News Update
April 4, 2014
Beware of Cold Winter’s Impact on Calving, Lactation Periods
The harsh winter’s effects on cow-calf operations may linger unless producers take the right measures to ensure their animals’ nutritional needs are being properly met, according to an expert from the Ohio State University (OSU) College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
Beef cows’ nutritional requirements to stay warm and perform well have been higher this winter, putting pressure on their hay inventories and leading to increased costs for producers, said John Grimes, beef coordinator for Ohio State University Extension.
Even though it has been a challenging season, now is not the time to be frugal when it comes to proper nutrition for pregnant cows, which typically have their calving period during March and April, Grimes warned.
“Feeding poor-quality forages to cows in the late-gestation or early-lactation periods can have a devastating negative impact on conception rates in the following breeding season,” he said. “Producers need to save the best feed for these periods, as the nutritional needs of cows increase during this time.”
To ensure a more successful, healthy and productive calving, cows need to maintain adequate body condition scores during critical production times, Grimes said.
“Body condition scores (BCS) ranging from 5 to 6 are considered ideal during late gestation or early lactation in this scoring system where 1 is thin and 9 is obese,” Grimes said. “Poor nutrition and declining BCS during late gestation or early lactation can be very detrimental to cow-calf operations and their bottom line.”
For more information, please view the full release here.
Animal Science Professor Wins MU Kemper Award
University of Missouri (MU) Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin and Commerce Bank Chair Jim Schatz awarded one of the 2014 William T. Kemper Fellowships for Teaching Excellence to Bryon Wiegand, an associate professor of animal science in the Division of Animal Sciences in the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources on March 31.
Loftin, Schatz and a group of professors, administrators and staff surprised Wiegand by honoring him with the fellowship, which includes a $10,000 check. Kemper Fellowships are awarded each year to five outstanding teachers at MU.
The William T. Kemper Fellowships for Teaching Excellence were established in 1991 with a $500,000 gift. Kemper, a 1926 MU graduate, was a well-known civic leader in Kansas City until his death in 1989. His 52-year career in banking included top positions at banks in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma. Commerce Bank manages the trust fund.
Bryon Wiegand is an associate professor of animal science in the Division of Animal Sciences in the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources and has taught at MU since 2007. From cultivating introductory animal science knowledge among consumers to nurturing the growth of future meat scientists, Wiegand views education as the tie that binds his duties in teaching, research and outreach. His students and colleagues say Wiegand has distinguished himself through his empathy and accessibility, his passion for teaching, and his wide-ranging knowledge of animal science.
For more information, please view the full release here.
NFU Expresses Tax Extenders Priorities
On April 2, National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson sent a letter to U.S. Senate Committee on Finance leaders expressing priorities for the renewal of expiring tax provisions in advance of the committee’s markup of the Expiring Provisions Improvement Reform and Efficiency (EXPIRE) Act.
Johnson praised Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Ranking Member Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) for maintaining the $500,000 maximum deduction for farm machinery, which will help family farmers and ranchers improve their businesses.
The draft legislation also extends tax credits for biodiesel, cellulosic biofuels and energy efficiency but omits other crucial provisions, such as extensions of the Production Tax Credit and Investment Tax Credit for renewable energy. Johnson said, “Our country lacks a comprehensive, national energy strategy that moves us toward energy independence and helps mitigate the effects of climate change. These tax credits are some of the only policies we have that support the development of renewable energy, particularly wind and solar. Failure to renew these provisions would be taking a giant step backward.”
In the letter, Johnson also expressed disappointment in the legislation’s continuation of tax loopholes for the largest corporations. “Given the widening income inequality gap and our national debt, we cannot afford this sort of tax break,” said Johnson. “Every dollar lost because of these loopholes is one less dollar available to invest in jobs, infrastructure, food for the hungry or to reduce the deficit.”
For more information, please visit the letter here.
USDA Provides Farm Bill Funding for
Pest and Disease Management Programs
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced April 3 the allocation of $48.1 million, provided by the Agricultural Act of 2014 (the 2014 Farm Bill), to projects across the country that will help to prevent the introduction or spread of plant pests and diseases that threaten America’s agriculture economy and the environment. The economic stakes for stopping invasive species are high, with scientists estimating the total economic cost of all invasive species to be approximately $120 billion annually.
“Invasive pests cause billions of dollars in damage each year and endanger our nation’s food security,” said Vilsack. “The funds USDA is making available today will help partners and stakeholders develop strategies, products and treatments to safeguard our farms and natural resources from invasive threats.”
USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) sought project suggestions from states and U.S. territories, universities, federal agencies, nongovernmental organizations, private companies and tribal organizations that would provide a direct impact in managing pests and diseases, as well as disaster prevention. APHIS is funding 383 projects in 49 states, as well as Guam and Puerto Rico. The projects approved for allocation will help states and other partners continue providing and strengthening protections against agricultural threats and could also allow the reallocation of resources to other critical programs.
For more information, please view the full release here.
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