Here”s another fun entry from our Texas intern, Kristen Odom. Enjoy!

I love everything about the cattle industry: the people, the process and the product!

So, at the 2011 Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association annual convention in San Antonio last weekend, I was just about as close to Heaven as possible. The three-day event included School for Successful Ranching classes, trade show exhibits, dancing, entertainment and good food.

As my college career is coming to a close, I reflect on all that I’ve learned throughout my three years of higher education. I know I’ve gained immeasurable knowledge and sometimes wonder if there is anything else my brain could possibly hold—and then I attend a cattle convention where a good conversation sparks the desire to keep learning more and more about the things I love.

During the trade show, I had the opportunity to meet Crystal Young with the American Angus Association. She talked about all the cattlemen interested in the Angus breed and the Certified Angus Beef ^® (CAB^®) brand.

“A lot of people have Angus genetics in their herd, either with commercial cows or they are using purebred Angus bulls,” Young explained,“and they want to know how to make their calves hit the Certified Angus Beef target.”

In her work at the Association booth,she told cattlemen about the qualifications for cattle to be accepted for the CAB program and encouraged them to work with Angus breeders and feedlots to prepare their cattle.

Sure, we hear about the shrinking cow herd and people retiring, but according to Young, this is a time when a lot people are entering the cattle business, too, people who haven’t been previously involved. That opens the door for education.

“If you want to get into the cattle business, there are a lot of resources to go to but you better do a lot of reading and ask a lot of questions,” she said.

Young added that it is important to continue learning and studying on your own as well as at industry events such as the TSCRA convention or the Angus Cattlemen’s Boot Camp seminars.

It is an upbeat time for cattlemen.

“People are really positive about the cattle industry right now, and it is very exciting to see so many people wanting to get back into agriculture,” Young said.

I encourage you to spark a conversation with a fellow cattleman about Certified Angus Beef. See if you can answer all their questions about the program and if you come across one that stumps you, check back into the blog for Miranda’s Monday Mythbusters or ask any of the CAB staff.