News Update
September 10, 2012
MU Wurdack Research Center Field Day Set for Friday, Oct. 5
Producers can learn strategies to stretch hay supplies, supplement poor-quality forage and renovate their pastures, and see a sawmill demonstration and more at the University of Missouri (MU) Wurdack Research Center's annual field day Oct. 5. Tours start at 9 a.m. Free lunch will be provided after morning tours.
Nestled along the Meramec River in the northeastern Ozarks, the center conducts demonstrations and research in integrated livestock, forages, forestry, agroforestry and wildlife management practices for the Ozark region of Missouri. It's part of a network of research centers across Missouri, extending the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources' (CAFNR) research to more than 14,000 acres to meet the regional research and demonstration needs of agricultural producers and natural resource managers.
Attendees can connect with University of Missouri experts at nine presentations throughout the day, including the following:
- Herd culling
- Renovating forages
- Improving your herd for premimum profits
For the full release, click here.
Leaf Wax May be Key to Drought and Heat Tolerance in Wheat
Wax build-up is not always a bad thing, according to a Texas A&M University soil and crop scientist. Dirk Hays, associate professor of cereal grain developmental genetics, has been researching leaf wax, it's variability in different genetic wheat lines and what difference the wax can make in heat and drought tolerance of the crop.
Hays recently returned from seven months of traveling on a Fulbright Regional Research Scholarship to India and Bangladesh.
"They have a similar problem to ours with terminal heat stress in wheat," Hays said. "Their problem is chronic, steady increases in heat, which impairs wheat development and decreases yield and quality.
"Our problem is sporadic, where the stress occurs with spiked temperatures. Under both cases, wheat, as in most crops, is extremely sensitive to flower and early seed abortion due to high temperature stress."
For the full release, click here.
Coalition Calls for Labeling of Mechanically Tenderized Meat
Citing the potential risk of pathogen contamination, a group of nine food safety organizations has called on Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to approve a proposal to label beef products that are mechanically tenderized.
An FSIS proposal to label mechanically tenderized meat has been under review at the Office of Management and Budget's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs since March — and the Safe Food Coalition is urging the Obama administration to approve it.
In a letter to Vilsack, the group argues that "consumers need to be provided with labeling information so that they can make appropriate selections and take the necessary steps in handling and cooking these products."
According to a 2010 analysis by the American Meat Institute (AMI) of recent illness-related recalls linked to mechanically tenderized beef products, all of the recalls were tied back to products that were altered further before consumption, such as through marination.
"Without a label to identify mechanically treated meat products, along with information to help mitigate the risk, the unsuspecting purchasers of these products — whether they are restaurant cooks or consumers — will have no idea that the product that they have selected needs additional protective handling and preparation," according to the letter.
Nominate Seedstock, Commercial Cattle Producers
The Iowa Cattlemen's Association (ICA) and the Iowa Beef Breeds Council are partnering to honor an outstanding seedstock producer and a top commercial producer for their efforts.
In both cases, the producers will be judged on management practices, involvement in the cattle industry and other achievements. Those nominated for the awards must be members of the ICA, and the seedstock award winner must also be a member of a state or regional breed association.
Nomination forms, which are available on the ICA website and through the Iowa Beef Breeds Council, are due Sept. 30. On www.iacattlemen.org, you can find the forms under the membership tab on the left side of the page; from that drop-down menu, select the Awards entry.
The top commercial producer award will be made at the ICA annual meeting in December, and the outstanding seedstock award will be made at the Iowa Beef Expo in February 2013.
Meat Production May Lead to Water Apocalypse, Study Says
As long as consumers slash their consumption of animal-based food calories to 5% from 20% currently, there should be just enough water to keep the human race alive, but not enough to produce affordable meat products.
So say researchers with the Stockholm International Water Institute. They've released a report that warns of a near-waterless world as early as mid-century if current production practices remain in place to produce enough meat to feed us.
Although beef prices are at historic highs, the appetite for ground beef has not diminished: Dollar sales of ground beef have remained strong this year, according to the Beef Checkoff.
That's the crux of the report, "Feeding a Thirsty World: Challenges and Opportunities for a Water and Food Secure World." According to the researchers, who analyzed current cropland, food production and purchasing power using World Bank statistics, the production of meat will become so expensive that few consumers will be able to afford it.
They found that there will not be enough water available on current croplands to produce food for the expected population in 2050 if the world follows the current Western diet of 3,000 kilocalories produced per capita (including 20% of calories produced coming from animal proteins).
Yet compared to 1977, beef production in 2007 required 30% fewer animals, 33% less land, 12% less water, 9% less fossil fuels and had a carbon footprint 16% lower per pound of beef, according to consultant Judith Capper.
Extension to Offer Nitrate Testing of Forages at Husker Harvest Days
University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) Extension will offer nitrate testing of cattle forages at Husker Harvest Days in Grand Island next week.
The free rapid testing will be available at the university's building during the event, Sept. 11-13. "If you are concerned that drought has damaged crops or other forages and want to know if the nitrate level is too high to feed, UNL extension can address these concerns," said Matt Luebbe, assistant professor of animal science.
To have forage tested, drop off samples that match what cattle will be fed or will graze as closely as possible, Luebbe said. "We can test the samples while you enjoy other exhibits," he added. "With the rapid test, we can usually determine if high nitrate levels exist within 1-2 minutes. After that we can quantify the amount of nitrates within an hour if the preliminary test is positive," he said. "If we determine your feedstuffs are high in nitrates, there will be UNL beef extension personnel available to help you tailor a feeding program that fits your needs and resources available."
Although the tests are not as comprehensive as those done by commercial labs, Luebbe said, results will help cattlemen decide how to feed these forages, or if additional commercial tests are necessary.
Review Session to Discuss Ins and Outs of
Direct Marketing Meat
While many farmers have been selling meat directly to consumers in the form of freezer beef, pork and lamb for years, the expanding local food movement offers interested producers additional opportunities, said Mark Mechling, agriculture and natural resources educator at the Muskingum County office of Ohio State University (OSU) Extension and a member of OSU Extension's Direct Marketing Team.
Traditional marketing of freezer meat involves the livestock farmer selling either a quarter, half or whole animal to one or several consumers, taking the animal to a licensed processor, then the consumers picking up the meat from the processor.
A growing number of producers want to know how they can market the processed meat products themselves through retail channels, such as farm markets, stores, restaurants or directly to consumers from the farm, Mechling said.
Mechling will discuss the rules, regulations, pros and cons of this growing trend in a session titled "Direct marketing of meat in Ohio" Wednesday, Sept. 19, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Farm Science Review near London.
The growing trend of purchasing meat directly from farmers has been driven more by consumers than producers, Mechling said.
"People want to find out where the product is coming from and ask questions," he said. "In some cases, it's people who grew up on a farm consuming their own meat, liked the taste of it, and now they're removed from the farm but still like the taste and are interested in supporting that local farmer."
Regardless of the reason, the reality is people will often pay more for directly marketed meat, so the potential for added profit exists, Mechling said.
For more information and the full release, click here.
Include Ammonium Tests When Taking Manure Samples
The best time to take manure samples is as you are hauling out the storage systems. Manure that is going to the field is the most representative of the nutrients per 1,000 gallons or per ton. Any agitation or mixing will have occurred and taking a manure sample at hauling time will help build a base line of nutrients applied per acre.
You won't get the results back in time for this year's application rates, but you will have them for future reference, to gauge consistency over time and to build credibility. It is easy to get busy hauling and forget to pull a sample — don't forget this fall!
Fill a plastic bottle, leaving a little empty space, clean it off and put it in the freezer. Mail it by overnight delivery. If the manure storage has a lot of variability from liquid to solids, taking several samples over the various consistencies will also be helpful in gauging future application rates and the fertilizer value back to the crop next season.
Most importantly, be sure to ask for not only the total nitrogen content in the manure, but also the Ammonium-N value as well. Often, this is a little more expensive but what is another $10 for a test when a 5,000 gallon tank of manure is worth about $200 in nutrients?
A list of manure testing labs can be found on Michigan State University's enviromental quality website, click here.
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