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IBBA Hosts 2017 Fall Conference
The International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA) hosted its annual fall conference Aug. 17-19 in conjunction with the Southeastern Brangus Breeders Association’s (SBBA) fall field day event on Aug. 18 in Brighton, Florida.
Meetings were held for members of the Membership and Education Committee, Finance Committee, Promotions Committee, Commercial Marketing Committee, International Committee, and Breed Improvement Committee on Thursday, Aug. 17, on the Brighton Seminole Indian Reservation.
J. R. Tait, PhD., of Neogen GeneSeek, spoke to the members of the Breed Improvement Committee about the benefits of selection indexes and how selection indexes can be utilized for the progress and advancement of Brangus genetics.
The SBBA Cattlemen’s Gathering consisted of a tour of the Brighton Seminole Indian Reservation, alligator wrestling, a style show of different Seminole fashions, a panel discussion, and presentations from the following speakers.
- “Managing Cattle for Successful Reproductive Performance” by John Davidson, DVM
- “DNA and Cattle ID Options for the Beef Cattle Industry” by Ashby Green, DVM
- “Use of Genomics to Improve Climate Adaptability and Carcass Merit” by Raluca Mateescu, PhD.
- “The Meat Matters: How Production Practices Affect Meat Quality” by Jenny Hodgen, PhD.
Davidson represents Boehringer Ingelheim; Green represents Neogen; Mateescu represents the University of Florida; and Hodgen represents Merck Animal Health. IBBA Executive Vice President Tommy Perkins, PhD., PAS was the emcee and led the cattlemen’s panel discussion. The panel discussion was comprised of cattlemen, Ralph Pelaez of Pelaez and Sons, Flint Johns of Lykes Brothers, and Alex Johns of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The discussion was focused around identifying profitable herd sires using selection indexes.
IBBA President Brandon Belt announced an International Brangus Breeders Foundation research initiative to be led by Mateescu before her presentation. She will lead a thermoregulation study using 725 Brangus heifers funded by the foundation.
Richard Hood, of American Marketing Services, talked to attendees about the value that Salacoa Valley Farms and the Seminole Tribe of Florida offer the Brangus community.
SBBA’s field day was sponsored by Allflex and Multimin USA. Representatives from both companies gave presentations at the cattlemen’s gathering.
IBBA was represented by Perkins, Assistant to the Executive Vice President Yvonne “Bonnie” Ramirez, and Communications Coordinator Peyton Waldrip.
The IBBA Board of Directors held a meeting on Saturday, Aug. 19. Belt led current board members, Lee Alford, Danny Farris, Troy Floyd, Chris Heptinstall, Doyle Miller, Eddy Roberts, Davy Sneed, Vern Suhn, and Mike Vorel, in discussion of old and new business.
