News Update
September 26, 2013
Ethanol Byproducts Still Pay
Their Way in Feedlot Rations
Paying the feed bill has cleaned out bank accounts faster than Jesse James in recent years, as high corn prices left cattlemen everywhere looking for the cheapest, most efficient alternatives.
Answering that search, Galen Erickson shared research results and insight on distillers’ grains at the Feeding Quality Forums in Omaha, Neb., and Garden City, Kan., in August. As of late summer, the ethanol byproducts were selling at near corn prices. Many cattlemen responded by cutting back or removing it, but Erickson, feedlot Extension specialist at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, said that could be a mistake.
Ethanol plants remove starch from grain, he explained, thus concentrating the remaining protein, oils and minerals in byproducts that have nearly three times the amount of those as corn.
“No matter how expensive it gets, it’s still an inexpensive protein source,” Erickson said. He suggested lowering the amount of distillers’ grains in a diet to no less than 15% to lower input costs while maintaining a relatively cheap protein supplement.
After reviewing research on feeding performance, he explained there are three common forms to consider.
All ethanol plants produce wet distillers’ grains and solubles (WDGS), frequently mixed together. Some plants partially or completely dry the WDGS, producing modified distillers’ grain (MDGS) or dried distillers’ grains (DDGS). These three products start out the same way, but feeding performance differs.
Research has studied performance of all three in comparison to dry-rolled corn in feedlot rations.
For more information, please view the full release here.Zoetis PeopleFirst™ Learning Management
Portal Expands Training
Dairy and beef cattle operations looking for help training employees can benefit from the newest service offered by PeopleFirst™ Human Capital Solutions from Zoetis. The Learning Management Portal is available online to give producers the tools and curriculum they need to properly train and manage employees, ensuring a safe, more effective and productive business long term.
New employees who join an operation need proper training and education for a smooth transition into the workplace — also known as onboarding. Veteran employees need refreshers on animal handling and other operating procedures. While finding time in a busy workday to train employees is difficult, it is essential to improve business performance and reduce operational risk. Without training, the business can suffer.
“Onboarding new employees is one of the most vital components of any operation,” said Nicolas Buttars, PeopleFirst business solutions manager for Zoetis. “Proper onboarding programs can help reduce an operation’s risk by helping all employees better understand and comply with company, community and regulatory standards for animal safety, care and wellness. It also drives employee perceptions and employee engagement. Good onboarding makes employees more likely to stay, to be engaged, and be more productive for you and your business.”
Onboarding programs that increase employee engagement can boost performance by 20% and reduce the probability of departure by 87%, according to the Human Resources Corporate Leadership Council. When an employee leaves, businesses can expect to pay up to 150% of the employee’s salary to cover the cost of finding and training a replacement. For business owners, there is a clear financial incentive to ensure proper onboarding. For more information, please view the program webpage here.
Five Nations Beef Alliance Agrees on Core Principles
for the TPP Agreement
An alliance of cattlemen representing Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States recently signed a letter announcing their support for a comprehensive Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement.
“As a collective global beef industry, if we are going to feed a growing world population we need to facilitate the open and unrestricted trade of food around the world,” said Cattle Council president Andrew Ogilvie, from Kingston SE in South Australia. “By removing trade barriers and tariffs to create fair and open access for all nations, the world’s population will have equal opportunity to a reliable and safe food supply without trade barriers inflating the cost of that food.”
The agreement is based on 10 core principles, ensuring any agreement must be comprehensive and must eliminate all tariffs and market-access barriers while emphasizing the importance of unfettered trade.
“Working to achieve a TPP without product exclusions, especially in agriculture, that also eliminates tariffs and other market access barriers in the TPP region, is a goal worth striving for,” said Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) president Martin Unrau, a cow-calf producer from MacGregor, Man. “I am pleased to see momentum building in the TPP negotiations and am hopeful we can achieve a comprehensive result soon.”
The agreement also relies on risk-based scientific decision-making, based on international science-based standards.
“We are a strong supporter of this agreement and others like it, on the grounds that they increase market access and provide stable export markets based in internationally recognized scientific standards,” said National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) president Scott George, a cattle and dairy producer from Cody, Wyo. “With 96% of the global population living outside of the United States, it is essential that we take measures to enable trade and expand market access, both to stimulate the economy and more importantly, to feed a growing global population.”
For more information, please view the full release here.
San Antonio International Farm And Ranch Show
To Offer Many Educational Programs
Farmers and ranchers can benefit from numerous educational opportunities during the San Antonio International Farm and Ranch Show Nov. 8-9 at the Freeman Coliseum Expo Hall, said event coordinators.
“We’ll have many free programs that will provide continuing education units or credits,” said Bryan Davis, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agent for agriculture and natural resources in Wilson County, and show education program coordinator.
A total of nine Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units — in general, laws and regulations, and integrated pest management — for private pesticide applicators will be offered.
Sessions offering department of agriculture credits include a pre-show program on Texas Department of Agriculture laws and regulations, lake and pond management and predator management. Other sessions offering credits will include farming in the 21st century, managing winter forages, feral hog control, and weed and brush identification using digital resources.
An agriculture workshop for veterans, a livestock show clinic for FFA and 4-H youth, and an American Competitive Trail Horse Association obstacle challenge also will be offered. There also will be a private applicator training and testing from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Nov. 9, with a Texas Department of Agriculture representative present to administer a post-training test.
Those interested in taking this training should call Angel Torres at the AgriLife Extension office in Bexar County at 210-467-6575 to preregister. The cost is $50, and includes the training, materials and test.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal’s Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
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