Video Feature: Are there any A.I. schools primarily for exhibitors?

Video Feature: Are there any A.I. schools primarily for exhibitors?

Purina Mills

Feed prices affect livestock outlook

Feed prices affect livestock outlook

Cheryl Anderson

Tri State Livestock News

Grain prices brought many livestock producers near the breaking point in 2008, and, while they have abated from record highs, feed prices will likely continue to trouble producers in 2009.

Corn prices have cut profit margins and breakevens enough that livestock producers have lost massive amounts of money in recent years, according to Darrell Mark, extension livestock marketing specialist for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Full Story

How Much Colostrum Does A Calf Need?

How Much Colostrum Does A Calf Need?

cattlenetwork.com

Generally a calf should receive 5 to 6 % of its body weight as colostrum within the first six hours of life, and another 5 to 6 % of its body weight when the calf is 12 hours old. Colostrum weighs about 8 lbs per (US) gallon or 10 pounds (Imperial gallon), therefore an 80 lb calf would require 4 lbs of colostrums per feeding.

Full Story

Argentine cattle — once grass-fed greatness — moving to state sponsored feedlots

Argentine cattle — once grass-fed greatness — moving to state sponsored feedlots

Brian Ries

The Daily Loaf

Argentina used to be one of the world’s final outposts of incredible beef, largely raised in the pampas grasslands and herded by those colorful gauchos. Not any more. Where have all the cowboys gone?

Full Story

Award winning beef program hits hard times

Award winning beef program hits hard times

BETTER FARMING

The directors of a beef marketing venture that owes producers $400,000 say they are “moving forward slowly” and have been able pay interest on debts to producers.

Launched in 2006, Kerr Farms Sales, which featured Angus beef raised without the use of hormones or antibiotics, seemed destined for success. The venture had four shareholders: Bob Kerr, a cattle producer based in Chatham, Amos Brielmann a cattle producer based in Rainy River, Eugene Miniota, a meat distributor, and Stefan Oellinger who is the business’ general manager. The group supplied frozen ground beef to Costco stores in Eastern Canada.

Full Story

US Beef Back to Best in South Korea

US Beef Back to Best in South Korea

KOREA, SOUTH – Last year, anti-government protests in Korea erupted after President Lee Myung Bak lifted a ban on imports of American beef. Demonstrators believed U.S. beef imports were tainted with mad cow disease.

According to Chosun, consumption of U.S. beef subsequently declined during that period. But U.S. beef is now once again South Korea’s top imported meat.

Full Story

Angus Genetics Showcased at 2009 National Western Angus Carload & Pen Show

Angus Genetics Showcased at 2009 National Western Angus Carload & Pen Show

Angus producers competed for top honors during the 2009 National Western Stock Show’s (NWSS) Angus Carload & Pen Show, January 17 in Denver, Colo.  Three carloads and 31 pens-of-three were showcased in the Yards during the 103rd NWSS.  Rance Long, Big Cabin, Okla.; Jim Pipkin, Republic, Mo.; and Larry Rice, Scottsbluff, Neb., evaluated the bulls and selected champions..

Full Story

COOL change brings hope

COOL change brings hope

Allison Finnamore

Elmira Farm Service

The United States Department of Agriculture issued the final rule for mandatory country-of-origin labelling earlier this week and Canada’s cattle producers hope the changes will ease some market uncertainty.

The final regulations will allow for more flexibility on labelling requirements in the U.S. for meat from animals of American and Canadian origin that are brought together during a production run.

Full Story

Replacement Heifers are an Investment in the Future

Replacement Heifers are an Investment in the Future

Stephen B. Blezinger, Ph.D, PAS

Cattle Today

Maintenance and development of a quality cow herd requires a constant input of new breeding females. At this time of the year, as fall calving producers are evaluating heifers they are preparing to wean and spring calvers considering the oncoming, new calf crop, they both have important decisions to make. One of the most important questions the producer must ask is: “do I buy my replacements or do I develop them from within my own herd?”

Full Story

How to buy the best beef

How to buy the best beef

CNN

Aliza Green

Americans love beef; we eat nearly 63 pounds per person each year. Although that’s a lot, the amount is down from our 1976 high of 89 pounds. When buying beef, we tend to stick to what we know, which may be why almost 60 percent of our beef dollars go for ground beef. Even as an experienced chef, I often brought home familiar cuts. But researching my book, “Field Guide to Meat,” led me to expand my repertoire to tasty, if less familiar, cuts like hanger steak and tri-tip. Soon you can do the same, knowing which cuts to choose for maximum flavor and nutrition.

Full Story

Beef 2020 provides learning opportunity for all

Beef 2020 provides learning opportunity for all

Amanda Nolz

Tri State Livestock News

Following a steer from pasture to plate is a logical process. The chain of events that occurs from a cow-calf operation to the packing plant seems easy enough to understand, but how many people actually get to witness this entire chain from starting point to completion? What are the lessons that can be learned from observing each stop in the beef industry chain? How can producers increase their bottom line through better business practices?

Full Story

DNA-Based Technologies For Stocker Cattle Management

DNA-Based Technologies For Stocker Cattle Management

Elmira Farm Service

Most of the discussion about DNA-based technologies in the cattle industry has been directed at using this tool to supplement EPDs, ultrasound and actual performance data in breeding age animals. Because these tools have evolved to include predictions for a broader scope of traits, there is now an opportunity to use it in other sectors of the beef production chain.

Full Story

EPA Rule Requires CAFOS to Report Air Emissions

EPA Rule Requires CAFOS to Report Air Emissions

Jeff Helms

Alabama Farmers Federation

Large concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) must report the potential release of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide by Jan. 20 or face fines, according to a rule finalized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The rule, which has been challenged in court by the National Pork Producers Council, was issued Dec. 18, but the EPA did not issue guidance for complying with the rule until 4:30 p.m. Jan. 16.

Full Story

Speakers see bright future for ranchers

Speakers see bright future for ranchers

ED MERRIMAN

Baker City Herald

A panel of nationally renowned speakers drew a record crowd of 350 ranchers from across Oregon, Idaho and Washington to the fifth-annual Cattleman’s Workshop Saturday in La Grande.

“This workshop has grown every year, but this is by far the largest crowd we’ve ever had,” said Ron Rowan, an organizer of the Cattleman’s Workshop who works as the marketing manager at Beef Northwest Feeders headquartered in North Powder.

Full Story

R-CALF supports dervatives reform

R-CALF supports dervatives reform

KRVN

R-CALF USA on Friday sent a letter to Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., who chairs the House Agriculture Committee, to offer support for his proposed Derivatives Markets Transparency and Accountability Act of 2009 (Act) and to offer recommendations specific to the U.S. live cattle industry.

Full Story