New Evidence Questions Simple Link Between Prion Proteins And ‘Mad Cow’ Disease

New Evidence Questions Simple Link Between Prion Proteins And ‘Mad Cow’ Disease

Science Daily

While newly published research confirms that under laboratory circumstances prion-protein can be absorbed across the gut, it also shows that this is unlikely to occur in real life. In addition, the results show that the places in the gut that do take up these disease-associated proteins are different from the locations where infectivity is known to be amplified. The findings will be published in the Journal of Pathology.

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Feedlot cattle perform better with consistent feeding times

Feedlot cattle perform better with consistent feeding times

By DONNA FARRIS,
For Minnesota Farm & Ranch Guide
Thursday, March 30, 2006 11:01 AM CST

Consistency is key when considering feeding schedules on a feedlot, according to Robbi Pritchard, ruminant nutritionist at South Dakota State University.

It’s been known since the 1920s that when feeding schedules bounce around just 15 minutes from one day to the next, it affects cattle performance, Pritchard said.

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Brandt Tracks Its Beef

Brandt Tracks Its Beef

RFID Journal

The California beef producer is using an RFID and bar-code system to track cattle from birth all the way to the retail market.
By Claire Swedberg

Mar. 31, 2006—Beef producer Brandt Beef, of Brawley, Calif., is using an RFID and bar-code tracking system to keep track of its cattle, from birth to beef.

By using the GlobalTrack system from GTR-Datastar, Brandt can automatically trace beef directly back from a retail site, such as supermarket or restaurant, to the specific animal and its origins.

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U.S. Commerce Secretary Asks Japan to Resume U.S. Beef Imports

U.S. Commerce Secretary Asks Japan to Resume U.S. Beef Imports

Bloomberg.com/Japanhearld

March 31 (Bloomberg) — Japan should resume imports of U.S. beef and give the country an opportunity to show U.S. beef is safe, said U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez.

Japan, once the biggest overseas customer for U.S. beef, halted imports after inspectors found banned cattle parts in a shipment in January. That was just a month after Japan lifted a two-year ban on the U.S. meat, imposed when a cow in Washington state was diagnosed with mad-cow disease.

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BeefTalk: Paranoia can overwhelm common sense solutions

BeefTalk: Paranoia can overwhelm common sense solutions

By KRIS RINGWALL, NDSU Extension Beef Specialist
Thursday, March 30, 2006 11:01 AM CST
Minnesota Farm Guide

“When will spring arrive?” That was the common question one heard as the week started out. The calendar says spring is here, but the temperatures, at least in the northern Plains, have not been “springlike.” Beef producers are hoping that, in concert with the arrival of new calves, the weather will warm up and Mother Nature will take on a momentary gentleness.

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Farm Maintenance Welding Workshop

Farm Maintenance Welding Workshop
April 4-7, Cleveland, Ohio

Angus E-list

Class sessions are planned for 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily and will be taught by Lincoln Electric corporate trainers. Participants, who must be at least 18 years old, can register for one day for $100 or for all four days for $350. To register contact Vicki Wilson at Lincoln Electric at (216) 383-2240 or vicki_wilson@lincolnelectric.com, or download the registration materials from the Ohio FFA Organization Web site at www.ohioffa.org/foundation/docs/ffa4-hweldingschool.pdf.

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NIAA Annual Meeting

NIAA Annual Meeting
April 3-6, Louisville, Ky.

Angus e-list

The 2006 Annual Meeting of the National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) will take place at the Galt House Hotel and Suites in Louisville.

The meeting will include presentations by more than 50 of the world’s most recognized experts on animal health issues, including avian influenza, foot and mouth disease (FMD), bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), and other domestic and foreign animal diseases (FADs).

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Japan says beef talks not in final stage yet

Japan says beef talks not in final stage yet
Thu Mar 30, 2006 11:19 PM ET

Reuters

TOKYO (Reuters) – Tokyo has edged closer to a possible resumption of U.S. beef imports after expert-level talks with the United States, but there is still some way to go, Japanese Agriculture Minister Shoichi Nakagawa said on Friday.

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Livestock official: Animal ID necessary

Livestock official: Animal ID necessary

BY PHYLLIS JACOBS GRIEKSPOOR
The Wichita Eagle

Kansas Livestock Commissioner George Teagarden said he has gotten used to hearing cattlemen express concerns about the cost of a mandatory national animal identification system.

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RFID Tags To Assist In Tracking First Responders

RFID Tags To Assist In Tracking First Responders

Science Daily

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology has been around for many years and is widely used to identify, track, and communicate information about items, products and even animals. An interdisciplinary team of researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is studying whether RFID technology can be used as a low cost, reliable means to track firefighters and other first responders inside buildings and help them navigate under hazardous conditions.

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Ohio Beef Newsletter now available

The March 29, issue # 480, of the Ohio BEEF Cattle letter is now posted to the web at: http://fairfield.osu.edu/ag/beef/beefMarc29.html

This time of year, we frequently get calls here in the county office from homeowners wanting to know if they should fertilize their lawn because “the neighbors are.” This week, Jeff McCutcheon suggests that just because your neighbor might be pulling a fertilizer spreader across his pasture, it may not be the most economical thing to do to your pasture.

Articles this week include:
* Can you measure what you manage?
* Fertilizing Pastures in the Spring
* Cattle Cycles: Where are we and where are we headed?
* Weekly Purcell Agricultural Commodity Market Report

Stan
———-
Stan Smith
Program Assistant, Agriculture
OSU Extension, Fairfield County
831 College Ave., Suite D
Lancaster, OH 43130

e-mail: smith.263@osu.edu
voice: 740.653.5419 ext. 24
fax: 740.687.7010
Visit:
Fairfield Co. OSU Extension – http://fairfield.osu.edu
OSU Beef Team – http://beef.osu.edu
Ohio Bull Test – http://bulltest.osu.edu

BLACK INK — MANAGE TO WIN

BLACK INK — MANAGE TO WIN

by: Steve Suther
Cattletoday.com

If you care about your reputation as a calf supplier, you have to care about how they work for the next segment or link in the beef chain. Genetics can make a big difference in feedlot and carcass value potential, but management and environment can be up to five times more important.

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U.S. Sets More Training for Beef Workers

U.S. Sets More Training for Beef Workers

By CARL FREIRE

TOKYO Mar 29, 2006 (AP)— The United States has agreed to require further training of American workers handling beef exports to Japan, U.S. agriculture officials said Wednesday.

The U.S. delegation, led by Chuck Lambert, undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs, finished two days of talks in Japan in hopes of lifting Tokyo’s ban on U.S. beef.

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Livestock producers should be concerned about bird flu

Livestock producers should be concerned about bird flu

By Tim Petry, NDSU Livestock Marketing Economist
Wednesday, March 29, 2006 2:20 PM CST
Tri State Neighbor

At several meetings that I have presented at this year, livestock producers have asked if avian influenza, commonly referred to as bird flu, would impact livestock prices.

One cattle producer commented that he thought bird flu could be good, since destroying chickens would mean less competitive meat for the beef industry.

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Cattlemen focus on the border

Cattlemen focus on the border

Web Posted: 03/30/2006 12:00 AM CST

William Pack
Express-News Business Writer
Mysanantonio.com

The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association ended its annual convention Wednesday determined to see a two-pronged approach to immigration reform and nervous about the impacts of the ongoing drought.

Matt Brockman, the association’s executive vice president, said the 13,600-member organization supports measures that increase border security, but also endorses an effective temporary worker program that addresses the ranching industry’s labor needs.

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Health, breed add value to calves

Health, breed add value to calves

Angus Journal

While the price of beef calves increased from 1995 to 2005, so did premiums for health management and Angus breed type. That’s despite the fact that supplies of such cattle increased over time. In a long-term study of calf values — 3.2 million head in 25,847 lots sold through Superior Livestock Video Auction — a Colorado State University (CSU) data analyst compared prices for three different health protocols.

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Patient Sues for Possible Disease Exposure

Patient Sues for Possible Disease Exposure

By DANIEL YEE
The Associated Press
Phillyburbs.com

ATLANTA – A woman has filed a lawsuit against Emory Healthcare after she underwent surgery there with instruments that had been exposed to a fatal disease similar to the human version of mad cow disease.

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Wheres the beef?

Where’s the beef?

By: Richard Myers, Gold Country Media Services
Tuesday, March 28, 2006 4:19 PM PST
El Dorado Hills Telegraph

Several area cattlemen are trying to take a bite out of the meat industry in a very specialized way.

Five rural Lincoln ranchers have joined with other cattlemen from across six counties and are participating in High Sierra Beef, a company that raises only grass-fed beef cattle.

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Research Institute Develops Way to Check Origin of Beef

Research Institute Develops Way to Check Origin of Beef

Korean Times

SEOUL (Yonhap) _ A South Korean state-run research institute said Tuesday it has discovered a way to identify the origin of beef and so prevent false labeling as the country prepares to reopen its market to U.S. imports.

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US agrees to extra training for workers handling beef exports to Japan

US agrees to extra training for workers handling beef exports to Japan

(Updated 02:06 p.m.)
2006/3/29
The China Post
TOKYO (AP)

The United States has agreed to require further training of American workers handling beef exports to Japan, U.S. agriculture officials said Wednesday.

The U.S. delegation, led by Chuck Lambert, undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs, finished two-days of talks in Japan in hopes of lifting Tokyo’s ban on U.S. beef.

Lambert told reporters that the U.S. would provide additional training to beef workers and follow-up to make sure they know what meat products are prohibited in Japan and which are allowed.

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