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Ag & Range
Ag Range& csceagle.com | The Eagle | Oct. 7, 2021 11
Nebraska Angus Association visits CSC
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ABOVE: Jack Whittier speaks about animal agriculture technology advancements, Friday at the Nebraska Angus Association dinner in the Student Center Ballroom.
RIGHT: Ron Bolze, CSC professor, show members of the Nebraska Angus Association the outdoor section of CSC’s rodeo practice arena, Friday.
Photo by Kamryn Kozisek u By Kamryn Kozisek
Ag & Range Editor
Nebraska Angus Association visited Chadron State College as a part of their two-day tour of Western Nebraska, on Oct. 1.
The Angus Association was led by Margo Lehh, secretary and manager of the organization.
The group started with a tour of CSC’s Range Complex and rodeo practice arena, led by Professor Ron Bolze and Adjunct Faculty James O’Rouke. The tour started with a history lesson of CSC’s rangeland management program, followed by summaries of each of the rangeland management comprehensions.
The group was able to see the classrooms and the outside area that is used for studies, which Bolze referred to as a “living laboratory.”
Bolze spoke highly about the rangeland management program and noted that the program is one of the largest in the country.
“Disregarding Texas A&M, we are the largest range program in the country,” Bolze said. “We have about 128 students.”
Following the tour, Angus Association members attended dinner in CSC’s ballroom, where four presenters spoke.
Jack Whittier, spoke about technologies in animal agriculture, how they were developed and his expectations for the future of animal agriculture.
His presentation started with discussions about corn yield production spikes in the 1940s compared to production today. He mentioned how cattle efficiency has increased and how less cattle are needed to feed more people.
Whittier touched on agriculture advocacy and the decreasing number of people who are in agriculture production.
“There are fewer and fewer people who understand our way of life,” Whitter said.
Whitter discussed technologies including, sexed semen, artificial insemination, embryo transfer and estrus cycle manipulation.
Paul Dykstra, representing Certified Angus Beef was the next to speak, sharing the 10 carcass specifications that are required for certification.
These 10 requirements are modest or higher marbling, medium to fine marbling texture, cattle younger than 30 months old and A-maturity lean, 10-16 square inch ribeye area, maximum 1,050 pound carcass weight, maximum 1 inch fat thickness, superior muscling, free of capillary rupture, no dark cutters and no neck humps over 2 inches. Cattle must be at least part Angus with over 50% black coat.
Dykstra spoke about marbling being the biggest limiting factor in brand acceptance, noting marbling is a heritable trait. It can be bred for, but is influenced by factors after birth.
“Marbling is a highly heritable trait,” Dykstra said. “We also need to head the fact that marbling is a lifetime event.”
The third speaker of the night was Levi Landers from the American Angus Association. He spoke about the long term objective for American Angus Association.
He also discussed Angus verified premiums and how to qualify for those premiums. Requirmens include birth and breeding records, vaccination records, weaning and castrating, proper tagging, good animal husbandry and the ranchers ability to work cattle calmly.
Benefits with being apart of this program include genetic history and premiums when selling cattle, according to Landers.
Rick Pfortmiller gave the last presentation titled “Genomic testing as a risk management tool”.
He gave a brief history of genetic studies in animal agriculture and genomic testing, which began to take off in 2009.
Pfortmiller discussed the importance of genomics in improving the accuracy of expected progeny differences (EPD).
Pfortmiller spoke about the importance of genomics in the future of the beef industry specifically in preventing Bovine Congestive Heat Failure. A disease effecting cattle grazing high altitudes.
He claimed that genomics are becoming more important and pushing the indsutry to the future.
““How we got to now is how we will get to then.” - Jack Whittier
Oct. 7, 2021 | The Eagle | csceagle.com Ag
Range&
Range Club takes a hike
CSC’s Range Club plant identification walk teaches students about common plant species on campus
u By Kamryn Kozisek
Ag & Range Editor
CSC’s Range Club hosted a “Fun in the Field Plant ID” event Saturday, teaching students common plants to identify around campus.
Students and faculty met in the Nelson Physical Activity Center parking lot and hiked the Harold and LaVerne Thompson Natural History Preserve trails.
Rebekah Pobanz, senior of Grand Island, Range Club president organized the hike which was led by Steve Rolfsmeier.
Pobanz and Roldfsmeier pointed out various plant species along the trail and described those species to the group.
Roldfsmeier discussed the history of Chadron State College’s plant systems and how they have changed overtime.
He shared tricks to identify plants and pointed out plants that can be foraged and used for food.
Also in attendance were CSC Rangeland Proffessor’s Jonathan Spiess and Tony Perlinski, who helped identify various species.
Plant speices identified include, Hoary tansy-aster, plains sunflower, smooth ground-cherry, prairie rose, sand bluestem, threadleaf sedge, prarie junegrass, big bluestem and blue grama.
Attendees were provided with a packet with various plant species and how to identfy them, for future reference.
Each reference has images of the plant, scientific name and descriptions of leaves, stems and roots.
Pobanz organized the event to help provide the general public with inforamtion on the rangelands around them. ”I think its important for people to what they are looking at, in nature” Pobanz said. “It helps people to have a better appreciation and knowledge for rangeland health.”
Abigail Swanson, graduate of Grand Island said she attended the hike to help her identifiy the species around her.
“I wanted to learn some of the plants that are in the area,” Sawnson said. “ That way I don’t always have to ask my friends when I am walking with them.”
Photo by Kamryn Kozisek Steve Rolfsmeier use a magnifying tool to show moss leaves unfluring during CSC Range Club’s plant identification walk, Saturday.
219 Main St. Chadron, NE 69337 (308) 432-6971
