News Update
May 26, 2011

Beef Performance and Health Trainings for Veterinarians, Producers

Upcoming trainings hosted by the Beef Cattle Institute at Kansas State University (K-State) will focus on beef cattle performance and health. Producers and veterinarians can learn about advanced Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) training, the new National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) welfare assessment tools, animal husbandry best management practices (BMPs) and downed animal care and humane euthanasia training.

The meetings are scheduled for June 8 in Scott City; June 14 in Colby; June 30 in Erie; July 6 in Holton; July 7 in Beloit; and July 12 in Pratt. The meetings are underwritten by the Kansas Beef Council and are free of charge to attendees.

"Working together, veterinarians and producers can improve consumers' confidence in beef products," said Dan Thomson, Jones professor of production medicine and epidemiology and director of the Beef Cattle Institute at K-State.

Producers will learn about new management practices for improving beef cattle health and production. All participants will learn about the new on-farm welfare assessment tools and leave the training BQA certified. Veterinarians will be trained to perform welfare assessments for their clients. There also will be Powerpoint, handouts and other items included in a training kit for veterinarians for delivery to clients.

Participants will learn about the Animal Care Training program (www.animalcaretraining.org), a national online program developed as a result of collaborations between NCBA, the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) and the Livestock Marketing Association (LMA) with the Beef Cattle Institute at K-State.

"As new practices evolve or technologies emerge to improve animal welfare or food safety, we need a mechanism to rapidly share the information and training in remote locations. The goal of the Animal Care Training program is to use modern technology to reach rural areas and provide up-to-date continuing education for all people involved with raising beef and dairy cattle to improve animal welfare, food safety and environmental stewardship," Thomson said.

Beef consumers are more aware than ever before about the quality and safety of the food products they purchase. The BQA program is the cornerstone of the industry's quality and safety efforts. The overarching goal of BQA is to deliver a healthy, safe and wholesome beef product to consumers. BQA includes hazard analysis and planning; proper vaccine handling; administration of vaccines at the proper injection site; management documentation and recordkeeping; proper cattle handling; and cattle care.

The afternoon workshops for producers begin at 11:30 a.m., include lunch and conclude at 3 p.m. Veterinarians are encouraged to attend evening meetings, which include dinner, beginning at 5:30 p.m. and ending at 8:30 p.m. Participants are asked to register one week in advance of each respective session.

For more information about the regional trainings, as well as more information about the Beef Cattle Institute, go to http://beefcattleinstitute.org. For further information, participants can contact Abby Jones, 785-532-3474 or email at abby5@vet.ksu.edu.

— Release by K-State Research & Extension News.

Composting Reduces Manure Volume

Composting could solve manure storage problems. North Dakota's long, cold winter has led to larger than normal accumulations of manure and bedding, and may delay producers' fertilizer application.

Producers typically apply manure as a fertilizer in the spring before planting and in the fall after harvest. However, many producers may skip the manure application this spring. That could result in manure storage facilities reaching full capacity.

Composting is a possible solution to the manure storage problem, according to Chris Augustin, nutrient management specialist at North Dakota State University (NDSU) Carrington Research Extension Center.

Composting kills weed seeds and pathogens, and reduces manure volume. Research indicates that composting reduces manure piles by half to two-thirds. Compost also is less dense than raw manure. This reduces hauling costs because producers have less and lighter material to apply on a field.

"Composting is more than piling manure and letting it sit, though," Augustin says. "Composting is a speedy decomposition process. The bacteria and fungi responsible for composting are indigenous to the pile. It is our job to create a habitable environment for the decomposition organisms."

Manure composting requires 20 to 40 parts of carbon for every part nitrogen. This is equal to about 80% cattle manure and 20% straw bedding. Manure is the nitrogen source and straw is the carbon source.

The compost pile also must have adequate air and water. Fifty percent of the pore space needs air and the remaining 50% needs to be filled with water. The pile should feel like a well-wrung-out rag, Augustin says. If water drips out of a handful of compost, it is too wet. If it doesn't feel damp to the touch, then it is too dry.

After piling the compost, the pile should heat to more than 130° F in two or three days. If the pile does not heat, then one of the four factors (carbon, nitrogen, air and water) is not in the pile in the recommended amount. The temperature should remain above 130° F for a couple of weeks and then decline. Once the temperature falls, the pile needs to be turned.

Producers can buy implements designed for turning compost, but turners can be expensive. One alternative is to use bucket tractors to turn piles. Turning the pile introduces oxygen into the compost and will stimulate the microbes in the pile to continue heating.

"The idea is to move materials from the outside of the pile to the inside of the pile and add air to the system," Augustin says.

The duration of subsequent heating cycles will shorten with each turn. After three to five turns, the manure is composted.

Augustin suggests letting the compost sit for a few weeks to allow it to cure. Applying compost that has not cured can cause phytotoxicity issues. Once the pile has assumed ambient temperatures, it is ready to be used as a fertilizer.

However, compost needs to be sampled for nutrients before it is applied on a field. About 15% of the total nitrogen, 30% of the total phosphorus and 30% of the total potassium in the compost should be available to the crop that's planted.

Producers who would like their manure compost tested for nutrients may contact Augustin at 701-652-2951 or chris.augustin@ndsu.edu.

— Release by NDSU Agriculture Communication.

FFA Names 50 Individuals as 2011 New Century Farmers

The National FFA Organization has selected 50 outstanding young people to participate in the 2011 New Century Farmer program. This exclusive, highly competitive program develops young men and women committed to pursuing a career in production agriculture. The New Century Farmer program is sponsored by Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business; Rabo AgriFinance; Case IH; and CSX Corporation; with media partner Successful Farming as a special project of the National FFA Foundation.

Participants representing 23 states will take part in an intensive seminar July 24-30 in Johnston, Iowa. They will learn from each other and industry experts during a series of workshops and sessions. Topics will include the global marketplace, farm financing, demographic trends and risk management. New Century Farmers will hear from motivating and informative keynote speakers who will educate them on the risks and rewards involved with agriculture production. In addition to classroom learning, students will experience the latest developments in agricultural technology.

The program is designed to provide participants with valuable skills and knowledge applicable to their own farming operations. In addition, they will build a network of colleagues that will benefit them throughout their careers.

Current or former National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) members selected include Blake Hesters, Walkerton, Ind.; Kelsey Harris, Soldier, Kan.; Morgan McNeal, Paradise, Kan.; and Alexander Richardson, Brandenburg, Ky.

— Release by National FFA Organization.

Purdue Expert: Gasoline Likely to Stay Below $4 This Summer

Drivers have something worth honking their horns over: Summer gasoline prices likely will remain below $4 per gallon, a Purdue University agricultural economist says.

Market conditions that caused oil prices to shoot past $110 per barrel have improved in recent weeks, pushing oil back under $100 per barrel, said Wally Tyner, an energy policy specialist. He cautioned that pump prices could rise again if oil production is interrupted.

Memorial Day weekend traditionally marks the beginning of the summer driving season.

"If crude oil stays below $100 — meaning that there are no further production disruptions in the Middle East or elsewhere and we have no further weather conditions or other factors that cause refining outages — we have seen the worst," Tyner said. "We can hope for steady or even somewhat falling prices over the next few months."

Motorists have experienced severe gas pains this spring, with pump prices in some places topping $4.25 per gallon. Prices have soared for several reasons, Tyner said.

"First, there was the conflict in Libya that sent crude oil up about $15 per barrel," he said. "That normally translates to an increase at the pump of about 40¢ per gallon.

"Shortly after that event, we had the change from winter to summer blend gasoline. That change occurs on May 1, and the impact is felt a bit before that as refineries and stations make the switch. Summer blends normally are about 10¢ per gallon higher than winter."

Domestic oil refining also hit a snag. Refineries on the East and West coasts experienced outages, and excessive spring rain and flooding slowed barge traffic on the Mississippi River, affecting Gulf Coast refineries.

"The combination of these factors sent what are called 'refining margins' off the chart," Tyner said. "Normal refining margins are about $12 per barrel. These events sent refining margins on average to about $23 for a short period, and up to $30 in the Chicago area. These extraordinary refining margins added another 26¢ or more per gallon at the pump."

All told, these issues tacked on at least 76¢ to a gallon of gas, Tyner said.

Although crude oil prices have retreated, they are still higher than a few months ago, Tyner said. Refining margins are again in the normal range, but it will take time for those lower margins to be reflected in retail prices. Consumers will continue to pay the summer gas premium of about 10¢ per gallon, he said.

"What happened this spring is not likely to be repeated," Tyner said.

— Release by Steve Leer for Purdue Agricultural Communications.

— Compiled by Linda Robbins, assistant editor, Angus Productions Inc.