This film profiles three cattle feeders who show a great disparity in their facilities and methods for handling cattle.

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Angus Journal

Crystal Albers

For years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has carefully conducted its most dangerous, sometimes secretive, animal disease research on a secluded strip of land off the New York and Connecticut coastline. Known as the Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC), the aging and outdated laboratory facilities, now more than 50 years old, darken against the promise of a new state-of-the-art facility funded through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Looking to expand animal disease operations and research capabilities, DHS is exploring six potential sites for the new National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF). In addition to Plum Island, the department is considering five other locations for NBAF, all of which are exclusively mainland — Manhattan, Kan.; Athens, Ga.; Flora, Miss.; Butner, N.C.; and San Antonio, Texas.

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Burt Rutherford

Beef Magazine

There are several good ways to wean your calves. Chasing them down the middle of a highway isn’t one of them.

Yet, through no fault of his own, that’s the situation that Vance Uden, owner of TC Ranch at Franklin, NE, found himself in four or five years ago. For many years, Uden weaned his calves in pens, the traditional way. But a few years ago, something — bobcats, maybe a cougar — got in with his heifers, and even the stout, well-built pens couldn’t hold them back.

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Kris Ringwall, Beef Specialist, NDSU Extension Service

It never hurts to have more food for thought for supper. It never hurts to have more food for thought for supper.

How cattle perform given individual production scenarios will vary, but one thing is for sure, do not assume what you see fits.

The effect of cow size and expected production from pasture management directly impacts expected outcomes that translate into income. This relationship was discussed in recent BeefTalk articles.

A drought, at least in western North Dakota, initiated the discussion. The Dickinson Research Extension Center established two different groups of cattle based on body weight, calculating inputs and potential outcomes.

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The Prairie Star

The Montana Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) and the Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA) have begun to work with producers to develop a “hot spot” management pilot project as a solution to the brucellosis problem in the Greater Yellowstone Area (GYA). Montana, Wyoming and Idaho have all had domestic livestock infected from the wildlife brucellosis pool centered in Yellowstone National Park (YNP). Brucellosis not only affects livestock producers financially, as it causes abortions in cattle and causes the state to lose their brucellosis-free status, but the disease threatens wildlife welfare, because it also causes abortions in elk and bison.

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North Platte Bulletin

The 2008 Nebraska Grazing Conference on Aug. 12-13 at the Kearney Holiday Inn will provide an in-depth look at grazing, from animal behavior to grassland monitoring.

Two dozen speakers from four states as well as NU’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources faculty will give farmers, ranchers, wildlife managers and advisers the opportunity to learn more about obtaining economic success through grazing, enhancing wildlife habitat and conservation.

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Joseph Weisenthal

Paidcontent.org

Vance Publishing, a B2B publisher home to various niche titles, has acquired two online cattle resources: CattleNetwork.com and CattleStore.com, both of which were bought owned by Integrated Management Information. Deal terms were not disclosed. CattleNetwork is basically an online news service for industry players, while CattleStore is a site for agricultural supplies.

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North Platte Bulletin Staff - 7/17/2008

A bill to require Argentina to eliminate foot and mouth disease before shipping cattle to the U.S. is headed toward the floor of the U.S. Senate.

Since January 2007, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has proposed to allow Argentine beef into the U.S., even though Argentina is not considered free of foot-and-mouth disease, as most world trading partners are.

At the same time, the USDA has been promoting an animal identification program, requiring all U.S. livestock to be identified, so an outbreak of FMD in the U.S. could be quickly contained.

Foot and mouth disease is eliminated in the United States. North America, Australia and Japan have been free of FMD for years. Argentina had an outbreak in 2006.

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Farm and Ranch Guide

The North Dakota State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) has tightened restrictions on imports of California and New Mexico livestock in response to confirmed cases of bovine tuberculosis in those states.

“The identification of additional herds infected with TB in California and New Mexico means both states will probably soon see their TB-accredited free status downgraded,” said Dr. Susan Keller. “The Board of Animal Health has ordered additional tuberculosis testing for livestock entering North Dakota from those states to protect our livestock and our TB-free status.”

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The Prairie Star

Idaho State Department of Agriculture releases new importation requirements for animals from the state of Montana.

According to a press release issued from the Montana Department of Livestock on June 9, 2008, tests have confirmed the second case of brucellosis in a Montana cattle herd which will result in the eventual loss of Montana’s brucellosis class free status. This prompted the Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) to issue an Administrative Order June 12 outlining additional importation requirements for animals from the state of Montana.

The immediate issuance of the Administrative Order is necessary to protect Idaho cattle and bison from contracting the disease,” said Dr. Bill Barton, administrator and state veterinarian for the ISDA. Dr. Barton is authorized by Idaho law to prohibit or restrict entry of animals into the state if they have been exposed or are infected with a communicable disease.

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The Prairie Star

The Northern International Livestock Exposition and Decatur County Feed Yards have released the results from the 2008 NILE Steer Challenge with a five-head pen of steers from Beartooth Ranch of Columbus, MT sweeping both the High Average Carcass Value category and Highest Average Net Return Category. Twenty-two pens of cattle from across Montana and Wyoming where submitted to the NILE Steer Challenge for 2008.

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KTIC

Quality. It’s not only a word written in an instruction manual but a responsible action – one must live it and then teach it. That was the underlying theme this week as two producers were honored with the national Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) award, created to recognize outstanding beef and dairy producers from across the country who incorporate BQA principles as part of the day-to-day activities on their operations. The winners were selected based upon their commitment to beef quality assurance while operating sustainable cattle operations. This year’s winners were Anne Burkholder, Will Feed Inc. from Cozad, Neb., and Jim Docheff, Diamond D Dairy from Longmont, Colo.

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The Prairie Star

Helena n Today the Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA) announced this year’s Follow the Cattle Tour to be held August 20-23. The tour is meant to educate Montana cattle producers and other interested parties about off-ranch aspects of the cattle industry. This year the tour’s focus is on alternative feeds.

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Virginia Cooperative Extension/Greene County Record

Quick, what’s oatmeal made of?

If you’re like the folks questioned in a recent national survey, half of you will have answered wheat. That’s right. A recent Gallup poll revealed when it comes to the origins of their food, Americans aren’t exactly outstanding in their fields. Not only do half of us think oatmeal is made of wheat (it’s made from oats, in case you’re wondering), but half of us don’t realize that white bread is made from wheat.

Of course our ignorance makes sense to some degree-fewer than five out of every 100 Americans now grow up on a farm. Most of us think food simply comes from the grocery store.

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Kevin Bogardus

The Hill

Farm-state lawmakers have introduced legislation to prevent the Bush administration from allowing imports of meat from Argentina into the United States.

Fresh and frozen beef, mutton and other meat imports from Argentina, one of the world’s largest cattle producers, have been banned since 2001 because of an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

But a pending rule at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would allow imports from certain areas of Argentina deemed clear.

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Handling Cattle Quietly in Pens

Temple Grandin explains behavior methods of low stress cattle handling methods for moving groups of cattle through gates.

AHA

Exhibitors from across the U.S. gathered for the 2008 Junior National Hereford Expo (JNHE) in Kansas City, Mo., July 16, and it was Mitchell Tucker, North Platte, Neb., who walked away with grand champion honors in the steer show. 

Judge Kent Habeger, Burt, Iowa, commented that amongst the 78 steers exhibited, “You juniors should be proud to be on the halter of a steer in the championship drive. I don’t know if it could get much better than this.”

Mitchell Tucker’s 1,211-lb. steer was sired by SR CG Hard Rock 5073. Habeger commented on the eye appeal and market ready potential of Tucker’s grand champion.

Habeger followed with Montana Deppe, Maquoketa, Iowa, for reserve with a 1,268-lb. steer sired by Schu-Lar 9R of 9L P606 ET.

At check-in ultrasound data was collected on all steers for the carcass contest. Steers were scanned for fat thickness, ribeye area and marbling score.

Reba Hurst, Nevada, Mo., won grand champion carcass steer honors with a 1,213‑lb. steer sired by DB Grand Slam. The steer scanned a ribeye area (REA) of 14.6 square inches, .43 inch backfat (BF) and a 4.21 marbling score, which calculated into a 2.46 yield grade and a 752- lb. carcass weight.

Jody Miller, Thorntown, Ind., won reserve champion carcass steer honors with a 1,226-lb. steer sired by Grandview 7Oaks Sonora 145R. The steer scanned a 13.6 REA of 13.6 square inches, .41 inch BF and 4.25 marbling score, which calculated into a 2.76 yield grade and a 760-lb. carcass weight.

Photos and further results click here

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CTN

The  extensive flooding in the Midwest U.S. and its effect on forage and livestock enterprises have prompted our government officials to permit haying and grazing on land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) through several ‘emergency use’ programs. One permits haying or grazing after August 1 with a nominal ‘administration fee’. The other permits only grazing - sooner, but at a cost of 25 percent of the annual CRP rental payment. If you are considering the use of CRP land for haying or grazing there are some considerations and important first steps that you need to follow.

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cattlenetwork.com

In the past I’ve discussed how effectively pastures can run on legume nitrogen (N) alone. While legumes can put quite a bit of N into the pasture, the next question is how effectively are you recycling N in your pasture system?

Whether it comes from legumes or fertilizer, N in pasture can be recycled for new pasture growth. The more effective job you do of managing the natural N cycle, the less money you will spend on N fertilizer.

While cattle consume a lot of N as protein in the forage, less than 5% of the N is retained in their bodies. The rest is excreted as either dung or urine.

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American Farm Bureau Federation

Presumptive presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain spoke to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Council of Presidents meeting Wednesday by teleconference, both pledging their continued support for American agriculture.

Sen. McCain (R-Ariz.), first to speak, pledged to support trade agreements that will open markets to U.S. agriculture. “I believe the American agricultural worker is the most efficient and productive in the world and one of my jobs is to open every market in the world to your products,” McCain said.

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