News Update
April 24, 2018
Disease Factors that
Affect Cow Fertility
Eduardo Cobo, assistant professor for the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Calgary, says two of the main reproductive diseases that reduce pregnancy rates in cows are trichomoniasis (trich) and campylobacteriosis (formerly called vibriosis).
“These diseases are often underdiagnosed. Producers may also think vaccination will prevent problems, but vaccination is not always efficient for protecting cows against trichomoniasis, and hasn’t been fully tested for campylobacteriosis. If a herd has fertility problems and uses natural-service breeding, producers should not ignore the possibility that they have one or both of these diseases,” he says.
Cobo’s former supervisor, Robert BonDurant, professor emeritus for the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California–Davis (UC–Davis), found that up to 15% of the beef herds in California had at least one bull infected with trich.
“These diseases are silent and can sneak into a herd,” Cobo explains. They may go undetected until there are too many cows coming up open or calving late.
“Trichomonas (the protozoan parasite) can be diagnosed with a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test or a culture, but campylobacter is a tricky organism to culture,” he says. “
Read this Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA article online.
Cold Storage Report
USDA released its monthly “Cold Storage” survey results yesterday afternoon (April 23). The total supply of beef, pork, chicken and turkey in cold storage at the end of March was 2.409 billion pounds (lb.), 9.4% higher than a year ago and 11.5% higher than the five-year average. On average in the past five years March inventories have declined 1% from February levels. This year the March inventory was 0.5% higher, largely due to more whole turkeys going into storage.
Total beef inventories at the end of February were 464.0 million lb., unchanged from a year ago and still 1% less than the five-year average. Boneless beef inventories were surprisingly higher in March despite a relatively modest increase in slaughter and sharply discounted futures. The increase is not helpful for a beef market that will likely see a significant increase in available supplies in May and June. If exports were the reason for the higher inventories, we would expect larger stocks in the Pacific region.
However, the biggest increase in inventories from February to March was in the Middle Atlantic.
Read the full report online at www.dailylivestockreport.com.
Consumer Insights
The digital explosion is helping inspire beef consumption. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) staff explained the immense market research that went into the revamping of the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner (BIWFD) website and advertising campaign. They spoke to attendees of the NCBA Market Research — Consumer Insights Session during the 2018 Cattle Industry Convention in Phoenix, Ariz.
The use of mobile devices makes up two-thirds of all time spent online, shared Colleen Moore. Social media and video viewing are the two most popular online activities.
With this in mind, Shawn Darcy explained that before its launch, the new BIWFD website and the Rethink the Ranch video went through significant market research. The research included more than 7,000 consumer interviews, 200 in-depth interviews, online forums and focus groups.
The video’s ending and the narrator voice are strong. People are intrigued to learn who is behind the message. The website helped bring cohesiveness to the brand and, overall, both left a very positive message and remind consumers who cattlemen are, Darcy explained.
The new branding and logos also had strong positive reactions.
Continue reading this Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA article online.
Raise Your Hand to Support 4-H
For the second year, National 4-H Council is running its Raise Your Hand Campaign, asking people to “raise their hand” as a 4-H alum or friend/supporter of 4-H. The states with the most hands raised will receive $20,000, $15,000 or $10,000 toward the expansion of 4-H programs. The campaign is through May 15 and features the social media hashtag #4HGrown. Visit www.4-H.org/RaiseYourHand to learn more and vote for your state.
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