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If someone were to ask me what the single, most important trait in
life is, I would have to say it is attitude. The Lord knows I’ve had
my share of failures and bobbles along the way, so I stand on pretty
shaky ground when it comes to talking about achieving great success.
-- Click on headline to read the rest of this
story by Troy Marshall
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 Fresh water on demand, 24 hours
a day.
From a single horse Stall Fount to fountains that water up to 500 head
of cattle, Ritchie fountains are top quality. The Omni and CattleMaster
families feature a new, domed valve cover designed to reduce dirt and
grime accumulation in the water seal groove. All products feature
stainless steel, heavy-duty polyethylene or a combination of both and a
10-year limited warranty. For more information or a distributor near
you, contact Ritchie Industries at 800-747-0222 or visit www.ritchiefount.com
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According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, this
planet will have an additional 2.3 billion people by 2050 (see “World
Will Need 70% More Food In 2050”). FAO released the report ahead of
the high-level expert forum set for Rome on Oct. 12-13 and entitled "How
to Feed the World in 2050."
-- Click on headline to read the rest of this
story by Troy Marshall
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Seemingly every other week, the animal welfare/animal rights battle
rages on.
Two weeks ago, the Michigan statehouse passed legislation that would
require farms over the next decade to meet requirements on confinement
and tethering of animals. The Michigan legislature was trying to head
off ballot initiatives like those passed in Arizona, California and
Florida.
The Michigan legislation is directed at farrowing sows, veal calves and
egg-laying hens, and was meant to save Michigan’s poultry and pork
industries. It’s uncertain whether the measure will be deemed as
sufficient to prevent the activists from moving forward.
As in Colorado, it’s expected that the activists will move on to the
next targeted state, marshalling their resources for the next fight.
Perhaps the most disturbing thing is that polling indicates the
livestock industry would lose such ballot initiatives decisively. The
alternative becomes to minimize the damage via more industry-friendly
legislation.
The Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS) is leading a coalition of animal
rights and environmental groups asking the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency to further regulate greenhouse gas emissions from large
operations under the Clean Air Act. What I find fascinating is that
Wayne Pacelle, head of HSUS, continues to be interviewed on his position
over animal agriculture and he continues to state that the group’s aim
isn’t to shut down animal production. Still, those comments go
unchallenged, even by industry reporters.
-- Troy Marshall
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 Right Today. Right
Tomorrow.
Actual feedlot performance data clearly shows performance always pays.
Recent data on over 100,000 head of steers demonstrates today’s ideal
steer gains 3.5 lbs. or more per day, finishes at 1,400 lbs. and
qualifies for additional premiums paid for high quality carcasses.
To read the entire white paper, click here. >>>
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The 2010 IRM Redbooks, which many ranchers consider an essential
part of their operation, are now available for purchase from the
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. These pocket-sized record books
are an effective way of recording nearly everything on your ranch,
allowing you to keep better production records.
The Redbooks can be customized with your company name and logo at a
reduced price with a minimum order of 100, or purchased in smaller,
non-customized quantities for $5.95 each, plus shipping. Contact Grace
at 800-525-3085 for more information or go to store.beefusa.org.
-- NCBA release
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The American National CattleWomen (ANCW) and the Animal Agriculture
Alliance announce the upcoming launch of College Aggies Online, a
program aimed at helping college students become confident advocates for
the ag industry.
The joint venture aims to connect college students nationwide interested
in promoting ag by sharing their story. Participants will receive
training and instructions from industry professionals and have access to
a private forum (accessible at aggiesonline.ning.com) to
post info about current and emerging issues facing farmers and ranchers.
The online community will provide resources to students on key issues to
help them better utilize tools such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter to
share ag’s story with the public.
Ag-related clubs from all universities with an ag academic program are
eligible to sign up for the program. Each member will receive an
individual account, where they can customize their homepage and upload
info. Student groups will earn points by posting blogs, photos and
videos to the forum and by participating in online outreach activities.
The program will officially launch on Oct. 15, and the first year’s
competition will conclude April 2010. After final point counts are
tallied, the winning club will receive a $750 scholarship, national
recognition and a trip for one representative to Washington, D.C. for
the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s annual Stakeholders Summit.
Additional recognition and prizes will be awarded to the runner-up club
and the two top-placing individuals.
Interested collegiate clubs or departments should contact Krissa Thom at
KThom@animalagalliance.org
or 703-562-1410. Stakeholders interested in program sponsorship
opportunities should visit the Alliance Web site (www.animalagalliance.org)
for more information.
-- ANCW, Animal Agriculture Alliance news
release
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Brasil Foods, formed by the recently completed merger of Perdigao
and Sadia, is exploring expansion in the U.S. following JBS S.A.'s bid
to acquire Pilgrim's Pride Corp., reports Dow Jones.
Brasil Foods President Jose Antonio Prado Fay says the company wants to
become a familiar brand in the U.S., in addition to its main markets in
Russia and the Middle East. "[The] U.S. is a very important market for
us and we are not present there at all. We can enter this market either
through partnerships or by acquisitions," Fay was quoted as saying in
the Latin American business daily Valor Economico. By buying
Pilgrim's Pride, JBS would become a competitor to Brasil Foods in the
poultry market.
JBS Friboi became the world’s largest meat processor following its
merger with Bertin (Brazil’s third-largest beef processor) and its
acquisition of Pilgrim’s Pride (second-largest U.S. chicken
processor), and is expected to generate US$30 billion in annual revenue.
The merger could result in JBS having a cattle slaughter capacity of
90,000 head/day globally – accounting for around 8% of worldwide
production, according to agra-net.com
-- Meatradenewsdaily
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Mary Hawkes of Prescott, AZ, claimed the checkoff-funded 28th
National Beef Cook-Off’s $25,000 “Best of Beef” grand prize. Her
Sonoma Steaks with Vegetables Bocconcini bested recipes from 14 other
finalists to take the biggest share of a total of $70,000 in prize
money.
This year’s Cook-Off “Sonoma Style” theme focused on fresh,
flavorful ingredients paired with nutrient-rich beef cuts. Hawkes’
winning recipe featured grilled beef top loin steaks, zucchini, yellow
bell pepper and red grape tomatoes tossed with herb-marinated fresh
mozzarella balls. In addition, the dish is an excellent source of
protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, selenium and zinc; and a good
source of iron.
Each contestant prepared their recipe for evaluation by a panel of local
and national food journalists for taste, appearance, convenient
preparation and nutritional balance. The judges included: Michael Bauer,
executive food and wine editor, The San Francisco Chronicle; Amy
Sherman, cookbook author and blogger, CookingWithAmy.com; Betsy
Wray, editor in chief, Cooking Club magazine; Jackie Plant, food
and nutrition director, Woman’s Day magazine; and Niesha
Lofing, food and family writer, The Sacramento Bee.
In addition to the grand prize, six cash prizes were awarded in three
categories. The category winners ($10,000 each) and runners-up ($5,000
each), respectively, included:
- Live Well with Fast & Convenient Grilled Beef Recipes: Kristina
Vanni – Hollywood, CA; and Deborah Biggs – Omaha, NE.
- Teens Cooking with Beef: Morgan Hanrahan – Olympia, WA; and Erin
Ozment – Purcell, OK.
- Lean Beef in Nutrient Rich One-Dish Meals: Elizabeth Bennett –
Mill Creek, WA; and Fran Fehling – Staten Island, NY.
To view this year’s winning recipes visit: www.BeefCookOff.org.
-- National Beef Cook-Off release
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Preg-check time is really profit-check time. That’s why it’s so
important to keep your cows on CRYSTALYX®. Next to the bull himself,
it’s the best way to ensure high reproductive efficiency. Because when
the vet says, “She’s open”, it’s already too late. Click here to learn more.
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The country is all “a-twitter,” spending hours on Facebook, and
watching Susan Boyle sing. But amidst the social media buzz, is there a
place for beef producers to find industry information? The checkoff
thinks so.
That’s why the checkoff’s producer communications team recently
embarked in the social media realm with three new pages:
Studies show Internet usage among farmers and ranchers is increasing;
cell phones are no longer just used to call home before supper; and,
producers are staying connected to industry information via social
networking sites. This provided an excellent opportunity for the
checkoff to deliver important messages about how producer dollars are
being invested.
As one may suspect, the under-39 age category seems to be the early
adopters for online information as it relates to farming and ranching
with nearly 35% engaging in Internet usage to join or participate in
discussions. And, a total of 61% (all age categories) are using the
Internet to read ag news.
To follow MyBeefCheckoff on the latest social media sites, visit www.beefboard.com and click on
the homepage icons.
Meanwhile, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Young
Producers’ Council (YPC) is using social networking to reach
consumers. The group launched a blog Sept. 22 called Cattle Call, which
can be found at ypcblog.beefusa.org/. This
effort complements the group’s existing presence on Facebook. Cattle
Call bloggers are from throughout the U.S. and make up a diverse group
of young cattle farmers and ranchers.
For more on YPC, visit www.beefusa.org/ypc.
-- Beef Board and NCBA releases
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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will begin requiring
greenhouse gas (GHG) data from large emitters on Jan. 1, 2010 under a
new reporting system. This first-time ever program will cover
approximately 85% of the nation's GHG emissions and apply to roughly
10,000 facilities, according to an EPA news release.
EPA’s final rule will require livestock operations that emit 25,000
tons/year or more of GHGs from their manure-management systems to report
those emissions as part of a mandatory GHG registry. The new rule will
affect beef cattle operations that have 29,300 or more head of cattle,
about 150-180 cattle operations nationwide – a much larger number than
the 11 operations EPA originally projected to be covered under the
proposed rule released in April, says the National Cattlemen’s Beef
Association.
Beginning Jan. 1, feedyards must keep records on cattle inventories,
which will be used to determine the average annual cattle inventory.
Beyond cattle inventory, EPA has defined many of the inputs to the
equations, such as nitrogen excretion rates, maximum methane potential,
nitrous oxide emissions, etc. The first report, which will cover
emissions for calendar year 2010, will be due March 31, 2011.
EPA says the new reporting system will provide a better understanding of
where GHGs are coming from and will guide development of policies and
programs to reduce emissions. However, EPA readily admits that all of
agriculture in the U.S. generates only 7% of the GHGs in the country.
Furthermore, GHG emissions from all livestock manure management systems
account for less than 1% (0.8%) of all U.S. emissions, and manure
management systems from the beef sector emit only 0.12% of total GHG
emissions.
The final regulations (hundreds of pages) on the new reporting system
and reporting requirements can be accessed by going to www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ghgrulemaking.html.
-- Texas Cattle Feeders Association Newsletter
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 Dudley Bros. 49th Annual Production Sale
October 15, 2009 located in Comanche, Texas
Selling 125 performance tested and range ready two-year old HEREFORD
bulls. The largest source of two-year old Hereford bulls in the
southwest United States.
Web site catalog: dudleybros@comanchetx.com
Call John Dudley mobile at 325-642-0745 or office: 325-356-2284
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Countering negative publicity, England’s red meat industry is
hitting back. It has relaunched –www.meatandhealth.com – a
website designed to remind consumers and health professionals that red
meat is a great source of protein, heart-healthy fats, vitamins and
minerals (particularly iron).
"Information on the site will help consumers and healthcare
professionals to determine the true position of meat in a healthy,
balanced diet and to understand that negative comment from the media,
scientists and academics is not always what it appears to be," says
Chris Lamb, BPEX head of marketing.
The website was set up a decade ago in recognition that health
professionals and their patients needed balanced and accurate advice on
healthy eating. The new look offers interactive features, up-to-date
news items, topical opinion pieces from leading health professionals and
recipes for good health.
-- Thescotsman
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Hosted by Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB®), 2009 Feeding
Quality Forums are set for Nov. 10 in South Sioux City, NE, and Nov. 12
in Garden City, KS. The event will start at 9:30 a.m. with check in and
refreshments, followed by the welcome at 10 a.m.
Covered will be everything from markets and economics to nutrition and
genomics, says Mark McCully, CAB LLC assistant vice president of supply
development. Registration is $50 before Oct. 30, and includes a CAB
steak lunch. Late registrations of $75 will be taken as space allows.
For more detail, go to www.CABpartners.com/events.
For more information and to register, call Marilyn Conley at
800-225-2333, ext. 298; or email mconley@certifiedangusbeef.com.
-- CAB news release
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While favorable August-September growing weather offset some of the
corn crop's delayed development due to a tough spring and a cool
June-July period, now’s the time to consider the likelihood that some
fields won’t receive enough growing-degree days, says J.W. Schroeder,
North Dakota State University Extension.
-- Click on headline to read the rest of this
article by NDSU Agriculture Communication
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If you look at the research that Rick Funston and his University of
Nebraska colleagues have done on the affect of supplementation on cows
grazing winter range and corn stalks, the take-home message is a bit
confusing. Even in cows not supplemented with protein in the third
trimester of pregnancy, body condition score and rebreeding percent were
acceptable.
-- Click on headline to read the rest of this
story by Burt Rutherford
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JBS-Friboi says it will no longer buy cattle raised in areas of the
Amazon deforested after Sept. 23, and will remove as suppliers any farms
in the region involved with slave labor or caught raising cattle on
indigenous lands or protected areas.
“This is good news for the Amazon and the global climate. By the sheer
force of its size, the commitment of JBS-Friboi to stop destroying the
Amazon will help reduce the pressure that the cattle sector has been
exerting on the forest. It will also force thousands of its suppliers in
the Northern region of Brazil to strictly follow the environmental and
land tenure legislation, and to respect the biodiversity and the rights
of the indigenous people in the region,” said Marcio Astrini,
Greenpeace Amazon.
The decision by JBS-Friboi includes an obligation to implement a
traceability system within six months, based on maps from its cattle
suppliers in the Amazon. Once the system is in place, the company will
use it to exclude from its direct supply chain any farm involved with
deforestation in the Amazon after September 23. Within two years,
JBS-Friboi will extend the same monitoring system to its indirect
suppliers, farms that sell young cattle to ranchers that directly feed
the meat processing plants.
Greenpeace attributed the developments to the June release of its report
“Slaughtering the Amazon,” which it claims forced the main
international buyers of meat to exclude from their supply chain any
product connected with deforestation in the Amazon.
Greenpeace is pushing for creation of a global fund, financed from
emission allowances, to help developing countries end deforestation by
2020.
The "Slaughtering the Amazon" report can be found at www.greenpeace.org/international.
Meanwhile, Ibama – Brazil's environmental protection agency – plans
to remove 100,000 cattle being raised illegally in areas of Amazon
rainforest, as part of an operation to control deforestation due to
illegal cattle ranching. Brazilian newspaper O Globo reports that
Ibama will organize the removal of cattle on the border of Mato Grosso
and Para states. Ibama's inspectors have already impounded some 900
cattle and issued 100 million Brazilian reals ($51 million) in fines to
ranchers, the newspaper says.
-- Greenpeace and media reports
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Japan’s beef imports in August dropped by 15% from a year ago,
largely thanks to a significant decline in frozen beef imports from
Australia, reports Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA).
According to data released by Japan’s Ministry of Finance, Japan
imported 27,246 tons of Australian beef in August, down 21%
year-on-year. The fall mostly came from frozen beef, plummeting 33% from
August 2008 (and 11% lower than the five-year average) to 14,227 tons.
The volume of Australian chilled beef also fell, by 2% to 13,019 tons.
Weak performance of the Japanese foodservice sector appeared to have
impacted demand for Australian frozen beef, combined with the trade’s
cautious buying amid the country’s tight economy, MLA says.
Meanwhile, supplies from the U.S. maintained strong growth in August,
adding 26% on last’s year volume to 8,109 tons (58% of the pre-BSE
volume in August 2003). In the calendar year to August, beef imports
from the U.S. have totaled 43,312 tons, up 28% on last year, but still
25% of the volumes imported from the U.S. during the same period in
2003.
And, the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) reports that over the past
three years, the number of Japanese consumers who feel “extremely
safe” or “somewhat safe” in consuming U.S. beef has more than
doubled from 12.1% in 2006 to 30.1% in August 2009. Meanwhile, consumers
who feel “not very safe” or “not safe at all” have declined from
62.5% to 30.8%, while the balance have no firm opinion.
“The message of the quality, safety and wholesomeness of U.S. beef is
resonating with Japanese consumers,” said Takemichi Yamashoji,
USMEF-Japan senior marketing director. “Our programs are geared toward
reinforcing these positive perceptions among consumers and the trade,
and the trend is very positive.”
The survey found Japanese consumers look to the following sources to
reinforce their confidence in U.S. beef:
- 41% – safety approval by the Government of Japan.
- 23.4% – U.S. Government safety guarantees.
- 22.1% – safety approvals by specialists and celebrities.
- 20.5% – safety explanations offered by U.S. producers.
- 14.4% – serving of U.S. beef in well-known restaurants and
hotels.
-- Joe Roybal
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Last month, McDonald's added a new range of premium burgers – 100%
Australian Angus – to the menus of its 785 restaurants across
Australia. Demand doubled expectations and McDonald's beef sales have
surged 20% since the late-August launch.
Figures show fast-food retailers have been among the victors of the
economic downturn, as consumers sought to curtail spending and eating
more meals at home. And, in fact, 58% of Australians say they’ve cut
back on going to restaurants and bars, with 26% reporting they’ve
"significantly cut back” on such behavior.
But, apparently, it’s not the idea of meals under $5A that Aussie
consumers are opting for, but more “upmarket” choices. Instead of
pushing its value meals and dollar menu, McDonald's has gone
“upmarket,” reports farmonline.com. The meat patties
used in the Grand Angus and Mighty Angus burgers are 100% Australian
Angus beef and sell for $6A.45 and $6A.75, respectively. Furthermore,
the Angus campaign places emphasis on beef being locally sourced (an
ongoing concern for over a quarter of Australians). Leveraging the
burger range to both promote the McDonald's brand and tap into
Australian patriotism has been a strategic success.
-- farmonline.com
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Timing is everything when it comes to control of thistles, and
October to early November is one of the best times to use herbicides in
thistle control. A little control now, says Bruce Anderson, University
of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension forage specialist, can mean cleaner
pastures next spring.
A walk through infected areas this time of year will likely turn up
plenty of thistle seedlings in flat, rosette growth form, he says.
“These are very sensitive now to certain herbicides. So spray this
fall and thistles will not be a big problem next year,” he says.
Several herbicides are effective and recommended for thistle control, he
adds, with perhaps the most effective being a newer herbicide called
Milestone. Two other very effective herbicides are Tordon 22K and
Grazon.
“But be careful with Tordon and Grazon since they also can kill woody
plants, including trees you might want to keep. 2,4-D also works well
while it’s warm, but you will get better thistle control by using a
little less 2,4-D and adding a small amount of Banvel or dicamba to the
mix,” Anderson says.
Other herbicides also help control thistles in pastures – like Redeem,
Ally and Curtail – but no matter which weed killer is used, Anderson
cautions users to be sure to read and follow label instructions – and
be sure to spray on time.
-- Bruce Anderson, University of Nebraska
Extension
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U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and John Thune (R-SD) have
introduced the Veterinary Services Investment Act (VSIA). The bill would
establish a new grant program to assist states in addressing veterinary
workforce needs, such as recruiting veterinarians to work in underserved
areas, bolstering food safety and conducting surveillance of animal
disease.
Broad, bipartisan support for VSIA has grown substantially since a
companion bill, H.R. 3519, was introduced in the U.S. House of
Representatives in July, reports the American Veterinary Medical
Association (AVMA). In addition, 89 veterinary and agricultural groups
have joined the AVMA's letter endorsing the VSIA.
Under VSIA, veterinary clinics in rural areas and state, national,
allied or regional veterinary organizations, specialty boards or
veterinary medical association would be eligible to apply for grants.
Veterinary colleges, university research and veterinary medical
foundations, departments of veterinary science and comparative medicine,
state ag experiment stations, and state, local and tribal government
agencies would also be eligible to apply for grants.
More info is available at www.avma.org.
-- AVMA release
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Using sheep to control leafy spurge works best if done each spring,
an Agricultural Research Service (ARS) study concludes. In fact, just a
few years of sheep grazing during spring allows desirable forage grasses
to gain the upper hand as leafy spurge declines. Plus, it’s less
expensive than applying herbicides and replanting pastures.
Researchers at the ARS Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research
Laboratory in Miles City, MT, say one reason light spring grazing may
devastate leafy spurge –and perhaps other non-grassy weeds – is that
the defoliation stress triggers tannin production at the expense of
plant growth. Tannins often repel grazers, so there’s a selective
advantage to this kind of response, but an extensive loss of foliage is
too much of a detrimental offset.
Of course, desirable grasses are eaten by the sheep as well, but
grasses, unlike broadleaf plants such as spurge, are less appetizing to
sheep, the researchers report.
-- USDA ARS news release
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Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) Thursday announced a third herd
retirement for 2009 and the fourth in the past 12 months. All bids must
be postmarked by Oct. 15 and, as with the previous buy-out, this round
will accept bred heifers. Once the bid selection process is completed,
farm audits should begin the first week of November and be completed by
early December.
As with the two previous herd retirements of 2009, producers whose bids
are accepted will be paid in two installments: 90% of the amount bid
times the producer’s 12 months of milk production (from Sept. 1, 2008,
through Aug. 31, 2009) when it is verified that all cows have gone to
processing plants. The remaining 10% plus interest will be paid at the
end of 12 months if neither the producer nor the dairy facility –
whether owned or leased – go back into in the commercial production
and marketing of milk during that period.
“The herd retirement of late 2008, plus the two herd retirements so
far in 2009, have removed 226,000 cows from the nation’s dairy
herds,” said Jerry Kozak, president and CEO of the National Milk
Producers Federation, which manages CWT. “Those efforts have helped
adjust the supply of milk more in line with demand. This third herd
retirement of 2009, along with a stabilizing global economy, should
further accelerate the recovery in dairy farmers’ prices.”
For more info, go to www.cwt.coop.
-- CWT release
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The Husker Beef Nutrition Conference will be Nov. 6 at the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Ag Research and Development Center
near Mead. The program will look at recent research on improving feed
efficiency as well as ongoing research on distiller’s grains.
Registration is $25/person and may be paid on-site. For more info or to
register, contact Galen Erickson at geericks@unlnotes.unl.edu
or 402-472-6402.
-- UNL release
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Grams, kilograms, ml, cc; what does it all mean? What cattleman
hasn’t stood with medication in hand and wondered if he was helping or
making things worse with a wrong dosage. It really isn’t complicated,
but it may seem that way to livestock producers who don’t use these
applications in everyday life. Let’s shed some light on the subject.
-- Click on headline to read the rest of this
story by Dave Sparks DVM, Oklahoma State University
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World food production must increase by 70% by 2050 to nourish a
projected human population of 9.1 billion, says the UN Food and
Agricultural (FAO) Organization.
FAO released the report ahead of the high-level expert forum set for
Rome on Oct. 12-13 and entitled "How to Feed the World in 2050."
Gathering at the forum will be 300 specialists from academic,
non-governmental and private sector institutions, which will pave the
way for a World Summit on Food Security in Rome on Nov. 16-18.
The FAO report anticipates nearly all the population growth to occur in
developing countries, with Sub-Saharan Africa expected to grow the most
– 108%. Conversely, East and South East Asia will be up just 11%.
"Around 70% of the world population will live in cities or urban areas
by 2050, up from 49% today," the document says.
Food demand is expected to grow as a result of rising incomes, as well
as population growth. The paper says cereal production will have to
increase by almost 1 billion tons and, meat production by more than 200
million tons to reach a total of 470 million tons in 2050.
The FAO estimate that the "production of biofuels could also increase
the demand for agricultural commodities, depending on energy prices and
government policies."
More land will be needed for crops "despite the fact that 90% of the
growth in crop production is projected to come from higher yields and
increased cropping intensity."
The FAO estimates that "arable land will have to expand by around 120
million hectares in developing countries," mainly in Africa and Latin
America, while "arable land in use in developed countries is expected to
decline by some 50 million hectares, although this could be changed by
the demand for biofuels."
-- hindustantimes.com
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