News

The Salem Police Department released reports involving a disturbance, a fight in progress, and burglary. On Sunday, January 18^th at 3:05 in the afternoon, an officer was detailed to a residence in the 800 block of North Henderson in reference to a disturbance. That investigation led to the arrest of a 27-year old male of Salem for disorderly conduct. He was issued a summons to appear in court and was released. That night at 7:51 pm, an officer was dispatched to a residence in the 600 block of West Fourth in reference to a fight in progress. The investigation of the report led to the arrest of a 37-year old male of Salem on an active arrest warrant from Dent County. He was incarcerated pending a court appearance. On Wednesday, January 21^st at 4:51 in the afternoon, an officer responded to a call from a residence in the 1000 block of South Hickory in reference to a burglary. That investigation revealed a person or persons unknown entered the residence and took a 46-inch flat screen television set and a portable DVD player valued at $460. Anyone with any information regarding the burglary is asked to please contact the Salem Police Department at 729-4242.

University of Missouri Extension will host a “Freeze Branding Workshop” at the University of Missouri Wurdack Farm, near Cook Station from 3:00 to 5:30 pm Tuesday, February 3rd. This workshop is designed to provide participants with “hands-on” training required to successfully administer freeze brands to their livestock. Freeze branding is an excellent way to permanently identify cattle and other livestock species. The process involves chilling branding irons using liquid nitrogen or dry ice, than applying the irons to the animal’s hide, which results in destroying or altering the pigment producing cells of the hair follicle. When properly administered the hair grows back white in color making for a very legible brand, especially when applied to dark-hided livestock. There are several benefits of freeze branding. Recently, interest in branding as a theft deterrent has regained popularity. Freeze branding works very well for this purpose, and as opposed to hot iron brands, freeze brands are generally easier to read. Freeze brands also work well as a permanent ID, especially for breeding stock, which may simplify record keeping for the farm manager. Additionally, freeze brands do not damage the hides of the animal as with hot iron brands, which in turn improves the value of the hide when sold. Topics for the workshop will include all necessary steps required for properly freeze branding livestock using either liquid nitrogen or dry ice, as well as information pertaining to the Missouri Brand Law. To provide hands-on instruction, participants will have the opportunity to assist in freeze branding replacement heifers at MU Wurdack Farm. Cost of the workshop is $10 per person. Class size is limited, and reservations are required by this Friday. For more information or to reserve a space, please contact Ted Cunningham, Livestock Specialist at the Dent County MU Extension Office at 573-729-3196.

The Missouri Department of Agriculture’s annual Youth Livestock Grading and Judging Contest and Clinic will be held on Saturday, March 7^th at the Trowbridge Center on the MU campus in Columbia. The cost to participate in the clinic or judging is $10 per person and registration is being done online only this year. The mail in registration has been discontinued and the deadline to register is February 28^th then the online registration will close. You can register at animalsciences.missouri.edu/gradingclinic/. The workshop and training clinic is limited to the first 250 people that register, while the judging contest is also limited to the first 250 registrants.

All Dent 4-H and FFA Livestock Families: The Steer weigh-in has been moved to Saturday, February 14^th from 8:00 am to 9:30 pm at the Salem Livestock Barn in Salem. The steers will be weighed, wormed and ear tagged. For more information, call Ted Cunningham at the Dent County Extension Center at 729-3196.

Sports [TOP]