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This week, it was announced that Japan had agreed to discontinue
inspections of entire meat shipments from the U.S. Both sides also
agreed to speed up and facilitate Japan's inspection of U.S. plants to
make implementation follow more quickly.
As President Bush and Japan's Prime Minister Abe prepare to meet at Camp
David this weekend, signals abound that the Japanese are prepared to be
more reasonable and implement a more science-based approach in the U.S.
beef trade.
Click here to read more of this story by Troy
Marshall
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The old axiom about learning from one's mistakes gets inscribed on
the hearts of almost anyone who manages a cattle operation in very short
order. That's because it seems like, no matter how much time and effort
you put into managing your operation more efficiently, you end up making
a plethora of mistakes, which then leads up to a whole lot of knowledge.
Click here to read more of this story by Troy
Marshall
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The POWER of one BRAND can change your future in the beef
business.
Certified Angus Beef ®, the oldest, most successful branded
beef program in the industry returned more than $50 million in grid
premiums in 2003. The demand for CAB® brand products translates into
fed cattle premiums of $2-$5/cwt. Source-verified, high-percentage Angus
replacement females often top auctions by selling for $50-$100 per head
above cash market. Sale barn surveys conducted at nine auction markets
indicated premiums are paid, not for black-hided cattle, but for
high-percentage-Angus cattle.
One brand, one breed--the power of one can change your future in the
beef business.
www.angus.org
Certified Angus Beef® and CAB® are registered trademarks of
Certified Angus Beef, LLC
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USDA's April 20 Cattle-On-Feed Report indicates northern feedlots
again appear to be feeding more cattle relative to last year and
relative to the south, writes Dillon Feuz, Utah State University
economist, at www.lmic.info/.
South Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska on-feed totals were up 10%, 6% and 3%,
respectively. Meanwhile, Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma on-feed totals were
down 5%, 4% and 3%, respectively, lending more credence to reports that
cattle feeding is gravitating toward ethanol-production areas.
The latest report also showed surprisingly lower than expected
marketings for the month of March. The report cited marketings of 1.85
million head, 6% lower than last year and 2% lower than expected.
Reported placements were on the mark of expectations at 1.97 million
head, 7% more than a year ago, and putting the total number of cattle on
feed for April 1 to 11.64 million head -- 1% below the prior year and 1%
more than the trade had anticipated.
- www.lmic.info/
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Iowa displaced Nebraska for the top spot in commercial red-meat
production in March, USDA says. Iowa produced 552.2 million lbs. of red
meat to eclipse Nebraska, which was down 5% to 550.3 million lbs., from
its March 2006 total of 577.2 million lbs. Nationwide, commercial
red-meat production totaled 4.01 billion lbs. in March, 2% off March
2006's 4.11 billion lbs.
Meanwhile, beef production nationwide totalled 2.12 billion lbs., 4%
below the previous year, while cattle slaughter totaled 2.79 million
head, down 2% from March 2006. The average live weight decreased 10 lbs.
from March 2006, at 1,259 lbs. Kansas was March's top cattle-harvest
state with 648,100 head killed.
Nationwide, veal production totaled 13.5 million lbs., 7% above March a
year ago, while pork production totaled 1.86 billion lbs., 1% off last
March's pace. Lamb and mutton production was up 7% to 19.6 million lbs.
-- USDA release
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Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is in Washington, D.C. this
weekend to meet with President Bush. The Kyodo News quoted
Japanese government sources this week as saying Abe plans to inform Bush
that -- upon favorable inspection results of U.S. beef plants -- Japan
will begin to consider easing import restrictions on U.S. beef.
Currently only boneless product from cattle less than 20 months of age
is exportable to the Japanese market.
In addition, USDA Secretary Mike Johanns announced Japan and the U.S.
have agreed on steps to expand U.S. beef trade with Japan. USDA has
approved Japan's request to conduct additional audits of U.S. beef
processing plants. According to USDA, once the verification process is
complete, Japan will discontinue its requirement of inspecting 100% of
the boxes of beef shipped from U.S. plants.
Johanns said, "The U.S. expects Japan, as well as all of our trading
partners, to implement import requirements for U.S. beef and beef
products as soon as possible that are based on science and consistent
with international guidelines, including those of the World Organization
for Animal Health (OIE)."
U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Phil Seng heralded
the agreement and the work of negotiators, saying: "This is welcomed by
not only the U.S. beef industry, but also the Japanese trade importing
the product."
USMEF forecasts a doubling of U.S. beef exports compared to the current
level as the "Zenpako Kensa," or 100% testing policy, has been a hugely
limiting factor to the pace of U.S. beef exports, a news release said.
-- P. Scott Shearer, Washington, D.C.,
correspondent
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If conservation of organic matter in taken into account, farmers
have to cut in half the amount of cornstalks that can be harvested to
produce ethanol, according to USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
scientists.
Jane Johnson, a soil scientist with the ARS North Central Soil
Conservation Research Laboratory at Morris, MN, found that twice as many
cornstalks have to be left in the field to maintain soil organic matter
levels, compared with the amount of stalks needed only to prevent
erosion.
For example, 213-bu./acre corn yields leave about 4 tons of stalks/acre.
Farmers could harvest about 2 tons of stalks/acre for conversion to
cellulosic ethanol -- but only from land with low erosion risk, using
little or no tillage. If the field is rotated with soybeans, only about
1 ton/acre of stalks can be removed to compensate for the lower biomass
left by the soybeans.
--Agricultural Research Service
release
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Oklahoma's governor has signed a state law that declares animal
manure is not hazardous waste. In addition, the bill extends the
protection to associated material such as bedding and compost; raw
materials or other nonhazardous material commingled with manure;
nonhazardous process water associated with manure or materials; or
nonhazardous byproducts, constituents or substances contained in or
originating from the manure, materials or process water.
Not only is the bill a win for Oklahoma agriculture, which was facing a
concerted effort by the state's attorney general to declare manure a
hazardous substance, but it will be helpful in Washington, D.C. in
getting a federal law passed that brings some common sense to the effort
by anti-beef activists to declare manure a Superfund substance.
-- Burt Rutherford
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The House of Representatives passed the Water Resources Development
Act, which provides for $3.5 billion for modernization of the locks and
dams on the Upper Mississippi River and the Illinois River. This
legislation has been a priority of U.S. agriculture.
The National Corn Growers Association said, "An upgraded system is
urgently needed to ensure U.S. farmers can efficiently move their crops
to market and stay competitive in the international marketplace. The
bill also would create a new ecosystem restoration program for the Upper
Mississippi River Basin that would significantly enhance the natural
resources of the region."
-- P. Scott Shearer, Washington, D.C.,
correspondent
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The American Meat Institute (AMI) asked Congress and the
Administration this week to consider tax incentives and other
legislative initiatives to support "energy-based" opportunities for
animal agriculture. Because of the increased demands on corn from the
ethanol industry, AMI urged Congress to take action in four areas:
- Expand research in ethanol byproduct safety, quality and
usability, and renewable energy technologies, such as renewable diesel,
biogas and cellulosic conversion.
- Establish equity of incentives for all renewable energy, including
renewable diesel and methane conversion.
- Support a working lands conservation program to encourage
environmentally friendly feed stuffs production.
- Expose consumers to more renewable fuels by allowing the ethanol
tariff to expire.
-- P. Scott Shearer, Washington, D.C.,
correspondent
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Average retail prices for gasoline and diesel nationwide both saw
drops for the week of April 23, reports the Energy Information
Administration. Gasoline fell 0.7¢ to $2.86/gal., while diesel
shaved 2.6¢ to $2.851.
The gasoline price is 4.5¢ lower than at this time last year.
Recording decreases were the East Coast, down 0.4¢ to $2.835, the
Midwest down 3.2¢ to $2.775, and the Gulf Coast down 0.8¢ to
$2.755. Meanwhile, the Rocky Mountain region saw a 4.3¢ increase to
$2.844, the West Coast rose 2.3¢ to $3.218, and California
experienced a 1.1¢ increase to $3.316 -- 24.8¢ more than last
year.
Meanwhile, the national average retail price for diesel is 2.5¢
lower than at this time last year, with all regions reporting decreases
for the week. The East Coast fell by 2.5¢ to $2.837/gal., the
Midwest was down 3.3¢ to $2.831, the Gulf Coast fell 3.4¢ to
$2.815, the Rocky Mountain area chipped off 0.3¢ to $2.978, and the
West Coast fell a similar amount to $2.953. California prices fell
1.1¢ to $3.004/gal., 9.9¢ lower than at this time last year.
--Energy Information
Administration
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The Dutch Ministry of Agriculture announced last Friday the
discovery of a seven-year-old cow infected with BSE. The case is the
Netherland's 83rd BSE case since 1997 but the first since March 2006.
AFP News reports one cow from the same farm as the confirmed
BSE-positive cow, and another six from other farms believed at risk for
BSE because they received the same feed or were descendants of the
confirmed case, were also culled.
The Netherlands has so far recorded two cases of the human form of BSE
-- variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease -- since the disease first appeared
in 1996.
-- Joe Roybal
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Pharmaceutical technologies -- parasite control products, growth
implants, sub-therapeutic antibiotics, ionophores and beta-agonists --
have a profound impact on the U.S. beef industry. But how much? Iowa
State University economists estimate the direct cost savings to
producers is $365/head over the lifetime of an animal.
Click here to read more of this story by Joe
Roybal
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Here's a rundown of reports on hay-stand conditions following the
Easter weekend cold snap:
- Garry Lacefield, University of Kentucky forage specialist, says
he's amazed at the amount of variation in damage that occurred after
seven weeks of unusually warm temperatures and rapid forage growth were
followed by four days of record-setting low temps. Little damage is
evident on tall fescue, orchardgrass, Kentucky bluegrass and timothy,
with only leaf tip burning in most cases, he reports. Some ryegrass
damage was seen, but a very high percentage of alfalfa's terminal buds
were killed by April 8's extreme low temps. He's optimistic about future
growth because crowns and crown buds are still alive.
Click here to read more of this story by Hay & Forage Grower
magazine
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Take the Producer Poll!
Results from last week's poll:
What time of the year do you typically vaccinate your breeding-age cows
and heifers?
- Pre-breeding: 44.44%
- Preg-check: 38.89%
- Other: 16.67%
- Don't vaccinate: 0%
Vote now to answer
this week's question:
Do you vaccinate against Lepto hardjo-bovis?
- Yes
- No
- Not sure
- No, but I'm thinking about including it
Stay tuned next week for the poll results and a new question.
Sponsored by Vira
Shield 6+VL5 HB.
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As the full extent of the Easter freeze becomes apparent, many wheat
growers may opt to salvage their crop by haying or grazing. Before
haying or grazing, check the wheat for nitrate levels, says David
Mengel, Kansas State soil fertility expert.
"A very limited number of freeze-damaged wheat samples taken recently
have shown high nitrate levels -- 6,000 to 15,000 parts per million
(ppm) -- in the forage," Mengel says. "The highest levels came from
fields fertilized shortly before the freeze."
Nitrate levels higher than 6,000 ppm can cause problems, like bloat and
grass tetany.
--KSU release
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Sens. Ben Nelson (D-NE) and Larry Craig (R-ID) have introduced the
"Biogas Production Incentives Act of 2007," which could provide
renewable energy sources produced from animal wastes. The legislation
promotes the development of biogas through tax incentives and guaranteed
loans for small businesses. Biogas is a natural gas substitute created
by the anaerobic digestion of animal wastes.
The legislation proposes:
- Providing biogas producers with a tax credit of $4.27 for every
million British thermal units of biogas produced;
- Providing loans, loan guarantees and/or grants for the multi-farm
collection and transportation of qualified energy feedstock from smaller
livestock operations to a qualified facility, or for the purchase or
construction of equipment or facilities for collection and
transportation;
- Creating a countercyclical safety net for biogas producers by
providing payment from Commodity Credit Corporation funds to qualified
biogas producers only when the annual average daily prices of natural
gas falls below a certain level.
Sen. Nelson said, "The technology to break down animal wastes to create
biogas already exists but it needs encouragement from the federal
government to become a commercially-viable alternative to natural gas.
This new energy source would benefit rural communities and the
environment while lessening our dependence on fossil fuels."
Sen. Craig added, "Creating another market for a commodity is helpful
but, as we have seen with corn-based ethanol, it can have negative
consequences. However, creating a product out of waste is a
groundbreaking opportunity to assist our livestock farmers. You create a
new market, help control waste, keep our environment clean, and create a
new revenue stream for farmers."
-- P. Scott Shearer, Washington, D.C.,
correspondent
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USDA Secretary Mike Johanns announced that USDA has sent to Congress
its legislative language for the credit and conservation titles of the
farm bill. Next week, USDA will send the legislative language for the
energy and rural development titles. The information is available on
USDA's website www.usda.gov.
--P. Scott Shearer, Washington, D.C.,
correspondent
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This year Camp Cooley Ranch celebrates 20 years of
ultrasound performance in our Brangus herd. From this work results some
of the most powerful, performance proven Brangus, Angus and Charolais
bulls to ever sell at Camp Cooley. Your search for Quality in
Volume begins and ends at Camp Cooley Ranch. Give us a call or
stop by for a visit!
www.campcooley.com
1-800-251-0305
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Ten videos have been added to the Tennessee Cattle Lane video
series, part of an online library offered by the beef program of
University of Tennessee. The new selections focus on animal ID, calf
management, stockpiling fescue and animal nutrition.
More than 30 beef production and management topics are now featured in
the series. For a complete list of topics, visit www.tncattlelane.org. There is no
fee to view the videos or to print the accompanying fact sheets.
-- Joe Roybal
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This time of year, many Extension beef cattle educators preach the
importance of a short breeding season where most of the cows and heifers
conceive on the first service. Certainly a number of issues can affect
how long it takes to get the entire herd settled, but a tight breeding
season offers the opportunity to manage and market the resulting calves
as one consistent group.
However, have you ever considered the direct economic benefit of cows
that conceive on the first cycle? Assuming adequate nutrition is
available, a good calf is likely gaining about 2.25+/ lbs./day at
weaning time. If born 21 days later than his counterpart, a calf could
easily weigh 40-50 lbs. less as a feeder calf come market time in fall
2008. If feeder calves are worth $1.20/lb. next fall, one missed
breeding cycle could cost $50-60 for each calf that is born only one
cycle late. For a cow that's two cycles late, those numbers double.
Herd health (vaccinations, etc.), cow body condition (nutrition), bull
(breeding) power, bull breeding soundness and estrus synchronization
programs are all factors that equate to getting cows settled early in
the breeding season. Now's the time to consider the economic impact of
each of these management opportunities as it relates to the harvest of
your 2008 calf crop.
-- Stan Smith, Ohio State University
Extension
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Fresh water on demand, 24 hours a day.
Ritchie manufactures a complete line of livestock watering products with
the highest specifications in the industry. Ritchie fountains are
available in stainless steel, heavy-duty poly or both and backed by a 10
year limited warranty. Contact us at 800-747-0222. www.ritchiefount.com
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The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation hosts its Noble Foundation
Livestock School May 8, at the Southern Oklahoma Technology Center in
Ardmore. Information on the key elements of building and managing a
healthy cow-calf production system will be presented.
The morning session kicks off at 9 a.m. with an overview of the Noble
Foundation's Beef Production System protocols, followed by a
presentation on selecting bulls and cows, defining a calving season, and
the advantages of pairing calves and cows. After lunch, herd health
programs, preconditioning and economic/market outlooks will follow, with
the program winding up at 3:30 p.m.
Registration, which includes lunch, is $10. To register, call
580-224-6501 or visit www.noble.org/agevents.
-- Joe Roybal
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Cow-calf producers and graziers should mark their calendars for two
dynamite, production-oriented meetings slated for mid December.
- First off, the 2007 Range Beef Cow Symposium, a practical,
production-oriented symposium for cow-calf producers that is staged
every other year by the Extension organizations of South Dakota,
Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska, is set for Dec. 11-13 in Ft. Collins,
CO. Set for the Larimer County Fairgrounds, the meeting features
presentations on the practical aspects of such cow-calf production
topics as genetics, reproduction, range and forage management, cattle
health, beef nutrition, and more. To learn more, contact Colorado State
University Extension Beef Specialist Jack C. Whittier at 970-491-6233 or
jack.whittier@colostate.edu.
- Meanwhile, the Alabama Forage Conference is set for Dec. 13 in Troy,
AL. For more information, call Eddie Jolley at 334-887-4564 or Don Ball
at 334-844-5491.
-- Joe Roybal
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