Baxter Black, DVM: THE CHOICES WE MAKE

Baxter Black, DVM:  THE CHOICES WE MAKE

I was in Colusa, CA in the beautiful Northern Sacramento Valley. But farmers are worried because of the lack of snowmelt in the surrounding mountains, which furnishes their irrigation water. Drought is a serious problem in many parts of the country.

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Feeding Barley to Beef Cattle

Feeding Barley to Beef Cattle

Greg Lardy and Marc Bauer, Department of Animal and Range Sciences, North Dakota State University

Barley is an important feed grain in many areas of the world not typically suited for corn production, especially in northern climates. Barley is the principal feed grain in Canada, Europe, and in the northern United States.

The purpose of this review is to compare the nutritive and feeding values of barley to other common feed grains, review data from feeding trials involving barley, and offer barley feeding recommendations.

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Pain Can be Minimized While Dehorning Calves

Pain Can be Minimized While Dehorning Calves

Cattle Today

Removing horns reduces the risk of injury to handlers and other cattle. So choosing whether or not to dehorn calves isn’t debatable. But how you dehom calves is open for criticism and discussion.

Agricultural practices, such as keeping hogs in farrowing cages, are under increasing public scrutiny. Nonfarmers may view common management practices such as dehorning negatively and lower their opinions of dairying.

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Criollo cattle offer a taste of New Mexico

Criollo cattle offer a taste of New Mexico

Brook Stockberger

Silver City Sun News

When food connoisseurs think of southern New Mexico, a few things immediately come to mind.

“When you come to New Mexico, you’re going to have enchiladas and chile,” said Ed Fredrickson, a scientist with the Jornada Experimental Range, north of Las Cruces. “And you can have Criollo beef.”

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Web site compiles information on cattle virus

Web site compiles information on cattle virus

RICK PLUMLEE

The Wichita Eagle

A Web site has been developed as a clearinghouse for the latest information about bovine viral diarrhea virus.

The site (www.bvdinfo.org) was developed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Academy of Veterinary Consultants.

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DNA blueprint for healthier and more efficient cows

DNA blueprint for healthier and more efficient cows

Innovations Report

CSIRO scientists were among the 300 researchers from 25 countries involved in the six-year Bovine Genome Sequencing Project designed to sequence, annotate and analyse the genome of a female Hereford cow called L1 Dominette.

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NCBA criticizes FDA decision to move ahead with new feed ban

NCBA criticizes FDA decision to move ahead with new feed ban

AG Professional

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association criticized a decision by the Food and Drug Administration to proceed with implementation of a new feed ban today (April 27), despite numerous objections from farmers, ranchers, states and members of Congress.

The new section of the regulations prohibits the use of high-risk cattle material in feed for all animal species.

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Check for storage molds in feed grains, hay

Check for storage molds in feed grains, hay

In Forum

Grain or hay harvested at high-moisture content last fall and not adequately stored or dried may have a higher risk of storage mold this spring.

“Storage mold fungi may result in poor-quality feed and the possible development of mycotoxins,” says Marcia McMullen, North Dakota State University Extension Service plant pathologist.

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Fresh pasture can be trouble for cattle

Fresh pasture can be trouble for cattle

Gary Wilson

The Courier

The temperature is rising and the grass is really starting to grow, not only your lawns, but also for livestock farmers with pastures. The temperature change in the eastern cornbelt has many livestock farmers and, especially, beef producers eager to turn their cattle out to pasture.

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Canada toughens stance on U.S. meat dispute

Canada toughens stance on U.S. meat dispute

Paul Vieira

Financial Post

International Trade Minister Stockwell Day suggested Thursday that Canada’s patience with Washington is running thin over a U.S. meat-labelling law that is “dissuading” the purchase of Canadian-bred livestock, and he plans to be “aggressive” in defending the country’s interests.

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Hay Analysis: Its Importance & Interpretation

Hay Analysis: Its Importance & Interpretation

cattlenetwork.com

Having your hay analyzed is a great idea. It is the only way to determine the actual nutrient content of the hay. It is important to know this so that you can be sure your horse is consuming an adequate diet. You may or may not need to feed grain, depending on the quality of your hay. The better the quality of the hay you feed, the less grain you will need to feed. This can be a significant savings.

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Workshops set to improve cattle operations

Workshops set to improve cattle operations

Abilene Reporter News

The Texas AgriLife Extension Service has set the dates for its 2009 Beef Cattle Standardized Performance Analysis workshops.

One workshop will begin at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Nolan County AgriLife Extension Office Suite 305 at 100 E. 3rd St. in Sweetwater, and another will begin at 8:30 a.m. May 6 at the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center on U.S. Highway 70 in Vernon.

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Genetic Aspects of Marbling in Beef Carcasses

Genetic Aspects of Marbling in Beef Carcasses

Andy D. Herring, Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University

The goal of this paper is to review the genetic aspects of marbling in beef carcasses and to serve as a reference source. It is not meant to be an exhaustive review of the literature in regard to all relationships involving marbling with other production and carcass traits. However, it is meant to review several of the major studies around the world that could have direct genetic implications on production of beef carcasses in the United States.

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Cow Genome Research Provides Clues to Evolution

Cow Genome Research Provides Clues to Evolution

Georgetown University

Georgetown assistant professor of biology Christine Elsik and a team of international scientists have conducted landmark research that provides new information about mammalian evolution as well as cattle-specific biology.

The international research consortium presented the genome sequence of taurine cattle, the first livestock mammal to have its genetic blueprint sequenced and analyzed, in April 24 issue of the journal Science.

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Watch Pastures for Over Grazing

Watch Pastures for Over Grazing

Cattle Today

College Station – Cattle “going for the green” by grazing in recovering pastures are following nature’s call, but producers should avoid over-grazing and make sure cattle still have adequate care and nutrition, said Texas AgriLife Extension Service experts.

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