All posts by Cindi Darling

I am the owner of Liar's Lake Exotics in Sparta, Missouri. I've been raising Watusi since 1984. Visit us at liarslake.com.
Events, Information, Miscellaneous, News & Updates

September Membership and Board Meeting

On September 25 the World Watusi Association Board of Directors held their annual reorganization meeting in conjunction with the Lolli Bros. Exotic Animal Sale in Macon, Missouri.  We had a packed list of agenda items to address.  The results of the election for the Board were announced with the winners being Pat Burnett, Matt Moffat and Brian Sims.   We all want to extend our congratulations to each member.  The annual election for the Officer’s for the 2019 through 2020 year resulted in Blake Edwards, President:  Garret Judd, Vice-President:  Cindi Darling, Secretary and Barry Retchloff, Treasurer.  All the contact information for the Board and Officers can be found on this website.

We wish to thank Pat Burnett for his previous years of serving as our President and Sheri Gurr for her tireless service as our Treasurer and director.   As you all know this is a volunteer organization of non-compensated individuals and we are very lucky to have all of these people willing to serve and donate their time.

We will be covering all of the items addressed at our various meetings and will be addressing possible By Law changes that all of us must agree upon with our next vote.

One of the major items that was passed at this meeting is a temporary change in the Lifetime Membership fees.  This fee is presently a one time charge of $500.00.  The Board was asked to address this item and  has implemented a new one time  fee of $250.00 to be in effect from September 25, 2019 through February 1, 2020.  When you receive your reminder of 2020 dues we will remind all members of this option.  We sincerely hope that many of our members will take advantage of this opportunity.

 

 

 

 

Miscellaneous

2019 Election for Board of Directors

The ballots have been mailed to all members in good standing of the World Watusi Association.  There are three positions available and six candidates.  All ballots must be postmarked back to the CPA on or before August 10, 2019.  Anyone with questions is encouraged to contact any board member or candidate.

2019 Candidates

Sheri Gurr, Roosevelt, Utah 435-722-7699  RockingGwatusi@gmail.com

Matt Moffat, Piedmont, OK  405-205-0435  MattMoffat@ymail.com

Cree Sisneros, Pierce City, MO  903-305-1041  DRSISNEROS@LIVE.COM

Barry Retchloff, Fordland, MO   563-663-0840 Barry@Retchloff.com

R. P.  ‘Pat’ Burnett, Wills Point, Texas 903-288-3334 tpd106@hotmail.com

Brian Sims, Seminole, Ok  405-200-6339                bsims56@icloud.com 

Miscellaneous

News Release Texas Animal Health

NEWS RELEASE
Texas Animal Health Commission
“Serving Texas Animal Agriculture Since 1893”
Andy Schwartz, DVM● Executive Director
P.O. Box l2966 ● Austin, Texas 78711 ● (800) 550-8242 www.tahc.texas.gov
For more information contact the Public Information Dept. at 512-719-0750 or at public_info@tahc.texas.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 26, 2019

USDA Advancing Animal Disease Traceability:
The Transition to Electronic Identification in Cattle and Bison

AUSTIN – The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is currently working with federal, state and industry partners to strengthen its traceability system to protect the long-team health, marketability and economic viability of the U.S. livestock industry. While there are several steps USDA needs to take in order to do this, the most essential one is to move from metal identification tags to electronic identification tags in beef and dairy cattle, as well as in bison.
“The transition from metal identification tags to radio frequency identification (RFID) tags will not happen overnight,” assured Dr. Andy Schwartz, Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) Executive Director and State Veterinarian. “The transition is projected to take four years and we want to use this time to educate and encourage Texas cattle, dairy and bison producers to start taking steps toward electronic identification.”
Starting January 1, 2023, only individual official RFID tags will be accepted as official identification for cattle and bison moving interstate, including:

Beef Cattle & Bison
·   Sexually intact and 18 months or older
·   Used for rodeo or recreations events (regardless of age)
·   Used for shows or exhibitions
Dairy Cattle
·    All female dairy cattle
·    All male dairy cattle born after March 11, 2013

Implementation Timeline:
USDA understands producers need time to transition to RFID and has worked with the National Assembly of State Animal Health Officials to establish manageable milestones to achieve this goal.
December 31, 2019
USDA will discontinue providing free metal tags. However, approved vendors will still be permitted to produce official metal tags for one additional year. Approved vendor tags will be available for purchase on a state-by-state basis as authorized by each state animal health official through December 31, 2020.
January 1, 2021
USDA will no longer approve vendor production of metal ear tags with the official USDA shield. Accredited veterinarians and/or producers can no longer apply metal ear tags for official identification and must start using only official RFID tags.
January 1, 2023
RFID ear tags will be required for beef and dairy cattle and bison moving interstate that meet the RFID tagging requirements. Animals with metal ear tags will have to be retagged with RFID ear tags in order to move interstate. Feeder cattle and animals moving directly to slaughter are not subject to RFID requirements.
Articles, Information, News & Updates

Knuckling & Contracted Tendons

Dickinson Cattle Co, LLC

 

DCC Ranch eNews #170 – 5-29-2019

by: Darol Dickinson

In 1987, Dr. Ben Carson was the lead neurosurgeon of a 70-member surgical team that separated conjoined twins, Patrick and Benjamin Binder, who had been joined at the back of the head (craniopagus twins); the separation surgery held promise in part because of the hopeless existence had Carson not operated.

Conjoined twins are identical twins[1] joined in utero. An extremely rare phenomenon, the occurrence is estimated to range from 1 in 49,000 births to 1 in 189,000 births, with a somewhat higher incidence in Southwest Asia and Africa.[2] Approximately half are stillborn, and an additional one-third die within 24 hours.

Whether it is human, animal or hatched fowl, deformities and mutations happen. Of course no one wants these unusual beings, but every effort is usually made so they will have a normal life.

Every now and then calves are born with a condition called contracted tendons. It results in the calf not being able to straighten out its front pasterns so they can put their hooves flat on the ground.

Calves that have this end up walking with their front hooves turned back. Some people refer to this also as knuckling.The most often mentioned theory revolves around insufficient room in the uterus for extension and growth of the tendons. Most believe it more often occurs in older cows and in bull calves who form a ball in the uterus. For long periods the ankles are bent back and the tendons do not stretch pre-birth.

Some say it may be mineral related. The minerals that may be involved are manganese and selenium. Vitamin D and E also play a part in muscle and tendon growth in the infantile calf.

Unfortunately, this condition does not have a well-defined cause or solution that I’ve been able to find.

Recently on Facebook this photo was published with questions about the why and how of the issue. What causes it and what does an owner do?

Certain plants ( lupine, locoweed, bluebonnet, and poison vetch), if eaten by the pregnant female at just the right point in gestation may contribute to the problem.

The affected calf may straighten out after hobbling around several days, depending on the severity of the knuckling. It’s important in the first few days to make sure the calf nurses. Keeping the cow and calf in a smaller area is advised.

Many years ago at DCC a Buelingo calf was born knuckled. We let her attempt to correct and it was not humane. She began to get sores on the front of her ankles above the hoof from walking on the skin.

We carved two small boards about a foot long and rounded the corners. Both legs below the knee were wrapped with cloth. A big ball of cloth was placed on the joint above the ankle. The lower leg was stretched straight to where the calf could walk on the hoof correctly. Then the whole thing was wrapped with vet wrap. She immediately began to run and play.

In a week or so the splints were removed and no one would ever know that was a problem.

From veterinarian articles no appearance of genetic future occurrences were recorded.

Hopefully this will help when or if you ever have one. You don’t have to call Dr. Carson, just do it yourself. DD

View this article Online: https://www.texaslonghorn.com/pr/index.cfm?year=2019&story=eNews-170_Knuckled_Tendons_20190529

Events, Miscellaneous, News & Updates

Election for Board Members

We are accepting nominations for candidates to the Board of Directors of the World Watusi Association for the fall 2019 election.  There are 3 positions available.  If you are interested or know of someone who would be please contact any member of the Nominating committee.  Chairman; Garett Judd, garettjudd@yahoo.com, 270.670.7787:  Vernon Base, vernonbase@gmail.com, 620-747-0798: Cindi Darling, watusi@liarslake.com, 417-634-4115.  All nominations should be submitted by June 15, 2019.  The 3 year positions up for election are those currently held by Pat Burnett, Sheri Gurr and Matt Moffatt.

Miscellaneous

Horn Measurement

Under our FORMS menu we have available the submission form for measuring the horns of our animals.  This is not a requirement, but we are attempting to build a data base with this information.  Horns are obviously the most prominent feature of this breed and by setting up records we can use this information for marketing and breeding.

The fee for submission of this form to our office is $20.00 to cover the entry of the information on our database.  The owner is welcome to submit their own measurement, however we do offer an Official measurement by qualified representatives.  One representative can measure and submit the information on a live animal.  A skull requires two representatives.  We do have representatives available at our sanctioned auctions.  Presently they will be at the Macon sale at Lolli Bros.

If there is an interest Blake Edwards is willing to offer a class at the Macon auction.  Contact Blake at redhillwatusi@gmail.com or at 580-430-5050.

Miscellaneous

From the Office.

Robin Hancock our registrar wants  to let our members know that there are new Registration Forms on the website as well as an updated Fee Schedule.  She would like to remind all members that you can submit your photos of your animal to her by email, but that she needs to have THE ORIGINAL, SIGNED application sent in to the office with your payment.  All too often she is receiving scanned copies by email and just the check in the mail.

Miscellaneous

Sale and meetings at Macon, Missouri

Once again we are on the short haul to the spring sale at the Lolli Bros. Alternative Livestock sale in Macon, Missouri.  www.lollibros.com 

Many different species are offered at this sale over it’s four day duration.  Our watusi cattle will be available in the ring on Thursday April 11.  Be sure to attend.

We will also have our annual Spring Fling meeting and dinner as well as the spring meeting of the WWA Board of Directors  The get-together’s including the Board meeting will be held in the community room at the Comfort Inn, 1821 N Missouri St, Macon, MO 63552.  Board meeting will be at 4:00pm.  All members are welcome.  In addition to regular business items we will be discussing a revamping of our website.   At 7:00 pm we will meet for our get-together and dinner.  Once again we will be catered by Nolands with a taco and baked ham buffet.  It would help if you are going to attend that you contact Garret Judd at  garettjudd@yahoo.com or (270) 670-7787 • Mobile with the number in your party.

After dinner we will have our Fun Auction of donated items.  Please be creative and bring an item and your checkbook to buy.  See you there.

Miscellaneous

Registration information

wwa-registration-application-2019-form

It has been brought to our attention that some of our members are unclear on the instructions when submitting their applications for registration and photographs.  Any missing information or incorrectly submitted information can result in a delay in your registration not to mention causing a backlog to our registrar.

All the spaces on the application need to be addressed each line is numbered and has instructions on the form.   They are pretty self explanatory, but if you have any questions please feel free to call the office.

#1  We do still identify our animals by their gender.  It is either an intact male, neutered male or female.  Check the box.

#2  Name your animal.  You can check online in our pedigree pages to see if a name you choose is available.  No matter how much you like Daisy, there can only be one Daisy.   Using a herd identifier is the best solution as you can still use Daisy.  If you choose to utilize a herd identifier i.e. BSR for Big Sky Ranch be sure to count those letters and/or numbers in the total of 24 spaces allowed for the animal’s name.

#3 & 4  Physical identifying marks.  Our registry does not require either holding brands or tatoos, although we do highly recommend their use.  If you have any of these on your animal described them and their locations on these lines.

#5  & 6  Sire and Dam:  All of this information is also available in the Pedigree section of the website for the sire the dam and their sires and dams.

#7  Your WWA membership number, you name and address.  The name that you list is how your registration certificate will be recorded.  This can have legal ramifications so be certain to think of that status prior to submission.

#8  Your signature

#9  Date of Application

#10  Type of birth.  Natural, AI or Embryo.

#11  Number at birth single, twin or multiple.  Although our form does not currently call for it, you should list the number and sex  i.e. 1 bull/1 heifer.

#12  Description of color and pattern.

Parts of Animal                       Abbreviation

Back                                        BK
Body                                       BDY
Brisket                                     BSK
Ears                                        ERS
Forehead                                 4-HD
Flank                                    FLK
Feet                                     FT
Head                                     HD
Hindquarters                           HNDQTRS
Hip                                    HP
Lineback                               LB
Loin                                   LN
Neck                                   NK
Rump                                   RMP
Shoulders                              SHLDRS
Switch                                 SW
Underline                              UL
Tail                                   TL
Thigh                                  THI

Color.  When giving color descriptions, begin with the most dominate color.  The description should be as short as possible and remain complete.  For example, red with white spotted sides should be abbreviated as “RD w/ WH Sptd sides.”

Colors                                      Abbreviation

Black                                     BLK
Blue                                      BLU
Brown                                     BRN
Brindle                                   BRNDL
Dun, Dull Grayish Brown      DUN
Grulla                                    GRU
Light                                     LT
Red                                       RD
Roan                                      RN
Speckled                                 SPKLD
Spotted                                   SPTD
Spots                                     SPTS
Streaked                                  STRK
White                                     WH
Yellow                                    YL

Photos are one of the major problems all of us seem to  have.  It is a pain to have to take three different photos, but it is very important especially when we are not branding and/or tatooing.

These photos may be sent in physically or emailed to the office.  There are some importance items to pay close attention to:

  1.  The clearer and closer the photo the better.
  2.  Only one animal should be in the photo.
  3.   A total of three photos are required;  One from the right side of the animal, one from the left side and one from the front.
  4. These photos should be submitted in an individual email titled with the name of the animal and only one animal per email.