News Update
May 26, 2010

Civil Enforcement Actions Taken against Beef Feedlots in Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska for Violations of Clean Water Act

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 has taken a series of civil enforcement actions against six beef feedlot operations in Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska for violations of the Clean Water Act, as part of an increased emphasis aimed at ending harmful discharges of pollutants from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) into the region’s rivers and streams.

“EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson has made it clear that the protection of America’s waters is an enforcement priority for the Agency,” EPA Regional Administrator Karl Brooks said. “Here in the heartland of America, good agricultural stewards take care of our valuable waters. EPA will use civil enforcement, including penalties when appropriate, to stop illegal practices that pose risks to human health, impact water quality, threaten aquatic life and its habitat, and impair the use and enjoyment of waterways.

“Enforcing the clean water laws recognizes that responsible operators have made major investments in pollution control. EPA and our state partners are working across the region to secure compliance with the Clean Water Act, and to end these types of harmful violations by feedlot operators.”

Runoff from CAFOs contains pollutants such as pathogens, heavy metals, hormones, antibiotics, sediment and ammonia, as well as nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous, all of which can harm aquatic life and impact water quality.

Of the six enforcement actions, two include penalties where CAFOs failed to comply with their National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. The causes of the violations were addressed in previously issued administrative compliance orders. The two proposed penalty settlements with the CAFOs listed are each subject to a 40-day public comment period before they may be finalized.

For more information, including a description of the individual enforcement actions, click here.

— Release by EPA.

Since Flies Can Decrease Cattle Gains, Invest Time and Effort into Control Methods

Think how much aggravation 200 flies biting and flying around you would create. No wonder research shows that blood-sucking horn flies can reduce calf weaning weights by up to 20 pounds (lb.) and reduce gains on stocker cattle by 25 lb. per head when flies are not controlled.

The threshold level for economical fly control begins around 200 flies per animal according to Eldon Cole, a livestock specialist with University of Missouri (MU) Extension.

“Counting flies isn’t easy, so most of the estimates are made using the assumption that if there’s an area of flies on the animal the size of the palm of your hand, that’s roughly 50 flies,” Cole said. “I’ve assisted with a field trial that involved using binoculars and actually counting flies early in the season when they weren’t too numerous, and it is easy to get 200 flies per animal.”

In addition to horn flies, horse flies, stable flies and face flies may create problems for cattle as the summer goes on. Each of these creates a unique problem for animals and is difficult to control, according to Cole.

“The routine control measures for horn flies will only have limited success with the other fly species,” Cole said.

Sprays, insecticidal ear tags, dust bags, back rubbers, pour-ons and oral larvacides are the controls used on horn flies.

“There is even research supporting biological control with fly predators, but they work mainly in densely populated cattle areas such as feedlots,” Cole said.

Another interesting point in cattle fly control is that some animals seem to be less susceptible to flies than others. Researchers are looking at this from the cattle’s genetic resistance standpoint. It could involve hair density, hair color, sex of the animal, hide thickness, etc.

“As you work with your herd you may observe that some cattle attract more or significantly fewer flies than others,” Cole said. “Most of the fly control methods for horn flies do work. However, cost, convenience and length of control must be considered.”

For more information on fly control in beef cattle, check out the Missouri Beef Resource web site at http://agebb.missouri.edu/beef/index.htm. Three MU Extension livestock specialists are also available in southwest Missouri and can be reached by telephone: Eldon Cole in Mount Vernon, 417-466-3102; Gary Naylor in Dallas County, 417-345-7551; and Dona Geode, in Cedar County, 417-276-3313.

— Release by MU Extension.

International Trade and Groundwater Rights Highlight TSCRA Summer Meeting

Cattle producers from across Texas and Oklahoma will gather June 16-18 in Grapevine for the 2010 Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) Summer Meeting. The meeting will feature educational sessions and speakers on a variety of topics that affect cattle producers and rural Texans.

Phil Seng, president and chief executive officer of the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), will speak at the general session Friday, June 18. Seng will review the international beef market and the status of efforts to open new markets and re-open or expand existing markets, especially Europe, Japan and Korea.

Seng will also report on the efforts by the USMEF to promote beef in those markets.

Jason Skaggs, TSCRA executive director of government and public affairs, will discuss the current battle over groundwater rights in Texas and what landowners can do to join the efforts to reaffirm groundwater as a vested, private property right.

Educational sessions, hosted by TSCRA’s committees, begin Thursday, June 17, and will cover a variety of topics ranging from new feral hog research and state animal identification (ID) regulations to next year’s redistricting process and how that will affect rural Texans.

For registration information and a complete schedule, visit www.tscra.org/summermeeting.

— Release by TSCRA.

Support the 2010 National Junior Angus Show

With the 2010 National Junior Angus Show (NJAS) just weeks away, young Angus breeders and their families from across the U.S. are busy getting cattle ready and preparing educational contests and leadership opportunities.

Volunteers, committee chairmen and members have worked hard to make this event a meaningful learning experience and a great time for young Angus enthusiasts.

Financial support and additional volunteers are needed. Read more.

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