News Update
April 29, 2008

Annual KJAA Preview Show June 6-7

The Kansas Junior Angus Association (KJAA) will host its annual Preview Show June 6-7 at the Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson. The show will feature divisions for owned heifers, cow-calf pairs and steers, and for bred-and-owned bulls and heifers. All exhibitors will be eligible to compete in an age-appropriate showmanship class. A special showmanship contest will take place to select two juniors who will represent the KJAA in the National Junior Angus Showmanship Contest in Des Moines, Iowa, later this summer.

During the two-day event, juniors have the opportunity to compete in several educational contests, including a herdsman quiz, coloring contest, prepared public speaking and an extemporaneous speech contest, and sales talk competition.

Friday’s activities will end with a picnic for all. Awards for the contests as well as scholarships and other awards sponsored by the Kansas Angus Auxiliary will be presented. Picnic reservations are requested; cost is $7 per person and can be made by those not exhibiting cattle by emailing kansasangus@wbsnet.org. Entry forms and a complete schedule are available at www.kansasangus.org or can be requested by calling 620-872-3915. Show entry deadline is May 23

— Adapted from a release provided by the Kansas Angus Association.

Bush Criticizes ‘Bloated’ Farm Bill Proposals

President Bush called on lawmakers to reduce farm subsidies as part of the heavily debated Farm Bill being negotiated between the House of Representatives and the Senate this week.

According to The Associated Press (AP), the President again signaled signs of a veto if Congress failed to eliminate subsidy payments to “multimillionare farmers.”

Members of the conference committee were scheduled to meet today to continue work on the Farm Bill, which could cost almost $300 billion during the next five years, according to AP.

ERS: Record Demand Drives Feed Grain Prices Higher in 2007-2008

U.S. total feed grain disappearance for 2007-2008 is projected at 354 million metric tons, up from 301 million in 2006-2007. Food, seed, and industrial (FSI) use is forecast at a record 118 million tons, boosted by strong demand for corn to produce ethanol. Exports are projected at 72 million tons, up from 58 million last year. The expected growth in utilization will exceed the growth in supply, leaving ending stocks less than their 2006-2007 level. U.S. feed and residual use of the four feed grains plus wheat in September-August 2007-2008 is expected to be up 9.9 million metric tons from the 154.0 million metric tons used in September-August 2006-2007.

The grain used per grain-consuming animal unit (GCAU) in 2007-2008 is expected to be 1.73 tons, up from 1.67 tons in 2006-2007. Corn is expected to represent 95% of feed and residual use for all feed grains including wheat in 2007-2008, up from 92% in 2006-2007.

U.S. corn production in 2007-2008 was a record 13.1 billion bushels (bu.), up from last year’s crop of 10.5 billion bu.

Total corn utilization in 2007-2008 is projected at a record 13,110 million bu., up from 11,210 million in 2006-2007. Utilization is forecast up for FSI, feed and residual, and exports.

With utilization higher than supply, ending stocks are projected to decrease 21 million bu. to 1,283 million bu. The season average farm price is projected at a record $4.10-$4.50 per bu., up from $3.04 per bu. in 2006-2007. Corn FSI use in 2007-2008 in the United States is expected to total 4,460 million bu., up from 3,488 million in 2006-2007. FSI use would represent 34% of total corn use, up from 31% in 2006-2007 and 26% in 2005-2006. Corn used to make ethanol for 2007-2008 is forecast at 3,100 million bu., up 46% from 2006-2007. In January 2008 (latest data available), ethanol production reported by the U.S. Department of Energy was 510,000 barrels per day, up from 375,000 barrels in January 2007 as new plants have come on stream.

 For more information visit www.ers.usda.gov.

— Adapted from a release provided by ERS.

Study: Healthy ‘Depots’ Discovered in Beef Brisket

The beef brisket, treasured by most Texas barbecue connoisseurs and a common staple found inside smoking pits throughout the Lone Star State, contains “depots” or tiny reservoirs of healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, according to new research. Oils like olive or canola are the best sources of monounsaturated fatty acids since they contain 70% to 80% oleic acid, according to experts. “However, the fat in beef brisket from corn-fed steers contains nearly 50% oleic acid, and oleic acid increases the longer cattle are fed a corn-based diet,” said Stephen Smith, a Texas AgriLife Research meat scientist and professor in the department of animal science at Texas A&M University (TAMU). Smith chaired a thesis study conducted by Stacey Turk, a TAMU animal science graduate student. Turk’s study could trigger a change in how meat processors view the brisket by offering a ground product that’s more nutritious than those found in retail grocery outlets today.

“We found the brisket to be the most healthful area of the carcass,” she said. “The brisket in the southern parts of the U.S. is a well-known product. However in the Midwestern and eastern parts, briskets might be used for corned beef products and the rest is shipped to the southern states. Processors could use this idea to utilize the brisket for a healthier ground product.”

This would allow processors to place a premium on a “ground brisket” and market the product, Turk said. “Even if processors don’t want to grind the whole brisket, the point of the brisket where the web muscle lies is where a lot of the fat is, and this could be separated from the other part and used for a ground product,” she said.

However, “fat” isn’t a favored word among meat processors for fear they will turn away heart-healthy conscious consumers. Attempts to overcome this marketing hurdle will be a challenge, experts say. “I’ve talked to different producer groups, and I’m trying to get the industry to capitalize on this,” Smith said. “They don’t want to talk about fat in their product, and I can understand that.”

However, producers of Wagyu beef raised in Japan, U.S. or Australia aren’t afraid of the association with fat. Wagyu beef is known for its high marbling and monounsaturated fat. “They produce a highly marbled product and the more marbling, the healthier its fat composition,” Smith said. “They’re not afraid of fat, and I hope the rest of the industry sees that.” Turk’s research suggests cattle breed type plays a role in determining unsaturation or saturation of fat depots. This research points to Wagyu cattle containing higher percentages of the monounsaturated palmitoleic and oleic acids and lower percentages of the saturated palmitic and stearic acids than our domestic breed types. Diet and time on feed “strongly affect total fatty acid composition of fat depots,” Turk said. Oleic acid levels increased with a feeder cattle’s age as well as with time on a corn-based diet. A new challenge is the current price of corn. At more than $5 a bushel (bu.), it’s costing feedlot operators more money to fatten feeder cattle on corn grain products prior to shipping to the packing plant, Smith said.

But there’s hope, Smith said. By identifying fat depots that carry the beneficial monounsaturated fatty acids, operations in trimming rooms at meat processing plants can be modified without expensive equipment. “You don’t have to change the way you produce those cattle, what you can change is in the trimming room and how you partition off those depots,” Smith said. Smith provided an example. “My wife likes a certain supermarket, and when she goes in, she wants to buy a brisket,” he said. “It costs a couple of dollars per pound, but she wants it trimmed. If they trim off the outside fat, she usually breaks even since it goes up in price, but weighs less. That fat trim is thrown away and could have otherwise been salvaged and partitioned back at the processing plant and used in ground beef.” Overall, the research could be adopted with little capital expense through the beef-processing sector, Turk said. “The beef industry can utilize this information to adopt a relatively easy and inexpensive method to increase the nutritional quality of processed beef products by selecting specific fat trimmings,” Turk said.

— Release provided by Texas AgriLife Extension.

GlobalVetLink Electronic Signature Advancement Approved by USDA

GlobalVetLink (GVL) has announced USDA approval of a security enhancement for electronic signatures, which allows veterinarians to electronically sign official electronic certificates of inspection and route them to appropriate animal health officials.

According to the GlobalVetLink, the Internet-based animal health system allows veterinarians and diagnostic laboratories to more efficiently and accurately complete the regulatory requirements for interstate animal movement and equine infectious anemia (EIA; Coggins) testing. The GVL system also allows state animal health authorities to track and regulate animal movement nationally, in real-time.

“GlobalVetLink’s seven-year growth of state and diagnostic laboratory participation continues to validate the regulatory services we provide the veterinary and regulatory communities,” says Kevin Maher, GVL president and founder. “Our paperless applications are easy to use, delight animal owners, and facilitate regulatory compliance for interstate and international transportation of animals.”

Electronic certificates of veterinary inspection contain various forms of animal identification (ID), including digital photos, and required tests, vaccinations and other regulatory requirements to allow animal entry into a state or event. The web-based platform provides real-time reporting of animal movements to all 50 state animal health authorities. The GlobalVetLink system also integrates with an ever-increasing number of practice management applications, to ease the data entry transition by veterinary practices, according to the company.

Accredited veterinarians with clients shipping any animals may request more information or subscribe to the service by contacting GlobalVetLink at 515-296-3779 or via the Internet at www.globalvetlink.com.

— Release provided by GlobalVetLink.

Pfizer to Acquire Schering-Plough Animal Health Products

Pfizer Animal Health has entered into an agreement to acquire multiple product franchises from Schering-Plough Corp. covering all major animal health species including cattle, swine, equine and companion animals.

Specifically, Pfizer Animal Health will acquire from Schering-Plough a number of animal health products for sale in the European Economic Area covering the following categories:

• Swine E. coli vaccines
• Equine influenza and tetanus vaccines
• Ruminant neonatal and clostridia vaccines
• Rabies vaccines
• Companion animal veterinary specialty products
• Parasiticides and anti-inflammatories

The acquisition is subject to certain closing conditions, including anti-trust approval. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Pfizer Animal Health’s Europe President, Albert Bourla, said that the acquisition will enable Pfizer Animal Health Europe to build upon its comprehensive animal health solutions for veterinarians and their clients — farmers and pet owners — in Europe.

 — Release provided by Pfizer Animal Health.

Simplot to Acqiure Britz Fertilizers

J. R. Simplot Co. (Simplot) and Britz Fertilizers Inc. (BFI) have signed a letter of intent for a business venture wherein Simplot would acquire a majority interest in BFI’s agricultural inputs business.

BFI is a privately held California retailer and wholesaler of plant nutrients, crop protection products and seed. It offers a wide variety of agronomic services including aerial and satellite imagery.

Both firms are privately held, so details of the intended transaction were not released. The parties anticipate that the transaction will be completed by Sept. 1.

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