Japan mulls intellectual property protection for ‘wagyu’ cattle genes

Japan mulls intellectual property protection for ‘wagyu’ cattle genes

Mainichi Daily News

TOKYO — Japan is considering having the genes from four breeds of Japanese cattle declared a type of intellectual property to protect the product from mixed-breed imports, an official said Friday.
Japanese cattle, prized for their quality, are collectively termed “wagyu.”
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries will convene a specialist panel starting Tuesday to study the matter, including possible regulations over what could be labeled wagyu, said Masaaki Iino of the ministry’s agricultural production bureau.

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Canadian inspectors testing for mad cow disease at British Columbia dairy farm

Canadian inspectors testing for mad cow disease at British Columbia dairy farm

WSVN_TV

TORONTO (AP) — Federal officials Thursday tested a British Columbia dairy cow suspected of contracting mad cow disease, potentially bad news for Canadian cattle ranchers still recovering from a two-year ban on their beef in the United States.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said it was trying to confirm whether it is a new case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE.
In humans, eating meat products contaminated with BSE has been linked to more than 150 deaths, mostly in Britain, from variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, a rare and fatal nerve disease.

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Calving in full swing for new Producer Progress family

Calving in full swing for new Producer Progress family

By DALE HILDEBRANT,
Farm & Ranch Guide
Thursday, April 13, 2006 3:57 PM CDT

Front row-(l to r) Mark Huseth and wife Eileen. Back row -(l to r) sons Travis and Tony.

McLEOD, N.D. – The calving season is just getting started for our new Producer Progress series family Mark and Eileen Huseth, who farm and ranch northeast of McLeod, N.D.

Their operation, a family-type business that also involves sons, Tony and Travis, is a combination commercial cattle and grain enterprise.

http://www.farmequipmentcenter.com

The family involvement on this farm dates back to 1918, when Mark’s grandfather moved there, making this a fourth generation farm, and, according to Mark, the farm has always been a mixed operation with both beef cattle and grain production.

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Possible case of mad cow roils markets

Possible case of mad cow roils markets

Tentative results in Canada cause investors to worry

By JERRY BISECT and BOB BURGDORFER
Reuters News Service / Houston Chronicle

CHICAGO – A possible new case of mad cow disease in Canada rattled the U.S. cattle markets Thursday because the animal in question was born after a 1997 feed ban that was enacted to prevent the disease.

Investors fretted that the discovery, which could be the fifth native-born case of the brain-wasting bovine spongiform encephalopathy in Canada, could shake consumer confidence in the $200 billion U.S. beef and cattle production industry.

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Animal ID issue breeds concerns

Animal ID issue breeds concerns

By Janet Grafe
The Gazette-Enterprise, Seguin, Texas

Published April 13, 2006
SEGUIN — If the National Animal Identification System goes into effect in Texas, will riders have to call the government to let them know when they ride their horse off their property and again when they return?

This is just one of the concerns voiced by local rancher Jan Koehne. She also wants to know how much it’s going to cost to electronically tag each animal and set up a database to track animal movement.

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Control grazing to control weeds

Control grazing to control weeds

By JEFF DEYOUNG, For Farm & Ranch Guide
Thursday, April 13, 2006 3:59 PM CDT

While many weeds have some feed value to cows, reducing the risk of weed infestation in pastures might be the best practice.

Weeds are quick to take advantage of over-grazed pastures, says Dan Morrical, Iowa State University Extension forages specialist. He says a controlled-grazing program will greatly reduce weed pressure in most pastures.

“Continually short grazing is going to open the ground up, so the weeds can germinate and grow,” Morrical says. “If you don’t over-graze, you allow the grass to take control and help keep the weeds out.”

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Beefing up

Beefing up

Producers try to take the mystery out of meat for a new generation
Hearldnet.com / Associated Press

BURNSVILLE, Minn. – Dan Hogan admitted that he had only a vague idea of what he was doing as he poked through the supermarket beef case in search of dinner.

Like many in his generation, the 32-year-old Burnsville man didn’t pick up much cooking knowledge growing up.

“We fended for ourselves at home,” he said. “The extent of our beef was Hamburger Helper.”

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