News Update
Oct. 5, 2010

Selection Tool for Feed Efficiency Now Available

Angus breeders now have access to residual average daily gain (RADG) expected progeny differences (EPDs) — the industry’s latest advancement in selecting animals for feed efficiency.

The new EPD released by the American Angus Association and Angus Genetics Inc. (AGI) characterizes postweaning efficiency differences in future progeny of Angus breeding stock. It capitalizes on the use of individual feed intake data, a sizeable growth database in Angus cattle, and the latest genomic technology.

In other words, the selection tool can assist both seedstock and commercial cattlemen in identifying the most efficient animals in their herds, says Bill Bowman, AGI president and Association chief operating officer (COO).

“Feed costs are a significant financial component that producers must consider. The residual average daily gain EPD helps identify Angus genetics expected to gain more on a comparable amount of feed,” Bowman says. Read more.

NCBA Echoes Temple Grandin’s Animal Welfare Concerns

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) proposed rule on livestock marketing poses concerns to animal welfare, according to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). The Obama Administration's proposed rule would ban packer-to-packer sales of livestock, which may cause unintended negative consequences to animal welfare, says Colin Woodall, NCBA vice president of government affairs.

“Let’s say that there is a beef packer located in the Pacific Northwest that also owns a feedlot in Southwest Kansas. Under this proposal, that company would be required to ship all of its Kansas feedlot cattle to Washington State for processing, which subjects those cattle to an additional 1,600 miles of travel,” Woodall explains.

Woodall also said the packer-to-packer ban would especially hurt smaller producers, dealers and packers. He said the ban would encourage consolidation and displace producer livestock.

“In addition, those cattle that traveled from Kansas to Washington State would displace the local cattle that typically supply that plant,” said Woodall. “The proposal would add inefficiencies for the feedlot through added transportation costs, which could result in the sale or liquidation of that feedlot, thereby driving consolidation and less competition.”

Colorado State University professor and world-renowned animal welfare expert Temple Grandin wrote USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack offering her concerns about the well-being of livestock if the proposed rule requires packers to market and sell livestock through dealers is implemented. Beyond stress to livestock that would occur if this rule is implemented, Grandin is also concerned that the proposed rule would complicate and compromise the effectiveness of many established animal welfare-certification programs by requiring another level of paperwork and recordkeeping to track the additional transactions.

“As a scientist who has dedicated her life to improving livestock welfare, I am extremely alarmed that although this rule is concerned with marketing and competition, the department ultimately responsible for it — USDA — is also charged with enforcing the Humane Slaughter Act and apparently has paid so little attention to the animal welfare implications of this proposal,” Grandin stated in the letter.

— Release by NCBA

New Herbicides Help Cattle Farmers Manage Pastures.

Cattle farmers got a look at test results of a new herbicide that shows some promise of controlling Vaseygrass in pastures.

At an LSU AgCenter field day on Sept. 30, Ed Twidwell, forage specialist, said Pastora, a DuPont product, can also be used on Johnson grass, but he warned it kills Bahia grass and clovers and can also cause some stunting of Bermuda grass.

“We’re still trying to determine the best rate for it,” Twidwell said. “We still have some lingering questions about how well it’s going to work.”

He said the chemical was quite effective on Vaseygrass last year. “This year it didn’t work as well. I am seeing some inconsistent results with it.”

This difference in effectiveness may be due to environmental conditions such as amount of rainfall and temperature variations.

Twidwell said the chemical is not a one-shot solution to Vaseygrass. “It’s going to be a two- to three-year endeavor to get rid of it.”

Having a vigorous stand of desirable forage grasses such as Bahia grass or Bermuda grass will also aid in keeping the Vaseygrass from becoming established.

He said the cost is approximately $15 an acre for an application at the 1-ounce rate. It works best when growing conditions are good, he said, so it tends to be less effective in hot, dry weather.

Andrew Granger, LSU AgCenter county agent in Vermilion Parish, said hay producers may want to use two applications of the chemical per year, but a cattle producer probably would prefer to use it once a year.

Twidwell also showed the results of different treatments for controlling fenceline vegetation. He said the chemicals were applied Aug. 10, so the full effects may not be evident yet.

He said a favorite chemical, Grazon® P+D, works well on briars and broadleaf weeds because it stays in the soil. Grazon P+D is slowly being replaced by another Dow product called GrazonNext.™ He said he was surprised at how well GrazonNext performed on woody plants.

Granger said the test changed his opinion of GrazonNext.

Twidwell said Remedy™ herbicide always performs well on woody plants, but it is expensive.

Twidwell said Velpar® herbicide provided mediocre fenceline control thus far. It is slow-acting, and hot, dry weather conditions reduce its effectiveness. However, Granger said the chemical did a good job of controlling the poisonous plant Lantana found in the Gueydan, La., area in trials conducted by Granger and Twidwell several years ago.

— Release by LSU.

2011 National Beef Ambassador Team Announced

Madlynn Ruble, Albert Lea, Minn., Jessica Sweet, Livermore, Calif., Austin Joyce, Pearland, Texas, Kelli Fulkerson, Burlington, Mich., and Kristen Stufft, Lewistown, Penn., were chosen as the 2011 National Beef Ambassador Team winners at the annual competition, funded in part by the beef checkoff, held Oct. 1-3 in Rapid City, S.D. Contestants were judged in the areas of consumer promotion, classroom presentation, media interview technique and issuesresponse.

For more information on the Ambassadors, click here.

Twenty-six contestants from throughout the country vied for a place on this elite team of agriculture advocates and $5,000 in cash prizes as well as five educational scholarships totaling $5,000 given by the American National CattleWomen Foundation Inc. Additionally, one Beef Ambassador will be chosen for a prestigious USDA internship in Washington, D.C.

While preparing for this national beef promotion and education competition, youth across the nation learn about beef and the beef industry within their family and with support from state CattleWomen, Cattlemen’s associations and state beef councils. The preparation highlights industry issues of current consumer interest. Winners of the state competitions compete at the national level receiving additional media training. After the event, as youth ambassadors, they speak to industry issues and misconceptions, while educating peers and others about food safety, nutrition and the Beef Checkoff Program at consumer events, in the classroom and online.

— Release by the Beef Checkoff Program.

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