News Update

News Update
March 18, 2008

Westland/Hallmark President Appears at House Hearing

Steve Mendell, president of Westland/Hallmark Meat Co., appeared before a House of Representatives Energy and Commerce investigative subcommittee March 12 to testify for the Southern California processing facility where undercover video taken by The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) showed what appeared to be downer cattle abused prior to harvest.

The video, released last month, sparked a firestorm of criticism among the public, lawmakers and others. It also triggered the recall of a record 143 million pounds (lb.) of beef processed during a two-year time period and distributed mostly to federal nutrition programs.

After watching part of the undercover video, Mendell abandoned his prepared testimony and admitted that his company likely allowed at least two downer cows into the food supply, The Associated Press (AP) reported.

Mendell said his company is “ruined” and approximately 220 employees have lost or are about to lose their jobs.

Bill Requiring Humane Treatment of Farm Animals Introduced

Colorado State Sen. Jim Isgar introduced a bill last week requiring the humane treatment of farm animals, The Durango Herald reported.

According to the article, Sen. Isgar is trying to head off a ballot initiative from animal-rights activists. The bill would require veal calves and pregnant pigs to be kept in roomier housing as opposed to confinement pens and gestation crates.

Isgar’s bill has not yet been scheduled for a hearing, but the Humane Society said it would support the bill and drop its ballot initiative if Isgar’s bill passes, according to the article.

Sioux Falls Regional Livestock to host Auctioneer Championship

Competitive livestock marketing at its best will be on display June 28 at the Sioux Falls Regional Livestock market in Worthing, S.D. Thirty-three of North America’s best livestock auctioneers will compete for the title of World Livestock Auctioneer Champion during the 45th annual World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC).

The annual contest, spotlighting the auction method of selling livestock and the vital role of the auctioneer in that process, is sponsored and conducted by Livestock Marketing Association (LMA), Kansas City, Mo. The contest is an actual sale, with cattle going through the ring.

Thirty-two of the championship semi-finalists qualified for the Worthing event through four WLAC quarter-final competitions conducted last fall and winter by LMA. The top eight scorers in each quarter-final move on to Worthing in June. The thirty-third contestant is the current International Auctioneer Champion.

The contest starts at 8 a.m. and is open to the public. Prior to selling cattle at the Saturday contest, the 33 semi-finalists are interviewed by a panel of LMA members on industry issues and topics. This interview will count for 10% of the semi-finalist’s score.

Saturday morning, the semi-finalists will each sell several drafts of cattle. The 10 top scorers then return for a final round of selling. The three titlists — world, reserve and runner-up champion — are announced at an awards banquet the evening of June 28.

The three winners take home thousands of dollars in cash and prizes, including, for the world champion, a year’s use of a new truck. For registration and program information, call LMA at 1-800-821-2048.

Draxxin® Receives New Label Claim for Treatment of Pinkeye

Draxxin® (tulathromycin) injectable solution is now approved for the treatment of infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis, commonly known as pinkeye, associated with Moraxella bovis in beef and non-lactating dairy cattle.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the claim after reviewing research that showed a single dose of Draxxin was effective against pinkeye associated with M. bovis.(1)

Not only can pinkeye be frustrating, it can also be economically damaging. In fact, pinkeye can cost U.S. cattle producers up to $150 million per year.(2)

According to Pfizer, Draxxin is also the only antibiotic approved for the treatment and control in cattle at high risk of developing bovine respiratory disease (BRD), also known as calf pneumonia, associated with all four major BRD bacterial pathogens: Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, Histophilus somni and Mycoplasma bovis. This leader in BRD therapy now provides producers with even more benefits.

It is available in four sizes (50-, 100-, 250-, 500-mL) to meet the needs of any operation. Always follow label instructions to ensure proper use of the product.

For more information about Draxxin, talk to your veterinarian or a Pfizer Animal Health representative. Do not use in female dairy cattle. Do not use in animals known to be hypersensitive to the product. Do not use in calves to be processed for veal. A withdrawal time has not been established for this product in pre-ruminating calves. Draxxin has a pre-harvest withdrawal time of 18 days. Visit http://draxxin.com for full prescribing information.

Data on file, studies 1133C-60-04-434 and 1133C-60-04-435, Pfizer Inc.
Kirkpatrick JG, Lalman D. Pinkeye in cattle: Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK). Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service web site. Available at http://cts.vresp.com/c/?BroadheadCo/73b71c6dce/12df6c68ab/6fd4b7019c

Accessed on Jan. 10, 2008.

— Release provided by Pfizer Animal Health.

ERS Releases Outlook

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service (ERS) released its meat price spreads and feed outlook March 14.

Available at www.ers.usda.gov/Data/MeatPriceSpreads/, the meat price spread data set provides monthly average price values, and the differences among those values, at the farm, wholesale, and retail stages of the production and marketing chain for selected cuts of beef, pork and broilers. In addition, retail prices are provided for beef and pork cuts, turkey, whole chickens, eggs and dairy products.

The feed outlook examines supply, use, prices, and trade for feed grains, including supply and demand prospects in major importing and exporting countries. It focuses on corn but also contains information on sorghum, barley, oats and hay.

Subscribe to the free electronic version to receive timely notification of newsletter availability. Users who subscribe to this newsletter will also receive articles on timely topics via e-mail notification. See http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/MannUsda/viewDocumentInfo.do?documentID=1273 for more information.

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