Do we dare say spring-like weather is here or will it bring on yet another snowstorm of some sort to the Midwest? Wow! What a winter it has been! I am sure the rest of you were as upset as I was when that pesky little ground hog saw his shadow! But I am sure we are on the downhill side now. My boys recently weighed in their 4-H steers, but they had not decided on who was taking which animal yet. During the weigh-in, Noah thinking he was a clever little boy, watched the scale and picked the heavier one of the two. Oh, well, it will give Jacob a little fire in his belly to bet his brother with the rate of gain competition. Meanwhile, calving has started for many of our breeders. It is the best part of raising cattle, the new baby calves on the ground; truth of the matter is … it is what makes it all worth the effort. I am sure you feel the same way.

We are delighted about the news that Rousseau Farm Diesel was 2008 National Western Champion Galloway Bull in Denver, CO on January  21, 2008 and was said to be the first Belted Galloway bull to win the Galloway show. Congratulations!

By now you have gotten your new Belties 2008. It will be a joy to distribute the magazine to potential buyers and cattle enthusiasts. I would like to once again thank all of the advertisers and contributors. We cannot do such a great job without your help. Throughout the year, while you are attending Beltie events, remember to take your camera with you. Last year at World Beef Expo, the championship awards were picture frames. It was a great idea initiated by Kathi Jurkowski (IL) and Lisa Lovett (IL). So, I would like to encourage you to take more photos of cows, calves and kids. Please send them to our editors, Leanne Fogle (IL) and Jane Faul (KY), so that they can be enjoyed by all in our publications.

If by chance you have not gotten a Beltie 2008, or you would like a few more, please contact Laura or Andi at the Secretarial office, and they will gladly send them to you.  

Our Spring Council Meeting is in North Conway, NH, April 26, 2008. If there is anything that you would like the Council to look at or to discuss, please get in touch with Laura Glassman to include it on the agenda. The meeting will be held at the Grand Hotel, North Conway at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 26. A block of 30 rooms have been reserved. Phone (603) 356-9300. 

The 18th National Belted Galloway Sale will be held April 26, 2008 at 1 p.m. For more information, please contact Brud McCabe (VT) (802) 748-5107 (VT), (603) 694-2101 (NH), (603) 694-2103 (Fax) or nwgrange@fairpoint.net. Looking for National Sale lodging?  Please contact these National Sale sponsors: Briarcliff Motel (603) 356-558 or the Green Granite Inn & Conference Center (603) 356-6901. 

Our thoughts go out to Ellsworth Emery of Clover Bottom Farm (IL) who wrote in reporting that someone had shot his bull with an arrow resulting in his death, despite their best efforts to save him. We hope that the authorities will be able to catch the criminal that did this and deliver a sentence suitable for the pain and suffering that they caused the bull and his owners.

Until next month … many blessings.

In previous columns, we have examined direct marketing to consumers. In this issue, we will get more specific and address niche marketing and creativity in your selection of cuts.

Niche Marketing:

By directing your sales efforts to a narrow target market, you can focus on a small but growing group of consumers that are unhappy with store-bought / mass-produced beef, and are willing to pay a premium for your products.

The Belted Galloway breed, and the way most of you raise your animals, goes a long way in reaching these particular niche markets. Any or all of the points that follow will help you access this market segment.

Natural beef
No steroids or hormones
No antibiotics
Grass fed and grass finished
Lean, with lower fat and cholesterol
Certified organic
Humanely produced (several groups offer certification)
Locally raised on family farms

If you are selling most of your meat directly to the consumer and not through retail stores, you may want to limit your “natural” claims to your literature (keep it off the packaging) in order to avoid a lot of paperwork (contact your USDA processor for more details).

Once you have identified your niche, you will need to find ways to market to those buyers. As discussed in a previous column, Farmer’s Markets are a great place to start. Farmer’s Markets tend to cater to a more affluent and educated group. Farmer’s Market shoppers are usually health conscious and have the ability to pay for your quality products. As you create a solid customer base, word of mouth advertising will be an important part of your growth. Other venues can include retail outlets. If you can afford to sell your burger (not primal cuts) wholesale, look closely at health or whole food type stores. As you sell your beef, create a mailing list so you can send your established customers special pricing on excess cuts, or on new types of cuts.

Moonshadow Farm, Starks, ME, (207) 696-3812
101.  Moonshadow Diane (BH)

Ponderosa Farm, Livermore, ME, (207) 897-3596
102.  Ponderosa Brenda (OH)   

Prock Ridge Farm, Waldoboro, ME,  (207) 832-4715
103. Prock Ridge Muffet (OH)

Rousseau Farm, Dover, NH,  (603) 742-3016
104. Rousseau Farm Hb2 (OH)
105. Moonshadow Barbara (BH)
106. Rousseau Farm 1st Moon (OH)       

Uphill Farm, Clinton Corners, NY, (845) 266-5005
107.  Uphill Kiss Me (OH)
108.  Uphill Kaye (OH)
109.  Uphill King Pin (Bull)

Bumpus Farm, Oxford, ME, (207) 539-4000
110. BF Mrs. Rumsfeld (OH)

Aldermere Farm, Rockport, ME, (207) 236-2739
111. Embryo Flush

Meadowlark Homestead Farms, Brownfield, ME, (207) 935-3434
112. Marben’s Squall (BC)

UMass, Amherst, MA, (508) 246-2172
113. UMass Fiona (OH)

Stonesthrow, Marietta, SC,  (864) 836-8175
114. Fearrington Robena (BC/calf)

Pennel Hill Farm, West Springfield, MA, (802) 368-7263
115. Pennel Hill Tonya (OH)

Rocking M Ranch, Granby, MA, (413) 467-9900
116. RMR Samantha (OH)

Mitchell Ledge Farm, Freeport, ME, (207) 865-9695
117. Mitchell Ledge Benz (BH)
118. Mitchell Ledge Alina (BH)

Meadow View Farm, Lyndonville, VT, (802) 626-9477
119. Meadow View Destiny (OH)
120. Meadow View Maggie (OH)
121. Ridgeview Maynard (Semen)
              
Driftwood Plantation, Awendaw, SC, (843) 928-3983
122. Driftwood Melba (BC/calf)
123. Driftwood Rhea53R (BC/calf)
124. Driftwood Show Steer

Blue Sky Acres, Danville, VT, (802) 684-3871
125. Blue Sky Tiffany (OH)

Little Knob Farm, Smith’s Grove, KY, (270) 563-9113
126. Little Knob Fascination (OH)

Marben Farm, Sharon, CT, (860) 364-2161
127. Marben’s Tinsel (OH)
128. Marben’s Montreal (OH)

Holbrook Hill Farm, Bedford, NH, (603) 472-2205
129. Holbrook Hill Saratoga (Heifer & Straws)
130. Holbrook Hill Siddhartha (Bull)
131. Gailwen Western Archer (Semen)      

Windchime Farm, Brigham, Quebec, (450) 263-8316
132. Windchime Silken (BH)
133. Windchime Symphony (BH)

E & H Cattle Company, East Dixfield, ME, (207) 645-4976
134. E & H Ruthie (OC w/c)

Hadley’s Farm, Waitsfield, VT, (802) 496-5054
135. Hadley’s Elberta (OH)
136. Hadley’s Primrose (OH)

North Wind Grange and Meadowlark Homestead Farms, (802) 748-5107 or (207) 935-3434
137. Stonehedge Patriot (Semen)
138. Sleepy Creek Lord Fleetwell (Semen)
_______________
Legend:
(BH) = Bred Heifer
(OH) = Open Heifer
(BC) = Bred Cow
(BC/calf) = Bred Cow/Calf     
(OC/calf) = Open Cow/ Calf

Cattle producers can anticipate the most likely and most costly hazards to their cows and calves at calving time, and can use this knowledge to plan for their prevention. Minimizing the risk of these hazards requires long- and near-term planning. Calving problems may occur because of factors of the calf or the dam. Planning ahead for calving problems and close monitoring of the herd during calving can minimize the likelihood and/or cost of dystocia. Environmental conditions such as weather or physical hazards in the calving area are also important sources of injury to cows and calves. Planning to calve during favorable weather seasons and monitoring the environment for dangerous conditions minimizes the risk of these hazards. 

A common cause of sickness or death of baby calves is diarrhea. Understanding the complex interactions that cause calf diarrhea is the basis for developing strategies for disease control and prevention. The common pathogens of calf diarrhea are common to most cattle herds, and it is unlikely that cattle could be made biosecure from these agents. Managers of extensive beef cattle systems have few opportunities to improve rates of colostrum uptake and absorption, and vaccines are not always protective. Colostral immunity wanes, making calves age-susceptible and age-infective. Each calf serves as growth media for pathogen production; amplifying the dose-load of pathogen it received and resulting in high calf-infectivity and widespread environmental contamination over time in a calving season. For these reasons, it is logical to apply biocontainment strategies to prevent effective transmission of the pathogens causing diarrhea. Cattle management systems based on an understanding of infectious disease dynamics have successfully reduced sickness and death due to calf diarrhea. 
____________
Dr. David Smith, Associate Professor of Veterinary Science Veterinary and Bilogical Sciences, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 

Resistance to disease is greatly dependent on antibodies or immunoglobulins and can be either active or passive in origin. In active immunity, says Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State University Extension animal reproduction specialist, the body produces antibodies in response to infection or vaccination. Passive immunity gives temporary protection by transfer of certain immune substances from resistant individuals. An example of passive immunity is passing of antibodies from dam to calf via the colostrum (first milk after calving). 

"This transfer only occurs during the first few hours following birth," Selk says. "Successful transfer of passive immunity enhances disease resistance and performance through the feedlot phase." 

Timing of colostrum feeding is important because the absorption of immunoglobulin from colostrum decreases linearly from birth. "Intestinal closure" occurs when very large molecules are no longer absorbed by the intestine lining into the circulation. "This occurs because specialized 'absorptive cells' are sloughed from the gut epithelium," Selk explains. "In calves, closure is virtually complete 24 hours after birth." 

Efficiency of absorption declines from birth, particularly after 12 hours. Feeding may induce earlier closure but there's little colostral absorption after 24 hours of age even if the calf is starved. Selk says this principle of timing of colostrum feeding holds true whether the colostrum is directly from the first milk of the dam or supplied by hand-feeding the baby calf previously obtained colostrum. 
____________
Dr. Rick Rasby, Professor of Animal ScienceAnimal Science, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 

Delayed passage through the birth canal in the face of a faltering placenta compromises oxygenation of the calf. Although the calf is able to breathe as soon as its nose passes the lips of the vulva, expansion of the chest is restricted by the narrow birth canal. This situation is seriously aggravated when continuous forced traction is applied. As soon as the calf's head has passed the lips of the vulva, traction should be interrupted, the nostrils cleared of mucus. 

Again, when the calf is completely delivered, primary attention is directed toward establishing respiration. Mucus and fetal fluids should be expressed from the nose and mouth by external pressure of the thumbs along the bridge of the nose and the flat fingers underneath the jaws, sliding from the level of the eyes toward the muzzle. (Position the  newborn calf with the head lower than the body.)   Respiration is stimulated by many factors, but only ventilation of the lungs, allow us to render help immediately. Brisk rubbing of the skin or tickling inside the nostril with a piece of straw also has a favorable effect. The phrenic nerve can be stimulated with a sharp tap on the chest slightly above and behind where the heartbeat can be felt. 
____________
Dr. Rick Rasby, Professor of Animal ScienceAnimal Science, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 

With calving season underway, there is always the possibility that producers will have to deal with calf scours. Early detection of scours and prompt response is by far the best approach to the success in getting calves to respond to treatment. Sometimes, not all calves that scour need to be treated. Nutritional changes in a cow’s diet post-calving can cause calves to scour. This type of calf scours is commonly called “milk scours” caused by increased milk production and are characterize by the feces being white in color. Milk scours can also be caused by infrequent nursing due to a storm and when the calf does nurse, a larger than normal meal is consumed. Scour are normally caused by bacteria that include E. Coli, salmonella and Clostridium perfringens (enterotoxemia). Viral scours are caused by rotavirus and/or coronavirus. Scours may also be a result of crytosporidiosis or coccidiosis, which are parasites. 

If a calf gets scours, the biggest problem that producers have to deal with is dehydration. When fluids and electrolytes are lost, they must be replaced. When using commercial products to replace electrolytes, follow the instructions,, so that they are properly mixed and administered. If at all possible, remove the souring calf and the dam from the herd and isolate them. Some may remove the calf from the cow, but withholding milk completely may not be best for the calf. In range conditions, it is sometimes not practical to isolate calves. From a management standpoint, make sure all calves get colostrum within 24 hours of birth. If viral scours are a problem, cows can be vaccinated prior to calving and then passive immunity passed to the calf through the colostrum. 

Increased sanitation is probably the best way to prevent scours. Work to keep the calving areas clean, especially the calving barn. Remove bedding frequently. Avoid over crowding during calving which may mean you have cow/calf pairs in more than one pasture during the calving season. Avoid calving in muddy areas and areas with a high accumulation of manure.
____________
Dr. Rick Rasby, Professor of Animal ScienceAnimal Science, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 

Use the letter U as the official Year Code when tattooing animals born in 2008. The letter T applies to animals born in 2007. 

18th National Belted Galloway Sale
Saturday, April 26, 2008 at Fryeburg, ME. 
Contact Brud McCabe (802) 748-5107 (VT), (603) 694-2101 (NH), (603) 694-2103 (Fax) or nwgrange@fairpoint.net.

Spring Council Meeting 
April 25-27 at Fryeburg, ME.
Contact Laura Glassmann (717) 677-9655 or beltiecows@aol.com.

Northeast Livestock Expo
May 16-18, 2008 at Windsor, ME.
Contact Kim Mackay, (207) 453-7890 or cnkangus@roadrunner.com.

Great Lakes Belted Galloway Association Blow and Go Show
July 5, 2008, Pecatonica, IL. 
Contact Lisa Lovett (815) 652-3789 or antietamfarm@dishmail.net.

Great Lakes Belted Galloway Association Annual Field Day and Show
August 2, 2008, Johnson County Fairgrounds, Iowa City, IA. 
Contact Greg & Pat Hipple (319) 624-2812 or sbelties@southslope.net.
 
Union Fair/Maine Wild Blueberry Festival
August 17-23, 2008. Show August 21. Union, ME. 
Contact Loraine Prock (207) 832-4715 or prockfrm@midcoast.com.

Secretarial Office Phone Hours ...
Phone hours are Monday through Thursday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. (EST). A detailed message may be left at any time. 
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