Handling Difficult Births in Cattle

Fred M. Hopkins, Dept. of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Dept. of Animal Sciences, University of Tennessee

More death losses occur in calves at the time of birth than at any other time. Most of these losses are associated with injury or suffocation during the birth process. Timely observation of calving cows along with proper assistance in cases of difficult calving should result in fewer calf losses during the critical first 24 hours of life.

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Livestock Judging School for Youth to be held

Livestock Judging School for Youth to be held

Tri State Livestock News

The South Dakota State University Cooperative Extension Service will be holding a Livestock Judging School for Youth on Sunday, February 22 in Lemmon, SD. The school will run from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. and will be held at the Lemmon Livestock Inc. sale barn.

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The Role of Climate and Animal Diseases

The Role of Climate and Animal Diseases

Thebeefsite.com

Ever since scientists first proposed that our planet might be experiencing widespread climate change, concerns have been raised about its implications for the spread of arboviruses – viruses carried by arthropods such as mosquitoes, midges and ticks.

However, while alterations in temperature and rainfall are important factors in making new territory hospitable to an invading arbovirus, many other forces also play significant parts in new patterns of viral emergence.

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Beef groups differ on checkoff funds

Beef groups differ on checkoff funds

Thewesterner.com

Conflicts between U.S., Canadian and Mexican cattle producers over the new U.S. mandatory country-of-origin meat labeling law intensified at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and Beef Board annual meetings here last weekend. The NCBA voted to support use of checkoff dollars to promote U.S. beef and the Beef Board voted to open itself up to pro-labeling groups. Canadian and Mexican beef officials say trade battles over labeling are likely to continue.

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Farmers Relax (a Little) After Cow Tax Scare

Farmers Relax (a Little) After Cow Tax Scare

Kate Galbraith.

New York Times

To ranchers, they were two of the most absurd and terrifying words in the English language: “cow tax.”

Last last year, rumors that the Environmental Protection Agency was considering a tax on methane in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused angst in the farming community.

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Recession means high stakes for Michigan beef producers

Recession means high stakes for Michigan beef producers

Joe Vaillancourt

MLive.com

A decade ago, it was common for people in Michigan to pull a couple of juicy steaks off the grill and enjoy dinner outside with a glass of wine and good company.

This year is a different story. As the recession set in, consumers began shying away from expensive steaks and purchasing more lower-priced meats, such as ground beef.

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Boleman returns to key position with Texas A&M agriculture

Boleman returns to key position with Texas A&M agriculture

Dr. Larry Boleman

Dr. Larry Boleman, formerly a top adviser to Texas A&M University President Elsa Murano, returned to his agricultural roots on Feb. 1 to become the associate vice chancellor for outreach and initiatives for agriculture and life sciences.

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Final COOL restrictions, new markets good news for agricultural producers

Final COOL restrictions, new markets good news for agricultural producers

Heather Robbins

Interlake Specator

After a disappointing year in 2008, Manitoba cattle producers received good news from the federal government in early 2009.

According to Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, amendments to American Country of Origin Labelling (COOL) laws, released Jan. 12, will allow more flexibility in labelling requirements for American and Canadian meat brought together during production.

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Dedicated service leads to cattleman, woman of the year honors

Dedicated service leads to cattleman, woman of the year honors

JOHN COX,

The Bakersfield

It turns out you don’t have to be a rancher to become Kern County Cattleman or Cattlewoman of the Year. But it takes a lot of work.

Becky Beagle took the cattlewoman honor this year for the many hours she has put in volunteering for the Kern County Cattlewomen’s Association.

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Farmer not aware of any vendetta

Farmer not aware of any vendetta

Ben Orcutt

Northern Virginia Daily

A Warren County cattle farmer is becoming weary, and a little leery that someone may be targeting his farm following recent kills.

Jeremy Baldwin, 25, and his father, Joe, have been leasing approximately 1,100 acres on Marys Shady Lane for about 17 years from Front Royal Limited Partnership and have about 400 head. The younger Baldwin said that about 300 acres is in the town of Front Royal, while the bulk of the land is in Warren County.

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Farmers skeptical of safety of Bio-Lab

Farmers skeptical of safety of Bio-Lab

Topeka Capital-Journal

Although he made no promises, the dean of agriculture at Kansas State University told a cattlemen’s group that he believes a new federal laboratory to study livestock diseases is no threat to their herds.

Fred Cholick on Friday assured the Kansas Cattlemen’s Convention that he would not be afraid to live next door to the National Bio and Agro-defense Facility, which is expected to open on the Kansas State campus in five or six years.

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Colorado Company Working On E. Coli Vaccination

Colorado Company Working On E. Coli Vaccination

Paul Day

Cbs4denver.com

A Colorado company claims it could have prevented this week’s E. coli outbreak linked to the National Western Stock Show.

“It’s a very simple process,” said Dr. Tony Milici, President of Genethera.

The Wheat Ridge biotech company is developing an E. coli vaccine. The new drug, called E-co Guard, has been proven 99 percent successful in the first phase of testing with rabbits, according to Milici. But it has a long way to go before it hits the market.

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Ake Cattle Co. truly a family affair

Ake Cattle Co. truly a family affair

Holly Wise

Sun-News

Getting to Catron County takes three things — patience, skill and determination.

The first time I visited, I was impressed by the mountains, the forest, the climbing up, dipping down until we, my colleague Sam Conn and I, emerged from the woods four hours later onto a beautiful flat land that spreads as far as the eye can see. I felt like I was on top of the world.

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R-CALF on COOL

R-CALF on COOL

KNEB

R-CALF USA applauds a group of bipartisan senators who have contacted Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to request that he abide by the congressional intent of the mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL) law that currently is under review as a “Rural Agenda” item by the Obama Administration.

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Confused by genetic selection tools?

Confused by genetic selection tools?

Drovers

If so, you’re not alone and the Beef Cattle Clearinghouse eXtension Community of Practice has put together a Webinar to help you better understand EPDs, selection indexes, gene markers and what they can mean to your bull-buying decisions.

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