Cool Reception for COOL

Cool Reception for COOL

Jim Dickrell

Dairy Today

A debate between a retired Kansas State economist and a retired Texas Congressman did reach one area of agreement at this week’s Agricultural Media Summit in Fort Worth: Country of origin labeling (COOL) isn’t all that cool.

“I think COOL is pure crap,” says Barry Flinchbaugh, former professor of agricultural economics at Kansas State University. “If Americans are willing to pay for labeled American products, they will. And if it’s cost effective, the market will handle it.”

FULL STORY

Animal Rights Extremists Target Novartis

Animal Rights Extremists Target Novartis

Bovine Veterinarian

The holiday home of Novartis chairman and CEO Daniel Vasella has burnt down, a week after his mother’s grave was desecrated by animal rights militants.

Although police do not know who or what caused the fire early on Monday morning in the Tyrol, there is speculation that it is the work of the same group that took the urn of Vasella’s mother on July 27.

FULL STORY

If I were a purebred breeder

If I were a purebred breeder

Max Thornsberry

Drovers.com

Purebred-cattle breeders should be concerned with their industry’s direction. Southern Missouri supported many swine producers when I graduated from the University of Missouri in 1977. Unbeknownst to me, the swine industry would soon be destroyed by vertical integration. One purebred-Duroc breeder said, “Doc, don’t worry, those corporate guys won’t come out here in the middle of the night to farrow a sow, and they don’t want to straw-bed, castrate or vaccinate hogs. There will always be a place for us purebred breeders, and you will always have a job servicing this segment of the hog industry.”

FULL STORY

R-CALF Requests Reform to Cattle Markets

R-CALF Requests Reform to Cattle Markets

Thebeefsite.com

R-CALF USA has contacted newly appointed Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chairman Gary Gensler to request reforms to the U.S. cattle futures market.

The action group has also joined with 52 other organizational members of the Commodity Markets Oversight Coalition (CMOC) to persuade the CFTC to aggressively regulate the commodity futures market to prevent excessive speculation and to ensure a fair and orderly market

FULL STORY

BeefTalk: Four Points to Think About

BeefTalk: Four Points to Think About

Kris Ringwall, Beef Specialist, NDSU Extension Service

Value in the Beef Industry – Four Major Links Value in the Beef Industry – Four Major Links

Four things beef producers might want to think about are food safety, seamless regionalized calf-to-feedlot health connectivity, implementation of improved RFID technology and value capture for the producer.

Four things beef producers might want to think about are food safety, seamless regionalized calf-to-feedlot health connectivity, implementation of improved RFID (radio frequency identification) technology and value capture for the producer.

FULL STORY

The importance of numbers

The importance of numbers

Compiled by Kindra Gordon

The Cattle Business Weekly

Business owners from Wall Street to Western ranches will agree that good accounting is a tool that can help gain more control of costs and profits.

Dick Wittman can attest to that. He has reaped the value in having a useful accounting system on his family’s diverse crops, timber, and cattle operation near Culdesac, ID. And from his personal experiences, Wittman has become an authority on the topic of managerial accounting.

FULL STORY

Crossbreeding Systems in Beef Cattle

Crossbreeding Systems in Beef Cattle

Gary R. Hansen, University of Florida

As selection for carcass quality has taken center stage in the beef cattle industry, cattle producers have adopted strategies that have decreased the use of crossbreeding in beef cattle herds. Crossbreeding leads to increased performance without any added costs or inputs. It is one of the few management tools that increase productivity and improve the line when properly used. Despite the benefits of the practice, however, cattle producers have adopted strategies that have decreased the use of crossbreeding in beef cattle herds because selection for carcass quality has primary importance in the beef cattle industry.

FULL STORY

Endophytes In Grass Seed Straw

Endophytes In Grass Seed Straw

Tim DelCurto, EOARC Union Station, Oregon State University

Many grass seed crops contain an endophytic fungus (endophytes) that, in turn, increases the plants vigor, drought tolerance, resistance to predation (grazing), and ability to withstand other stresses. Plant species know to have endophytes in some varieties include tall fescue, fine fescue, hard fescue, perennial ryegrass, and bentgrass.

FULL STORY

Beef Quality Assurance: The Future of Beef Marketing!

Beef Quality Assurance: The Future of Beef Marketing!

Joi Saville, Beef Extension Associate, VA Tech

What is Beef Quality Assurance or BQA, as many of you have heard?  Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) is a national program that provides guidelines for beef cattle production.  This program helps to raise consumer confidence and awareness through offering proper management techniques and a commitment to quality within every segment of the Beef Industry.

FULL STORY

Bite-Size Bovines: Wood County Ranchers Save With Smaller Sized Steers

Bite-Size Bovines: Wood County Ranchers Save With Smaller Sized Steers

ADAM WADSWORTH

Tyler Morning Telegraph

If you look out your left window as you drive south on Wood County County Road 4778 you may have the impression you have hit another growth spurt.

Actually, you are not any taller than before; rather you are looking at the herd of miniature Hereford cattle at Falster Farm.

Karl and Nancy Falster, the proprietors of the farm, added the breed in 1999, and it is now their primary source of income.

FULL STORY

Dairy farm also known for its beef cattle

Dairy farm also known for its beef cattle

Heather Thorstensen

Rochester Post Bulletin

Kevin Siewert is a dairy farmer, but when hundreds of people came to visit in early July, they weren’t there for a milking demonstration.

The people were on the Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association Summer Beef Tour and came to Siewert’s Zumbro Falls farm to see his steer-raising facility.

"This is kind of our hobby," Siewert said, standing near his family’s 32-foot by 198-foot open front steer shed.

FULL STORY

Abilene veterinarian expresses support for NBAF site

Abilene veterinarian expresses support for NBAF site

Abilene Reflector-Chronicle

When it comes to animal disease outbreaks, Steve Henry, a practicing veterinarian from Abilene, knows from long experience that speed and accuracy in diagnosis, testing and treatment are essential in stopping a disease from spreading.

That’s why Henry, who also is an adjunct professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology at Kansas State University, is looking forward to having the National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan. Henry said putting the national center for animal health protection efforts in the middle of the nation and next to K-State, a university that specializes in food safety and security, can only better the critical response time to animal disease outbreaks.

FULL STORY

2nd Annual Educational Meeting Will Discuss Beef Cattle Issues and Opportunities

2nd Annual Educational Meeting Will Discuss Beef Cattle Issues and Opportunities

Telluride Watch

What is the market outlook for calves this fall? What will be the situation with agricultural credit in the near future? What is a financial health check-up? What beef cattle cost factors should be considered?

The 2009 Beef Cattle Update will take place Wednesday, Aug. 19, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at the Grand Vista Hotel Horizon Room in Grand Junction, 2790 Grossroads Blvd.

FULL STORY

Get a handle on feedlot acidosis

Get a handle on feedlot acidosis

Ki Fanning, PhD, PAS, Great Plains Livestock Consulting, Inc., Eagle, Neb

Bovine Veterinarian

Acidosis is one of the most costly problems in the feedlot. Acidosis is also known as bloat, founder, or sticking an animal. Acute acidosis is easily identifiable in the feedlot whereas subacute acidosis normally goes unnoticed. Hallmarks of acute acidosis are a high left side, long toes, poor doing calves, and sudden death.

FULL STORY

It’s Time To Put Up Or Shut Up On National ID

It’s Time To Put Up Or Shut Up On National ID

BEEF Magazine

The U.S. beef cattle and livestock industries need standardized national animal identification.

Forget the emotion and misinformation surrounding USDA’s National Animal Identification System (NAIS). Ignore whether the system should be mandatory. Disregard USDA’s bumbling, fumbling, on-again, off-again implementation approach.

FULL STORY