Montana Beef Newsletter available

The March Beef Questions and Answers Newsletter from Montana State University is available by clicking HERE. This newsletter is in Adobe Acrobat format (PDF). It can only be viewed if you have the free Adobe acrobat viewer installed on your system. To download and install this program CLICK HERE.

This months articles are on Perception vs Reality with National ID; Beef Quality and Biosecurity; Scanning Research from Around the US and Liquid vs Dry supplements for Stocker Cattle. Best regards. JP

Spring is here-So is Grass Tetany Ron Lemenager…

Spring is here-So is Grass Tetany

Ron Lemenager presents “Grass Tetany-A Primer”. In the presentation Ron discusses the causes and methods of presenting grass tetany. The presentation is in Macromedia Breeze format and lasts about 10 minutes.

If you have problems viewing the presentation, instructions may be viewed by clicking here.

To go to the presentation CLICK HERE

10 Questions for David Sparks, OSU Area Extension …

10 Questions for David Sparks, OSU Area Extension Food-Animal Quality and Health Specialist

Muscogeephoenix.com

QUESTION: Many are promoting vegetarian diets. As a Food and Health Specialist, what do you recommend?

ANSWER: The digestive tracts of some animals make them carnivores, while others are herbivores. Man was designed as an omnivore, or eater of both meats and vegetables. Meats are high in protein and iron. Milk is high in calcium. Vegetables are high in carbohydrates and fiber. We need them all. If some are promoting vegetarian diets out of fear of meats, they might remember that the last really serious outbreak of food-borne disease in this country involved green onions used to make salsa.

FULL STORY

Cattle ranchers hear concerns

Cattle ranchers hear concerns

By Kevin Wilson:

Quay County Sun

kevin_wilson@link.freedom.com

If beef consumption is rising around America and the rest of the world, why are American cattle growers making less money in the market? It’s a question cattle growers wish they didn’t have to ask, and a national organization tried to answer at an assembly Friday night.

FULL STORY

The cost of planting continues to escalate, leading some farmers to ask … Is it really worth it?

The cost of planting continues to escalate, leading some farmers to ask … Is it really worth it?

By JOE MIZER,T-R Staff Writer

Timesreporter.com

Matt Durbin (L) puts a seed container on a John Deere corn planter with Gerald Stair at Durbin’s farm near Tuscarawas.

Spring planting 2006 might go down in history as the most expensive ever.

With the rapidly rising costs of fertilizer and fuel, and to a lesser extent, seed, most area grain farmers don’t expect to make a lot of money growing corn.

FULL STORY

Canada cattle industry wants full US border opening

Canada cattle industry wants full US border opening

30/03/06

Globeandmail.com

By Marcy Nicholson

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (Reuters) – The cattle industry continues to push the United States to reopen its border to the import of Canadian animals over 30 months old, the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association president said on Thursday.

FULL STORY

Sibling Calves Born 21 Days Apart KUTV.COM (…

Sibling Calves Born 21 Days Apart

KUTV.COM

(AP) MINDEN, Neb. A cow recently gave birth to two calves within 21 days, but the pair aren’t twins, experts say. The strange set of calves, born on Jim Jensen’s farm southeast of Minden, prompted some confused discussion Wednesday afternoon among cattle specialists at University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension.

The first heifer was born March 6, and the second was born Monday.

FULL STORY

Beef trial under way in Aberdeen federal court

Beef trial under way in Aberdeen federal court

SCOTT WALTMAN

Aberdeen American News

ABERDEEN, S.D. – A jury of four men and four women from northeast South Dakota will decide whether meat packers cost cattle producers as much as $42.79 million during the spring of 2001.

The federal court case started with jury selection and opening arguments Friday in Aberdeen.

FULL STORY

Livestock National ID Sign-ups S-l-u-g-g-i-s-h

Livestock National ID Sign-ups S-l-u-g-g-i-s-h

Farmfutures.com

NCBA President says animal ID sign-ups have been painfully slow.

(3/31/2006)

John Spitler

The president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association says in states where premises identification is not mandatory, enrollment has been painfully slow in establishing what will eventually become a national age, process and source verification system.

FULL STORY