Look to the Label

Look to the Label

AG Weekly

In building a vaccination protocol, you must-at some point-determine what products will best match your needs. One way to distinguish the many vaccine options on the market is to look at the vaccine labels and the expected U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) levels of protection.

Full Story

Advice To Bank On

Advice To Bank On

Kindra Gordon

Angus Journal

Tough financial times require better financial management. That’s the mantra that farmers and ranchers need to be reminding themselves during this uncertain economy. So, how can you get better about managing your finances? Sandy Priest, a financial officer with Farm Credit Services of America — in the heart of ranch country at Broken Bow, Neb. — offers these five tips:

Full Story

Vaccination with Parasite Control Is a Must for a Healthy Herd

Vaccination with Parasite Control Is a Must for a Healthy Herd

Hereford World

Even if producers do everything else by the book for vaccination, if they don’t control parasites and monitor nutrition, they may be throwing that investment away.

Full Story

Q&A: Should Owners Be Upset About Getting A Black Baldy Calf In Their Purebreed Livestock?

Q&A: Should Owners Be Upset About Getting A Black Baldy Calf In Their Purebreed Livestock?

Dr. Matthew Spangler, Assistant Professor of Animal Science, Animal Science, University of Nebraska

A:   If the Hereford female was registered with the breed association then it is possible that the breeder raises seedstock animals and markets purebred bulls and/or females. In this production/marketing scenario, a crossbred calf has less value simply because the marketing objective of the operation is to raise animals that will be registered with the Hereford association and designed to sell at a premium to be used as seedstock.

Full Story

BeefTalk: We Too Are Resting in Someone’s Hand

BeefTalk: We Too Are Resting in Someone’s Hand

Kris Ringwall, Beef Specialist, NDSU Extension Service

We Too Are Resting in Someone’s Hand We Too Are Resting in Someone’s Hand

Today there are more important things to do than the numerous processes we embark on in our daily routines.

There is a time to set aside the business of life and simply do. Even the best-run business, cattle or otherwise, cannot deny that, in the end, someone else is in control, regardless of who we are, and really does not ask for input.

Full Story

Color Patterns in Crossbred Beef

Color Patterns in Crossbred Beef

John Evans, Associate Professor Animal Breeding, Oklahoma State University

Most breeds of beef cattle have a fixed color pattern that is characteristic for that breed because of previous selection. For example, all Hereford cattle have a red body color with a white face, all Charolais are white, and Red Poll are red. However, some other breeds may have more than one basic body color such as red or black Angus, and white, red, or roan Shorthorn. Still other breeds have multiple colors, which are unpredictable; for example, spotting, brindling, or solid colors in Longhorn.

Full Story

Cattle raisers urge Congress to pass estate tax reform

Cattle raisers urge Congress to pass estate tax reform

KWRW

The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) sent letters to members of Congress this week urging them to pass H.R. 3905, the Estate Tax Relief Act of 2009.  This legislation would provide relief in the tax code from the estate tax, also known as the "death tax", for Texas ranchers, property owners and small business owners.  Over a 10-year period, H.R. 3905 would increase the estate tax exemption to $5 million while decreasing the tax rate from 55 percent to 35 percent.

Full Story

Cattle feeding losses and fall calf prices

Cattle feeding losses and fall calf prices

Dillon Feuz

Tri State Livestock News

As I look at feeder cattle markets across the country and as I have opportunities to talk with cattle producers, it become very apparent that feeder cattle prices have dropped sharply and unexpectedly. In the last month, prices for 5 and 6 weight calves have dropped about $10 per cwt, or $50-60 per head.

Full Story

Texas cattle industry groups meet to discuss tick fever prevention

Texas cattle industry groups meet to discuss tick fever prevention

BLAIR FANNIN

The Brownsville Herald

Representatives from Texas’ cattle industry recently discussed future research and educational partnerships related to fever ticks at a summit hosted by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service.

Full Story

Country-of-origin labeling criteria not a simple formula

Country-of-origin labeling criteria not a simple formula

HOWARD SIEGRIST

Newark Advocate

Consumers have noticed something different about their local retail meat case. Since March, all retail red meats, seafood and shellfish and fruits and vegetables must contain a Country of Origin Label, or COOL.

COOL was designed to inform consumers on the origins of their food, but it might have caused some confusion, too.

Full Story

Farmers are going high tech

Farmers are going high tech

LISA KAPPS

Pennysaver

The times, they are a-changing … even on the family farm.

While many farmers have been slow to use technology, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County is encouraging farmers to use Internet tools for direct marketing. The Extension itself is using those tools to educate farmers about new agricultural methods.

Full Story

Dairy herd retirements raise concern over cull cow prices

Dairy herd retirements raise concern over cull cow prices

Stephanie Johnson

Prairie Star

When one drives by Merrill Farms Dairy near Parker, S.D., everything one expects to see is present: Holstein cows, plenty of feed, a busy parlor, a bustle of activity.

But at dairies across the United States, the opposite scene appears: the parlor is empty, the feed is gone, the yard is silent and the cows have marched away to slaughter.

Full Story

Russia to increase beef production by 400% 05 Nov 2009

Russia to increase beef production by 400% 05 Nov 2009

Meat International

First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Viktor Zubkov said the plan is to increase production up to 282,400 tons per year by 2012 compared to present 62,000 tons.

 Zubkov has criticized the Ministry of Agriculture of Russia for the delay in the implementation of sectoral programs of beef cattle development. He also added that the government currently is developing a set of measures in order to increase beef production in the coming years.

Full Story

AABP conference explores new ways of working

AABP conference explores new ways of working

JAVMA News

The future of bovine practice is not only in the hands of veterinary students but also in the ranks of veterinary technicians—and in the shakedown of new technologies, such as a blood test for pregnancy checks that could spare practitioners’ arms.

That’s according to speakers at the American Association of Bovine Practitioners’ 42nd annual conference, Sept. 10-12 in Omaha, Neb., which ran jointly with the meeting of the American Association of Small Ruminant Practitioners.

Full Story

New Merck Company Begins Operations

New Merck Company Begins Operations

Thebeefsite.com

Merck & Co., Inc. has outlined its global plans following the completion of Merck’s merger with Schering-Plough Corporation. The new Merck is a global health care leader aimed at providing innovative, distinctive products and services that save and improve lives, while satisfying customer needs and creating long term shareholder value.

Full Story