Local cattle ranchers are planning to donate proceeds from a cattle sale this weekend to research for a vaccine to combat a bacterial disease affecting the state's cattle population.
Mark and Abbie Nelson, who own and operate Five Star Land and Livestock in Wilton, are selling a high-quality Angus bull during their annual Heritage Bull Sale on Sunday.
The bull, Five Star 2017 Power 1 7120, carries some of the most sought-after genetics in the Angus breed, a California Cattleman's Association news release states.
The CCA says the bull carries "convenience traits" that will improve any beef operation, the release states.
The Nelsons are donating all proceeds from the bull's sale to the association's Livestock Memorial Research Fund, which hopes to raise $50,000 for research of a foothill abortion vaccine. Foothill abortion is a bacterial disease, also known as epizootic bovine abortion. It is transmitted by bites from ticks that live in the soil near trees in dry, brushy areas and near rock outcroppings on foothill range land, the U.S. Department of Agriculture states.
Infected pregnant cows do not show obvious clinical symptoms but will abort their calves between six to nine months into the pregnancy. Cows have a nine-month gestation, the USDA states.
Some infected cows carry the pregnancy to term, but the calves are born weak and fail to thrive.
UC Davis researchers are working to develop a vaccine for the disease, which kills 45,000 to 90,000 calves annually, amounting to losses of about $6.3 million for the state's cattle producers, the USDA states.
The Nelsons also are co-hosting the association's Young Cattlemen's Committee benefit dinner, scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday at the Five Star ranch.
CCA President Bruce Hafenfeld thanked the Nelsons for their donation and said it reflects cattle producers' efforts to support one another.
"Not only is the donation of this quality Angus bull a tremendous help to the search for a foothill abortion vaccine, but helping our future ranchers is a way to make sure the heritage of California cattle producers (is) sustained well into the future," Hafenfeld said in a written statement.
For more information, call the association at (916) 444-0845.
Call The Bee's Niesha Lofing, (916) 321-1270.
