News Update
September 28, 2012
Iowa Cattle Sickened by Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship Thursday, Sept. 27, said that more than fifteen cattle herds, primarily in western Iowa, have had animals contract the Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) virus.
EHD is a virus that is spread by biting midges and primarily affects deer. A hard freeze kills midges and will stop the spread of the virus.
EHD can cause illness in cattle, including fever, ulcers in the mouth and gums, swollen tongue, excessive salivation, and lameness or stiffness when walking. Death loss is uncommon in cattle and there is no evidence that the EHD virus can infect humans.
EHD rarely affects cattle, but the wild whitetail deer population in southern and western areas of Iowa and surrounding states is seeing the disease at high levels. EHD is common in whitetail and other deer in some years and can be fatal in these deer.
Cattle farmers are advised to use insect control as a preventative measure to reduce the risk of having cattle become infected. Farmers who notice signs of illness in cattle are encouraged to immediately contact their veterinarian.
Farm Bill to Expire on Sunday Due to Congressional Inaction
The 2008 Farm Bill is set to expire on Sunday with no replacement legislation. Congress recessed last weekend until after the November elections, leaving an anticipated lame duck session as the next possible time for work on a five-year farm bill.
However, what comes out of that work period will depend heavily on election results.
If a full farm bill reauthorization is not completed before the end of the year, legislators could be faced with dramatically fewer dollars in the bill's baseline, which will be updated in January and again in March.
The only other farm bill to be enacted in a lame duck session was the 1990 bill, and it is unprecedented for a farm bill to be reintroduced in a new Congress after failing to achieve passage in a previous Congress.
Farm groups say they will continue to work with members of Congress and stakeholder organizations towards passage of a five-year, comprehensive bill before the end of the Congressional session.
Fall Frost Increases the Potential for Toxicity in Livestock
While fall frost is an annual concern for livestock producers because of the potential for prussic acid poisoning, the potential for toxicity in livestock is perhaps of wider concern this year because of the drought that many livestock producers suffered, according to an Ohio State University Extension specialist.
The drought of 2012 has been one of the worst on record in Ohio, leaving many livestock producers short on hay and silage supplies. The lack of substantial rainfall, extreme heat and dryness left many producers looking for any alternative forages they can plant to make up for the shortages, said Mark Sulc, an OSU Extension forage specialist.
"This year especially with the dry weather, people were looking for ways to grow supplemental forage," he said.
As a result, some chose to grow Sudan grass, Sudan grass hybrids, forage sorghums or sorghum-Sudan grass crosses, which can produce excellent forage yields in a short time but are capable of becoming toxic to livestock after a frost event, Sulc said.
These species contain compounds called cyanogenic glucosides that convert quickly to prussic acid in freeze-damaged plant tissue, Sulc said.
"Animals can die within minutes if they consume forages such as the sorghum species that contain high concentrations of prussic acid in the plant tissue soon after a frost," he said. "Ruminants are more susceptible to prussic acid poisoning than horses or swine because cud chewing and rumen bacteria help release the cyanide from plant tissue."
For the full release, click here.
Animal Health Corridor Lecture Series
On Monday, Oct. 22, 2012, the Animal Health Corridor Lecture Series, brought to you by the Animal Health Supply Chain Program, will be hosting two half-day seminars. Plan to attend the morning seminar, the afternoon seminar, or spend your full day with us exploring topics in both the companion animal market and animal welfare. Registration links on both seminar pages will allow you to select the time commitment that is most appropriate for you.
Morning: Where is the U.S.A. Companion Animal Market Going?
Afternoon: Producers, Animals, and Consumers: Animal Welfare in U.S. Food Animal Production.
For more information and registration, click here.
How to Test for Prussic Acid Content in Forages
Fall frost can raise the potential for prussic acid poisoning in livestock. In addition to taking measures to prevent livestock toxicity, producers can also consider testing forage for prussic acid content, according to an Ohio State University Extension specialist.
Prussic acid poisoning in livestock is potentially of broader concern this year thanks to drought conditions that left many livestock producers short on hay and silage and looking for alternative forages to plant to make up for the shortages, said Mark Sulc, an OSU Extension forage specialist.
Many chose to grow Sudan grass, Sudan grass hybrids,forage sorghums or sorghum-Sudan grass crosses,which are capable of becoming toxic to livestock after a frost event, Sulc said.
Producers can take steps to reduce prussic acid poisoning, including avoiding grazing on nights when frost is likely; not grazing after a killing frost until plants are dry, which usually takes five to seven days; and avoiding grazing wilted plants or plants with young tillers, he said.
"If producers believe there is a high potential for toxicity, they should test the forage before feeding it to their livestock," he added.
To do so, producers need to get a fresh sample of one to two pounds of the forage and store it in an airtight plastic bag before the sample has a chance to dry. The sample needs to be frozen quickly and shipped overnight in a cooler with an ice pack for testing.
For the full release, click here.
Brian Little Wins Second WLAC Qualifying Event in Hattiesburg, Miss.
Brian Little of Wann, Okla., took top honors in the second qualifying event for the 2013 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC) Monday, Sept. 24. The event was hosted by Southeast Mississippi Stockyards AAL in Hattiesburg. Little was the 2012 WLAC Runner-up Champion and is sponsored by Coffeyville Livestock Market LLC, Coffeyville, Kan., and Tulsa Stockyards Inc., Tulsa, Okla.
Placing second in the qualifying event was Brandon Neely of Berkeley Springs, W.Va. Neely is sponsored by Carroll County Livestock Sale Barn Inc., Carrollton, Ga.; Greenville Livestock Auction Inc., Greenville, Ill.; and Alabama Livestock Auction Inc., Uniontown, Ala. Third place went to Brian Curless of Pittsfield, Ill., sponsored by Fairview Sale Barn Inc., Fairview, Ill., and F&T Livestock Market, Palmyra, Mo.
The top 10 competitors from the qualifying competition have earned their place in the semi-finals at the 2013 WLAC to be at Montgomery Stockyards LLC in Montgomery, Ala., June 14-15. The additional seven qualified contestants are:
Darren Carter, Ninety Six, S.C.; Tye Casey, Plymouth, Ind.; Philip Gilstrap, Pendleton, S.C.; Jim Hertzog, Butler, Mo.; Mark Lipscomb, Como, Miss.; Daniel Mitchell, Cumberland, Ohio; and Billy Younkin, Cecil, Ala.
WLAC is produced by the Livestock Marketing Association (LMA), a trade association dedicated to serving livestock auction markets, during LMA's annual convention. LMA believes that the open, competitive bidding method of livestock marketing affords true price discovery on every class and type of animal, and that livestock auction markets provide tremendous economic benefits to producers and rural communities.
The final qualifying competition will be Oct. 29, 2012, at Stockland Livestock Auction Inc. in Davenport, Wash., determining who will step into the 10 remaining spots for the 2013 WLAC. In addition, the International Livestock Auctioneer Champion is traditionally given a "bye" into the contest, creating a field of 31 competitors.
The qualifiers and 2013 WLAC final rounds are broadcast, click here.
AgriLife Extension Sets Upton County Fall Livestock/Range Update Oct. 16
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service office in Upton County has set their Fall Livestock and Range Update program for Oct. 16.
The classroom part of the program will start with an 8-8:30 a.m. registration at the AgriLife Extension office in Upton County at 1000 N. State Highway 329. The classroom portion should end by noon. An optional tour following the indoor session will be three miles east of Rankin on U.S. Highway 67 on the Rusty Ratliff Ranch, according to Raymond Quigg, AgriLife Extension agent in Upton County.
"Weather-wise, last year was one of the worst years on record for much of this region, and while some have enjoyed some bountiful rains recently, others have not," Quigg said. "The whole idea behind this program is to see where we stand from a livestock and range production standpoint and to explore some ideas about where to go from here."
The program's topics and speakers will include:
- Restocking Cattle Considerations — Has Anything Changed?, Bruce Carpenter, AgriLife Extension livestock specialist, Fort Stockton.
- Forage Quality During Kidding, Lambing and Calving Season, Alyson McDonald, AgriLife Extension range specialist, Fort Stockton.
- Improving Your Lamb/Kid Crop by Controlling Abortive Diseases and Improving Reproductive Efficiency, and Ethnic Market Outlook, Frank Craddock, AgriLife Extension state sheep and goat specialist, San Angelo.
The program will end with a tour of mesquite control work conducted on the Rusty Ratliff Ranch.
Three Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units will be offered.
Individual registration is $10, payable at the door. For more information, call Quigg at 432-693-2313, or r-quigg@tamu.edu.
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