JOB OPPORTUNITIES: 

There are some job opportunities that are currently being listed by USU. Please pass these onto interested parties, or if you are interested please follow the instructions in the job description.

1. Professional Practice Extension Assistant Professor, Agriculture/Natural Resources & 4-H - St. George, Washington County

http://usu.hiretouch.com/job-details?jobid=2125 

2. Extension Assistant Professor/Associate Professor, or Professional Practice Assistant Professor, AG/Natural Resources/4-H - Carbon County, Price, UT 

http://usu.hiretouch.com/job-details?jobID=2048&job=extension-assistant-professor-associate-professor-or-professional-practice-assistant-professor-ag-natural-resources-4-h-carbon-county-price-ut

Why would a producer want to evaluate as many tools as possible?

Incorporation of a new bull into your breeding herd can have dramatic and long-term effects. A bull not only has the potential to greatly influence your herds performance due to multiple offspring being produced each generation but can also influence your long term productivity if you are incorporating his offspring into your herd as breeding replacements. A producer would want to evaluate as much information about the bull prior to incorporation so that multiple traits, potential performance of the bull's offspring and the compatibility of his offspring with the producer's production goals and resources.

What information should producers evaluate?

As previously stated, producers should evaluate as much information about the bull as possible. Specifically, producers should apply multiple trait selection and really focus on traits that are important to their production scheme. Specifically, producers should evaluate the growth potential of the bull's offspring, the potential efficiency of the bull's offspring, the potential of the bull to produce breeding females that are compatible with the producers system, and the ability of that bulls offspring to improve the final beef production product (meat). However, it is very important to note that the traits each producer will focus on will be different and their importance will be weighted differently due to different producer goals, marketing endpoints and resources to maintain their herd. It is vitally important however, that producers implement multiple trait selection for sustained improvement of their herds to avoid detrimental selection where drastic improvement is achieved for one trait and other traits are negatively affected.

What tools should producers utilize?

There are many tools that a producer should have at their disposal to make decisions prior to purchasing a bull. These tools include pedigrees, physical appearance, individual performance or test data, EPD's, and molecular data. A pedigree gives the producer information about the bulls ancestry, whether they are carriers of certain deleterious traits, and how inbred they are. The physical appearance of the bull is a good indicator of the bull's health status and ability to cover ground in a range beef production system to breed cows. Individual performance is typically collected during a bull test or bull development program. This information is a good representative of moderately to highly heritable traits that he may pass on to his offspring (growth and efficiency). Expected progeny difference (EPD's) are still a very accurate method of bull selection. EPD's predict how a bull's offspring will perform when compared to the breed average for that specific trait. It is important to note however, that EPD's are breed specific and more information must be gathered prior to implementing into a crossbreeding system. The last tool molecular testing is a tool being utilized by many breed associations to increase the accuracy or their EPD's. Typically, EPD's only become very accurate after that bull has produced many offspring. Using molecularly generated EPD's the EPD's for specific traits require less offspring to be generated, and the accuracy of the EPD is increased at a much more rapid pace.

Summary

In summary, it is always best for producers to utilize as much information as possible when selecting a bull. This is important because each beef production system in Utah is unique with respect to its resources and capabilities. A producer would want a bull that is going to produce calves that fit into their production system and production goals. This is also whey it is so vitally important that producers implement the practice of multiple trait selection when making bull decisions. The use of multiple trait selection with ensure that that bull and the bull's offspring will contain the traits that are compatible with the producer's operation and production goals.

Recently, December 2016, a horse in Wasatch County, Utah tested positive for Equine infectious anemia (EIA). The horse was being sold at auction and a routine screening test identified the gelding as positive. Follow up testing by the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food Animal Industry Division confirmed the diagnosis. Equine infectious anemia is a blood-borne infectious viral disease of horses, donkeys, and mules.1 Equine Infectious Anemia was first identified in the US in the late 1800's. The prevalence began to rise in the 1930s and reached its peak in the 1960s and 1970s with over 10,000 horses testing positive in 1975.2 Today, with proper surveillance and screening procedures, the incidence of EIA is minimal. No vaccine or treatment exists for the disease. The virus causing EIA is categorized as a retrovirus that can mutate quickly, allowing the virus to evade the immune system of the horse. It is often difficult to differentiate from other fever-producing diseases, including influenza and equine encephalitis.3

            Under natural conditions, EIA is spread by the transfer of virus infected blood from one horse to another by biting flies. A fly begins feeding on an infected horse, gets interrupted, and goes to another horse to complete its meal, spreading the virus infected blood to a new uninfected horse. Although the disease is considered blood borne, all tissues and bodily secretions are considered infectious, especially during the acute phase of the disease. Horseflies, deerflies, and stable flies are known to be vectors. People are also known to spread EIA iatrogenically. This is done by using blood-contaminated syringes, needles, surgical, or dental equipment.

            Equine Infectious Anemia can present itself in a wide range of clinical signs. The disease classically presents through three phases. The acute phase lasts 1-3 days with fever and depression. This phase is followed by a second prolonged chronic period of recurring fever, petechial hemorrhage, anemia, weakness, edema, and loss of body condition. The chronic phase generally subsides after one year and the horse enters the inapparent phase as a carrier and reservoir of the EIA virus. By far the majority of infected horses pass through the acute and chronic phases and enter the inapparent carrier phase without ever showing any outward signs of the disease.

            The classic test to screen for EIA is referred to as a "Coggins Test". This test, in conjunction with other disease control procedures, has been very successful in greatly reducing the amount of infected horses in the United States. However, we still see small pools of infected horses popping up across the nation every year.

            Currently, testing of horses has to be performed by an accredited veterinarian. Positive horses will require either euthanasia, or life-long quarantine at the ranch of origin. The quarantine area must provide at least 200 yards of separation from other horses.

            Current law require all horses shipped across state lines in the Unites States be tested negative for EIA before transport. Utah requires the test to be performed within the twelve months prior to shipment. It is also required that all horses changing ownership or entering an auction must have been tested negative for EIA within the past twelve months.2

            Some recent outbreaks of EIA in the United States have been attributed to transmission by man, especially where needles and syringes have been reused. Needles and syringes are a single use only item and should never be shared between horses. As a general rule, any item that comes into contact with equine blood should be disposed of after first use if it is disposable and sterilized between horses if it is a piece of surgical or dental equipment

I spent a short time working as a commercial lender in a small, rural bank. As a new lender, I was encouraged to grow my loan portfolio. With that goal in mind, I perhaps was a little too eager to approve any loan request that walked through my door. Fortunately for me, my boss was a seasoned lender and was able to guide me toward making wise credit decisions.

 

At one point, a farmer approached me about a loan request and brought in his financial statements for me to examine. I looked at them and was impressed with his net worth. He had experienced cash flow issues during the past few years but his net worth position helped to overcome the cash flow issues.

I put the loan package together and presented it to my boss, but she quickly noticed a problem. I was using market values to calculate net worth. The farmer had a tract of land that bordered prime recreational land. Based on the current economic conditions, the land was valued extremely high. Basing the value of the land on agricultural values versus recreational values, the farmer's strong net worth quickly disappeared. I realized then the importance of understanding sources of equity or net worth.

The most basic accounting equation, which underpins the balance sheet, is assets minus liabilities equals net worth or owner's equity. Net worth is an indicator of wealth and financial position. However, net worth is complicated because of the problems caused by changes in asset values.

To understand this better, it is helpful to identify the composition of net worth. Net worth is composed of three pieces. The first piece is contributed capital. This can be thought of as the money invested into the business by the owner. The second piece is retained earnings. Retained earnings is defined as the accumulated net earnings of the business that have not been withdrawn or distributed. The final piece is valuation equity. Valuation equity is the change in asset values often defined by the difference between market and cost values.

This quick accounting 101 lesson was necessary to illustrate one of the threats facing farmers. Farmers have been able to strengthen their balance sheet thanks to favorable prices and growing conditions combined with sharp increases in land values. Researchers at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City have noted that the U.S. farm balance sheet is the strongest it has been since the 1970s.

So what does this mean for the future? What happens if land prices fall? What if prices do not rebound? I wish I had a crystal ball and could accurately forecast the future. Although I am unable to forecast the future, I believe that we can agree that commodity and input prices will continue to be volatile and profit margins will continue to be tight. To remain in business, farmers, ranchers, and lenders will need to continue monitoring asset values and identifying the source of equity in their agricultural operations.

As the lambing/kidding season is beginning for some our purebred breeders, and will be quickly approaching for our commercial producers in spring, we must prepare for all kinds of lambing or kidding problems, and "dystocia" is one of them.

Dystocia, or difficult birth, is common in sheep or goats and causes the death of many lambs/kids and ewes/does. Yearling mothers are much more susceptible to problems than mature animals that have given birth previously. Obesity and lack of exercise during late pregnancy increase the chances of dystocia.

The ability to recognize lambing/kidding difficulty is as important as proper technique in relieving dystocia. A common error of the inexperienced producer is to intervene too early in the birthing process. Because it increases the risk of infection of the female reproductive tract, vaginal examination of the ewe/doe should not be performed unless completely necessary. A good rule of thumb is not to intervene as long as progress is being made. When a ewe/doe has been in full labor for 30 to 40 minutes with no progress, examine her to determine if the baby is positioned correctly. Because it often leads to hemorrhage, shock, trauma, and infection, never try to force the cervix open.

There are a few hard and fast rules about handling dystocia, and gradually developing expertise through experience is often the best way to learn. Beyond simple assistance, the novice should call a veterinarian when in doubt about proper procedures. Many animals die because of prolonged manipulation of lambs or kids in the birth canal and excessive force used to remove them. Never try to pull or remove a lamb/kid that is in an abnormal position. The position of the lamb/kid must be corrected before attempting to remove the lamb/kid. Excessive force can result in shock, hemorrhage, trauma, infection, fertility problems, and very possibly an eversion or prolapse of the vagina and uterus.

Causes of Dystocia:

        -Failure of the cervix to completely dilate.

 -lamb/kid that has an extra large head and shoulders or is just an overall large          
  lamb/kid.

        -Twin lambs/kids coming simultaneously.

        -A ewe or doe that was disturbed during the initial phases of lambing/kidding.

        -A lamb/kid that is not in the proper presentation, position, or posture.

 

Once it has been determined that an animal is having difficulty, the following steps should be taken:

          -Clip excess and dirty wool or hair from around the anus and vulva.

          -Clean the vulva, anus, and surrounding areas with dilute chlorhexidine (Nolvasan) or
              soapy water, removing all dirt and feces. Begin soaking sleeves and equipment in a 
              bucket of dilute chlorhexidine. Re-scrub whenever the ewe/doe contaminates the area
              with feces during delivery.

          -Carefully scrub hands and arms with soap and water, and apply a mild antiseptic.

          -It is also recommended that during the lambing/kidding season producers should keep
              their fingernails trimmed very short. This will help prevent tearing the soft tissue of the
              reproductive tract when assistance is given.

           -Next, apply liberal amounts of a lubricant jelly (K-Y™ Jelly, Lubrivet™, etc.) to a plastic
              obstetrical sleeve. This is one of the most important steps and should not be ignored! It
              is almost impossible to use too much lubricant. Mothers that have been in labor for a
              long period often have a dry birth canal or vaginal area. Failure to properly lubricate the
              birth canal usually results in trauma and tearing of the soft tissues, a very difficult birth,
              and the prospects of infection after delivery. It is often recommended to put lubricant in
              the birth canal and even in the uterus before handling the unborn lamb/kid.

          -Shape the hand into a natural wedge, with the fingers tight together. Then insert the
              hand with gentle force into the vagina and pelvic areas. Any forward movement should
              be done during the breaks in the uterine contractions. Forcing the hand forward during a
              contraction or with a significant amount of effort can cause severe injury and possible
              death to the ewe/doe and baby.

          -Determine the presentation, position, and posture of the fetus. This can be aided by
              referring to the following descriptions.

                       -Presentation - This refers to whether the lamb/kid is coming head first,
                           backwards or sideways.

                       -Position - This refers to whether the lamb/kid is right-side up or upside-down.

                       -Posture - This refers to where the legs of the lamb/kid are in relation to its
                           body.

 

The normal presentation, position, and posture is a lamb/kid coming head first, right-side up, with the front legs and head coming through the birth canal

 

            -It should be determined if the front or hind legs are coming through the birth canal. This
               is done by understanding that the joints on the front limbs flex in the same direction.
              The joints on the hind limb, however, flex opposite of each other. In the case of twins,
              any combination of front and hind limbs may be present.

           -One of the criteria for making a plan of action involves determining if the lamb/kid is
               alive or dead. This is done by performing the following tests:

                        -Pinching between the toes and having the lamb/kid pull away.

                         -Placing a finger in the mouth and feeling the lamb/kid suckle.

                         -Gently poking the eye - the lamb/kid usually moves its head.

                         -Checking rectal tone by placing a finger in the rectum - the tissue around the
                            finger should contract.

Note:

          -A dead lamb/kid may be more easily removed by having a veterinarian perform a
              fetotomy. This method may also be safer for the mother.

           -A dead lamb/kid, if not removed within hours, will severely compromise the health of
               the mother.

          -A weak, yet live lamb/kid, needs fast removal. This may mean a cesarean section.

 

          -Immediately seek professional help if any of the following arise:

                       -No progress is made with 30 minutes of skilled effort to correct the problem.

                        -After a few attempts, the exact presentation, position, and posture cannot be
                           determined.

For additional information, please feel free to email  lyle.mcneal@usu.edu or call (435) 797-2140 or 797-2162. The mailing address to mail your raw wool samples to: Dr. Lyle McNeal, Sheep & Wool Specialist, P.O. Box 4454, Logan, UT 84323-4454.