Look at Alternatives that Can Reduce Antibiotic Dependence

Look at Alternatives that Can Reduce Antibiotic Dependence

Stephen B. Blezinger, Ph.D., PAS

Cattle Today

The handwriting on the wall has become pretty clear. Justified or not, the use of antibiotics in managing the beef animal, at any stage of production, is becoming more challenging. No doubt soon it will become a non-option. This may result in a number of effects, particularly in weaning and transition cattle (those who are subjected to acute stress due to weaning, handling, transportation, co-mingling, etc.) Stress is well known to depress the animal’s immune system.

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Tips for Weaning Beef Calves

Tips for Weaning Beef Calves

Travis Meteer

University ofIllinois

Weaning is arguably the most stressful event in a calf’s life. Combining stressors at weaning can inhibit immune response triggering health problems and shut off gains. Fortunately, cattle producers can understand stressing events and manage against the freeway pile-up that can occur at weaning.

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Indiana governor candidates discuss agriculture

Indiana governor candidates discuss agriculture

Diego Flammini

NXT Wire

John Gregg and Eric Holcomb vying for the governorship

Agriculture is a key issue for Democratic candidate John Gregg and Republican candidate Lt. Governor Eric Holcomb, who are running to be the next Governor of Indiana.

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Apple cider vinegar: A magic potion for cattle health?

Apple cider vinegar:  A magic potion for cattle health?

Alan Newport

Beef Producer

Will Winter ascribes almost magical properties to unpasteurized apple cider vinegar, and plenty of producers support his claims. Producers support his claims. Generally, Winter suggests feeding apple cider vinegar, or ACV, as a supplement much or all year, to all farm animals older than 3 days of age. He says for ruminants, in particular, it improves forage digestion, helps prevent disease and has direct nutritional value.

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What’s better? Grazing stockpiled winter pasture or bale grazing in a drylot?

What’s better? Grazing stockpiled winter pasture or bale grazing in a drylot?

Beef Magazine

Is utilizing stockpiled perennial forages in a grazing system beneficial, versus harvesting and taking bales back to the cows to feed them? There are costs in both systems; there’s the cost of harvesting and transportation for bales, versus the cost of supplementation when cattle graze stockpiled forage later in winter.

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Report says WOTUS wrongly being enforced

Report says WOTUS wrongly being enforced

Julie Harker

Brownfield Network

The head of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee says a new report shows the EPA is already enforcing the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule, in spite of a federal injunction on the measure’s enforcement. Senator Jim Inhofe’s committee released the report of case studies on Tuesday. He says it shows that the EPA and Corps of Engineers are, in his words, “running rogue.”

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Cowboys Turn to High-Tech Ear Tags to Monitor Animal Health

Cowboys Turn to High-Tech Ear Tags to Monitor Animal Health

Jacob Bunge

Wall Street Journal

Cowboys are adding algorithms to their saddle bags. Drugmakers, startups and cattlemen are betting that sensors and data-sifting software can help keep cattle in Western U.S. feedlots healthier than cowboys can alone. New tags clipped to animals’ ears aim to monitor movement and feeding patterns for early signs of sickness.

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Mark Sims Joins the American Angus Association

Mark Sims Joins the American Angus Association

D Rosman

Angus Media

The American Angus Association announces Mark Sims of Edmond, Okla., as the organization’s newest member of the regional manager team. Sims begins his role Oct. 4 and will represent Region 13, which consists of the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi.

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Canada’s biggest feeder Western Feedlots shutting down

Canada’s biggest feeder Western Feedlots shutting down

Amanda Stephenson

Calgary Herald

Western Feedlots Ltd., one of Canada’s largest cattle feeder operations, will suspend operations after marketing cattle it currently owns, the company announced Tuesday. The privately-held company — which has feedlot sites near Strathmore, High River, and Mossleigh, with standing capacity for 100,000 head — said in a news release that it will not be hiring any new employees or purchasing feed grain or feeder cattle after its existing cattle have gone to market.

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China says it will resume U.S. beef imports

China says it will resume U.S. beef imports

Rebecca Blumenstein

Market Watch

China’s premier promised to resume Chinese imports of U.S. beef soon, calling it a sign of Beijing’s sincerity to improve commercial ties with the U.S. Speaking to U.S. business groups in New York on Tuesday night, Premier Li Keqiang said China would soon allow imports of U.S. beef. “We also recognize that the United States has very good beef, so why should we deny Chinese customers this choice?” Li said.

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