An Update on Arthrogryposis Multiplex (Curly Calf) in Cattle

An Update on Arthrogryposis Multiplex (Curly Calf) in Cattle

Jonathan Beever, University of Illinois

During the past eight weeks (since September 8, 2008), researchers at the University of Illinois and the University of Nebraska, in collaboration with the American Angus Association, have been investigating the genetic condition called Arthrogryposis Multiplex (AM), commonly referred to as “Curly Calf Syndrome (CCS)” in Angus cattle. At this time, we feel it is important to provide some details concerning the results of this research and provide answers to some frequently asked questions that we have encountered.

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Calving Emergencies in Beef Cattle: Identification and Prevention

Calving Emergencies in Beef Cattle: Identification and Prevention

W. Dee Whittier, D.V.M., Extension Veterinary Specialist, Virginia Tech, Nancy M. Currin, D.V.M., Extension Veterinary Publication Specialist, Virginia Tech, John F. Currin, D.V.M., Extension Veterinary Specialist, Virginia Tech and John B. Hall, Extension Beef Cattle Specialist, Virginia Tech

Calving difficulty, technically called dystocia, is a major cause of death loss in cow-calf herds. CHAPA (Cowcalf Health and Productivity Audit) studies indicate that dystocia is responsible for 33 percent of all calf losses and 15.4 percent of beef cattle breeding losses. Dystocia can have a large economic impact on producers due to calf death, veterinary costs, decreased rebreeding efficiency, and injury or death to the cow.

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Q&A: I would like to change from year round calving/breeding to a breeding season in June to calve in March.

Q&A: I would like to change from year round calving/breeding to a breeding season in June to calve in March.

Dr. Rick Rasby, Professor of Animal Science, Animal Science, University of Nebraska

A:   Not an easy feat to accomplish. If you are going to change the calving season with the existing herd, you will need to approach it in steps.

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Cow-Calf Economics Have Changed

Cow-Calf Economics Have Changed

cattlenetwork.com

People who study change and its causes have observed that change is often caused by a disturbance. Production agriculture is in a period of rapid change, with an economic environment that many have never experienced. If the agricultural industry is changing, what has been the disturbance?

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Kentucky Conference to Address Rising Costs

Kentucky Conference to Address Rising Costs

Thebeefsite.com

Livestock producers have been some of the hardest hit by skyrocketing fuel, input and feed prices. To help producers get through this economic crunch, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture specialists and industry professionals will offer cost-saving information on pasture management during the ninth Kentucky Grazing Conference.

The conference is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23 at the Fayette County Cooperative Extension Service in Lexington.

“With the high costs of fertilizers and fuel inputs, cost savings from grazing is more important now that ever,” said Ray Smith, UK extension forage specialist. “We want to give practical advice that producers can directly use to improve the management of their livestock operations. It’s not just theories but rather practical applications.”

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Management Strategies Can Improve Stocker Performance

Management Strategies Can Improve Stocker Performance

Stephen B. Blezinger, Ph.D., PAS

Cattle Today

The fall of the year typically finds huge numbers of freshly weaned cattle shipped from the ranch to grass and grazing programs. This year may find some deviations from this pattern due to sustained elevated feed costs but lots of calves will still make the “normal” transition for this time of the year. A large number of these cattle typically move from some part of the south or southeast to fall and winter pastures in the mid-south, high plains and mid-west and will eventually end up in a feedyard.

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New Drugs Approved To Help Prevent Respiratory Disease in Calves

New Drugs Approved To Help Prevent Respiratory Disease in Calves

Southernlivestock.com

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has granted approval of Mycomune® R, a vaccine to help prevent respiratory disease in calves caused by Mycoplasma bovis. This new vaccine, which contains antigens against four economically important strains of M. bovis, can be administered to beef and dairy calves as young as three weeks of age. Mycomune R was developed by CEVA Biomune, a leading manufacturer of vaccines for animals, and is being marketed exclusively in the United States by AgriLabs.

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COOL Causing Problems on Both Sides of the Borders

COOL Causing Problems on Both Sides of the Borders

KNEB

The mandatory Country of Origin Labeling law has the pork and cattle industries in a pickle. On both sides of the U.S. – Canadian border, the common denominator is the myriad of contracts and working relationships between various parts of the industries. Producers want to know where they will be able to do business. Will they be able to sell their Canadian born hogs to a packer down the road or a state away?

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Obama backs unfair labeling law

Obama backs unfair labelling law

The Daily Graphic

Around the time Sarah Palin’s meltdown interview with Katie Couric was airing, and a couple days before she was sliced and diced by Tina Fey on Saturday Night Live — a letter arrived on Ed Schafer’s desk.

If you’re not too sure who Schafer is, don’t worry.

It’s hard keeping up with the revolving door at the United States Department of Agriculture.

Schafer is the latest — and clearly the last — Secretary of Agriculture the Bush administration will ever have. It’s not easy being in the cabinet of the most unpopular U.S. president in recent history.

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NCBA Wins Flexibility in Clean Water Act CAFO Rule

NCBA Wins Flexibility in Clean Water Act CAFO Rule

KRVN

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the final Clean Water Act rule for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) on Friday, October 31, 2008. The rule has been in development since June of 2006, during which time the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) has worked tirelessly to ensure that the regulations are accommodating for cattle producers. “We’re pleased that EPA has put out this final rule,” said Tamara Thies, NCBA’s Chief Environmental Counsel. “The regulations are very strict and comprehensive, but they provide much-needed certainty for our cattle producers on what they must do to be in compliance.”

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Beef Industry Summit to Provide Post-Election Economy, Financing Outlooks

Beef Industry Summit to Provide Post-Election Economy, Financing Outlooks

The following is a press release from the Nebraska Cattlemen:

Cattle producers interested in a candid discussion of the economy and financing for ag enterprises to be held two weeks after the Nov. 4th elections are invited to atend Nebraska Cattlemen’s Third Annual Beef Industry Issues Summit.

Nebraska Cattlemen working with UNL Department of Animal Science is hosting the summit on Tuesday, November 18  at the Animal   Science   Building on the UNL East Campus in Lincoln .  The program will begin with registration at 9:00 a.m. and conclude at 4:00 p.m.

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Farm Sanctuary Releases Statement on Passage of California’s Proposition 2: “Monumental Victory for Farm Animals”

Farm Sanctuary Releases Statement on Passage of California’s Proposition 2: “Monumental Victory for Farm Animals”

BUSINESS WIRE

Nation’s Leading Farm Animal Protection Organization Celebrates Precedent-setting Phase-out of Factory Farming Confinement Systems in Largest Agricultural State

This evening, Farm Sanctuary, the nation’s leading farm animal protection organization, celebrates a landmark victory for farm animals: the passage of Proposition 2 in California. The YES on Prop 2 campaign was run by Californians for Humane Farms, a coalition headed by Farm Sanctuary and the Humane Society of the United States. This law phases out some of the most restrictive confinement systems used by factory farms – gestation crates for breeding pigs, veal crates for calves and battery cages for egg laying hens – affecting 20 million farm animals in the state by simply granting them space to stand up, stretch their limbs, turn around and lie down comfortably.

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Belted Galloway cattle make way to APSU

Belted Galloway cattle make way to APSU

MELONY SHEMBERGER

The Leaf Chronicle

Ordinarily, gifts and donations to Austin Peay State University are made through cash or established as a fund or scholarship. Plus, such financial gifts pay dividends to the University.

But Austin Peay State University last week received a rare gift. It’s one that already is paying a dividend but not in the form of cash.

J & N Enterprises Inc., a family-based farm in Montgomery County, presented 16 Belted Galloway cattle to the APSU School of Agriculture and Geosciences. One of the cows then produced a calf, for a total of 17 cattle.

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Beef production in the spotlight

Beef production in the spotlight

JIM ALGIE

SUN TIMES

A presentation by Manitoba beef farmer Betty Green about her family’s 1,000-head operation kicks off a evening session tonight in Elmwood about the future of beef production in Ontario.

It’s one of a series of meetings sponsored by the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association and provincial agriculture ministry officials. The series began Saturday in Sudbury and winds up Wednesday in Alvinston.

Bruce County organizer Steve Eby worries that harvest work could reduce attendance but he confirmed Monday that the meeting is to proceed as scheduled. It’s aimed at farmers under 40, but anyone can come, Eby said.

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Eat Wagyu Tartare, Save the Earth: Two Odes to Belching Bovines

Eat Wagyu Tartare, Save the Earth: Two Odes to Belching Bovines

Carly Berwick

Bloomberg

Forget apple pie. Steak is the most American of foods. Each bite conjures cowboys and lariats, sagebrush and campfires. And Americans take lots of bites, too, chewing through 66.1 pounds (30 kilos) of beef per person on average each year.

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