Latest News From Industry

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Lingering Drought Challenges for Some Pasture and Range Conditions, USDA Report Reveals

While parts of the Midwest catch some much needed rains, other areas face dry conditions this growing season. Here's a look at the seasonal drought outlook and what it means for pasture and range conditions.

Cell-Cultured Chicken Gains Final USDA Approval
Cell-Cultured Chicken Gains Final USDA Approval

Three California-based cultivated meat companies have received approval from USDA to begin producing and marketing lab-grown chicken.

Vaccinations
Bovine Core Vaccination Guidelines

The establishment of bovine core vaccines was created based on the major infectious agents that require protection in all types of cattle.

Proposed Bill Would Allow FDA to Probe Feedlots
Proposed Bill Would Allow FDA to Probe Feedlots

The Food and Drug Administration would have authority to inspect large feedlots linked to salmonella outbreaks and other foodborne illnesses under the Expanded Food Safety Investigation Act.

Economist Shares It Will Be a Tough Year Ahead for Dairy
Economist Shares It Will Be a Tough Year Ahead for Dairy

Ben Laine shares we would need a big demand surge to see a significant increase in prices. He also adds that June is likely to be the bottom of prices, although he remains cautious for the second half of 2023.

What Is Happening with Bovine Practice and Is It Fixable?
What Is Happening with Bovine Practice and Is It Fixable?

Recruitment and retention of veterinarians for rural mixed animal or bovine practice are continuing issues. While the problem is multi-factorial, it has become clear to me that we need to fix what we can fix.

Dr. Robert Larson Receives Award for Meritorious Service
Dr. Robert Larson Receives Award for Meritorious Service

The E.R. Frank Award is presented by the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine and its Veterinary Medical Alumni Association.

Former USDA Animal Inspector Sentenced for Accepting Bribes
Former USDA Animal Inspector Sentenced for Accepting Bribes

While serving as an inspector at the southern U.S. border, a Laredo, Tex., man accepted bribes from Mexican cattle brokers to allow cattle to enter the country without proper quarantine or inspection.

Can the Cattle Industry Have a Positive Impact on Climate Change? YES!
Can the Cattle Industry Have a Positive Impact on Climate Change? YES!

Dr. Frank Mitloehner, often referred to as the "greenhouse gas guru," spoke to the Blueprint For The Future Cattlemen's Conference at Oklahoma State Universtiy.

Flash Flooding Hits Texas Panhandle, Several Feedyards Now Face Massive Cleanup and Cattle Losses
Flash Flooding Hits Texas Panhandle, Several Feedyards Now Face Massive Cleanup and Cattle Losses

The area was hit especially hard by historic rains on Friday. It is home to several feedyards, with owners and operators trying to assess the number of cows lost due to flood waters rising so quickly.

Genetics Can Improve Livestock Grazing in South Texas
Genetics Can Improve Livestock Grazing in South Texas

Raising heat-tolerant cattle that are able and willing to go further to graze in subtropical climates is the goal of a new beef cattle research project at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research station at Beeville.

Carving Out Convenience: Young Cattle Producer Serves Up Success With Vending Machine of Meat
Carving Out Convenience: Young Cattle Producer Serves Up Success With Vending Machine of Meat

With a slogan of "raised, not sourced," Tim Haer had a wild idea to differentiate their business: create a vending machine to sell meat produced on their family's farm, an idea he says that's been wildly successful.

The Forecast Looks Good for Grilling, And That's Great News for Meat Demand
The Forecast Looks Good for Grilling, And That's Great News for Meat Demand

Meat demand peaked last year, but economists say domestic demand is still stronger than pre-pandemic levels, and with more grilling this Memorial Day weekend, it could help boost domestic meat demand.

Feedlot Cattle Health Summit in Kearney Neb., July 12
Feedlot Cattle Health Summit in Kearney Neb., July 12

The PAC Summit for Industry Leaders will be held July 12, 2023, at the Holiday Inn in Kearney, Nebraska. The event features an exciting line-up of speakers and topics.

Americans Love Meat and Say It's a Healthy Choice
Americans Love Meat and Say It's a Healthy Choice

A majority of Americans regularly eat meat and believe that it's a healthy choice, according to a recent poll that has some critics up in arms.

Alltech Acquires Agolin
Alltech Acquires Agolin

Kentucky-based feed and food additive company Alltech has acquired a majority interest in Agolin, a Swiss company specializing in sustainable animal nutrition.

Meat Institute Launches Protein PACT Academic Advisory Council
Meat Institute Launches Protein PACT Academic Advisory Council

The Protein PACT Academic Advisory Council is formed to advise on research priorities and the latest evidence related to meat production and consumption.

Atypical BSE Case Confirmed at South Carolina Slaughter Plant, No Trade Impacts Expected
Atypical BSE Case Confirmed at South Carolina Slaughter Plant, No Trade Impacts Expected

USDA announces an atypical case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), a neurologic disease of cattle, in an approximately five-year-old or older beef cow at a slaughter plant in South Carolina.

Redefining Beef on Dairy
Redefining Beef on Dairy

Purina Animal Nutrition gathers supply chain to discuss opportunities and challenges with beef-on-dairy segment.

The U.S. Now Has a Nearly 90% Chance of Seeing El Niño This Summer
The U.S. Now Has a Nearly 90% Chance of Seeing El Niño This Summer

The signs of El Niño grew even strong this month, and as the weather event looks to make its grand return, significant weather changes could be on deck for U.S. farmers this year. 

Give It a Name: Family Ranch Adds Value to Common Practice with New Beef Label
Give It a Name: Family Ranch Adds Value to Common Practice with New Beef Label

Though rooted in tradition, this father-daughter duo is stepping into new territory, using genomic testing and creating their own specialty beef label to add value and increase efficiency in their operation.

Cows Like Candy, Too
Cows Like Candy, Too

Head to Lancaster County Pennsylvania and the sweet aroma of candy can be smelled on a family dairy farm. Red Knob Dairy has been feeding upcycled Hershey candy waste to their cows for more than a decade.

WSJ Challenges The “Big Meat Conspiracy Theory”
WSJ Challenges The “Big Meat Conspiracy Theory”

After Tyson Foods reports anemic first quarter sales and downgrades its forecast, The Wall Street Journal editors wrote, “This doesn’t look like an antitrust conspiracy or market oligopoly.”

USDA Just Provided the First National Snapshot of Pasture Conditions, And It Hints at More Cow Culling Ahead
USDA Just Provided the First National Snapshot of Pasture Conditions, And It Hints at More Cow Culling Ahead

USDA’s pasture and range conditions shows 33% is rated good/excellent and 37% is poor/very poor. While the picture is improved from last year, a deeper dive shows one state is worse than 2013.

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In Low-Forage Situations Setting Aside A 'Sacrifice Area' Might Prove Helpful

This is an area where cattle can stay when grazing is detrimental to land and plants. It can be used during times that animals do not need to graze or dormant seasons, drought times or periods of excess moisture.

Gene-Editing Technology Produces First Calf Resistant to BVDV
Gene-Editing Technology Produces First Calf Resistant to BVDV

Scientists at Clay Center, Neb., have collaborated to produce the first gene-edited calf with resistance to bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), a virus that costs the U.S. cattle sector billions of dollars annually.

Kentucky Cattle Scheme With 78,000 Ghost Cattle Unravels
Kentucky Cattle Scheme With 78,000 Ghost Cattle Unravels

A fraudulent cattle scheme allegedly orchestrated by a Kentucky cattleman has left investors and a financial institution reeling under a $100 million loss.

What Meat Product is Your State Most Hungry For? Data Shows Top Meat Volume Growth
What Meat Product is Your State Most Hungry For? Data Shows Top Meat Volume Growth

When it comes to meat, what is your state most hungry for? Data shows meat eaters across the nation are looking for variety and tend to have a geographic component to recent consumer preferences.

New Genetic Defect Discovered in Holsteins
New Genetic Defect Discovered in Holsteins

The Holstein breed is wrestling with the phenomenon of a newly identified genetic defect for Recumbency.

Wood Milk—Calling Attention to What People Are Drinking
Wood Milk—Calling Attention to What People Are Drinking

The “Wood Milk” ad— funded through MilkPEP —goal is to make people pause and question what they are consuming and the nutritional value of their choices.

Addressing BRD: The Two-Step Approach to Building Immunity
Addressing BRD: The Two-Step Approach to Building Immunity

We can’t control everything on a cattle operation. But we can make a battle plan to protect calves from bovine respiratory disease long before we ever reach for antibiotics.

Industry Award Winners and New Board of Directors Announced by NIAA
Industry Award Winners and New Board of Directors Announced by NIAA

More than 140 guests joined the conference and receptions to connect with fellow animal agriculture leaders to explore, discuss, and develop solutions that encourage continuous improvement in animal agriculture.  

Norbrook Announces Facility Expansion And Upgrades
Norbrook Announces Facility Expansion And Upgrades

The company has doubled the warehouse space available for its veterinary pharmaceutical products. The 1,000-plus temperature-controlled pallet spaces are maintained with a state-of-the-art heating and cooling system.

Accidental and No Foul Play, Investigation Reveals Cause of Explosion, Massive Fire at Texas Dairy
Accidental and No Foul Play, Investigation Reveals Cause of Explosion, Massive Fire at Texas Dairy

The Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office released a report from its investigation of the large fire at South Fork Dairy located outside Dimmitt, ruling the fire as accidental with no reported evidence of foul play.

 mRNA Conspiracy Theories: Ranch Group Offers ‘Fearmongering’ and ‘Misinformation’
mRNA Conspiracy Theories: Ranch Group Offers ‘Fearmongering’ and ‘Misinformation’

Misinformation and conspiracy theories regarding the use of mRNA vaccines in livestock continue, despite efforts of the scientific community, who emphasize, "mRNA from a vaccine will NOT be passed along in meat."

How Rendering Works: Boiling Down the 'Invisible Industry'
How Rendering Works: Boiling Down the 'Invisible Industry'

While everyone looks forward to the main course, there’s an entire industry focused on the “leftovers.” On April 21, celebrate the "invisible industry" through National Rendering Day!

Punishing Drought Now Expected to Persist Through July Across Texas, Plains
Punishing Drought Now Expected to Persist Through July Across Texas, Plains

The updated Seasonal Drought Outlook for the U.S. is painting a grim picture for many drought-plagued areas of the Plains, but forecasters also expect drought to improve in parts of Nebraska and Iowa.

What We Now Know About What Caused the Large Fire at a Texas Dairy Farm
What We Now Know About What Caused the Large Fire at a Texas Dairy Farm

According to Castro County Sheriff Sal Rivera, officials believe a honey vac machine, which sucks the manure out of cow lanes, may have been the initial source of the fire. Questions remain on why it spread so quickly.

Economic Impact Study Shows Livestock Auctions Growing in Importance for Rural Vitality
Economic Impact Study Shows Livestock Auctions Growing in Importance for Rural Vitality

A 2023 economic impact study, which updated a study from 2017, found that livestock auction markets continue to be important for the growth and vitality of rural communities.

Large Explosion and Fire Breaks Out at South Fork Dairy in Dimmitt, Texas Monday Night
Large Explosion and Fire Breaks Out at South Fork Dairy in Dimmitt, Texas Monday Night

The explosion occurred at South Fork dairy, which is located just southeast of Dimmitt. According to Castro County Sheriff Sal Rivera, the explosion occurred around 7:20 p.m. on Monday. The cause is still unknown.

A Story of Old Ben: The Biggest Beef Ever
A Story of Old Ben: The Biggest Beef Ever

Beef producers are always looking for an efficient steer to feed. Perhaps none was better than a calf raised near Kokomo, Ind. 

Calf Processing and Branding: Best Management Practices
Calf Processing and Branding: Best Management Practices

Calving is underway across the country, which means calf processing and branding (if applicable in your area) is just around the corner. Here's some things to remember heading into the season.

Midwest Veterinary Supply Forfeits Over $10M for Misbranded Drugs
Midwest Veterinary Supply Forfeits Over $10M for Misbranded Drugs

Minnesota-based company, Midwest Veterinary Supply (Midwest), has pled guilty to introducing misbranded, prescription drugs into interstate commerce, facing over $10 million in criminal fines and forfeiture.

Document Livestock Death Losses Due to Adverse Weather
Document Livestock Death Losses Due to Adverse Weather

The Livestock Indemnity Program may provide payments to agricultural producers for livestock deaths caused by adverse weather in excess of normal mortality.

Understanding Calf Scours
Understanding Calf Scours

Understanding why scours occurs is the first step in preventing the problem.  Calf scours outbreaks are the result of a contaminated calving and nursing environment. 

WDE_Show
Spring has Sprung and Show Season is Just Around the Corner. Are You Ready?

For your showing clients, now is a good time to discuss a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection. Many livestock shows will require a CVI -- even if the animal doesn’t have to cross state lines to get to the show.

Mastitis in Beef Cows: What You Need to Know
Mastitis in Beef Cows: What You Need to Know

Although mastitis, an infection of the udder, is often considered a dairy cow problem, the disease may also impact beef producers. Here's what you need to know and look for and how to help protect your herd.

Animal Activist and Former Baywatch Star Found Not Guilty in ‘Open Rescue’
Animal Activist and Former Baywatch Star Found Not Guilty in ‘Open Rescue’

Former “Baywatch” star Alexandra Paul and activist Alicia Santurio were found not guilty of misdemeanor theft after “rescuing” two chickens in 2021. Although they faced jail time, Paul says it was worth the risk.

For the Love of the Game, How Agriculture Helped Birth the Game of Basketball
For the Love of the Game, How Agriculture Helped Birth the Game of Basketball

It may not seem like basketball has a strong connection to agriculture, but from the balls used in the NBA, to the sport itself, agriculture has direct ties to a sport that takes over televisions during March Madness.

12 Ways to Prevent the Spread of Disease in Feedlots
12 Ways to Prevent the Spread of Disease in Feedlots

Sound management, health protocols and facilities maintenance can help achieve the ultimate goal of keeping cattle healthy and productive.