News Update
July 16, 2007

FSIS makes ‘downer’ rule permanent

The U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced a permanent prohibition on the harvest of cattle that are unable to stand or walk, according to an article appearing July 12 in Science Daily.

The agency’s rule cements what had been an interim final rule prohibiting the harvest of downer cattle. According to the article, the final rule becomes effective Oct. 1.

The rule is published in the July 13 Federal Register.

Kentucky Scientists Research Opportunities for Biomass, Hay Production

For the next four years scientists with the University of Kentucky (UK) College of Agriculture will work with farmers in northeast Kentucky on biomass production using switchgrass, as well as continue their work on hay production in the region.

Changes have taken place that make tobacco, once an important crop in northeastern Kentucky, a less viable income source. As a result, farmers have looked to other crops. Many alternatives have been suggested, but most require high capital investments and have limited market opportunities. Biomass production with switchgrass and similar crops provides a renewable fuel alternative that works well with existing hay production systems and equipment, said Ray Smith, UK forage specialist and principal investigator on the project. In other words, producers can produce biomass using their existing machinery.

Through a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board, the Kentucky Forage and Grasslands Council is funding UK’s work. The bulk of the research will be on biomass, as they work to demonstrate the region is capable of producing sustainable and economical biomass crops and at the same time, teaching production techniques to farmers and agents with UK’s Cooperative Extension Service, and developing viable markets for these crops. The hay portion of the project will continue work Smith and Tom Keene, UK hay marketing specialist, have been doing with producers in the area for the past two years on improving hay quality and marketing opportunities.

“Biomass has huge potential for the future,” Smith said. “Our main focus on the biomass project is to find alternative energy markets for our producers in Kentucky. We are working with 20 farmers within a 60-mile radius of Maysville. We chose Maysville because East Kentucky Power has a co-fired plant there that has the capability of burning biomass products.”

There are numerous emerging options for biomass, including electrical generation in co-fired units (like the one at East Kentucky Power in Maysville), pellet production for pellet-fueled home heaters, and cellulosic ethanol production. The dilemma is that energy companies want to be assured of an adequate supply while forage producers don’t want to grow something until they have a market for it, Smith said. This project is aimed at helping to solve those issues.

The 20 farms will each grow five acres of switchgrass, which Smith said is a proven biomass producer. Switchgrass will grow on poorer soils than typical crops and has lower nitrogen and fertility requirements while still producing high tonnage.

UK specialists will also look at a wide range of biomass crops in research trials at Lexington and at Eden Shale Farm. UK Variety Testing Specialist Gene Olson will head up the work. Smith noted a number of universities are involved in biomass research, but this project is somewhat unique in that they are also working with farmers on the production aspect. Not many others are doing that, he added.

— Release provided by the University of Kentucky.

Cattle Specialist Offers Pasture Management Tips for August

For cattle producers, August can be a time of transition — forages are maturing, weaning is approaching, the weather can be very hot and dry — and producers should be aware of their pasture conditions and herd health, a Kansas State University (K-State) animal scientist said.

Twig Marston, K-State Research and Extension beef specialist, offered these tips for producers as they manage their pastures and cow herds in August:

• Enhance grazing distribution with a mineral mixture placed away from water sources.

• Observe pasture weed problems to help plan control methods for next spring.

• Monitor grazing conditions and rotate cattle to different pastures, if possible and practical.

• Be prepared to provide emergency feeds if pastures run out in late summer. Providing supplemental feeding now can help extend the grazing period.

• Reduce spoilage and waste of forages by harvesting and storing properly.

• Have harvested forages analyzed for nitrate and nutrient composition.

• Plan a winter nutrition program through pasture and forage management.

• Supplement maturing grasses with a degradable intake protein for stocker cattle and replacement heifers.

• Avoid unnecessary heat stress by handling cattle during the coolest parts of the day.

• Repair, replace and improve facilities needed for fall processing.

• Order supplies, vaccines, tags and other products needed at weaning time.

If drought conditions develop and persist, Marston recommends that producers consider weaning calves earlier than normal. Early weaning can be effective if current range conditions are limiting milk production in cows and if the cows are losing weight or body condition.

Before weaning calves early, producers should make sure that they have the facilities and management available to handle lightweight calves, Marston said. First-calf heifers have the most to gain from early weaning, and feeding early-weaned calves is more efficient than feeding cows without weaning their calves.

— Release provided by K-State Research and Extension.

— compiled by Crystal Albers, associate editor, Angus Productions Inc.