News Update
May 8, 2017
Quality Beef Grade, Dressing
Percentage and Grids
The average cattle feeder wants to be rewarded for above-average beef quality and many have turned to some type of value-based “grid” marketing to earn premiums. After selling a few pens on a packer grid, some feeders lament it’s less about quality and more about dressing percent, the whole-carcass yield of beef, including bones in those cuts.
Taking a closer look, Paul Dykstra, beef cattle specialist with the Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) brand, admits that number is important.
“Falling below the industry standard of 63.5% dressed weight means we start out on the grid several dollars behind the alternative live-weight sale price,” he says “Cattle that hang more pounds of saleable carcass weight as a percentage of live weight obviously put us at an advantage.”
Continue reading this Angus Media news article online.
Recognizing Dr. David Bechtol
Merck Animal Health, in partnership with the Academy of Veterinary Consultants (AVC), recently honored veterinarian David Bechtol with the 2017 Outstanding Service Award.
Bechtol, founder and president of Palo Duro Consulting Research and Feedlot and Agri-Research Center Inc., was recognized for his contributions to the feedlot industry, which he has helped lead for more than four decades.
“Throughout the years, Dr. Bechtol, a charter member of the AVC, has become a ‘consultant’s consultant,’ as one nominator put it,” said John Mayer, veterinarian, ruminant technical services, Merck Animal Health. “He developed educational resources to help train feedlot crews, lectured on stocker and feeder health, opened his home to students and interns looking to learn more about emerging management practices, and represented the veterinary industry on numerous committees and panels. I worked for Dr. Bechtol years ago and he was — and continues to be — a tremendous ‘out-of-the-box’ thinker, leader, organizer, mentor and teacher.”
View the complete Merck release online.
$4.8 Million Available to Support Food Safety Outreach
The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) April 25 announced $4.8 million in available funding to develop and implement food safety training, education, extension, outreach and technical assistance projects.
This funding, offered through the Food Safety Outreach Program and administered by NIFA, will address the needs of owners and operators of small to mid-sized farms, beginning farmers, socially-disadvantaged farmers, small processors, or small fresh fruit and vegetable merchant wholesalers.
“This has been an excellent collaboration with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration,” said NIFA Director Sonny Ramaswamy. “We’ve successfully expanded the program’s reach through establishment of a National Coordination Center and four regional centers across the U.S.”
The Food Safety Outreach Program supports projects that encourage participants from local communities, community based- and non-governmental organizations, universities, extension, state and federal agencies that develop and implement food safety outreach programs.
For more information, read the NIFA news release online.
New Forage Seed Mixture Benefits Bees,
Livestock and Sustainable Ag Research
In response to America’s urgent needs to protect pollinators and to support sustainable livestock farming, Grassland Oregon, a leading seed research and development company, has introduced a new seed mixture called Pastures for Pollinators, announced Risa DeMasi, co-founder of Grassland Oregon and immediate past chairman of the American Seed Trade Association.
Proceeds from the sales of Pastures for Pollinators will be donated to further sustainable agriculture research programs.
“With over 400 million acres of pastureland in the U.S., we felt it was vital to develop a forage solution that would promote pollinator habitats while also helping farmers and ranchers to feed their livestock and to sustain their soil resources,” said DeMasi. “We believe Pasture for Pollinators will benefit bees, livestock and the U.S. economy for decades to come.”
Learn more in the news release online.
Luling Foundation Field Day Slated for May 18
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Luling Foundation will present the 90th annual Luling Foundation Field Day on May 18 in Luling.
Registration will be at 7:30 a.m. at the Luling Foundation Demonstration Barn, 523 S. Mulberry, with complimentary breakfast tacos and coffee provided by Caldwell County Farm Bureau. An exhibit viewing and welcome will follow, then at 8:30 a.m. attendees will board trailers for farm tours.
“This event will be a great opportunity for people of all levels of agricultural experience to get information on topics ranging from insect pests to cattle handling to technology and the need for agricultural literacy,” said Julie Zimmerman, AgriLife Extension agent for agriculture and natural resources, Caldwell County.
Topics and guest speakers for the morning farm tours will be: Insect Hot Topics in Agriculture, Sonja Swiger, AgriLife Extension livestock/veterinary entomologist, Stephenville; and Apps for Agriculture (Utilizing Technology), Bryan Davis, AgriLife Extension agent, Wilson County.
For more information, visit the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events.
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