South Carolina Angus Association News
By Windy Bartee

When Christmas is over many department stores have what they call "White Sales" to get their inventories down in sheets and towels. In South Carolina we have our "Black Sales". That is, we have our Angus bulls and heifers on sale to get the inventory down. Most of these occur in February and March.

Here are the results of the South Carolina February Angus bull sales:
Tokeena Angus, 2/28/04 30 bulls gross $44,250 to average $1,475
Yon Family Farms, 2/21/04 113 bulls gross $321,150 to average $2,842
Black Crest Farms, 2/14/04 52 bulls gross $103,350 to average $1,988
Clemson Bull Test, 2/7/04 29 bulls gross $66,300 to average $2,286

Our black Angus bulls are definitely in demand. The EPDs and easy calving in addition to the excellent carcass traits that produce delicious steak such as CAB® (Certified Angus Beef) keeps the producers looking for Angus bulls.

In the midst of the Angus sales the SC Ag Expo took place in early February (2-11). The South Carolina Angus Association (SCAA) along with the American Angus Association sponsored a booth at the Sheraton in Columbia. With the aid of David Gazda and Paul Wilkie we recruited several new members from the cattlemen there.

For the first time, the Cattlemen joined in this SC Ag Expo convention with the Farm Bureau. Dr. Steve Meadows of Clemson gave a talk to the SC Cattlemen. He discussed tests showing the advantage of using British breed bulls, and, no surprise to us, most often it was the Angus bull, that gave the best results for the commercial herds.

At another session Dr. Tony Caver, State Veterinarian and Director of Livestock and Poultry Health Division from Clemson, explained to the SC Cattlemen about all the precautions taken to prevent BSE. In the United States and South Carolina our food production is vigorously regulated to screen the causes. We have the regulations that prevent the use of feed, containing animal byproducts that can transmit BSE. The feed mills in our area have been inspected as safe. The public can feel very sure that the quality of beef they purchase in South Carolina is extremely safe. Your beef checkoff program helps get the word out to the public underscoring consumer confidence in the U. S. beef supply.

At the SC Ag Expo, Mike Powell, a member of the SCAA, was named the South Carolina Young Cattleman of the Year. What an honor for Mike and his wife Bridget, who started with 10 cows in 1996! Now they have 110 cows. Of these 56 are registered Angus cows plus one registered Angus bull. Mike is on the Board of Directors for the Abbeville Cattlemen's Association. He has recently been activated in the U.S. Air Force to serve in Iraq. He leaves for Iraq putting Bridget in charge of the herd. Bridget, who works in the same law firm with Gene Pruitt, our SCAA president, might be in a good place to get some help.

Speaking of agriculture: In spite of the fact that agriculture happens to be one of the largest economic forces in the state, the SC budget process has proposed drastic cuts in funds for Clemson. The cuts will effectively cripple the services now offered to the public, closing most extension offices in the state as well as limiting most other services such as food safety and nutrition.

From Clemson Neil Ogg writes: (paraphrased) Public Service Activities (PSA is commonly called the Agriculture Extension Service) and Clemson University still need your help to make the legislators aware of their importance in this state. Please contact your House of Representatives and Senate members and describe why PSA is important to you and how it is needed as it affects the agricultural community in South Carolina. Call Neil at 864-646-3353 to find out the name of your legislators and their addresses. (Neil Ogg is the Director PSA Advocacy Office for Clemson.)

In March the 34th Carolina Angus Futurity took place at Clemson on March the 19-20 with the Banquet and Annual meeting occurring on Friday the 19th. The Officers and Directors of the South Carolina Angus Association honored Jean and Mike Johnson by dedicating the Futurity to them. Many friends and family were on hand to see them presented an Angus Bull Trophy by Jim Reno.

The SC Junior Angus Association met in conjunction with the seniors and started planning their summer events. The first will be their South Carolina Junior Preview Show on June 5, 2004. This year the SC Angus Association will incorporate their show with the SCAA field day. Stephanie Clark headed up the Silent Auction to help the juniors defray their expenses. Many juniors will attend the Eastern Regional Show in our neighboring state at Raleigh, NC, on June 18-20. A select few will travel all the way to Kansas City, MO, for the National Junior Angus Show on July 12-17. Each year two of our SC juniors are selected to represent our state in the National Junior Angus Showmanship Contest.

A new regulation regarding aerosol cans will begin July 1, i.e., no one will be allowed to use products contained in or dispensed from aerosol cans at any of the shows sanctioned by the American Angus Association. This will be in effect for the National Junior Angus Show in Kansas City. A rule already in place in 2003 is that aerosol cans are not allowed in the make-up area of Angus shows.

If you seek to find your black Angus roots, the AAA is offering a trip to Scotland on July 27-August 14. You can get further information at
www.anchorsawaycruises.com/angusscotland, or call Terry Steele at 1-800-527-8666, ext. 203.

In the calving news, David McMahan, one of the directors of the SCAA has become a grandfather. Stewart and Amber Price had Benjamin Tyler Price on December 11, 2003. The new mother, 19-year-old Amber, besides taking care of her new baby and going to nursing school, is struggling with cancer in her leg. She has undergone surgery and will have treatments for the rare disease that usually only occurs in a 40-50 year old person. If you are a praying person send some up for Amber and her family.

Hope you made it to one of our "Black Sales." Maybe we will see you at the next one or the SC Junior Angus Show and SCAA Field Day on June 5 at Clemson. Remember: Everything is not always black and white, like a Holstein, sometimes they are just black, like our Angus. In the cattle business, contrary to the usual analogy black is good and that's no bull. On second thought, preferably it is a bull – a black Angus bull.