Cattle TB Update
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has upgraded California’s cattle tuberculosis (TB) designation from modified accredited advanced to accredited-free. According to an APHIS release, California has met the criteria for accredited-free status by demonstrating that it has 0% prevalence of affected cattle or bison herds and has had no significant TB findings since the depopulation of the last affected herd in the state. Cattle or bison originating from an accredited-free state or zone may be moved interstate without restriction or TB-testing requirements.
According to the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC), all states are considered cattle TB-free except Michigan, Texas and New Mexico.
To learn more about TB and TB regulations, visit www.aphis.usda.gov, or visit www.tahc.state.tx.us to learn more about ongoing efforts in Texas to control the disease.
News From Safety Summit
Industry leaders and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) members met in Orlando, Fla., last week for the Beef Industry Safety Summit. Participants discussed advancements in food safety as well as successes in E. coli reduction.
Elsa Murano, Texas A&M University vice chancellor and dean of agriculture, delivered the keynote address, and participants updated the checkoff-funded Beef Industry Food Safety Council (BIFSCo) Best Practices guidelines, available at www.bifsco.org.
Other conference topics included pathogen reduction strategies, multi-drug resistant salmonella, listeria, dioxins, Johne’s disease, and foot-and-mouth (FMD) disease preparedness.
Feed Summary
A record corn crop led to sharp increases in feed grain ending stocks in 2004-2005, the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) has reported. For 2004-2005, total feed grain disappearance is projected at 288 million tons, up from 279 million tons recorded last year. According to the ERS, all domestic use categories showed year-over-year increases, but exports are expected to decline, with food, seed and industrial (FSI) use forecasts being set at a record 76 million tons. FSI use would represent 26% of total corn use, up 1% from 2003-2004 and 2002-2003 figures.
A record-breaking corn crop for 2004-2005 — at 11,807 million bushels — led to a rise in feed grain supplies, forecast at 350 million tons. Increased utilization did not exceed the growth in supply, and ending stocks are expected to increase. Corn used to make ethanol for 2004-2005 is forecast at 1,400 million bushels, up 20% from 2003-2004.
The ERS report shows hay production for 2004 at an estimated 158 million tons, up fractionally from 2003 totals. Prices for hay are up so far in 2004-2005, led by an increase in alfalfa hay prices.
To view ERS’ complete Feed Yearbook Summary, expected to be released electronically by Friday, visit www.ers.usda.gov.
Bird Flu Outbreak Contained
A recent North Korea outbreak of avian influenza has been contained, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) announced yesterday. The organization has urged residents to continue surveillance to ensure that no residual infection remains following the discovery of an H7 strain of the virus detected on three poultry farms near the capital of Pyongyang. For more information visit www.fao.org.
— compiled by Crystal Albers, Angus Productions Inc. assistant editor
