News Update
April 1, 2009

Feed Efficiency Analyses from Igenity® Now Available for All Breeds

Analyses for residual feed intake (RFI) are now available from Igenity® for both Bos taurus and Bos indicus breeds of cattle. These analyses have been independently researched in the United States, Canada and Australia, and are third-party validated, according to Merial.

Igenity provides individual RFI analysis for both Bos taurus and Bos indicus cattle, as well as offering DNA analysis for average daily gain (ADG). Stewart Bauck, Igenity executive director of research and development, says this means producers can use Igenity to help evaluate efficiency and growth in animals at any age.

RFI, also called net feed efficiency, describes how an animal’s feed intake differs from its expected feed intake based on its maintenance and growth requirements. Low RFI is more desirable than high RFI, since a low-RFI animal will either eat less with the same gains or gain more from the same amount of feed.

Producers can choose to use a combination radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and tissue collection device, making DNA collection and electronic identification (ID) possible in one simple step. Igenity also offers information management software programs and one-on-one help to assist producers.

For more information, contact your Igenity sales representative, call 1-877-IGENITY or visit www.igenity.com/beef.

— Adapted from a release provided by Merial.

Moisture Hits Texas Panhandle, but Drought Remains

Moisture, whether it came as snow, hail or rain, was generally welcomed through large parts of the state, according to a release distributed today by Texas AgriLife Extension Service personnel.

Much of East Texas received 2-3 inches (in.) of rain, with as much as 8 in. in one county. But many other parts of the state remain in desperate need of moisture, according to the release.

In the Panhandle, a blizzard brought as much as a foot of snow, providing moisture for fields and pastures but putting livestock at risk, reported David Graf, AgriLife Extension agent in Sherman County, north of Amarillo.

One to 2 inches of hail brought moisture to Uvalde County in Southwest Texas, but damaged portions of the county’s onion crop and newly emerged corn.

For additional regional weather summaries from Texas AgriLife Extension district reporters, visit http://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu.

— Adapted from a release provided by Texas AgriLife Extension.

New Holland Debuts NH2T Hydrogen-Powered Tractor

New Holland’s experimental hydrogen-powered NH2T tractor is a key element in a project that hopes to free farmers from the cost of purchased fossil-fuel and allow them to achieve fuel autonomy. The concept is a natural fit with New Holland’s Clean Energy Leader position, which saw the company lead the industry with its support for 100% biodiesel without complicated servicing programs or reduced machine performance.

Based on the popular New Holland T6000 Series tractor, the experimental NH2T tractor replaces the traditional combustion engine with hydrogen fuel cells to generate electricity. Compressed hydrogen drawn from a tank on the tractor reacts in the fuel cell with oxygen, drawn from the air, to produce water and electrons. The electrons are harnessed in the form of an electric current, which drives electric motors to power the tractor’s drive train and auxiliary systems.

More than just an idea, the NH2T tractor is a 106 horse power (hp) working prototype able to perform all the tasks of a T6000 tractor, while operating virtually silently and emitting only heat, vapor and water. The fuel cell generates less heat than an internal combustion engine, offers a consistent output of power and does not produce polluting nitrogen oxides, soot particles or carbon dioxide. The clean operation of the tractor brings added health benefits when working in confined areas, such as barns or greenhouses.

Hydrogen-powered vehicles have been in development for several years, offering many benefits over battery-driven vehicles, which are efficient only in a stop-and-start cycle and take a long time to recharge. The working cycle of agricultural vehicles is similar to a car running on the highway at a constant speed. Vehicles powered by hydrogen overcome these obstacles by using a compressed-hydrogen fuel to feed automotive fuel cells to generate electricity.

Fuel cells have a long working life and avoid the environmental issues of disposing of batteries, which loose their accumulation capacity during their life. Energy-dense compressed hydrogen can be stored conveniently in a tank, allowing the energy to be stored for an extremely long period and the vehicle to be refuelled quickly.

For more information, visit www.newholland.com/na.

— Release provided by New Holland.

CSU Offers New Sustainable Food Course Based on Interest in Buying Locally

An increasing interest in purchasing food locally is changing the local food culture in the Fort Collins area. For the first time ever, the city has been able to host a farmer’s market at least once every month year-round, including the winter months.

Colorado State University’s (CSU’s) Division of Continuing Education and Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) are offering local citizens a course on the basics of buying local, covering topics such as why it is important and where to go to buy locally. The course is being organized by Be Local Northern Colorado and the Northern Colorado Food Incubator.

The course, “Local Food — A Sustainable Menu for the Future,” will be from 1-3 p.m. on Wednesdays, April 22-May 13 at College America, 4601 Mason St., Fort Collins, Colo.
Members of OLLI enjoy a variety of class offerings throughout the year, with course subjects from memoir writing to current business topics. The institute is a unique learning community for older adults that offers classes with no prerequisites, tests or degree requirements. It is one of 119 membership-based institutes nationwide.

‘There is a lot going on in Fort Collins and Northern Colorado centered on local food,” said Hill Grimmett, co-director of Be Local Northern Colorado. “We have new farmers, new producers and a great deal of support in the community for eating local. We think this is a great time and place for this course and for residents to be educated about buying locally.”

Increased interest in local food has allowed the development of several new small-scale farms, giving interested community members the opportunity to try farming. These small-scale farmers are able to more easily adapt sustainable practices like watershed preservation, ecosystem diversity, native species preservation, and growing food organically.

Buying local is not an all or nothing decision and small changes can make a difference. It is important to approach the seasonality of different foods from a menu perspective. Buying locally can introduce citizens to new varieties of seasonal foods as well as open up possibilities for restaurants and supermarkets.

For more information, visit http://www.learn.colostate.edu/osher or call 303-573-6318 or 877-491-4336.

— Release provided by CSU.

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