Extra pounds equals extra dollars
Drovers.com
Maximizing returns is a goal for every producer, no matter what stage of production. For cow/calf producers, implanting calves is one of the most profitable tools available — returning far more in weight gain and feed efficiency than the cost of the implant itself.
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Our Number-One Enemy Is Ourselves!
Troy Marshall
Beef Magazine
This week’s drama with the Executive Committee of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) and its meaningless decision to separate totally from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) illustrates the serious problem this industry has with its leadership and organizations
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Hay making challenges in wet weather
Ken Olson
Tri State Livestock News
If hay has been rained on, it will lose nutritional value. The best alternative is to turn it as needed to hasten drying it out, but do so while it is still damp enough to retain its leaves. If it keeps getting rained on, it becomes increasingly difficult to retain its value.
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One Health
Barbara Hesselgrave
In today’s world, the convergence between animals, humans and their respective environments has become more interdependent than we often realize. We are literally no more than 24 hours from any two points on the globe. And, as communities around the world cope with rapid changes in climate and land use, the borderlines between people and their goods and products — and the hidden domain of diseases — has gradually begun to blur.
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USMEF Watching New Beef Agreement Between Canada and China
Hoosier AG Today
The U.S. Meat Export Federation is interested to see what a new agreement to open China to Canadian beef will mean for U.S. beef. USMEF estimates the value of the Chinese market for U.S. beef exports to be upwards of 200-million dollars.
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North Dakota drops TB testing regulation
Brad Swenson
Bemidji Pioneer
The state of North Dakota on this week dropped additional testing requirements for most cattle entering that state from Minnesota and Montana.
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Ultrasound steers cattle growers in right direction
DAVID HOLSTED
Harrison Daily Times
In assembly line-like fashion, the cows moved from chute to chute, where at each stop, their flanks were slathered with vegetable oil. Standing in the sultry morning air, four people went wordlessly about their work, moving wand-like devices over the oiled-up hides and intently peering at monitors behind them. On the screens appeared black and white images of quivering life.
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Cattle Group ‘Suspends Activity’ On Reorganization
AGWeb.com
In a hastily-called phone press conference Friday afternoon, representatives of the Federation of State Beef Councils announced they would "suspend activities" on their efforts to work with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s (NCBA) reorganization efforts.
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Land owners workshop addresses cattle health
Bandera County Courier
To get a Hill Country Landowner’s attention, say “cattle.” This simple word draws lots of attention with the ranching community.
On Wednesday, June 30, Burnet County Extension Agent Wade Hibler and a team of knowledgeable experts will present a free program on beef cattle health, sponsored by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service.
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K-State Beef Conference to focus on value optimization
High Plains Journal
Kansas State University Research and Extension will host the 2010 K-State Beef Conference Aug. 12 with the theme "Value Optimization."
Registration will begin at 8 a.m., followed by the program at 9 a.m. in the Frick Auditorium of Mosier Hall in K-State’s College of Veterinary Medicine Complex in Manhattan.
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The cost of eating well
Dr. Toni Brayer
San Francisco Chronicle
Editor’s note: Stories of this ilk are included in the blog to inform those in our industry how agriculture is being presented to and perceived by the public.
I watched a good documentary called "Food, Inc". It was nominated for an Academy Award . The promo says you’ll never look at dinner the same way and they are right. Since I am a fan of Michael Pollan and have read "Fast Food Nation", I was already one of the healthy food fans, but seeing how agriculture and farming have changed over the last 40 years was still a shocker.
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NCBA suspends plans in governance structure
KTIC
The leadership of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), the largest organization dedicated solely to representing the interests of U.S. cattle producers, are suspending plans to proceed with changes to its governance structure to allow the Federation of State Beef Councils an opportunity to clarify its role and intentions to all industry shareholders.
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We’re From The Government. No Thanks.
Joe Roybal
Beef Magazine
On Tuesday, USDA published its proposed rule aimed at “increasing fairness in the marketing of livestock and poultry.” The document seems to apply most to the poultry sector, but, as expected, it drew boos and bravos from free-market advocates and proponents of government intervention, respectively.
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Social media and livestock marketing
Amanda Nolz
Tri State Livestock News
“Social media tools change the game of marketing,” said Andy Peterson, president of LIVEstock New Media Communications, LLC and owner, operator of LimousinLive.com, a Web-based site for the Limousin breed. “These tools allow us to market to our customers in a way we never have been able to before.
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Pair banned from owning farm animals
Betty Ann Adam
The StarPhoenix
A father and son responsible for the worst case of neglect an animal protection worker had ever seen were banned from owning animals other than pets for a decade.
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The Beef Blog 