Eye in the Sky: A Global Beef Perspective

Thebeefsite.com

In recent years the global beef market has been shaken by unforeseen issues. The rules of the game have already changed. Now is the time for the industry to follow suit – but how exactly will it meet these new requirements? writes Adam Anson, reporting for the Beefsite.

New Mouths to Feed

Beneath the surface, the beef export market is in turmoil. Changes in the nature of foreign markets have diverged the flow of business to previously unattainable territories, tightening competition whilst food prices sky-rocket. Crops are no longer merely the domain of food, but are fed to machines to supplement a fuel industry, which is running out of fuel.

Meanwhile the media is rife with stories of an economic Asian boom. New wealth leading to new desires and a growing appetite for meat, but not so far away, in less fortunate countries a food crisis is growing also, and it grows with an appetite for anything.

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A Will is Important for Farmers and Ranchers

John Alan Cohan, Attorney at Law

Cattle Today

Most Americans, as compared with Europeans, die without a will. Even in cases involving extensive wealth I am amazed to see the difficulty people have in taking the necessary steps to implement a will. This is particularly an issue for farmers, owners and breeders of livestock, and horse farms. Usually one’s principal assets are tied up in the animals and land, and if you have no will there can be uncertainty as to what will happen after you die. Without a will, the continuity of your activity is something outside your control. Most people procrastinate making a will until it is too late.

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Cattle Handling: Loading Chute

cattlenetwork.com

Cattle can be loaded on stock trailers from the working chute. If pick-ups are used, a loading chute is required. Make sure the height of the chute fits your truck and that you can back the truck squarely against the chute. If you use more than one type of truck, build an adjustable loading chute. Do not exceed 3-1/2 inches of rise per foot of length.

A flooring of packed earth or gravel provides the best footing but is not adjustable. On wooden floored chutes, use cleats that are one inch to two inches in height. Space cleats six inches to eight inches apart from edge to edge. Build loading chutes 30 inches wide for cow-calf operations.

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Prison farms are up for sale

CONNIE BAGGETT

Press-Register

A year ago, budget shortfalls forced the Alabama Department of Corrections to scrap its money-losing farming operations.

That decision left the prison system one less industry to wrest productivity from convicted criminals and it rendered idle thousands of acres of farmland in this summer of skyrocketing grain and produce prices.

Corrections officials said that the department is again about $30 million short for the coming fiscal year’s needs.

About 5,000 acres of corrections farmland is for sale in the Atmore area, near Holman Correctional Facility, land that once produced soybeans, corn, and beef cattle for market.

Even the promise of higher prices has failed to resurrect prison farming.

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Barta Brothers Ranch research shows deferred, short-duration grazing similar

High Plains Journal

When it comes to grazing upland range in the Sandhills of Nebraska, there’s little difference between short-duration and deferred grazing systems in forage production, diet quality and animal performance, University of Nebraska-Lincoln range scientists found.

In a nine-year grazing study at UNL’s Barta Brothers Ranch near Rose in the eastern Nebraska Sandhills, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources researchers studied the plant and livestock response to short-duration grazing and deferred rotation systems.

The university usually recommends the deferred rotation grazing system for semi-arid rangelands such as the uplands of the Nebraska Sandhills. However, short-duration grazing is thought to provide a consistent supply of high quality forage through the growing season, and therefore greater animal performance, said Walt Schacht, UNL range scientist.

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Cattle Feed Byproducts: Distillers Feeds For Heifers

cattlenetwork.com

Distillers dried grain is well known as a good source of “bypass” protein. About twice as much protein from distillers dried grain bypasses the rumen as compared to soybean meal. Because of this, distillers dried grain works well as a protein source for classes of cattle that have a high protein requirement relative to their feed intake, such as young calves.

It is unknown if wet distillers grain has the same “bypass” characteristics. The proteins in distillers dried grain may become less rumen degradable due to the heat of the drying process.

As an energy source, distillers dried grain has a similar feeding value to corn grain. However, recent work with finishing cattle has indicated that wet distillers grain and condensed distillers solubles may have up to 125% of the energy in corn. This varies based on the feeding level and the base ingredients.

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AgSense: Need will grow for more forage crops to meet demand for ethanol

Leonard Lauriaul

QCSUNonline.com

Federal expectations are to provide for 38 percent of ethanol needs from cellulosic sources, such as crop residue, wood, specialty crops, like kenaf, and traditional forage crops without interfering with projected food and fiber needs.

Crop residue is not viable because removing greater than 25 percent is detrimental to soil and water conservation.

Wood can meet short-term supplies but is not sustainable due to growth rates. Additionally, it apparently will take much longer to develop the digestion process for wood compared to grasses, which is projected to be defined within five years. Existing perennial pastures and hay production are excluded because they are needed to meet the projected food and feed requirements.

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