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BEEF AND BUSINESS
Meet Our Beef Specialist : Dr. Jason K. AholaDr. Jason K. Ahola is a State Beef Extension Specialist with the University of Idaho, based at the Caldwell Research and Extension Center in southwestern Idaho. In a combined research and outreach role, Jason works with producers and industry organizations on nutrition, management, meat quality/value, marketing, and reproduction aspects of beef cattle. He received a Ph.D. from Colorado State University (CSU) in 2004, where his research focused on the effects of trace minerals on beef cattle production. While at CSU, Jason also evaluated alternate methods to predict high altitude disease in beef cattle as well as the effectiveness of several estrous synchronization programs. Before completing his Ph.D., Jason worked for four years in the private industry as the Director of Marketing for the Red Angus Association of America (Denton, Texas), and as the Director of Sales for Leachman Cattle Company (Billings, Montana). In both positions he worked extensively with seedstock producers and commercial cow/calf operations throughout the U.S. in the areas of genetics, marketing, and management. Jason was raised on a small purebred Hereford operation in rural northeastern Connecticut. He earned a B.S. in Animal Science from Penn State University and a Masters degree in the Beef Industry Leadership Program at CSU. Beef and Business Archive: Shorten Your 2009 Calving Season – Identify and Sell Late-Bred CowsNov 10, 2008 2:07 PM, By Jason K. Ahola, University of Idaho About one-third (36.6%) of U.S. cow/calf operations have established breeding and calving “seasons.” ... Selecting for improved Feed EfficiencyOct 7, 2008 12:02 PM, By Jason K. Ahola, University of Idaho By the spring of 2009, it will be pretty clear to cow/calf producers that feed cost is the largest variable cost on their operations... Will this be your last year in the cow/calf business?Sep 22, 2008 11:44 AM, By Jason K. Ahola, Ph.D. Unfortunately, it could be… unless your feed costs can be kept under control. With cow harvest up almost 10% from year-ago levels... Preparing young people for the beef industryAug 12, 2008 9:12 AM, By Jason K. Ahola, University of Idaho It’s almost back-to-school time, and what a great occasion to look at the education of our nation’s youth, particularly those hoping to work in the beef industry... Could the future hold great promise for cow/calf producers?Jul 8, 2008 12:28 PM, By Jason K. Ahola, University of Idaho It’s amazing to think back about what has happened in the U.S. beef industry over the past 12 months. In addition to major changes in beef packer ownership, production costs seem to have spiraled out of control... Beef Production in the European Union – A Look into our Future?May 13, 2008 10:29 AM, By Jason K. Ahola, Ph.D. Events in Europe over the past 20 years indicate that consumer perceptions and fears of disease could have a substantial impact on U.S. beef production... Trace Minerals: What to supplement and whenApr 7, 2008 12:12 PM, By Jason K. Ahola, Ph.D. U.S. cow/calf producers have been faced with an extreme increase in operating costs over the past year, especially for feed and supplements... Major Changes Ahead for the U.S. Beef IndustryFeb 25, 2008 4:47 PM, By Jason K. Ahola, University of Idaho It’s a busy time of year for the beef industry… and I’m not just talking about calving season! January and February are always filled with meetings and gatherings across the U.S., including large events like the National Western Stock Show and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Annual Convention... Rules of Thumb for Winter Cow RationsJan 22, 2008 11:24 AM, By Jason K. Ahola, Ph.D. Without question, feed costs across the entire beef industry have increased substantially over the past 18 months. However, the rise in forage prices during 2007 has contributed to a dramatic increase ... Consider a New Heifer Development StrategyNov 26, 2007 12:57 PM, By Jason K. Ahola, University of Idaho Extension beef specialist In this new era of elevated feed costs (both grain and hay), developing heifers from weaning to breeding involves a substantial investment. And, if heifers developed this winter fail to re-breed after their first calf next summer... |
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