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Putting knowledge to work with the people of Maine
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Volume 1 Number 6
| September 2013
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| News and events of interest to beef producers in Maine from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Maine, Department of Agriculture, Maine Beef Producers and other agriculture organizations in Maine. |
Free online sources of information:
Maine Beef Production Information by UMaine Extension
Beef Cattle Comments by Mike Baker, Cornell University
Drovers - Cattle Network - America's Beef Business Source |
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Bull, Heifer and Club Calf Show & Sale at Fryeburg Fair!
The Maine Beef Producers Association is proud to announce they are taking consignments for its annual "Bull, Heifer and Club Calf Show & Sale." The sale is held in conjunction with the Fryeburg Fair on Friday the 4th of October starting after the 4-H Baby Beef & Lamb Sale in the Beef Show Barn.
The MBPA started the sale in the late 80's as a way to offer quality Club Calves to 4-H kids for their projects in the following year. It was later expanded to include bulls to accommodate people looking for herd bull prospects. It was again expanded to include heifers born after September of the previous year for show heifer projects.
These calves have followed the MBPA preconditioning requirements and are halter broke. There is a show preceding the sale where the calves are divided into weight classes and evaluated, with premiums offered by Fryeburg Fair.
There have been a number of success stories arising from sale consignments, with champions from the various Baby Beef Show & Sales through out the state and one show heifer went on to be Grand Champion Belted Galloway at Eastern States Exposition.
This year we are reviving and expanding a program from years past where the owner of the highest placing calf from the Club Calf Sale from the following year's Fryeburg Baby Beef Show was awarded a $100 savings bond. This year we have expanded it to include the Baby Beef Shows at Bangor, Presque Isle, Windsor, Oxford, and Farmington, as well as Fryeburg.
For more information about consigning or purchasing calves in the sale, please contact:
Ed Carter
417 Main Street
Richmond, Me 04357
Miniacres1@myfairpoint.net
207-737-2872 Home
207-877-1180 Cell
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Fall Pre-Conditioned Feeder Calf Sale
The Maine Beef Producers Association (MBPA) is sponsoring a preconditioned feeder calf sale at Dick Brown's facility in Richmond, ME on Saturday, November 2nd at noon.
Cow Calf producers have taken the time to precondition their calves for this sale. Preconditioning reduces the incidence of respiratory disease and enteritis by increasing the immunity of the calf in preparation of the stress of weaning and shipping. Dehornings and castrations are healed.
Some cow calf producers consigning animals to the sale have also signed affidavits attesting that their animals have been raised under the MBPA Natural Meats program protocol of never having received hormones, antibiotics, or feeds or feed supplements containing animal-by-products. And/or their animals are 100% grass (forage) fed, no grains, grain-by-products, grain crops, grain crop silages, or other prohibited feeds under the USDA grass fed guidelines have been fed.
The MBPA are expecting 75 to 100 calves weighing about 600 to 700 pounds to be sold at the November 2nd sale at noon. If you are interested in buying a few or a lot of animals or have questions contact Sale Manager, Pete Dusoe at 207-437-5441 or pbdusoe@roadrunner.com . Pre-conditioning protocol is available at http://www.mainebeefproducersassociation.org/Sales.html
Sale is scheduled for Saturday, November 2nd at noon.
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Items of Interest
- Maine Hay Directory is maintained by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension to link those who have forages with those who need forages for their animals. In the coming months those who have forage to sell will be listing what they have available (hay, haylage, silage, pasture, hay stumpage), the form (large bales, small bales, etc.), where they are located, if delivery is available, etc. The listings are free, we only ask that you update your listing.) Viewing the listing is free too and it is listed by county. A note that some unscrupulous buyers will send unsuspecting farmers a check for too much for their purchase (some are from eBay, Craig's List, etc.) and ask the farmer to wire the surplus back. Be sure to check the Attorney General's Caution to Farmers for Over Payment. If you are contacted by one of these scam artists be sure to contact the AG's Consumer Protection Division at (800) 436-2131.
- How to Test Forage Quality is a new YouTube Video produced by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and features Rick Kersbergen, Extension Professor from Waldo County.
- The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy has changed it's name and redesigned their website. They are now the Livestock Conservancy at http://www.livestockconservancy.org/ their mission is the genetic conservation and promotion of endangered breeds of livestock and poultry.
- Body Condition Scoring Beef Cows is available from Virginia Cooperative Extension. Revised May 2009.
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The Maine Beef Producers Association is in the process of updating and redesigning their website. A committee has been established to work with a web designer to make this site an asset to the members of MBPA, potential members and people interested in finding out about beef production in Maine. The committee welcomes your suggestions and recommendations to make this site as helpful as possible. Please send your suggestions to:
Bob Dusoe, rjdusoe@uninets.net
Dan Costain, dancostain@gmail.com
Phil Newcombe, pnewcombe@kvcc.me.edu
Jenn Grant, findviewfarm@juno.com
Donna Coffin, donna.coffin@maine.edu
or Jacob Guimond, jacob.guimond@maine.gov
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To receive Maine Beef News: All Maine beef producers are welcome to subscribe to the Maine Beef News for free. To keep costs down we are asking folks to sign up for the electronic version at http://bit.ly/PPfarming
If you prefer surface mailed Maine Beef News, please call Melissa Libby at (207)581-2788 or send your mailing information to UMaine Extension Livestock Office, 134 Hitchner Hall, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04479-5735. Currently we are only able to offer free mailed copy for free to Maine residents.
Please note that we do not sell or share your contact information.
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 Join the Maine Beef Producers Association
The Maine Beef Producers Association is accepting dues for the 2013 year. Annual dues are $35. for an extra $25 you can get a year subscription to County Folks. For more information on this organization and for membership application go to
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Featured UMaine Extension Publications
The following agriculture related Extension publications are available or can be ordered at the Extension Office nearest you. You will notice that some publications are free and some have a cost recovery charge. Many other publications are available for free online or may be purchased at our secure publications web site.
- Echinococcus granulosus canadensis (EG) in Maine Moose: Suggestions for Dog Owners #1002 EG is a very small tapeworm that has a two part life-cycle: one in canids (coyotes/foxes/domestic dogs) and the second in ruminant-type animals, such as moose or sheep. Learn how moose, canids, and even humans can be exposed and how to prevent infection. Two-pages. 2013. Download it for free, or buy a printout.
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Calendar
- September 28th, 2013 deadline for weaning calves for the Maine Beef Producers Association Pre-conditioned Feeder Calf Sale on November 2nd. For full protocol go to http://www.mainebeefproducersassociation.org/Sales.html If you have questions, please contact Sale Manager Pete Dusoe at 207-437-5441 or pbdusoe@roadrunner.com
- September 30, October 1 & 2, 2013 Buying Local Meats part of UMaine Extension and Piscataquis Valley Adult Education Cooperative programs. To be held 6 pm to 8 pm in Milo, Guilford and Dover-Foxcroft. Sign up through PVAEC.
- October 4th, 2013 Bull, Heifer & Club Calf Show & Sale, starting after the 4-H Baby Beef & Lamb Sale in the Beef Show Barn at the Fryeburg Fair, Grounds. for more information contact Ed Carter, miniacres1@myfairpoint.net, 207-737-2872 or 207-877-1180.
- November 2nd, 2013 Pre-Conditioned Feeder Calf Sale, at noon at Dick Brown's facility in Richmond http://www.mainebeefproducersassociation.org/Sales.html If you have questions, please contact Sale Manager Pete Dusoe at 207-437-5441 or pbdusoe@roadrunner.com
- November 16 & 17, 2013 Maine Harvest Festival, Bangor Civic Center, Bangor
- December 7, 2013 Maine Beef Conference, Hilton Garden Inn, Bangor. Focus is on herd health.
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Contact Info
Donna Coffin, Extension Educator
207-564-3301 or in Maine 1-800-287-1491
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