News Update
April 30, 2010

Meeting to Address Past, Present and Future of DNA Technology in Beef Cattle

The use of DNA technology — past, present and future — in beef cattle will be addressed at a June 7 conference at theU.S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) in Clay Center.

Attendees will learn about recent advances in the application of DNA technology as it relates to making selection decisions in beef cattle, said Matt Spangler, University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Extension beef genetics specialist.

This will include how this information is used in combination with expected progeny differences (EPDs) in some breeds, the benefits of parentage testing, economic considerations of using this technology and issues in which scientists are exploring.

All cattle producers, educators and affiliated industry personnel who have a vested interest in the genetic improvement of cattle are encouraged to attend, Spangler said.

Speakers at the meeting include Spangler; Alison Van Eenennaam, animal genomics and biotechnology Extension specialist at the University of California-Davis; Sally Northcutt, genetic research director at Angus Genetics Inc. (AGI); Bob Weaber, Extension beef genetics specialist at the University of Missouri; Larry Keuhn, research scientist at the USMARC; and Steve Kachman, professor, statistics, UNL.

The meeting will begin at 11:30 a.m. with lunch and end at 5:30 p.m. Registration is $10 to cover handouts, lunch and snacks. For more information, contact Spangler at 402-472-6489, mspangler2@unl.edu. To RSVP for the lunch, contact Terri Behl at 402-472-6411, by May 31.

AMI Urges Legislators to Allow Ethanol Tax Credit and Protective Tariff to Expire

The American Meat Institute (AMI), joined by national industry trade associations, including the National Turkey Federation, the National Chicken Council and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), urged the House Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday to allow a 30-year-old tax credit and a protective tariff for ethanol to expire at the end of this year.

“Although we support the need to advance renewable and alternative sources of energy, we strongly believe that it is time that the mature corn-based ethanol industry operates on a level playing field with other commodities that rely on corn as their major input,” the groups wrote in a letter to Congressmen Sander Levin of Michigan and Dave Camp of Michigan, chairman and ranking Republican members, respectively, of the tax-writing committee.

The letter notes serious concerns over the negative economic effects that government support for corn-ethanol has had on animal agriculture, specifically the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) and the import tariff on foreign ethanol.

“The blender’s tax credit, coupled with the import tariff on foreign ethanol, has distorted the corn market, increased the cost of feeding animals, and squeezed production margins — resulting in job losses and bankruptcies in rural communities across America,” the letter reads.

The letter notes that a September 2008 by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) stated that the dramatic increase in livestock production costs were attributed to higher costs for feed.

“There is no safety net to protect against the volatility in the commodity markets, forcing all industries to pay higher prices for input costs due to the fluctuations in the corn market,” the letter states.

The letter points to significant hardships suffered by the agriculture industry:

• A decrease in turkeys raised of more than 6% since 2007 levels and a near 9% reduction from 2008 levels — to adjust to these increased input costs. More importantly, the turkey industry eliminated nearly 3,000 jobs vital to rural America in 2008 and 2009 alone.
  

• Total losses for the pork industry amounted to more than $6.2 billion and average farrow-to-finish operations lost nearly $23 for each animal marketed from October 2007 through January 2010. 
  

• A record $7 billion lost by the cattle feeding sector of the beef industry from December 2007 to February 2010.
  

• A cumulative additional cost on the broiler industry of $15 billion since corn prices began their rise in the fall of 2006. This additional cost does not include the higher cost of other feed ingredients, such as soybean meal, whose prices tend to move in tandem with corn. Accordingly, broiler companies have suffered reduced profitability.

The letter ends by reminding the committee that animal agriculture is united in its support for energy independence and the development of the renewable fuels industry.

“However, 30 years of support has created a mature corn ethanol industry that now needs to compete fairly in the marketplace and allow for the next generation of renewable fuels to grow,” the letter concludes.

For a copy of the letter, click here: http://bit.ly/9vleGE.

May 14 Butler Field Day to focus on forage-production strategies

Enhancing forage production will be the focus of the 24th O.D. Butler Forage Field Day scheduled for May 14 at Circle X Land and Cattle Co. in Bryan, Texas.

Beef producers are coming off one of the worst droughts in Texas history and are looking for ways to improve their pastures and rangeland by implementing new strategies, said Eric Zimmerman, Texas AgriLife Extension Service agent for Brazos County.

“The rainfall we’ve received this spring has created renewed optimism among beef producers who are looking to improve their operations by increasing forage production,” Zimmerman said. “This year’s field day will address many issues pertaining to renovating and re-establishing forage production, selection of grass varieties, and brush and weed control products.”

The cost is $20 and includes materials and lunch. Alternatively, if producers want to join the Brazos Area Hay Producers Association, cost is $50 and includes free field day registration, a hay sampling test, hay directory listing and a laminated membership card.

Four hours of continuing education units will be given to licensed private, commercial and non-commercial applicators pending approval from Texas Department of Agriculture. One hour in laws and regulations, one hour in integrated pest management and two hours of general credit will be offered.

Registration is from 8-9 a.m. Vanessa Corriher, AgriLife Extension forage specialist at Overton, will lead off the program with an update on the Texas Forage and Grazing Council.

“The objectives of TFGC are to promote increased benefits from the production and utilization of forages,” she said.

“Members provide a unique perspective on forage production, management and utilization “because of their diversity and discipline,” Corriher said.

Corriher and Larry Redmon, AgriLife Extension state forage specialist, will also give a presentation on renovating and re-establishing Bermuda grass pastures.

“The drought last year had a huge impact as well as our response to fertilizer prices (not applying any fertilizer at all or cutting back heavily),” she said. “I will discuss the importance of maintaining our Bermuda grass fertility in order to maintain a stand, as well as for optimum production and quality. I will also be discussing the process of re-establishing, step-by-step, starting from the beginning of the process which typically takes place the fall before planting in the spring.”

Other presenters and topics will be: Paul Baumann, AgriLife Extension weed specialist, brush and weed product update, labeling and application procedures; Don Renchie, AgriLife Extension agricultural environmental safety specialist, pesticide applicator laws and regulations; and Redmon, individual plant treatment methods and insect control for pastures.

Circle X Land and Cattle Co. is located off Highway 6 north and OSR. For more information about the ranch, visit http://www.circlexbrangus.com/. For more information about the field day, contact the AgriLife Extension office for Brazos County at 979-823-0129. An agenda is available at http://brazos-tx.tamu.edu.

— Texas AgriLife Extension Service.