News Update
March 22, 2010

Higher Quality Grades Here to Stay, Grading Chief Says

The nation’s beef quality has continued its rise in recent weeks, with nearly 65% of federally graded cattle grading Choice — an increase compared to the 60.1% reported in July 2009, according to Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB).

The numbers add to a trend ending a 30-year decline — a trend that’s likely to continue, said Larry Meadows, chief of USDA’s meat grading and certification branch.

In a March 8 Cattle Buyers Weekly, Meadows said although cycles will always be present, basic increases in quality grades are here to stay.

Increases in higher quality grades during the past two years can be attributed to several factors, Meadows said, including feeder and slaughter cattle weights and ages due to market conditions (higher grain prices); better genetics (the increased use of marbling EPDs during the past 15 years); excellent feeding conditions; and efficient use of distillers’ grains. Read more.

GAO Says FDA Could Improve Its Documentation, Communication of Decisions on Food Irradiation Petitions

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could improve its documentation and communication of key decisions on food irradiation petitions, according to a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report.

The GAO report was requested to determine how FDA and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) labeling requirements for irradiated food products differ, how changes proposed by FDA to its requirements might change the amount of irradiated food sold and the extent to which FDA has effectively managed the petition review process.

The report noted that while USDA requires that any irradiation label on a USDA-inspected product be pre-approved, labels on FDA-regulated products do not require pre-approval, although the processor is responsible for proper labeling.
GAO also found that FDA has not met deadlines for communicating with petitioners about their petitions. GAO said that six petitions have been active and pending on average about 8.5 years and some for ten years. “While FDA is proposing changes to its labeling requirements for irradiated food that may increase the amount of food that is irradiated, it has not effectively managed its petition review process, which is the vehicle to potentially allow more food products to be irradiated,” GAO wrote.

GAO recommended two specific actions: that FDA document its key decisions in administrative files and communicate its key decisions to its petitioners and, for new petitions, the status of its decision-making consistent with regulatory time frames.

In the report, GAO said that some industry officials believe that labeling requirements for irradiated food products “suggest to consumers that these foods are less than safe.” FDA has proposed eliminating the labeling requirements for irradiated foods in cases when the irradiation does not cause a material change in the food — that is, when irradiation does not alter the characteristics, such as nutritional property, ordinarily found in the food — or a material change in the consequences that may result from use of the food.

“USDA officials also concurred that the proposal could change the amount of food irradiated and noted that the current labeling requirements are a deterrent to increasing the marketability and sale of these products. USDA officials told us that USDA follows FDA’s lead with issues concerning the safety of irradiated foods,” GAO wrote. “They also said any change in FDA’s labeling requirements would impact USDA because there is a goal for federal agencies to have consistent regulations. Consequently, USDA would consider modifying its own labeling requirements for irradiated foods after FDA finalizes its proposed rule. However, USDA would have to go through its own rulemaking process before making any changes.”

To read the entire report, go to: www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-309R.

— Release by the American Meat Institute.

Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. Working with NCBA Membership Program

Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., is partnering with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) on a membership recruitment program this spring. The membership incentive program is for new members who join NCBA and its state affiliates.

Cattle producers who join NCBA as new members will receive a 500 mL bottle of Cydectin® (moxidectin) Pour-On from Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. If this person also joins their state association as a new member, they will receive a second bottle of Cydectin Pour-On. An NCBA member that recruits a new member, also receives a bottle of Cydectin (limit one per recruiter).

“Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. is pleased to continue the Cydectin product giveaway as part of the NCBA Top Hand Membership program through the spring of 2010,” said Mike Randolph, Cydectin brand manager for Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. “The real strength of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is its membership. We are happy to support this program with a donation of Cydectin to new members.”

The program will run through May 31, 2010, or while supplies last. The program has been offered nationwide through a direct mail campaign. Individual state associations are also promoting it to their membership.

For more information about the Top Hand membership recruiting program, contact the NCBA membership team at 866-233-3872.

Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. (St. Joseph, Mo.), is a subsidiary of Boehringer Ingelheim Corp. based in Ridgefield, Conn., and a member of the Boehringer Ingelheim group of companies.

For more information, please visit: www.bi-vetmedica.com/.

— Release by Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc.

Jump Start Grazing When Winter Hay Runs Short

When winter hay runs short, cattle producers have several options, including jump-starting spring pasture growth, said John Jennings, professor-forages, for the University of Arkansas (U of A) Division of Agriculture.

“I don’t know if I have enough hay to last until spring’ was the most prevalent comment in most conversations at a recent livestock conference,” Jennings said. “With all the hay harvested last year, I would not have believed we would be seeing the forage shortages that are beginning to develop across the state due to the very cold winter.”

Cattle producers have a couple of options: Buy more hay or jump-start spring pastures by fertilization or overseeding with legumes.

For option one, cattle producers can visit http://hayproducers.uaex.edu/, a U of A Division of Agriculture site where hay producers list what they have for sale.

Fields that have been grazed very short provide a good opportunity to overseed with red or white clover or lespedeza to improve forage quality, Jennings said.

“Once a good stand of clover is established, the recycling of the nitrogen fixed by the bacteria living in the clover root nodules will help support grass production later in the season or for the following year,” he said. “Good grazing management will not only improve clover survival, but will also help distribute the nitrogen in the clover top growth.”

Clover or lespedeza can be overseeded through March, but earlier is better than later. Pulling a field harrow, light disk, or even a bushy cedar tree over the field before or during broadcast planting can improve seed to soil contact for better establishment.

Early fertilization is another tactic. Producers should test the soil to determine how much nitrogen to apply.

In general, pasture fertilization rates include 50-60 pounds (lbs.) of nitrogen per acre. At least 40 lbs. of nitrogen are required to produce one ton of dry forage.

Grazing control will also improve spring pastures.

“Once we get a few warmer days, grass will begin to grow and cows will devour any new green tip of grass available,” Jennings said. “The grass requires leaf area to capture sunlight to fuel more growth. Allowing livestock to continually graze the new grass shoots will delay significant spring growth.

“If you have pastures divided for rotational grazing, hold some paddocks out of the rotation to allow the grass to get a head start before grazing,” he said. “If you have more than one or two pastures, but no planned grazing program, just close some gates to let the grass get started.”

Another tactic to stretch short hay supplies or limited pasture growth is limit grazing.

Arkansas research has shown that limit grazing cows two days a week on wheat/rye/ryegrass mixed pasture with hay feeding the remainder of the week gave cow performance equal to those fed a balanced ration. This was done with a fraction of an acre of high quality pasture per cow.

“On one Arkansas Beef Improvement Program pasture project, a producer strip-grazed wheat for a day, fed half a bale of hay the second day with the remainder of the wheat strip, then moved to a new strip the third day,” Jennings said. “By repeating this strategy, he was able to stretch 15 acres of wheat and limited hay for 55 cows through February and March until spring pasture growth was adequate.

“A little creativity can make a big difference,” he said.

For more information about forage plans or beef cattle production in general, visit www.uaex.edu, download “Winter Annual Grasses for Grazing Livestock in Arkansas — FSA3066”, www.uaex.edu/Other_Areas/publications/PDF/FSA-3066.pdf, or www.uaex.edu/Other_Areas/publications/PDF/MP184/MP-184.asp, “Beef Cattle Production,” or www.aragriculture.org/forage_pasture/Management_Guides/Forages_Self_Help_Guide1.htm “Self-Study Guide 1: Developing an Overall Forage Plan.”

— Release by U of A Cooperative Extension Service.

— Compiled by Mathew Elliott, assistant editor, Angus Productions Inc.