News Update
May 12, 2016
Hot Topic, Cool Solutions
Many challenges in the beef community are tackled with a two-pronged approach: genetics and management. Heat stress should be no different, says Megan Rolf, Oklahoma State University Extension beef geneticist.
“Certainly from the feedlot side there has been a lot of work done on mitigation strategies, and I think we have a real opportunity in the cow herd to use genetics to work on adapting cows to the different environments,” she says. The animal scientist outlines some of those possibilities in her research review, “Genetic Selection for Heat Tolerance in Cattle.”
For helping animals through heat events, many of the tips, such as shading and altering feeding schedules, apply to cattle on feed. Cow herds already have the distinct advantage of natural shade provided by trees and green grass that absorbs less sun than feedyard pens.
Still, interventions are also harder to manage at that level.
“Because they’re out on pastures and living on grass, they’re really not in a controlled environment where you can set up sprinklers, for example,” Rolf notes.
For more information, please view the full Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA article online.
USCA Calls for Hearing on Livestock Industry, Market
The United States Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) called on Congress to investigate the current state of the livestock industry. Following the largest loss of equity in the history of the U.S. cattle industry, USCA has requested an in-depth review of the possible components contributing to ongoing market volatility.
USCA has requested U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Chairman Pat Roberts and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow to convene a hearing focused on the contributing factors to the market collapse and its current state, including: algorithmic and anti-competitive buying practices, consumer confusion, ongoing block of funding for a final Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) rule, and additional industry concerns.
USCA President Danni Beer stated, “2015 saw record-breaking prices, followed by a swift and significant collapse, which we are still experiencing today. The volatility of the market has created unintended consequences for U.S. cattle producers, and one in need of immediate review. The livestock industry is historically a fluctuating marketplace, dependent on domestic and international policies, consumer trends and fiscal realities. However, the radical fluctuations experienced in less than a 12-month span have raised concern by those across the industry.”
For more information, please view the full USCA news release online.
NCBA, PLC Pleased Administration Drops Lesser Prairie Chicken Appeal
Statement by Ethan Lane, executive director, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Federal Lands and Public Lands Council regarding the decision by the Obama administration to drop their appeal of the federal court decision that overturned the listing of the Lesser Prairie Chicken as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.
“We are pleased that the administration has elected not to proceed with their appeal of Judge Junell’s substantive ruling vacating last year’s unfounded listing of the Lesser Prairie Chicken under the Endangered Species Act. Voluntary conservation efforts like the Range-Wide Plan are working to recover the species and must be given an opportunity to succeed without the unnecessary burden of a federal ESA listing.”
In the case of Permian Basin Petroleum Association (PBPA) et al. v. Department of the Interior (DOI) et al., Judge Junell in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas concluded that the listing was arbitrary and capricious and that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service failed to properly follow its own process for listing determinations in this matter.
For more information, please view the full NCBA news release online.
Farmers Want to Control Their Own Data
Farmers and ranchers want to control the information their equipment collects every time it passes through a field, a survey released May 11, by the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) shows. Farmers also believe that creating a cooperative-style central repository for their data is the best way to enhance its security and maximize its value.
“We asked our members what they thought about data, and it is clear that boosting farmer confidence in security and data management will be critical to unlocking the potential this technology holds,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “This survey also shows that we are on the right track with various ag group initiatives designed to improve data integration and promote transparency about how the data is collected and used.”
AFBF is a founding member of the Ag Data Coalition (ADC), an organization created by several leading agricultural groups and companies to help farmers better store and manage their information in a central location. The ADC will establish a co-op-style repository for agricultural data, with farmers having a governing role over the group.
For more information, please view the full Farm Bureau news release online.
AgriLife Extension Supporting National Hurricane Preparedness Week
This year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has named May 15-21 National Hurricane Preparedness Week and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service is taking this opportunity to remind Texans to protect their homes, businesses, farms and ranches.
“Hurricane season in the Atlantic and the Caribbean begins around June 1 and lasts through November 30,” said Andy Vestal, AgriLife Extension specialist in emergency management in College Station. “It’s nearly impossible to know if a hurricane is approaching any sooner than 5 to 7 days out, so it’s vital that people, especially those in coastal areas, take the time to prepare well in advance.”
Vestal said one way people can prepare for disaster is to be informed by reading and following the advice in preparedness publications available through the Texas Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) website, Texas EDEN at http://texashelp.tamu.edu and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Bookstore at www.agrilifebookstore.org/.
“The Texas EDEN and bookstore websites have additional information on disaster preparation and recovery, most of which is free,” Vestal said. “There are also E-book format downloads available for mobile devices.”
For more information, please view the full AgriLife news release online.
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