Sunday, August 24, 1997

Texas and Virginia cattlemen slate superb bull sale for Abilene

By J.T. Smith / Abilene Reporter-News

Make plans now for a November bull sale that is going to be a spectacular event in the cattle world.

Noted Angus breeder Tommy Donnell of Graham is teaming up with Nick Wehrmann and Richard McClung, Jr. of New Market, Va., to hold a joint bull sale at 1 p.m. Nov. 13 at Abilene Livestock Auction.

Some 150 performance-tested registered Angus bulls will be offered.

"About 95 percent of the bulls will be products of our respective Embryo Transfer programs," Donnell reported. "And this will offer ranchers the opportunity to choose from groups of as many as six or seven full brothers."

For more information on this sale, write Tommy Donnell, P.O. Box 1777, Graham, Texas 76450. Or call Donnell at (940) 549-9997, office; (940) 549-9997, (FAX); OR (940) 549-5555, home; or (940) 521-1961, mobile; or e-mail tdonnell@wf.net.

Where the boll weevil program stands now

Growers throughout the proposed 19-county Southern High Plains/Caprock area running from Lubbock to Midland-Odessa voted against a four-year diapause program last week in a Texas Department of Agriculture conducted referendum.

"The commissioner-appointed advisory commmittee (had) recommended that based on grower sentiment in the area, the proposition reflect a 'suppression' or long-term diapause program, rather than full eradication," said Katie Dickie, Texas Department of Agriculture representative.

But growers rejected that the suppression option by a 52-48 margin.

Woody Anderson, chairman of the Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation board, said the direction of the program remains with producers.

"We continue to assert that this is a growers' program and therefore, the growers have a choice in the type of program being implemented and the method for funding it," Anderson said.

"In this case, the (ag) commissioner's advisory committee recommended a diapause program. The foundation board continues to support the fundamentals of full eradication and the ultimate goal of a weevil-free Texas."

One of the fundamental differences between the proposed four-year "suppression" program and an "eradication" program is that, unlike a suppression program, a diapause program is only the first phase of full eradication.

It is followed by two or three years of a full-season program to eliminate the boll weevil.

The suppression program actually is an ongoing diapause program designed soley to reduce the number of weevils emerging in the spring from winter hibernations.

Based on the proposed Plains Cotton Growers suppression program and accompanying budget, the suppression program required treatment aircraft to fly at 25 feet above the crop canopy at a 150- to 225-foot swath in 10-day treatment cycles.

By contrast, the TBWEF eradication programs require aircraft to fly at just 5 feet above the crop canopy at a 75- to 90-foot swath width, depending on aircraft type, in 7-day treatment cycles.

"The foundation's requirements are based on studies done on the residual and efficacy of Malathion, the chemical used in eradication and suppression activity," said entomologist John Smith.

Smith is both South Texas/Winter Garden and SHP/C entomologist.

"If growers in the Southern High Plains could implement a program like we have in the South Texas/Winter Garden, they could get a lot of weevil suppression benefit," Smith said. "With the foundation's program, you know the field unit supervisor and field personnel personally, and they work with you."