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News Update

September 7, 2012

EHD Cases Confirmed in Nebraska Cattle

According to state veterinarian Dennis Hughes, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture has confirmed nine cases of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) in cattle throughout Nebraska.

According to Hughes, the disease has been affecting Nebraska's deer population since the 1970s and is transmitted from deer to cattle by biting insects called midges.

"This is an unfortunate disease that has no preventative measures or treatment options for affected cattle," said Hughes. "The extreme hot and dry conditions that have persisted across Nebraska have contributed to the number of cases we are experiencing. The first frost should eliminate the disease-spreading midges."

EHD symptoms in cattle include fever, anorexia, reduced milk production, swollen eyes, redness and scaling of the nose and lips, nasal and eye discharge, ulcers on mouth, excessive salivation, lameness, swelling of the tongue, oral/nasal blisters, and labored breathing.

Producers with animals experiencing these symptoms are urged to contact their veterinarian immediately.

"Because these cases aren't confined to a particular area, we have been receiving many questions from both producers and veterinarians across the state," Hughes said.

"Therefore, we felt it necessary to share this basic disease information and urge producers to contact their local veterinarians if their animals are experiencing these symptoms."

Improving Cornstalks for Feed Is Topic at MU Beef Farm Forage Night, Sept. 20

The Beef Forage Field Day will be hosted at night, Sept. 20, at the University of Missouri (MU) South Farm.

"We could call it a poor-forage management program," says Justin Sexten, MU beef nutritionist. He oversees research and extension at the farm located under the TV tower on Highway 63.

Registration starts at 5:30 p.m., with an outdoor program at 6 p.m.

"We'll show what we have for getting the cows through the winter," Sexten says. He, like most farmers, knows what it is like to start feeding hay early.

Two demonstrations will show ways to improve nutrition from cornstalks and poor-quality Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) hay.

First, some high-nitrate stalks have been treated with anhydrous ammonia. "Ammoniation boosts protein and improves digestibility," Sexten says. "It's an old, proven process that becomes economically feasible with higher feed prices."

The other process, using hydrated lime, is largely unknown but has created lots of questions, Sexten says. Corn stover will be treated with calcium hydroxide.

"We have no research results on feeding hydrated stalks to beef cows," Sexten said. "We will be learning. But we do know it increases digestibility in the rumen."

Sexten will also discuss use of poor-quality hay cut from CRP acres.

To reduce waste of his limited supply of good hay, Sexten bought new "waste-free" bale feeders. He will compare the old bale rings with the new feeders this winter.

For the full release, click here.


Presidential Forum on Agriculture Sept. 12 in Des Moines

The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA), and Farm Foundation NFP today, Sept. 7, announce a Presidential Forum on Agriculture to be conducted from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012, at the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates, 100 Locust Street, Des Moines, Iowa.

Nebraska Senator and former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns will represent the Romney campaign and former Iowa Lt. Governor and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Patty Judge will represent the Obama campaign.

"It is a challenging time in agriculture and it is exciting to see the presidential campaigns engage directly on these important issues with leaders from across the country," said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey, who is the current NASDA President. "This forum will highlight the impact agriculture has on nearly every aspect of our economy. I encourage voters to tune in and learn more about where each candidate stands on important issues affecting agriculture."

For more information and the full release, click here.


UK Beef Integrated Resource Management Group Maps Future

Ten years ago, the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service gathered beef producers, extension agents and industry professionals in Asheville, N.C., near the world-famous Biltmore Estate to map the future of Kentucky's beef industry. After all, things were changing in Kentucky agriculture back then. The tobacco buyout changed the identity of Kentucky agriculture forever, and the state's beef industry was poised to elevate its profile.

There were several programs and ideas that came out of those meetings that have since helped advance Kentucky's beef industry, like the Master Cattleman Program, the Master Grazer Program and the Kentucky Grazing School, just to mention a few. Now the industry finds itself at another crossroads, and that's why many of the same people met once again in Asheville, looking to build on the success of a decade ago.

The theme of the leadership conference was, "Beef — It's a Brave New World," referring to issues facing producers now that weren't part of the landscape 10 years ago.

"We need to empower a new group of leaders and new programs that impact the industry in a measurable, marketable way," said Les Anderson, UK extension beef specialist and chairman of the Beef Integrated Resource Management team.

For the full release, click here.


Cattle Feeders Discuss Challenges

Cattle producers gathered at Feeding Quality Forum in Grand Island, Neb., and Amarillo, Texas, recently to discuss many top-of-mind topics including the ongoing drought, high feed prices, the shrinking cow herd and beef demand, and to share ideas on how to best deal with these and other ongoing challenges.

Pfizer Animal Health, Purina Land O' Lakes, Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB) and Feedlot Magazine co-sponsored the seventh annual meetings.

"When I look at profitability, our biggest problem is the cost of feed going forward," said market analyst Dan Basse of AgResource Co., who called the USDA's corn yield estimates high. "If we lose another billion bushels of corn, which I think is more and more likely, somebody will have to go without."

Cattle feeders may still have a slight advantage due to the poor quality of much of the crop, both in terms of low test weights and aflatoxin problems. Basse said cattle can use that more readily than other species and feeders may get some relief in terms of discounts.

"We are not in the camp that this corn crop is getting better," Basse said. "The only good news we have for all of you is that this is really bad-quality corn."

Higher feed costs may be recouped, in part, by feeding cattle longer and selling on a carcass weight rather than a live price, according to data from Professional Cattle Consultants. Those economics will drive carcass weights even higher, reinforcing a trend that's been on the upswing since the 1960s, predicts analyst Shawn Walter.

For the full release, click here.


Tyson Wins Donning-doffing Case

A federal appeals court ruled that Tyson did not underpay workers for donning and doffing activities.

A three-judge panel of the Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court ruling that Tyson Foods has not been underpaying employees working at the company's Lexington, Neb., plant, according to news reports.

The defendants argued that the company should pay for the time workers spend putting on uniforms and safety equipment, and performing sanitizing and other work.
The workers claimed that they were only paid for working on the production line plus four minutes for pre- and postproduction work. The defendants said those activities took 30 minutes daily to perform.

Worth Sparkman, a Tyson spokesman, said the company was pleased the Court of Appeals upheld the lower court's verdict in the company's favor, but declined further comment due to other pending wage and hour litigation. Tyson is also facing lawsuits from workers at the company's plants in Dakota City, Neb., and Madison, Neb.

Reserve Space for ICA Bull and Heifer Evaluation Programs

Iowa seedstock producers can enroll both bulls and heifers in an evaluation program managed by the Iowa Cattlemen's Association (ICA). The ICA Bull Evaluation Program has focused for nearly 30 years on improving genetics for Iowa's commercial cattle producers. The quality this past spring was reflected in record sales prices that were paid for both bulls and heifers.

Consignment and private reservations for fall-born and spring-born bulls will be taken through Sept. 30; while heifer reservations can be made through Nov. 18. Both dates can be extended if pens are not full. "The superior genetics that come from this program will again be offered to commercial cattle producers at three sales across Iowa in spring 2013," says Kellie Carolan, ICA's seedstock manager.

Each year, progressive breeders in the Midwest enter more than 300 bulls and 120 open heifers into the program for comparison and benchmarking. "The value of the ICA evaluation program is producers can compare their genetics to other producers through a program that has been in operation for 29 years," Carolan says. "This is an excellent opportunity to get important performance information on your seedstock without having to tie up lot space."

For more information the full release, click here.

Several central bull tests across the country are accepting delivery of bulls for fall tests. API is in the process of a major update to the central bull test listing in the API Virtual Library (see www.api-virtuallibrary.com/CentralBullTests.htm). Listings by state for tests in Alabama to New Mexico have been made, reports Angus Journal editor Shauna Hermel. Updates for tests in North Carolina through Wyoming should be posted by the end of the week.

Prevention Best for Protection from West Nile Virus

While the summer's widespread and severe drought negatively affected agriculture production in many areas, it does not appear to have significantly affected the mosquito population, with this year on track to have the highest number of West Nile cases since the virus was first detected in the U.S. in 1999.

Mosquitoes act as the vector carrying the West Nile virus from avian reservoirs to other mammals, particularly humans and horses. More than 1,500 cases of West Nile have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with 65 deaths. While the worst of the outbreak has been in Texas, Kansans have not escaped unscathed by the virus, with 19 reported cases and one death as of Aug. 28.

"The chances are real," said Ludek Zurek, entomologist with K-State Research and Extension. He said about 80% of people who contract West Nile exhibit no symptoms and simply develop long-lasting immunity as a result of exposure. Many of these cases are unreported. The other 20% experience flu-like symptoms and may not be diagnosed with the virus.

According to the CDC, only one in 150 positive cases will develop into the neuro-invasive form of the virus that can lead to paralysis and death. For Zurek, even that small chance is enough to warrant active preventive measures.

 

 
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