BeefTalk: A New Year Means a New Bull

BeefTalk: A New Year Means a New Bull

Kris Ringwall, Beef Specialist, NDSU Extension Service

New beef industry changes are on the horizon, so now is a good time to let go of those old bulls.

The perfect New Year’s present could be a new bull. There will be hundreds of bulls to pick from once the bull-selling season begins.

Each year brings thoughts of newness. There will be new inspirations, desires, and letting go of the old and on with the new. New beef industry changes are on the horizon, so now is a good time to let go of those old bulls and open the doors to new genetics offered among the 2009 bull prospects.

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Source and Age Verification

Source and Age Verification

Doug McKinney, OSU Beef Cattle Value Enhancement Specialist, Oklahoma State University

Developments in beef export marketing have resulted in new requirements and opportunities for producers. Source and age verification is the abililty for producers to qualify cattle for beef export markets, make other specific claims, and capture any associated premiums. Source and age verified cattle may be sold at local or regional livestock markets, via electronic markets, or direct to buyers.

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Grazing tips from the north

Grazing tips from the north

Roger Gates

Tri State Livestock News

I was invited to participate in two conferences during the first week of December in Alberta. Hoping to garner some sympathy, I returned with the story that it was never above 8 degrees while I was there. While that was true, 8 degrees Celsius is equivalent to 46 degrees Fahrenheit. I was really treated to balmy Alberta conditions! I had an email from my hosts this week and it was -41 – which happens to be identical on either scale. It put our minus 18 in perspective!

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Forage Focus: Reducing Feeding Losses For Large Round Bales

Forage Focus: Reducing Feeding Losses For Large Round Bales

cattlenetwork.com

Large round bales are the most popular source of hay when winter feeding beef cattle. Unfortunately, these bales are subject to a variety of losses, including feeding loss.

Research published in the Journal of Animal Science (2003, 81:109-115) has shown feeding losses can be influenced by bale feeder design. The feeders investigated in this research trial were ring, cone, trailer, and cradle type feeders.

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AVMA Comments on Regulation of GM Animals

AVMA Comments on Regulation of GM Animals

Thebeefsite.com

Genetically engineers animals carry benefits as well as concerns over welfare according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

These were among the remark sent to the USDA and the Food and Drug Administration by AVMA following a request for industry comments.

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COOL affects feeder, slaughter cattle imports

COOL affects feeder, slaughter cattle imports

Beef Magazine

Imports of Canadian and Mexican feeder and slaughter cattle are trending downward.

Imports of Canadian and Mexican feeder and slaughter cattle are trending downward. This started following the July 15, 2008, country-of-origin labeling (COOL) grandfather date for cattle imports, which stipulated that product derived from animals in the United States on or before that date are designated as U.S. origin. Forecasting imports of live cattle to the United States is difficult due to exchange rate volatility.

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Oklahoma State University Stocker Receiving Management Conference set for January

Oklahoma State University Stocker Receiving Management Conference set for January

Donald Stotts

Southwest Farm Press

Stocker cattle operators looking to make the best possible business decisions can pick up practical management tips by attending the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service’s Stocker Receiving Management Conference on Jan. 21.

The conference will take place at the Chisholm Trail Pavilion, located at 111 W. Purdue on the Garfield County Fairgrounds in Enid. Conference sessions will begin at 9 a.m. and will finish at approximately 6 p.m.

Cost is $20 per person to attend the conference. Lunch will be provided at no extra charge.

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Ag groups back Vilsack nomination

Ag groups back Vilsack nomination

Jerry Hagstrom

Tri State Livestock News

Farm, agribusiness and consumer leaders praised President-elect Barack Obama’s nomination Wednesday of former Iowa Democratic Gov. Tom Vilsack to be agriculture secretary as a centrist choice who could represent all of agriculture.

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Wagyu beef: Too good to pass up?

Wagyu beef: Too good to pass up?

Newsday

Word reached us today that Costco is selling a boneless 15-pound Japanese Wagyu beef rib-eye roast for only $2,299, including shipping! That works out to less than $155 per pound! You’ll remember that Wagyu beef is from cattle whose pampered lifestyle entails a diet of sake and beer mash, daily massages and, it seems, very little else.

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PETA urges Obama to establish National Food Policy Council

PETA urges Obama to establish National Food Policy Council

  Rod Smith

Feedstuffs Foodlink

Citing a need to reform federal food policy, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has sent a letter to President-elect Barack Obama urging him to establish a new National Food Policy Council that would be modeled on the National Economic Council, according to an announcement.

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Supply management system called non-starter for cattle

Supply management system called non-starter for cattle

Daniel Winters

Producer.com

Restoring access to the United States market is a priority for the Canadian cattle industry because the alternative is too painful to contemplate, says one cattle industry expert.

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Looking after livestock adds to winter chores

Looking after livestock adds to winter chores

When the temperature falls, farmers are hard pressed to take care of animals

BEKAH PORTER

THonline.com

As the snow cascaded down days before the holiday, Gary Lahr’s mind skipped the images of a white Christmas.

Instead, the Worthington, Iowa, farmer envisioned stocking caps, snow plows and several swine needing water and feed to stave off the cold.

“It’s a lot of extra work,” he said.

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Cow tax unlikely, Schumer taking no chances

Cow tax unlikely, Schumer taking no chances

FRITZ MAYER

The River Reporter

REGION — It’s long been known that cows create a lot of methane; from 50 to more than 100 gallons per day according to some studies. And it’s also long been known to some that methane is a much more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide in terms of global warming. Other farm animals also produce large amounts of methane. So the question is: should cows and other farm animals be taxed because of the green house gases they emit?

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Q&A: I’d like to know if I can raise Brahman cattle in this part of the country (Iowa)? My main concern is the severe cold temperatures and the long winters. Will they adapt to the cold weather?

Q&A:   I’d like to know if I can raise Brahman cattle in this part of the country (Iowa)? My main concern is the severe cold temperatures and the long winters. Will they adapt to the cold weather?

Dr. Matt Spangler, Assistant Professor, Beef Specialist, Beef Breeding and Genetics,

University of Nebraska

A:   The Brahman breed is noted for their ability to handle extreme heat as compared to other breeds such as British or Continental cattle.

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Identifying Management Priorities In The Commercial Cow Calf Business

Identifying Management Priorities In The Commercial Cow Calf Business

cattlenetwork.com

The Problem: For many cow-calf producers, the information age has spawned a massive flow of data and technical communications that borders on the unmanageable. Earlier generations could not have imagined the volume or ease of access to information we enjoy. The challenge in this warp speed world of information overload is distilling a high-volume of facts, ideas and possibilities into a cohesive management plan. We also know that such a plan must allocate time and resources according to economic priorities.

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