Daily Archives: May 21, 2010

Congenital Defects in Cattle

Congenital Defects in Cattle

R. R. Schalles, Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, Kansas State University

H.W. Leipold, Department of Pathology, Kansas State University

R. L. McCraw, Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University

There are many undesirable traits that show up in beef cattle. These range from poor performance and structural unsoundness to semi-lethal and lethal diseases. Many of these are caused by varying amounts of genetic influence; others are caused by environmental conditions or an interaction between the animal’s genetic makeup and the environment in which it lives.

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Meeting Your Bull’s Nutritional Needs

Meeting Your Bull’s Nutritional Needs

Kindra Gordon

‘What should I be feeding my bulls?”

South Dakota State University (SDSU) Extension Beef Specialist Julie Walker says that is a question she is commonly asked by seedstock and commercial producers alike.

Her advice to them is this: “The goal is to have bulls that have been developed on a balanced ration that are not too thin or overly fat.” She further explains that research has shown bulls with too little or too much condition can have poor reproduction and fertility.

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The Grass-Fed Option

The Grass-Fed Option

LaRayne Topp

CALF News

When Wayne Rasmussen first shared meals with his wife, Judy, they debated over the taste of asparagus. She liked hers boiled; he liked his creamed. Both are an acquired taste. Over the years they’ve been married, Rasmussen has come to appreciate his asparagus boiled.

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Questions and Answers: New Animal Disease Traceability Framework

Questions and Answers: New Animal Disease Traceability Framework

AG Weekly

Here are highlights on the new NAIS taken from the APHIS factsheet. In a nutshell, the new system is designed to utilize funding set aside for NAIS to help states and Tribal Nations own, lead, and administer the program with Federal support focused entirely on animal disease traceability.

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BeefTalk: A Few Nickels

BeefTalk: A Few Nickels

Kris Ringwall, Beef Specialist, NDSU Extension Service

For 20 nickels, I can get a dose of anthrax vaccine to vaccinate a calf.

What can one get for 20 nickels?

Sorting and saving change out of one’s pants pockets at the end of day still continues. This takes place even though, in today’s credit card-driven world, the concept of change is quickly becoming an abnormality.

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Remember Fly Control for Cattle this Summer

Remember Fly Control for Cattle this Summer

University of Illinois

Fly infestations of cattle are a real concern during the summer months. Typical flying insects that can cause problems in Illinois include stable flies, house flies, horn flies, face flies, mosquitoes, horse flies and deer flies.

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Nebraska corn-fed beef adds value to ‘center of plate’

Nebraska corn-fed beef adds value to ‘center of plate’

Grant Tribune Sentinel

Nebraska’s beef producers are the best in the world–and they are experts at converting Nebraska-produced commodities like corn and distillers grains into corn-fed beef that is featured at the center of the plate the world over, the Nebraska Corn Board said in acknowledgement of May being Beef Month.

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Cougar Gets Wisconsin Heifer – First Recorded Attack In A Century

Cougar Gets Wisconsin Heifer – First Recorded Attack In A Century

John Laumer

Treehugger.com

In Wisconsin this past weekend a cougar attacked a 1-year-old heifer. The attack was reported as the "first occurrence of a cougar taking down a domestic animal in more than 100 years, experts said Tuesday."

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Brazil/WTO a big question

Brazil/WTO a big question

Ron Smith

Southwest Farm Press

“It’s about past history,” he (Peterson) said. “Brazil is suing you over past history.”

Brazil and the World Trade Organization are dealing with a situation that bears little resemblance to real world conditions in the cotton market, Collin Peterson, chairman of the House Ag Committee, said during a farm bill field hearing Monday in Lubbock.

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A.I. is a Cost Effective Means of Genetic Improvement

A.I. is a Cost Effective Means of Genetic Improvement

Clifford Mitchell

Cattle Today

The statement “I have a ranch to run,” has rarely had as diverse of a meaning as it does today. These successful businessmen probably would give Donald Trump a run for his money (if they had his resources).

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BeefTalk: An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Cure

BeefTalk: An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Cure

Kris Ringwall, Beef Specialist, NDSU Extension Service

What Franklin describes is not that different than the state of animal health and our response to dire situations.

The Benjamin Franklin axiom that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is as true today as it was when Franklin made the quote. Although many use the quote when referring to health, Franklin actually was addressing fire safety.

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Senate Urged to Disapprove EPA GHG Regulation

Senate Urged to Disapprove EPA GHG Regulation

Thebeefsite.com

The American Farm Bureau Federation and 48 other farm groups have joined together in urging the Senate to adopt a resolution that would prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act without prior congressional approval.

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NCBA pushes bill against EPA finding

NCBA pushes bill against EPA finding

TIM HEARDEN

Capital Press

The nation’s largest beef cattle organization is urging Congress to pass a resolution disapproving of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s finding that greenhouse gasses are a threat to human health and the environment.

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A chat with Spade Ranch CEO John Welch

A chat with Spade Ranch CEO John Welch

Kindra Gordon

The Cattle Business Weekly

The long-standing history of Texas’s Spade Ranches is impressive in and of itself. The original ranch was purchased in 1889 by Isaac L. Ellwood of Dekalb, IL, who had made his fortune as one of three men who invented barb wire. Elwood acquired additional land for Spade Ranch, and at its peak, Elwood owned 475,000 acres of ranchland across Texas.

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U.S. Bans Japan Beef Imports After Foot-And-Mouth Outbreak

U.S. Bans Japan Beef Imports After Foot-And-Mouth Outbreak

Fergus Maguire

Bloomberg

The U.S. banned beef from Japan after an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the southern prefecture of Miyazaki.

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