The Angus Journal® is a monthly magazine known for in-depth coverage of American Angus Association® programs and services; the Angus business; herd management; and advertising reflecting genetics and herd philosophies.
Issue link: http://angusjournal.epubxp.com/i/529629
Female focus An organization of organizations, BIF has a reputation for bringing together the thought leaders in academia, industry and production to cuss and discuss beef cattle breeding and selection. It has fostered uniformity in national cattle evaluation procedures and offers a peer-review process for critiquing current programs and services while envisioning the next generation of breed improvement tools. With the decline in the herd beginning to turn around, this year's BIF convention focused on rebuilding the cow herd. The fi rst day's general session focused on consumer, societal and economic forces affecting female selection, while the committee breakouts focused on more technical aspects of genetic selection — from collection of reproductive traits in heifers to how whole-genome sequencing will affect selection decisions. Day 2's general session focused on female selection, with discussion of cow lifetime productivity, adaptability, and balancing novel with proven means of female selection. Committee breakouts covered feed intake guidelines, water intake, commercial phenotyping, heterosis, new options for performing national cattle evaluation, across- breed expected progeny differences (AB-EPD) and multibreed evaluations. It's a lot to soak in, but well worth the time and effort to do so as you formulate goals for your herd and help direct your Association in the future. While the conference is over, the presentations are still available for you to review at www.BIFconference.com. Visit the Newsroom to peruse the summaries; listen to the audio with speaker PowerPoint presentations in hand; and study the proceedings, including the research papers of the Frank H. Baker Memorial Scholarship winners. If you're not familiar with BIF, highlights of the Young Producer Symposium offer a great resource for getting to know the organization and its contribution to breed improvement. Congratulations More details will have to wait till the August issue, but we did want to recognize the award winners at this year's event. Congratulations to McCurry Angus Ranch of Burrton, Kan., for winning BIF Seedstock Producer of the Year and to Woodbury Farms, Quenemo, Kan., for taking home the BIF Commercial Producer of the Year honors. Paul Genho, president of Farmland Reserve Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah, and Tom Woodward of Broseco Ranch, Decatur, Texas, were recognized with the Pioneer Award. Andy Boston, Purdue University Extension; Joe Cassady, South Dakota State University; Lois Schreiner, Kansas State University; and Chris Shivers, American Brahman Breeders Association, were recognized with Continuing Service Awards. E.C. Larkin of the Gulf Coast Cattlemen was presented the Ambassador Award. Jamie Parham of South Dakota State University and Justin Buchanan of Oklahoma State University earned Frank H. Baker Memorial Scholarships. Receiving Roy Wallace BIF Memorial Scholarships were Matthew McIntosh, University of Connecticut, undergraduate winner; and Joshua Hasty, Colorado State University, graduate student winner. 12 � ANGUSJournal � July 2015 Angus Journal 3201 Frederick Ave., Saint Joseph, MO 64506; 1-800-821-5478; fax: 816-233-6575; offi ce hours: (M-F) 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (Central) home page: www.angusjournal.com Staff are listed by name, phone extension and email prefi x. All direct phone numbers are "816-383-5…"; all email addresses are "…@angusjournal.com" General manager — Eric Grant, 118, egrant Editorial Department — Editor, Shauna Rose Hermel, 270, shermel � Associate editor, Kasey Brown, 277, kbrown � Assistant editor, Linda Robbins, 245, lrobbins � Artist, Mary Black � Interns, Raney Lovorn & Nicole Lane Field editors — Barb Baylor Anderson, 305 Valley View Dr., Edwardsville, IL 62025, 618-656-0870, anderagcom@sbcglobal.net � Kindra Gordon, 11734 Weisman Rd., Whitewood, SD 57793, 605-722-7699, kindras@ gordonresources.com � Paige Nelson, 4112 E. 550 N, Rigby, ID 83442, 208-317-3095, paigenelson7236@gmail.com � Becky Mills, 185 Lovett Farms Rd., Cuthbert, GA 39840, 229-938-1698, beckymills81@ yahoo.com � Troy Smith, 44431 Sargent River Rd., Sargent, NE 68874, 308-527-3483, wordsmith@nctc.net Contributing writers — Katy Kemp and Kara Lee Publications and Production — Manager, LaVera Spire, 220, lspire Advertising Department — Vice president of sales, Terry Cotton, 214, tcotton � Advertising coordinators, Doneta Brown, 232, dbrown; & Karri Mildenberger, 289, kmildenberger � Production coordinator, Carol Beckett, 200, 226, cbeckett � Advertising artists, Mike Bush & Monica Ford � Proofreader coordinator, Jacque McGinness Circulation & billing manager — LaVera Spire, 220, lspire Special Services Department — Coordinator, Sharon Mayes, 221, smayes � Assistants, Julie Martinez & Vickie Whitsell � Artists, Susan Bomar & Leann Schleicher � Proofreader, Melinda Cordell Web Services Department — Manager, Ethan Tierney, 227, etierney; Coordinators, Doneta Brown, 232, dbrown; & Karri Mildenberger, 289, kmildenberger � Developers, Andy Blumer & Derek Richey The Angus Report, I Am Angus, Communications & Public Relations — Crystal Albers, 134, calbers � Jena McRell, 193, jmcrell � Lea Ann Maudlin, 155, lmaudlin � Amber Wahlgren, 159, awahlgren � Donald Korthanke, 114, dkorthanke � Josh Comninellis, 113, jcomninellis � Intern, Sarah Harris Creative Media — Becky Weishaar, 219, bweishaar � Carrie Heitman, 154, cheitman Photo Department — Photo services coordinator, Kathrin Gresham � Photo services assistant, Erin Sherwood Network systems coordinator — Bruce Buntin Board of Directors — Jim Sitz, chairman; Richard E. Wilson, vice chairman; Eric Grant, president; Richard E. Wilson, secretary-treasurer; Scott Foster; John Elbert Harrell; Phil Howell; Vaughn Meyer; Dave Nichols; and John Pfeiffer Angus Stakes @ by Shauna Rose Hermel, editor PERSPECTIVES EMAIL: shermel@angusjournal.com @Angus_Shauna Preparing for herd expansion More people, higher income levels and greater demand for high-quality beef are setting the stage for a profi table future for cow-calf producers in the next few years, noted several speakers at this year's Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) Annual Convention in Biloxi, Miss., June 9-12.