65.9% vs. 64.2%). The proportion of carcasses classified as dark cutters was also decreased by 3-fold in the FerAppease-treated steers. There were no differences observed for carcasses that graded Choice or Prime, and researchers did not expect carcass marbling to differ because of the short length of FerAppease administration (final seven days on feed).

Experiment 2 investigated the use of oilers with or without FerAppease in a small-pen research feedyard, including the effects on post-slaughter plasma cortisol concentrations. In this study, 80 Angus-influenced finishing steers housed in 16 pens were used, with five steers with similar body weight per pen. The pens were arranged in four rows of four pens per row, and rows were alternately assigned to receive an oiler containing FerAppease or one with mineral oil for the control. Oilers were designed to deliver 120 mL per steer of FerAppease or mineral oil during the seven-day period. Researchers evaluated carcass characteristics and a blood sample was collected during exsanguination. No treatment differences were observed in carcass marbling score, backfat thickness, Longissimus muscle area, yield grade, and proportion of carcasses that graded Choice or Prime as seen in Experiment 1. Carcass dressing was greater (P = 0.02) in FerAppease-treated steers compared with the control steers (63.2 vs. 62.2%). The proportion of carcasses classified as dark cutters was also decreased by 2-fold in FerAppease-treated steers compared with the control steers. Plasma cortisol concentration was less (P < 0.01) in FerAppease-treated steers compared with the control steers (11.7 vs. 20.8 ng/mL). Cortisol, often referred to as the “stress hormone,” is a key indicator of an animal’s well-being, with elevated levels associated with stress and discomfort. By effectively reducing cortisol levels in treated animals, FerAppease demonstrates its potential to enhance the welfare and comfort of cattle during the crucial period leading up to slaughter.

“MBAS increased carcass dressing by 1.7 and 1.0 percentage points in experiments 1 and 2, respectively,” said Dr. Cooke. “Steers that received MBAS in Experiment 2 also had less plasma cortisol concentrations upon slaughter compared with steers in the control group. The results show that MBAS administration to finishing cattle using oilers during the last seven days on feed alleviated the adrenocortical stress response elicited by the process of slaughter, which likely resulted in increased carcass dressing. Results from these studies also demonstrate the potential benefits of MBAS in mitigating the incidence of dark-cutting carcasses.”

FERA Diagnostics and Biologicals combines innovation and science to bring practical products, such as FerAppease, to the animal health field that will enhance the health, productivity and welfare of pets and production animals. A FerAppease treatment costs about $3 per head for adult cattle and $1.50 per head for calves. FerAppease use doesn’t require a veterinarian’s prescription or a Veterinary Feed Directive plan, and there are no meat withholding requirements. For more information and study data, and to order product, visit www.FERAah.com.

*Administering the maternal appeasing substance before slaughter to improve carcass characteristics of finishing cattle

Reinaldo F. Cooke, DVM, PhD; Shea J. Mackey; Autumn T. Pickett

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