Wednesday, February 19, 1997

Stenholm to address dairymen Thursday in Stephenville

By J.T. SMITH / Farm Editor

U.S. Rep. Charles W. Stenholm will be the keynote speaker for the Texas Association of Dairymen at the organization's 6th annual meeting Thursday in Stephenville.

Tomorrow's meeting will start with light hors d'oevres served at 6:30 p.m. at Newman Hall, St. Brendan's Catholic Church on Washington Street, just across from Tarleton State University.

Stenholm will deliver an outlook on the future of federal dairy policy beginning at 7 p.m.

The Texas congressman from Ericksdahl recently was elected ranking minority member of the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture.

In this position, Stenholm will have a tremendous influence in Washington over pending USDA decision on reshaping federal milk pricing.

"We are very pleased to have Representative Stenholm joining us for TAD's annual meeting at such a critical time for Texas dairy producers," TAD President Don Smith says. "The October-December crash in the basic formula price, which determines our milk prices, is just now being reflected in producer milk checks."

The Sulphur Springs dairyman says the situation is extremely critical.

"Texas dairy communities are about to witness the greatest financial crunch Texas dairy families have endured in decades," Smith says. "Stenholm's participation at our meeting makes it clear that our elected leaders in Washington know how serious this situation is, and they're listening to our ideas."

Stenholm will get feedback

Immediately after Rep. Stenholm's address, TAD board members will brief the congressman and other attendees on the Dairy Producers' Milk Pricing Plan, the proposal recently unveiled by TAD on January 31 to reform federal milk pricing.

The plan, if enacted by USDA, will eliminate much of the volatility in fluid milk prices by decoupling them from monthly fluctuations in cheese prices, and will increase producer milk prices by returning to dairymen more of the dollars already being spent by consumers.

TAD members also will elect new board members during the meeting and hear a discussion on TAD'S 1996 accomplishments and 1997 projects.

Members of TAD or anyone interested in the future of the Texas dairy industry are invited to attend the Stephenville meeting.

There is no attendance charge. But to help make plans, TAD requests a call from anyone planning to attend at (800)-460-0382.

Vinson Ranches has bull in sire report

Vinson Ranches of Ovalo has a bull listed in the 1997 Spring Sire Evaluation Report published by the American Angus Association in St. Joseph, Mo.

Issued in both the spring and fall, the new report features the latest performance information on 4,424 sires.

The expected progeny differences or "EPDs" are compiled from Angus Herd Improvement Records (AHIR) submitted by breeders of the American Angus Association.

EPDs are excellent indicators of the genetic merit that animals have for specific trails, says John Crouch, director of performance programs for the association.

When using EPDs with high accuracy values, cattle producers can depend upon EPDs for predicting performance.

Traits for which EPDs are available are birth weight, weaning weight, milk, yearling weight, mature daughter size, and scrotal circumference of bulls.

Available carcass traits include marbling, rib eye area, external fat thickness, and percent retail product.