HSUS President says time is right for reforms
Dave Russell
Brownfield Network
With passage of Proposition 2 in California, which phases out the use of veal crates, gestation stalls and battery cages, still fresh in the minds of people, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is anxious to take their legislative agenda to the nation’s capital. HSUS President Wayne Pacelle believes that with the new Obama Administration and new Congress, the time is right for responsible reforms.
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Water Requirements and Quality Issues for Cattle
Johnny Rossi, Extension Animal Scientist, University of Georgia
Mel Pence, Veterinary Field Investigator
Water is the most important nutrient for cattle. It accounts for 50 to 80 percent of an animal’s weight and is involved in every physiological process. Cattle cannot adapt to water restriction and feed intake greatly decreases if water is restricted. Water availability and quality can become a major issue during a drought. It is important to check water sources frequently for water availability and quality during a drought.
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College of Agriculture and Life Sciences dean moves on to Iowa State
Kerstin Roan
Virginia Tech’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Dean Sharron Quisenberry has accepted the position of vice president for research and economic development at Iowa State effective April 1.
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Record Keeping Can Help Meet Challenges
Southern Livestock
Most cattle producers happily waved good-bye to 2008, while crossing their fingers that 2009 will be much better. Many are wrestling with challenging management decisions as a result of the profitability challenges they are facing. “Production costs were extremely high in 2008 and feeder cattle prices fell dramatically from summer to winter,” said Kenny Burdine, University of Kentucky livestock marketing specialist.
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BeefTalk: Know Your Environment Because Cows Depend On It
Kris Ringwall, Beef Specialist, NDSU Extension Service
The challenges this winter have been many.
While morning coffee discussions are starting to focus on spring planting, the strain of the cold and snow remains. The challenges this winter have been many. Cows have had to be moved, the feeding season is long and the cost of feed is high.
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Wagyu Steak Gets Obama in Hot Water
Hartley Engel
Associated Content
Wagyu steak was served at a “Stimulus Package” White House cocktail party hosted by President Obama last night, and, as a result, something of an uproar has ensued. Why? Perhaps the fact that Wagyu stWagyu Steak Gets Obama in Hot Water
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Identifying economically important traits in animal genomes
AG Professional
The livestock industry accounts for almost $100 billion of the annual agricultural gross domestic product. Scientists now believe a new tool, called a “snip chip,” may revolutionize the livestock industry and help farmers and ranchers produce even more.
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Workshops for beef producers set during month of February
The Grant Tribune Sentinel
Five University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension beef production seminars in West Central Nebraska will present the latest research-based information on herd health and profitability, said Lincoln/McPherson County Extension Educator, Randy Saner.
These workshops will begin with registration at 9:45 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. local time. Pre-register with the Extension office in the county of the seminar you wish to attend one week prior to the workshop for a meal count.
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‘Natural’ Often Means Little On Label
cattlenetwork.com
But even more than other claims on food labels, “natural” should give you pause. In most cases, it has little meaning.
According to the Mintel Global New Products Database, which monitors the appearance of new household products, a whopping one-third of all new U.S. food and beverage products in 2008 highlighted claims of being “natural” or “all natural,” or something similar, including “organic,” “no additives or preservatives” and “whole grain.”
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PETA Protests Cattlemen’s Convention
Animal rights group claims cows are conscious when slaughtered; Cattlemen say they’re humane
KFYI
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals – staged its latest protest featuring a barely-clad young woman in downtown Phoenix on Thursday. They were outside the Phoenix Convention Center, where the Cattle Industry Annual Convention and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association trade show were taking place inside.
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There is no push for a government dairy herd buyout.
Bob Meyer
Brownfield Network
The dairy industry continues to say there is no effort to have another government-sponsored whole herd buyout. The latest story had a coalition of western dairy groups asking Congress for money to augment a buyout through the Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) program.
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Blood Test for ‘Mad Cow’ Disease May Be Near
It detects the brain illness in cattle months before symptoms appear, scientists say
US News and World Report
A simple, inexpensive DNA blood test may be able to detect “mad cow” disease in live cattle months before they show any clinical signs of the disease, according to a Canadian-led team of researchers.
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Argentine farmers face ruin as drought kills cattle, crops
CNN.com
In a small farming town 105 kilometers (65 miles) southwest of Buenos Aires, farmers are struggling to nourish their crops and feed their animals. The worst drought in half a century has turned Argentina’s once-fertile soil to dust and pushed the country into a state of emergency.
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Prolapses In Cattle, An Ugly Fact Of Life
cattlenetwork.com
Prolapses in cattle are a dirty problem that can be a real health frustration for beef cattle producers. Uncared for or improperly treated they can result in significant economic losses.
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US Programme Seeks Consistency in Beef Grades
Thebeefsite.com
Beef grading has been a vital marketing service provided by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) since the 1920s.
Consumers, through retail, restaurant, and commercial food service buyers, have come to rely on USDA Prime, Choice, and Select as symbols of quality. Much of the U.S. beef supply chain depends on official USDA beef grades as the underlying basis for carcass value and for negotiating product price. Consequently, grading accuracy and consistency are highly important, especially as the industry transitions towards instrument grading.
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Factors Affecting Calving Difficulty
Timothy W. Wilson, Extension Animal Scientist – Beef
Johnny Rossi, Extension Animal Scientist – Beef
Calving difficulty, otherwise known as dystocia, may result in reduced calf performance, delayed estrus and, in some cases, loss of the calf and/or dam. This publication discusses several factors affecting calving difficulty and provides management suggestions that may be useful to prevent its occurrence.
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Infrared Technology Eyes Real Tenderness
Thebeefsite.com
Cutting edge technology that can accurately and rapidly measure the tenderness of meat has been demonstrated in Scotland for the first time.
Last week, delegates at Quality Meat Scotland’s annual Research & Development conference in Perth saw samples of beef and lamb tested for sensory characteristics using Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIR). This follows a series of pilot trials of the tool on Scotch Beef over the past year.
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Night Time versus Day Time Feeding Influences Time of Calving
Dr. Glenn Selk, Extension Cattle Specialist, Oklahoma State University
It is generally accepted that adequate supervision at calving has a significant impact on reducing calf mortality. Adequate supervision has been of increasing importance with the use of larger beef breeds and cattle with larger birth weights. On most ranching operations, supervision of the first calf heifers will be best accomplished in daylight hours and the poorest observation takes place in the middle of the night.
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Hoosier cattlemen in Phoenix for NCBA annual meeting
Dave Russell
Cattlemen from across the country are in Phoenix, Arizona for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) annual meeting. Joining cattlemen from Indiana is Julia Wickard, Exec. V.P. of the Indiana Beef Cattle Association (IBCA), she says of particular interest this year for Indiana is having a finalist in the Environmental Stewardship program.
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Instrument Assessment Of Beef Makes Major Strides In 10 Years
cattlenetwork.com
Beef grading has been a vital marketing service provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) since the 1920s. Consumers, through retail, restaurant, and commercial food service buyers, have come to rely on USDA Prime, Choice, and Select as symbols of quality. Much of the U.S. beef supply chain depends on official USDA beef grades as the underlying basis for carcass value and for negotiating product price.
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