PETA: 7 Things You Probably Didn’t Know

PETA: 7 Things You Probably Didn’t Know

Chad Golladay

CattleGrower.com

I was debating on whether or not to post this information so quickly behind the post on 7 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About the Humane Society.

Primarily because CattleGrower.com’s primary purpose is to promote fellowship and networking opportunities for livestock producers rather than to become a political forum.

Full Story

High-nitrogen spring forage could pose cattle health problems

High-nitrogen spring forage could pose cattle health problems

The Cattle Business Weekly

Early moisture has resulted in abundant grass in many Wyoming pastures.

This early lush grass is high in nitrogen and may be low in certain minerals such as magnesium; both can lead to cattle health problems, said a University of Wyoming livestock nutrition expert.

Full Story

Understanding the horse slaughter controversy

Understanding the horse slaughter controversy

Heather Smith Thomas

Tri State Livestock News

Selling horses for meat has been a controversial issue and a growing movement against this practice has spawned legislation to prohibit horse slaughter in the United States. Many of the people arguing against slaughter are motivated by “love of the horse,” or rationalizing that since Americans don’t eat horsemeat we should not have our faithful companions end up on European tables.

Full Story

Cattlemen renew fight for estate tax reform

Cattlemen renew fight for estate tax reform

Tim Hearden

Capital Press

A cattleman’s group has vowed to continue to fight for estate tax reform after U.S. lawmakers stripped a measure from the federal budget bill that called for higher exemptions and lower rates.

NCBA says long-term goal is to repeal ‘death tax’

An amendment sponsored by Sens. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., and Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., would have raised the exemption to $5 million for an individual and $10 million for a couple, indexed for inflation. The amendment would also have cut the maximum estate tax rate to 35 percent.

Full Story

Disease Backgrounder: Bluetongue

Disease Backgrounder: Bluetongue

AVMA

Causative agent

Bluetongue (BT) is caused by an orbivirus member of the Reoviridae family. Reoviridae are 60 to 80 nanometers (nm) in diameter, unenveloped, double-stranded RNA viruses.

Full Story

Q&A What would help keep the cows out of the pond in the summer?

Q&A   What would help keep the cows out of the pond in the summer?

Dr. Rick Rasby, Professor of Animal Science, Animal Science, University of Nebraska

A:   There are sure reasons not to allow cattle full access to water in a pond. If the weather is hot, many times cattle will use the pond not only as a place to get a drink, but will stand in the pond to cool themselves. In these situations, cattle will also defecate and urinate in the water that they also drink.

Full Story

Livestock Marketing Fairness Act Introduced

Livestock Marketing Fairness Act Introduced

Hoosier AG Today

  Wyoming Senator Mike Enzi says there is a continued need to restore transparency and competitiveness in all our markets, including the sale barn. Packers who own herds shouldn’t be able to manipulate prices and now is the time for Congress to rein in anti-competitive meat packers and give ranchers an honest chance to make a living. And with that statement the Livestock Marketing Fairness Act was introduced into the U.S. Senate.

Full Storyv

NADC in the Battle Against Johne’s and Bovine TB

NADC in the Battle Against Johne’s and Bovine TB

Thebeefsite.com

US – Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists at the National Animal Disease Center (NADC) in Ames, Iowa, are in a longstanding battle against two serious bacterial infections of livestock: Johne’s disease and bovine tuberculosis.

Full Story

ISU Veterinarian Offers Guidelines For Tackling Calf Scours

ISU Veterinarian Offers Guidelines For Tackling Calf Scours

cattlenetwork.com

Once one calf begins scouring, the illness can spread through a beef herd like wildfire, causing major animal and financial losses for producers.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” the old adage says. However, not all cases of calf scours can be avoided. Any number of microorganisms can cause scours, ranging from viruses and bacteria like rotaviruses, E. coli and salmonella to cryptosporidia. It’s nearly impossible to predict all of the factors that might cause an outbreak.

Full Story

Protein in Beef Cattle Diets

Protein in Beef Cattle Diets

Mississippi State University

Feed costs account for a large proportion of cash costs in beef cattle operations. Protein is a critical nutrient in all beef cattle diets. Although protein supplementation is often a high cost item in beef cattle feeding program, sometimes protein supplementation is needed to meet the animal’s nutrient requirements.

Full Story

Feeding Winter Wheat to Cows and Calves

Feeding Winter Wheat to Cows and Calves

Kansas State University Extension

“Pound for pound, wheat is generally worth 103 to 108 percent of the value of corn in beef cattle rations.”

I have been asked several questions about feeding wheat this winter to calves and cows. The following recommendations come from the beef nutritionists at Kansas State University.

What is the value of wheat in beef cattle rations?

Full Story

Ranchers Resists USDA Program to Combat Outbreak

Ranchers Resists USDA Program to Combat Outbreak

Quality News Today

Just 36% of ranchers are taking part in a federal program started five years ago to trace livestock in the event of a disease outbreak.

U.S. Department of Agriculture officials found out why Monday, when 75 Western livestock producers gave them an earful during a meeting. The listening session was one of seven scheduled around the country in May and June to hear ranchers’ concerns, with the goal of increasing participation in the program.

Full Story

Pinkeye prevention for the coming summer

Pinkeye prevention for the coming summer

Ken Olson

Tri State Livestock News

Conditions this spring are right to increase the opportunity for pinkeye problems in cattle. Thus, now is the time to think ahead for preventive measures. First, pinkeye is the common name for Infectious Bovine Keratoconjunctivitis, a highly infectious disease that affects the eyes of cattle.

Full Story

NAIS benefits, problems

NAIS benefits, problems

David Bennett

Delta Farm Press

As critics and proponents continue to clash over the possibility of the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) becoming mandatory, the USDA has set up “listening sessions” in an attempt to hear all sides, allay fears and combat misperceptions about the program.

With the current rancor surrounding NAIS — especially amongst independent producers — that is a tall order. NAIS critics are surely sharpening their teeth in anticipation of the sessions.

Full Story

Recession Affects Value of Weight, Yield and Quality

Recession Affects Value of Weight, Yield and Quality

Thebeefsite.com

The economy is upside-down and so are determinants of carcass value. Whether these are short-lived aberrations or signs that long-held paradigms are shifting, the current landscape provides fodder for debate.

Full Story