Fed Cattle News

Breaking News: Mexican Ports to Reopen in Phases for Cattle Trade Starting July 7

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 19:28:22 GMT

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced today a risk-based phased port re-openings for cattle, bison and equine from Mexico beginning as early as July 7.

The announcement is following the extensive collaboration between USDA–Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) experts and their counterparts in Mexico to increase New World screwworm (NWS) surveillance, detection and eradication efforts. The port reopening timeline is:

Douglas, Ariz. – July 7
Columbus, N.M. – July 14
Santa Teresa, N.M. – July 21
Del Rio, Texas – Aug. 18
Laredo, Texas – Sept. 15

After each reopening, USDA will evaluate to ensure no adverse effects arise.

Progress Being Made to Stop Progress of NWS

According to USDA, progress has been made in several critical areas since the ports were closed on May 11 , including:

Resolution of challenges with conducting flights in Mexico that has allowed the team to consistently conduct sterile NWS fly dispersal seven days each week
Dispersal of more than 100 million flies each week
USDA sent five APHIS teams to visit, observe and gain a deeper understanding of Mexico’s NWS response. The APHIS teams were allowed the opportunity to share feedback.

USDA says there has not been a notable increase in reported NWS cases in Mexico, nor any northward movement of NWS over the past eight weeks.

“At USDA we are focused on fighting the New World screwworm’s advancement in Mexico. We have made good progress with our counterparts in Mexico to increase vital pest surveillance efforts and have boosted sterile fly dispersal efforts. These quick actions by the Trump Administration have improved the conditions to allow the phased reopening of select ports on the Southern Border to livestock trade,” Rollins says. “We are continuing our posture of increased vigilance and will not rest until we are sure this devastating pest will not harm American ranchers.”

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) says it supports the plan to strategically reopen key ports of entry.

“NCBA and our state affiliates have spent months working with USDA to safeguard the U.S. cattle industry from the threat of New World screwworm. We strongly support USDA’s five-pronged plan to fight the screwworm, which includes bolstering sterile fly production by renovating a facility in Metapa, Mexico, and by building a new fly dispersal facility at Moore Air Base in south Texas,” says NCBA CEO Colin Woodall. “Today’s announcement to reopen key ports of entry is a measured, thoughtful approach by Secretary Rollins to allow some trade while also ensuring the American cattle industry is protected from this pest.”

While the Douglas, Ariz., port presents the lowest risk based upon the geography of Sonora and a long history of effective collaboration between APHIS and Sonora on animal health issues, USDA intends to reopen additional ports in New Mexico, and if it is proven safe to do so, in Texas, over the coming weeks. Additional port openings will be based on APHIS’ continuous reevaluation of the number of cases and potential northward movement of NWS, Mexico’s continued efforts to curb illegal animal movements, and implementation of further rigorous inspection and treatment protocols.

“We trust Secretary Rollins made this decision with the latest information from USDA staff in Mexico, and we know she will continue holding her counterparts in the Mexican government accountable for eradicating screwworm,” Woodall adds. “NCBA and our state affiliate partners will continue working with USDA and key members of Congress to protect the United States from New World screwworm.”

Continuing Efforts

USDA is working with Mexico’s National Department of Health, Food Safety and Food Quality (SENASICA) on outreach, education and training efforts to raise awareness and put producers on high alert about NWS, along with utilizing their well-functioning central laboratory for diagnosing cases. While Mexico has made great progress on animal movement controls and surveillance, additional progress will help ensure the remaining U.S. ports reopen. Enhanced animal movement controls to stem illegal animal movements from the south, along with robust surveillance and NWS risk mitigations beyond check points will be critical in pushing back NWS. APHIS technical teams continue to engage with SENASICA to improve the overall NWS posture in Mexico and implement the rigorous steps needed to keep this pest away from our border.

Mexico will also begin renovation of its sterile fruit fly facility in Metapa this week, with renovation expected to be completed by July 2026. Renovation of this facility will allow for production of between 60-100 million sterile NWS flies each week. This is a critical step towards reaching the goal of producing the estimated 400-500 million flies each week needed to re-establish the NWS barrier at the Darien Gap.

Only cattle and bison, born and raised in Sonora or Chihuahua, or that are treated according to cattle and bison NWS protocol when entering these states, will be eligible for import. See Importing Live Cattle and Bison From Mexico to the United States for more information on cattle and bison import requirements.

In addition, reopening the Del Rio (Aug. 18) and Colombia Bridge (Sept.15) ports will be contingent on Coahuila and Nuevo Leon adopting the same NWS protocols for cattle and bison as those now required of Sonora and Chihuahua for cattle or bison entering those states.

Equine may import from anywhere in Mexico. They require a seven-day quarantine at the port of entry and must import in accordance with the equine NWS protocol and other requirements detailed on USDA APHIS | Import Horses from Mexico webpage . Approved equine facilities are available at the Santa Teresa, N.M., port and will be available for entry of horses when that port is reopened.

In May 2025, USDA suspended imports of live cattle, bison, and equines from Mexico into the U.S. due to the continued and rapid northward spread of NWS. During the weeks of June 2 and June 16, teams of APHIS experts conducted robust onsite assessments of Mexico’s NWS response efforts to fully reassess the risk of NWS incursions to the U.S. posed by importation of Mexican cattle across our southern border.

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1,500-lb. Carcasses the New Normal, Not the Exception

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 16:26:38 GMT

Today the entire beef industry — from producers to processors — is economically incentivized to produce heavier animals. Ty Lawrence, West Texas A&M University animal science professor and director of the BCRC, predicts that carcass weights will continue to increase, potentially reaching 1,500 lb. in the near future.

Lawrence was a keynote speaker during the 2025 Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) Symposium in Amarillo last week. He says the industry has already seen harvests of cattle approaching that weight, with some producers currently feeding cattle up to 2,300 lb.

“We can feed cattle today to much bigger weights and be more profitable than you’ve ever considered,” Lawrence says.

BIF attendee and Kansas beef producer Joe Epperly from Wamego, Kan., summarizes, “The most hard-hitting comment at BIF was Lawrence’s 1,500-lb. carcass prediction by the end of his career. The implications of that to genetic selection, cost of production and cow size are far ranging. It will be a challenge for producers in every segment to meet.”

More than 400 beef producers, breed association leaders and industry professionals participated in two and a half days of educational programming focused on beef industry profitability and sustainability.

Tuesday, June 10, the event kicked off with the Young Producer Symposium. Wednesday’s general session focused on “Beef Industry Profitability: Conflicting market signals and profit drivers in the beef value chain.” Thursday’s general session theme was “Sustainability: Improving our product through selection, applications of technology and data integration.”

Wednesday and Thursday afternoon technical breakout sessions focused on a range of beef-production and genetic-improvement topics.

Bradley Wolter, a symposium attendee from Aviston, Ill., says, “Larger carcasses will be a critical part of bridging the supply gap in the near term. Identifying genetic association with late-term mortality and morbidity requires further research and coordination on the part of breeding entities.”

He says the chasm remains between exponentially larger finished carcasses that optimize fixed packer costs verses a target of smaller cows for biological optimum on the ranch.

“More collaborative, holistic data analysis with integrated research is needed to avoid industry sub-optimization and ensure competitiveness on the world stage,” Wolter summarizes.

Scott Greiner, Virginia Tech professor and Extension animal scientist, agrees with Epperly and Walter saying the message that resonated with many in attendance was the continued emphasis on increasing carcass weights by the feedlot and packing sectors, and the impact it will have at the cow-calf sector as it relates to cow size and production costs.

“This trend is not new, but I think the way things were conveyed by several speakers in terms of the economics and market signals, sure seems like bigger is what will continue to be a primary emphasis,” Greiner says.

Ken Odde, 2025/26 BIF vice president from South Dakota, says: “Two of the real questions about feeding cattle this long [to 1500-lb carcass weight] is what happens to the carcass traits as you do that? What happens to feed efficiency?”

One of the sessions that stood out to Odde during the symposium was a presentation on a project at South Dakota State University in the Advancements in End Product Improvement breakout session — “Extended days on feed: Influences on growth performance, efficiency and carcass characteristics of steers and heifers of different proportions of Angus and Limousin genetics.”

Is the U.S. Behind?

“From conversations in the hallway, I learned that the U.S. beef industry is behind on methane research, and if we are going to compete in the global marketplace, we need to get a move on,” Epperly says. “Australian Angus will release a methane research EPD in 2025, and we have barely enough data in the U.S. to see differences. That Australian data includes a lot of American bulls, so we will have data whether some American breeders like it or not. The optics for some are unfavorable, but whatever we can do to keep the doors open for our product the better off we will be.”

Likewise, symposium speakers referenced the Brazilian beef industry and how it is poised for continued success and rapid growth given its bountiful resources, not the least of which is its people.

“You see it not only in its scaled adoption of AI, but through the numerous young geneticists who make up the audience,” Walter says. “The U.S. industry needs to continue to invest in its genetic improvement through both public and private partnerships to maintain a position of world leadership.”

Young Producer Focus

“The Young Producer Symposium opened with a message about ‘Standing on the shoulders of giants,’” says Elizabeth Dressler, a graduate student who attended the symposium. “This resonated with me as I thought about all the research and progress the beef industry has made over the years. I thought it was a great way to open the conference by paying respect to the work that has been done in the past, as we look into the future the rest of the conference.”

Wolter adds there’s an excitement among young people in the beef industry.

“These young leaders are creatively engaged with our consumers unlike the previous generation,” he says. “I believe that will only create more demand and opportunities for an industry despite some questions and uncertainties with how cattle interact with their environment.”

Hidden Hazards: Now is the Time to Rethink Gun Use in Cattle Handling

Tue, 13 May 2025 16:59:17 GMT

With the smallest cattle herd size on record, the impact of every pound of beef and every head lost due to foreign material contamination is even more significant today than it has ever been.

Pat Mies, Tyson Fresh Meats vice president food safety and quality assurance and beef industry food safety council chair, shares alarming math regarding foreign material contamination.

There is an economic loss due to cattle contaminated with foreign materials. Mies explains regulatory rules consider any foreign material, regardless of size, to be an adulterant and unfit for human consumption.

There’s more than 50 griding/further processing facilities across the U.S.

(NCBA)

The issue is industry-wide and not just state or region specific. Processors from across the U.S. have frequently reported challenges with foreign material in beef cattle.

“It’s not a Texas issue or New Mexico issue or a South Dakota issue,” Mies says. “It’s an entire U.S. issue.”

Trey Patterson, Padlock Ranch president and CEO, says “Food safety in our industry is non-negotiable; it’s now an expectation.”

(Schwartz, West Texas A&M)

Patterson says the 2022 National Beef Quality Audit revealed a significant problem: 100% of non-fed plants reported finding foreign objects in beef, with half experiencing customer complaints about items like shotgun pellets. And in the audit, 50% of fed plants are having the same issue.

Trent Schwartz, West Texas A&M University assistant professor, explains, “This is not a fed versus non-fed issue. This is all cattle being sold for meat consumption, and we believe highly that all of this is happening in the production phase, whether it be cattle gathering techniques or treating cattle.”

Mies acknowledges plants have access to resources and technology to catch foreign material but it is not 100% accurate.

“We have metal detectors, defect eliminators, X-ray systems and vision systems,” he admits. “We’re using artificial intelligence to train these systems to do a better job, to get rid of these foreign objects. And then we also have the human element — people watching product and pulling product that may have foreign objects in it. We have all these things in our plants, yet we still have problems. It’s not 100% foolproof. It’s not 100% fail-safe.”

Economic Impacts

Patrick Linnell, CattleFax analyst, provided an economic perspective regarding cull cows and the financial loss due to foreign material contamination.

“Cull cows is one area in particular where there’s an especially strong connection between animal welfare and husbandry and value to the producer,” Linnell says.

With cow inventory at its lowest since the 1950s, and as the beef and dairy industries try to stabilize and rebuild, Linnell says cull cow supplies will remain tight for the foreseeable future. Cull cows on average represent 20% of total marketing and management for an individual operation and the industry as a whole, he adds.

“The consumer wants all the beef through the system that we can provide them,” Linnell says. “That’s why making sure we don’t have to dispose of this high-value product because of foreign material contamination is important.”

The economic and reputational implications of foreign contamination are severe. With current beef prices, each contaminated animal represents a significant financial loss. Moreover, these incidents can damage domestic as well as international market confidence.

Linnell says that 50% of U.S. beef consumption is in the form of ground beef.

“If you do the simple math and look at what ground beef costs today in retail stores, it’s on average, about $5 per lb. across the U.S. That is a lot of money that we’re pulling out of the system because people decided to use a shotgun and bird shot to move stubborn cattle,” Mies says.

Starts With the Live Animal

Schwartz is the lead researcher working on a checkoff-funded study in partnership with NCBA regarding foreign material detection techniques in live animals before the animal enters the processing facility.

He says a wide range of foreign objects have been found in live animals, with metal shot being the most common. He points out that most of the foreign material found relates back to metal objects coming from the live side, not something that’s added to the product post-harvest.

His team is cataloging pictures and materials received from plants and individuals for future use and educational purposes. The primary source of these foreign objects appears to be cattle handling practices.

“Cattle get in rough country and won’t come out,” he says. “The first instinct is to use a shotgun or rat shot, and to move those cattle with some metal shot.”

Hunters are another concern for the shot residue.

“We don’t feel like this is a hunting issue,” he says. “This is direct contact, point-blank type issue. Criminal mischief has also been brought up. Criminal mischief or criminal acts is certainly a possibility.”

He also says unintended exposure or living conditions can lead to the foreign material such as cattle ingesting wire and it protrudes through the stomach and into the skirt or other organs.

Darts are also becoming an increasing concern, with some found deeply embedded in muscle tissue and even lungs.

“We need to start looking at the production side and how we can limit some of these items that are making their way into the plant,” Schwartz summarizes.

His ongoing research project is focusing on developing methods to detect objects in live animals under the hide using ultrasound, X-ray and metal detection techniques.

“The goal of the research is to determine efficacy. Does it work?” Schwartz explains. This work will allow for technology advancements to potentially identify foreign material throughout the supply chain in the live animal.

How You Can Help

Patterson suggests a voluntary, industry-wide effort to address the problem before it reaches processing facilities.

“I need your help,” Mies says in a plea to all beef producers. “I need you to talk to your friends, your family, your neighbors, anybody that you can about moving cattle with shotguns, and that it should never happen in our industry.”

To learn more about foreign materials found during beef processing watch this NCBA webinar:

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A Review of Feedlot Structure and 2024 Marketings

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 15:11:18 GMT

The latest USDA-NASS Cattle on Feed report pegged the Feb. 1 feedlot inventory at 11.716 million head in feedlots with 1,000+ capacity, down 0.7% year over year. January marketings were 101.4% of one year ago and placements were 101.7% of last year. The report was well anticipated with values close to pre-report estimates.

The February report also contained a summary of 2024 feedlot production and the structure of the feedlot industry coming into 2025. The total U.S. feedlot inventory on Jan. 1, 2025 was 14.297 million head, including 2.474 million head in feedlots with capacity less than 1,000 head (Table 1). Since cattle inventories peaked in the mid-1970s, feedlot inventories have represented a growing percentage of cattle inventories (Figure 1). Feedlot inventories represented 16.5% of total cattle inventories on Jan. 1, 2025, down fractionally from the peak of 16.6 percent last year.

(USDA/Peel)

Table 1 shows the size distribution of feedlots and their contribution to total feedlot production. A total of 2105 feedlots with capacity of 1,000+ head (included in monthly Cattle on Feed reports) accounted for 82.7% of the Jan. 1 feedlot inventory and 87.2% of total feedlot production in 2024. A total of 24,000 feedlots with less than 1,000 head capacity accounted for 17.3% of feedlot inventory on Jan. 1 and 12.8% of total feedlot marketings in 2024. Feedlots with capacity over 50,000 head made up 3.8% of feedlots over 1,000 head capacity but accounted for 34.8% of inventory and 35.1% marketings last year. Over 50% of feedlot inventories on Jan. 1 and annual marketings in 2024 were in feedlots over 32,000 head of capacity, 6.9 percent of feedlots with 1000+ head.

Table 1. Feedlot Size Distribution, Inventory and Marketings.

Feedlot Capacity	Feedlots	% of Feedlots >1000 Hd.	Inventory Jan. 1, 2025	% of Total Inventory	Marketings 2024	% of Total Marketings
Head	Number		1,000 Head		1,000 Head
<1,000	24,000		2,473.7	17.3	3,180.0	12.8

1,000 – 1,999	740	35.5	363.0	2.5	610.0	2.5
2,000 – 3,999	530	25.2	630.0	4.4	1,220.0	4.9
4,000 – 7,999	370	27.6	930.0	6.5	1,790.0	7.2
8,000 – 15,999	190	9.0	1,040.0	7.3	1,990.0	8.0
16,000 – 23,999	85	4.0	940.0	6.6	1,840.0	7.4
24,000 – 31,999	45	2.1	760.0	5.3	1,550.0	6.2
32,000 – 49,999	65	3.1	2,190.0	15.3	3,920.0	15.8
>50,000	80	3.8	4,970.0	34.8	8,720.0	35.1

Subtotal >1,000	2,105		11,823.0	82.7	21,640.0	87.2

Total	26,105		14,296.7		24,820.0

The estimated total feedlot capacity (1,000+ head) on Jan. 1, 2025 was 17.2 million head, up fractionally from the previous year. Total feedlot capacity has not changed significantly in recent years and has averaged 17.13 million head since 2011. Figure 2 shows the Jan. 1 feedlot inventory as a percentage of feedlot capacity.

(USDA/Peel)

The cattle on feed percentage of feedlot capacity on Jan. 1, 2025 was 68.7%, down from 69.8% in 2024 and from the recent peak of 70.4% in 2022. For the past fifteen years, feedlot inventories have averaged 66.7% of the feedlot capacity (red dotted line). The percentage dropped significantly from 2014-2017 during herd expansion. Ever tighter feeder cattle supplies and the prospect of heifer retention for herd rebuilding mean that the percentage is likely to decrease in the future.

Did the U.S. Cattle Inventory Shrink Even More in a Year? 60% of Ag Economists Think So

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 14:50:09 GMT

Last year’s USDA Cattle Inventory Report showed the smallest cattle herd in 73 years . And with no strong signs of rebuilding underway, along with strong prices providing no incentive to retain heifers, agricultural economists think the U.S. cattle inventory has shrunk even more since last year.

Last year, USDA’s Cattle Inventory report showed as of Jan. 1, 2024, the All Cattle and Calves inventory was 87.15 million head, a 2% reduction in just a year. Ahead of the 2025 report, the January Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor asked economists to project inventory as of Jan. 1, 2025.

50% said they expect inventory to fall to 86 to 86.9 million head.
20 percent expect inventory to remain similar to levels last year
An additional 20% think inventory will rise to 88 to 88.9 million head.
And 10% think cattle numbers could to 85 to 85.9 million head.

What would change a producer’s minds and give them confidence to grow their herds again? That’s exactly what we asked in the latest Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor, which is an anonymous survey of nearly 70 ag economists from across the country. While some said it will just take time, others pointed to the economics of strong cow-calf returns, weaker fed cattle prices and lower prices at the sale barn.

Other economists said:

“Today’s high prices are certainly incentive, along with the expectation of moderate feed costs.”
“Government policies, global demand, price cycle”
“Better spring forage supplies could be the most important factor in growth. More quality labor could be critical, too.”
“Confidence that the general economy outlook is positive and that there are unlikely to be negative policy shocks. And, of course, there has to be adequate forage.”
“Improved weather pattern in the West, along with profitable margins.”

Record-High Prices

January Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor

(Lindsey Pound )

Cattle prices continued to hit records this week. And with no signs of those record prices slowing down, it’s a question of how high these prices will actually go.

Is it the supply side or the demand side driving prices? According to economists in the survey, it’s both. And that’s why out of the 10 major commodities, economists are most bullish on cattle in 2025.

January Monthly Monitor

(Lindsey Pound )

Advice to Manage Risk
Even with no end in sight, the Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor asked economists, “What advice you would offer beef producers to consider to make sure they are in the right position to take advantage of high prices now and to be prepared for when the market changes?” Here’s what they had to say:

“Stay sold forward, and avoid over-leveraging.”
“To just keeping looking at their genetics, retaining those with the best traits to continually improve herd quality and meat marketability.”
“For those with adequate forage availability, the near-term outlook for cattle profitability is very positive. Remember, though, that all good things come to an end—those who wait too long may only have more animals to market when prices turn back down again.”
“Consider all options for their risk management strategy, including both insurance products, futures, options, or other strategies.”
“You must have something to sell.”
“Today, there is more downside price risk for cattle prices. Risk management against a significant decline in future cattle prices should be considered today.”
“Hedge sales and inputs both. Hedge the crush!”

More Action Needed By Mexico Before Reopening Border for Feeder Cattle Imports, Says Vilsack

Sun, 19 Jan 2025 20:54:32 GMT

A letter sent Friday by outgoing USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack to Mexico’s Secretary of Agriculture Julio Antonio Berdeguê acknowledges the progress made in reopening cattle trade between the two countries following the detection of New World Screwworm (NWS) in Mexico, but says more action is needed to resume trade.

Key developments:

Technical collaboration between U.S. and Mexican teams
Full technical agreement on protocol reached on Dec. 12, 2024
Ongoing work to approve pre-export NWS inspection facilities.

Vilsack emphasizes the importance of expediting the approval process for these facilities to resume safe export as soon as possible, citing the significance of trade for a safe and affordable food supply.

The letter also addresses efforts to combat the spread of New World Screwworm:

Emergency funding has been authorized to increase sterile fly production
Production has increased fivefold in the past year
Enhanced regional response through increased dispersal, surveillance, education, and partnerships
Acknowledgment of Mexico’s partnership in sterile fly releases, movement controls, and surveillance
Shared goal to push the pest south to the Darien Gap

Vilsack requests immediate support from Secretary Berdegué for the establishment of two planned sterile fly dispersal centers in Southern Mexico to strengthen current efforts.

The letter maintains a cordial and cooperative tone throughout, emphasizing:

Shared commitments and goals
Acknowledgment of Mexico’s efforts and partnership
Expressions of gratitude for collaboration
Requests for continued support and expedited action

Industry sources say specific testing will take place Monday, Jan. 20, and that and other tests will go a long way in establishing a trade resumption timeline.

NWS Trade Impacts Started in November
As previously reported, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) suspended imports of live cattle and bison from Mexico on Nov. 22, 2024, following the detection of New World screwworm (NWS) along Mexico’s southern border. This pest can have a significant negative impact on cattle health, and U.S. authorities have been working to develop protocols to screen animals coming into the country.

Several factors are influencing the timeline and pace of reopening:

Facility inspections: Both countries have agreed on protocols, but implementation requires facility inspections and approvals.
Quarantine period: A seven-day quarantine after animal checks
Port readiness: The most important port to get moving again is Santa Teresa, New Mexico.

The temporary suspension of cattle imports from Mexico has had notable effects on the U.S. cattle market:

Reduced supply: About 250,000-300,000 fewer head of cattle are estimated to have been imported due to the suspension.
Price support: The trade disruption has been supporting feeder cattle and calf prices in the U.S.

McDonald’s USA, Syngenta and Lopez Foods Collaborate to Help Grow U.S. Beef Sustainability

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 13:29:00 GMT

McDonald’s USA, Lopez Foods, a multi-protein producer and long-term supplier to McDonald’s, and Syngenta North America, a leader in agricultural technology, announced that they are collaborating to increase feed efficiency, a move that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions released per pound of meat produced, as part of efforts to improve the overall sustainability of beef production.

The partnership leverages Syngenta’s Enogen^® corn, an exclusive in-seed innovation, shown to increase feed efficiency in cattle and thereby help reduce emissions intensity compared to other corn.

“At Syngenta, we’re convinced improving the sustainability of the global food system can be accelerated through innovation and collaboration,” says Justin Wolfe, President of Syngenta Seeds. “We’re proud of the great attributes of our Enogen^® corn, and how our work can help enable McDonald’s and their beef supply chain to deliver impact.”

“McDonald’s is starting with a priority ingredient for our company – beef,” says Kendra Levine, Director of U.S. Sustainability for McDonald’s. “We believe the innovative collaboration with Syngenta is an opportunity to help us make progress toward our science-based climate targets.”

The science behind Enogen^® corn is an alpha amylase enzyme that quickly converts starch to usable sugars, thus delivering more engergy to cattle while being easily digestible. University research has shown that feeding Enogen^® as silage or grain can improve feed efficiency by about 5%, according to Syngenta.

Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) shows potential for environmental savings resulting from this increased efficiency, including lower emissions of greenhouse gases and lower use of land, energy, and water per unit of production.Specific findings show that, per 1,000 head of beef cattle, this collaboration could potentially achieve annual savings of:

196 tons (178 metric tons) CO2e in GHG reduction
69 acre reduction (28 hectare) in land use for growing feed
6 million fewer gallons (22 million liters) of water used
231 thousand kilowatt-hours energy savings

McDonald’s plans to scale this program to help deliver over 164,000 metric tons CO2e per year.

Study Confirms Facial Recognition Technology’s Success in Disease Prediction

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 18:14:04 GMT

A collaborative study between animal agtech startup MyAnIML and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) successfully corroborated the technology’s predictive ability to proactively manage devastating disease outbreaks in cattle production.

MyAnIML used proprietary facial recognition and deep learning technology to accurately predict Infectious Bovine Keratoconjunctivitis (IBK), or bovine pinkeye, 99.4% of the time and several days before veterinarians were able to detect symptoms, according to published study results .

USDA Agricultural Research Service scientists Mike Clawson and Larry Kuehn, who have researched IBK for years at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, shared their expertise on the project.

“Early detection of disease is critical to healthy herd management – giving producers the chance to separate sick animals, control spread and judiciously use antibiotics before a large outbreak occurs,” said Mike Clawson, an USDA Agricultural Research Service molecular biologist and project researcher.

“The results of the MyAnIML study demonstrate how far and how impactful AI-powered technology can be toward ensuring a safe, resilient and sustainable U.S. food supply chain.”

The MyAnIML and USDA study included 870 beef cattle located on three different Kansas ranches during the summers of 2021 and 2022. Bovine pinkeye is highly contagious and the most common ocular disease of cattle globally, costing U.S. producers alone an estimated $150 million annually in lost performance and treatment costs. There are no effective vaccines for IBK, forcing producers to treat infected animals with antibiotics, thereby elevating the risk of developing antibiotic-resistance bacteria strains that threaten human health.

Building off this collaboration, MyAnIML and USDA are applying the technology next to predict Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD). As the single most economically impactful cattle disease, BRD costs the U.S. feedlot industry potentially more than $900 million annually, according to the American Society of Animal Science.

“Building off our AI platform’s ability to distinguish between ‘healthy’ and ‘sick’ cattle two to three days before symptoms were diagnosed, the next step is expanding MyAnIML’s repertoire of diseases and health events to offer producers new tools to ensure a safe food supply,” said Shekhar Gupta, MyAnIML CEO and founder.

MyAnIML’s patent-pending technology platform uses AI, facial recognition and inexpensive GoPro cameras to automatically capture and analyze subtle changes in a cow’s muzzle.

Like a human fingerprint, each cattle muzzle is unique, and can be used to track specific cows. However, MyAnIML, is the first to use muzzle dermatoglyphics to not only identify cows, but as a health predictor of diseases such as BRD, IBK, foot root and uterine infections, proving that subtle changes in the bumps and ridges on a cow muzzle are a precursor of a health event.

MyAnIML’s trial partners have also successfully used the technology to monitor the health status of cows going into estrus, early stages of labor and even subtle health stressors, like the need for more nutrition while nursing calves.

“The muzzle is an incredible mirror into cattle health and well-being. Humans just didn’t have the ability to ‘see’ what the muzzle was telling us without the help of MyAnIML’s advanced AI and facial recognition technology,” Gupta said.

Since its founding in 2021, MyAniML has:

● Developed a proprietary dataset of 3000 muzzle images of beef cattle, the first cattle facial and muzzle image library for health management.

● Partnered in trial projects with multiple Midwest cattle production facilities.

● Released an inexpensive Bluetooth-enabled “smart” ear tag and app that helps large-scale commercial feedlots and stockyards quickly locate potentially sick animals identified by the MyAnIML predictive platform.

● Signed a partnership agreement with DairyFI, an India-based startup, in January. With 308 million cows, India has the largest cattle herd in the world, but suffers from lack of adequate cattle health services, greatly reducing the economic and productivity potential of India’s cattle industry.

With positive results from the collaboration, large-scale trials, veterinarian feedback and ongoing product development, MyAnIML is getting ready for broad-scale commercialization. The company received angel investment funding in 2021 and is currently in the process of a seed funding investment round to expand its technology in cattle, as well as to include other livestock and companion animals.

About MyAnIML

MyAnIML invented and is commercializing the first-of-its-kind platform for early disease prediction in cattle using facial recognition technology focused on a cow’s muzzle. The initial discovery is the product of intense curiosity and a sense of purpose by the founder, a leading expert in generative AI and emerging uses of web-based blockchain technology. MyAnIML’s mission is to help ensure the health and well-being of cattle while ensuring an affordable and safe food supply. For more information www.myaniml.com

Blackshirt Feeders: Closing the Loop

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 12:41:58 GMT

Despite the smallest U.S. cowherd in 73 years and corresponding tight feeder cattle supplies, the largest cattle feedyard north of the Rio Grande is under construction in Nebraska. When complete, Blackshirt Feeders near Haigler in the far southwest corner of the state, will have a capacity of 150,000 head, all standing on a concrete pad covering a full square mile, replete with an accompanying biodigester.

None of that previous paragraph defies logic, provided you know the track record of the principals involved and understand the growing beef-on-dairy (BxD) phenomenon that has captured the attention of stakeholders throughout the chain — feedyards, dairies, backgrounders, seedstock providers, feed companies and packers. In short, the BxD segment has provided a new profit opportunity for cattle feeders and seedstock suppliers, a lifeline for some dairies, and promises to revolutionize the way the beef industry accepts, captures and uses animal ID and the data it provides.

CLOSED LOOP

The BxD production model offers a unique opportunity for innovators to utilize every available tool and management practice to foster improvement. Specifically, this new model links the semen provider to the dairy to the feedyard in what is called a closed-loop system.

“We’ve long dreamed about this type of system,” says Lee Leachman, CEO of Leachman Cattle, now part of the URUS group of companies. “We supply the semen, and Alta or Genex distributes it to a dairy, then the dairy signs a contract with GK Jim Farms to sell those calves either as day-olds or after a growing period, then they are shipped to the feedlot for finishing.”

Th e contracts stipulate that every calf is tracked from birth with sire, health and performance data. That information is used to determine future matings to improve performance and reduce undesirable characteristics.

“This is a game changer,” Leachman emphasizes. “This enables progress like what we’ve seen in poultry and swine. If you don’t have the loop with the data you can’t make the progress.”

The closed-loop system is already operational at several U.S. feedlots, including five operated by GK Jim Farms in Colorado and Texas.

(Farm Journal)

Veterinarian Kee Jim, principal at GK Jim Farms, says as his company began expanding their beef-on-dairy model they sought to acquire feedlots, but none were available at the scale they desired.

“Three years ago we began investigating what we believe would be the best site to build a new feedlot,” Jim says. “We looked at availability of grain, the climate, proximity to available feeder cattle and proximity to packers.”

That led to the selection of the construction site near Haigler, Neb., in the southwest corner of the state that joins both Kansas and Colorado.

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

Designed to be much more than just a large-scale feedlot, Blackshirt Feeders has several unique features that will make it the “most environmentally friendly feedlot on the planet.” That is how it’s described by veterinarian Eric Behlke who is both a founding partner of Blackshirt Feeders and project leader for its construction.

First among the new yard’s unique characteristics is the compressed rolled concrete that will cover every feeding pen. The concrete offers several advantages but is essential to capturing the manure for the biodigester that will be built adjacent to the site.

“The concrete allows for the collection of the manure without contaminating it with dirt, which is essential for a digester,” Behlke says. “But the concrete is impermeable, which provides superior protection for both the groundwater and the surface water. All of the ponds will be lined with high-density HDPE liner, a synthetic liner which is also impermeable, to prevent leaching of nutrients.”

Behlke says Blackshirt Feeders is committed to leveraging the latest technologies and feedlot construction to make the new yard as environmentally sound as possible.

“These efforts will help change the narrative about beef production and make it a much greener process,” Behlke says.

All of which sounds good, but like most agribusinesses today, finding labor is likely an issue, especially in a remote area. The company is already working to ease that problem, Jim says.

“We have plans to construct housing in Wray, Colo., about 20 miles away,” Jim says. “The first 24 units are under construction now.”

DATA AND SCALE

It can be easy for observers to focus on the massive size of Blackshirt Feeders, but it’s much more than an effort by a large player to further capitalize on efficiencies of scale, though that is important.

“What makes our system unique is that our large and ongoing investments in data collection and analysis are what have allowed us to scale our business,” says Holt Tripp, DVM, MBA, director of cattle operations for GK Jim Group of Companies.

Tripp says the company has used rigorous, large-scale, field trials to better understand the biology of the animals they are feeding.

“In turn, we have been able to make consistent incremental progress that allows us to make calculated bets on how, when and where to deploy risk capital in our system,” he says. “We are not using data to describe a system that has already come to scale — we are using data to get to scale. In our minds, anything else would be putting the cart before the horse.”

It’s ironic that an offshoot of the dairy industry might be the catalyst that could drive the beef industry toward expanded use of animal ID and data capture.

“I think eventually these (beef-on-dairy) calves may be better than the average beef-on-beef animals,” Leachman says. “AI’ing millions of dairy cows is a big advantage. We get so much selection pressure. If we don’t have a data feedback loop on beef-on-beef calves, then it will be harder to keep up. If we don’t have data feedback, we won’t be able to make progress as rapidly on the most important traits. Having ID and feedback on economically relevant traits is critical.”

The closed-loop system will eventually find its way to the native beef-on-beef segment.

“Cattle feeders will likely increasingly want to adopt that sort of model,” says Nevil Speer, industry consultant based in Bowling Green, Ky. “Knowing more about the feeder cattle they purchase and subsequently also providing feedback (and payment incentives) based on cattle performance (both in the feedyard and on the rail).”

Data, of course, is the key driver. “There’s more opportunities all the time for beef producers who are willing to embrace participating in a specified supply chain,” Speer explains. “It means giving up some independence, and it requires more accountability, but ultimately willingness to do so will likely also establish new opportunity to maximize the value of genetic and management inputs made at the ranch.”

Six Questions One Industry Veterinarian Says She Is Asked Most Often About HPAI

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 19:00:27 GMT

The emerging issue of Highly Pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza (HPAI) in the U.S. dairy industry changes on nearly a daily basis.

Novonesis (a merger of Chr. Hansen and Novozymes) hosted a webinar on the issue on Friday to update producers, veterinarians and other members of the agricultural community.

“It’s a rapidly evolving situation,” lead presenter, Kay Russo, DVM, Novonesis technical services manager for dairy and poultry, North America, stressed at the beginning of the program.

“I’m getting a lot of questions, and I’m sure everybody on this call has questions. Or if you’re a veterinarian, you’re receiving them,” she said. “Again, this is a rapidly evolving situation, and what may seem correct today may be different tomorrow.”

Here are the six questions Russo said she is most frequently asked, and what her answers to them are – for now. Russo’s answers have been lightly edited for clarity.

Question #1: Is HNAI spreading from cow to cow?

Answer: Initially the thought was that every one of these animals was exposed to the disease from a bird. But at this point, there is some consideration for the fact that this may be spreading laterally. How it’s spreading is still unclear. There is some postulation that the virus is being spread in the milking parlor. Could it potentially be a mechanical spread from cow to cow on the milkers’ hands, or perhaps (on) the milking machines? Is it possible in these parlors where the humidity is high, it’s a warm environment that we’re seeing some aerosolization of the virus, so I would say that’s possible too. But there’s more work that needs to be done. But for all intents and purposes at this time, I would suspect there is some lateral transmission.

Question #2: Why are calves, younger lactation cows and the feedlot cattle not getting sick?

Answer: Ultimately, I don’t know the answer to this. More work needs to be done. The question needs to be answered. Are they truly not getting infected with a virus? Are they resistant to it, perhaps? Or is it that they are getting infected and just not demonstrating the clinical signs? We milk a lot of these dairy cows three times a day, so there’s a lot of eyes on them. In some of these instances, with the calves or in the feedlot cattle, you’re not handling them as often. We need to rely on the science to answer these questions in order to provide guidelines. I keep saying this, and I will continue to say it, we do not know what we do not measure. And we cannot provide guidelines around what we do not know.

Question #3: Is this a risk to humans?

Answer: The short answer is that it can infect humans. I know that in New Mexico, they are offering free testing to individuals that are working regularly with these infected herds. And if they are symptomatic – we’re seeing conjunctivitis and high fevers in some of them –they are being distributed Tamiflu for their use and for their families. This is a rapidly evolving situation, and the people that are working on it are doing everything they can to ensure the safety of those individuals that are most at risk.

Question #4: Is milk safe?

Answer: The FDA has stated the pasteurization process should kill the virus, and we should not see it in any saleable milk.

Question #5: Will this be a market limiting disease outbreak?

Answer: This is the major concern here, folks. These are important markets for us in this country. At this point, this is something that is absolutely a consideration. The goal here is to keep the farms in business.

Question #6: Are dairy farms a risk to poultry operations?

Answer: We’ve seen two commercial layer operations, one in West Texas and one in Michigan, be positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza this week. I know that there’s considerable amounts of work behind the scenes to determine the origin of the virus that caused the outbreak in those situations. Ultimately, in this circumstance, it’s going to be important that the cattle folks and the poultry folks come to the same table and talk and manage through this. We want to be good neighbors. These are two major industries in our country, so it’s important that the dialogue is there and continues so that we can keep (everyone) safe.

HPAI Fails to Impact Dairy Prices So Far - Why Markets Could Actually See Some Growth in the Near Future

Texas-Sized Problems Hit the Lone Star State, but Ag Commissioner says ‘Things are Getting Better’

New Regulation: Dairy Cattle Entry into Nebraska Now Requires Permit Amid HPAI Bird Flu Concerns

Mexico Taking ‘Preventative Measures’ After Bird Flu Found in U.S.

Angus Association to Host Webinar Addressing Bovine Congestive Heart Failure

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 13:23:17 GMT

Bovine congestive heart failure (BCHF) is a clinical disorder that results from cardiac dysfunction with subsequent fatal outcomes in most cases.

As cattle are fed to heavier end points, the incidence of BCHF is increasing. It has been estimated that congestive heart failure is responsible for 4% of the mortality cases in feedlots today.

More Questions Than Answers
Epidemiologic results from research released in 2022 by Simplot Land and Livestock and also Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center (GPVEC), at Clay Center, Neb., indicates there is a genetic component to the disease.

The factors contributing to BCHF aren’t fully understood, however, and the beef industry continues to look for answers that can lead to solutions.

The American Angus Association has been working to address the issue and is hosting a webinar for producers and veterinarians at 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 9. The focus of the webinar will address what is being done today to answer questions about BCHF from a research perspective.

Bring Your Questions
Angus Genetics Inc. President Kelli Retallick-Riley is leading the discussion. Some of the questions that will be answered include:

*What are the signs and symptoms of BCHF?

*Could new research efforts help cattlemen make better production and selection decisions?

There will be a live question-and-answer session, and webinar participants are encouraged to bring their questions to the event. Go here to register for the program.

If you have questions but are unable to attend live, you can submit them to Jessica Hartman, communications specialist, prcomm@angus.org. Hartman says to register to be notified when the recorded webinar is available.

These articles offer more information about bovine congestive heart failure and what the beef industry is doing to address it:

Congestive Heart Failure an Issue in Finishing Cattle

Angus Tackles Bovine Congestive Heart Failure

Bovine Congestive Heart Failure Work Continues

Know the Enemy: Understanding the Four Pathogens Behind BRD

Fri, 22 Mar 2024 21:04:14 GMT

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is frustrating and costly, and the causes can be extremely hard to understand. Taking time to learn about the pathogens behind BRD can improve our management protocols, and ultimately keep calves healthy.

Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, Histophilus somni and Mycoplasma bovis are the four main pathogens that cause BRD, either together or separately. Each pathogen exhibits slightly different clinical signs—often at different times.

“Understanding these four BRD-causing pathogens and how they affect cattle gives producers the resources they need to best protect their herd,” said Nathan Meyer, PhD, DVM, Boehringer Ingelheim.

The four BRD-causing pathogens are:

1. Mannheimia haemolytica is the leading BRD-causing pathogen concern because of its prevalence and severity.¹

M. haemolytica produces leukotoxins, which damage and destroy white blood cells, leading to severe lung damage.

“Cattle with an M. haemolytica infection can go from seemingly healthy to deceased within a day’s time,” cautioned Dr. Meyer. Because cattle have such a low ratio of lung volume to body size, any lung damage is detrimental to the animal’s overall health and performance.

Signs to look for include coughing, labored breathing, nasal discharge, loss of appetite, fever and/or depression. The classic components of an early case include a combination of depression and fever (104°–106°F), without any signs attributable to other body systems.

“Mannheimia is not only the most predominant and concerning of the four bacterial causes of BRD, but it can also lead to other problems,” explained Dr. Meyer. “If you have a Mannheimia infection, it’s not uncommon for P. multocida, H. somni or M. bovis to follow.”

2. Pasteurella multocida is thought to be an important cause of respiratory disease among feedlot cattle, but it causes less severe cases than M. haemolytica.²

Like M. haemolytica, infected animals may exhibit nasal discharge, loss of appetite, fever, depression and rapid, shallow breathing.

“We also tend to see more bronchopneumonia with Pasteurella,” added Dr. Meyer. “Internally, the lungs will take on a dark appearance and become consolidated, firm and stiff — which adversely impacts the animal’s lung elasticity.”

3. Histophilus somni not only causes BRD, but it can also infect several other organs and lead to multiple other life-threatening diseases in cattle.

“H. somni can still affect the respiratory system and cause pneumonia and severe bronchopneumonia, but it is different because of its multisystem, multi-organ involvement — it can impact the heart and brain,” said Dr. Meyer.

H. somni can lead to a variety of neurological, cardiac and respiratory conditions, such as septicemia (blood poisoning), thrombotic meningoencephalitis (or TME, a potentially fatal neurological disease of cattle), myocarditis (inflammation of the heart), tenosynovitis (inflammation of the protective sheath surrounding tendons) and polysynovitis (inflammation of multiple joints).³

Cattle with the neurological form of H. somni may show signs of muscle weakness or paralysis, blindness and seizures. But occasionally, infected animals die prior to observation of any clinical signs.

“Since neurological and cardiac conditions caused by H. somni progress rapidly, we recommend monitoring cattle for signs of respiratory disease, like high fevers, labored breathing, coughing or reduced feed intake,” advised Dr. Meyer.

“H. somni is more prevalent in northern climates and has been thought of as a northern bacterium,” said Dr. Meyer. “But in the early 2000s, it started appearing more in the Midwest and in the southern Plains states, where there are large concentrations of feedlots.”

4. Lastly, Mycoplasma bovis is a unique BRD-causing pathogen because of its ability to affect an animal’s joints and/or ears.

The bacterium is widely distributed throughout feedlot cattle populations and affects most calves before weaning. But if that doesn’t happen, they usually become rapidly colonized upon mingling with other calves, following arrival at the feedyard.⁴

For some cattle, an M. bovis infection in the lung can spread to other parts of the body, including the joints.

Commonly affected joints include the stifle (knee), carpus (radial, intermediate, ulnar and accessory carpal bones) and fetlock (metacarpal/metatarsal hinge joint that allows extension of the leg), with the infection most often occurring in the tendon sheaths and surrounding tissue, not in the joint space itself. This results in swollen, painful joints, and often shows up several weeks after a bout of BRD.

Another possible sign of M. bovis in calves is a droopy, or “tipped,” ear. While it’s more common in dairy calves following a Mycoplasma infection from milk, it can also show up in feedlot calves, and indicates the infection has settled into the inner ear.

Mycoplasma often appears at a much slower rate than most of the other BRD pathogens. In most cases, the bacterial entry into the lungs proceeds more moderately, taking several weeks to cause enough damage to produce clinical signs, like increased respiratory rate, cough and fever in the calf.

Another key reason M. bovis is an outlier compared to the other pathogens is that it doesn’t have a cell wall. This becomes important when producers need to treat the bacteria, as certain classes of antibiotics are not effective against Mycoplasma. This is because those types of antibiotics — cephalosporins, penicillins and beta-lactams — target the cell wall, which isn’t present with Mycoplasma. The infection would continue to progress if those antibiotics are used.

Testing and diagnosis determine treatment
“Producers do their best to monitor the various signs of BRD to protect their animals, but we often don’t know which pathogen is involved right away,” Dr. Meyer pointed out. “That’s where diagnostic tools can come in.”

Diagnostic testing can pinpoint the cause of respiratory infections. A pathologist at a diagnostic lab will work with your veterinarian to more closely examine the pathogens present. This can be done antemortem by obtaining nasal swabs from the calf, or postmortem through a necropsy evaluation.

“A stethoscope and an ultrasound are great tools for detecting subclinical BRD cases, when producers can’t see visible signs, or to evaluate the success of BRD management changes,” said Dr. Meyer. “Many veterinarians are trained in how to perform an ultrasound on lungs and can help identify these BRD cases earlier.”

Management and control
Once a calf has been diagnosed, using the appropriate treatment is crucial. “To optimize treatment success, look for a fast-acting, broad-spectrum antibiotic that provides coverage against all four of these bacteria,” said Dr. Meyer. “A treatment that reaches the lungs quickly will minimize long-term lung damage.”

References:
¹ Klima CL, Alexander TW, Hendrick S, McAllister TA. Characterization of Mannheimia haemolytica isolated from feedlot cattle that were healthy/treated for bovine respiratory disease. Can J Vet Res 2014;78(1):38–45.
² Callan RJ, Barry FB. Biosecurity and bovine respiratory disease. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract. 2002;18(1):57–77.
³ O’Toole D, Sondgeroth KS. Histophilus as a natural disease. In: Inzana T, ed. Current topics in microbiology and immunology. Springer, 2016;396:15–48.
⁴ Daly R. Mycoplasma bovis in ceedlot Cattle: Why it’s different and how it causes illness. South Dakota State University Extension. 2020. Available at: https://extension.sdstate.edu/mycoplasma-bovis-feedlot-cattle-why-its-different-and-how-it-causes-illness. Accessed Jan. 17, 2024.

The Growing Role of the U.S. Feedlot Industry

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 20:46:23 GMT

The latest Cattle on Feed report pegged the February 1 feedlot inventory at 11.8 million head, just fractionally above year ago levels. Feedlot inventories are declining after rising above year-earlier levels last October. Feedlot placements in January were 92.5 percent of last year, above the pre-report average estimate but within the range of estimates by some analysts. Some analysts were expecting a larger negative impact on placements from the winter storms in January. January marketings were even with one year ago.

The February Cattle on Feed report also includes a summary of 2023 final feedlot numbers and feedlot industry structure. Total feedlot capacity was reported at 17.1 million head, up from 16.5 million head in 2000. Feedlot capacity as a percent of total cattle inventories has increased over the past 25 years to a record level of 19.6 percent in 2024 (Figure 1). On average feedlot inventories have averaged about 83 percent of total feedlot capacity over the past 25 years. Feedlot capacity utilization is lower during cyclical expansions and higher during liquidation periods. For example, during herd expansion from 2014-2017, average feedlot inventories were 76.3 percent of capacity, while during herd liquidation from 2020-2024, January feedlot inventories were an average of 84.8 percent of total feedlot capacity.

The total U.S. feedlot inventory on January 1, 2024 was 14.42 million head. The feedlot inventory as a percent of the total inventory of cattle in the country has continued to increase over time. The total feedlot inventory was a record level of 16.5 percent of the inventory of all cattle and calves on January 1, 2024. This level compares to 14.3 percent 25 years ago.

(Farm Journal)

The total U.S. feedlot inventory on January 1 of 14.42 million head was 120.9 percent of the January monthly cattle on feed inventory of 11.93 million head. Monthly cattle on feed surveys cover only feedlots with a one-time capacity of 1000 head or more. In the past 25 years, the total January on-feed total has averaged 122.7 percent of the monthly on-feed total. Stated another way, monthly feedlot inventory totals on average represent 81-82 percent of the total cattle on feed in the country. This relationship has not changed in the past 25 years and has varied from a low of 80 percent to a high of 82.7 percent.

The January 1 estimate of feeder supplies outside of feedlots was 24.2 million head, down 4.2 percent year over year and the lowest total in data available back to 1972. The current feedlot inventory is a record 59.6 percent of feeder supplies. Stated another way, this means that there are just 1.68 head of feeder cattle for every head of cattle currently in feedlots. The current feedlot turnover rate is about 1.93, which means that there are not sufficient feeder cattle to maintain feedlot inventories in the coming year. Feedlot inventories will inevitably decrease in the coming months.

Q&A With a Veterinarian: Bovine Lameness

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 22:01:25 GMT

Lameness is one of the costliest animal health issues impacting the cattle industry, and it’s a topic of great interest to Lacey Fahrmeier, DVM, Valley Vet Supply Technical Service Veterinarian. During her time at Kansas State University, she conducted research in bovine lameness, and she treats a number of cases at her veterinary clinic in Southern Montana.

Better understand this animal health risk – and read to the end for her No. 1 key takeaway for producers – in this Q&A with Dr. Fahrmeier.

(Farm Journal)

Q: Why is bovine lameness such a condition of interest to you, Dr. Fahrmeier? “Not only is it one of the costliest animal health issues to our industry, it’s also a major animal welfare concern that we can mitigate. During my time at Kansas State University, I was fortunate to be part of a team that conducted bovine lameness research. And being raised in the purebred side of the beef business I saw first-hand how important structural correctness, foot angle and hoof health were to a breeding program’s success and longevity. It’s obvious that from a business perspective, lameness is a big issue. Additionally, it’s a growing welfare concern. We all strive for our cattle to be healthy and maximize their genetic potential. Unfortunately, the chronic pain caused by lameness can lead to rapid deterioration and becomes a serious welfare issue. Minimizing the amount and length of time those animals are in discomfort is crucial.”

Q: What negative implications, in addition to overall welfare, can result from lameness? “Bovine lameness is the second-most costly animal health issue in the beef industry, next to bovine respiratory disease. It costs the industry in decreased weight gain and its negative impact on longevity in the cow herd. When cattle are lame, their cortisol levels rise due to the severe pain. This increase in stress hormones can negatively impact a bull’s semen quality and also lead to reduced cow fertility and higher rates of early embryonic death loss. A huge hit to our industry’s bottom line, of course, is lost performance in the form of decreased weight gain, when those lame cattle aren’t getting to the bunk as frequently or out grazing.”

Q: What causes lameness in cattle? “Nutrition can be a big contributing factor to lameness and is one that we can actually control. When cattle are fed a high-carbohydrate, “hot” ration, and do not receive enough forage in the diet, we can see rumen acidosis develop (meaning their rumen pH is too low from the excessive carbohydrates they’re ingesting). This can lead to poor hoof horn development and conditions like White Line disease and Laminitis (more commonly known as ‘founder’) that lead to chronic pain and inflammation.

Genetics definitely contribute to lameness risk. When purchasing new genetics or deciding which animals to retain in your herd, place a high priority on good hoof quality (no cracks or overgrowth), proper foot angle, and structural correctness to prevent lameness issues down the road. Many hoof problems have been proven to be heritable.

The environment can also be a factor. Running cattle in rough country with lots of sharp rocks and difficult terrain can cause abrasions in the skin and hooves. In challenging environments, you may need to check cattle more often to make sure that bacteria haven’t taken advantage of that opportunity to invade where the skin barrier has been damaged. Having freestanding water and excess mud in pastures can predispose cattle to more foot rot issues as well. Concrete flooring, whether in dairies or in working systems, wears down their toes, which causes the soles to become thinner. This can also lead to toe abscesses and infection in the P3 bone located at the end of their toe.”

Q: With regard to treatment, what should producers consider? “With the advent of dart guns, pasture doctoring looks a bit different than it once did. I still believe there is value in closely assessing the foot (where 90% of lameness is located). Some lameness cases are as simple as a rock between their toes or a sole/toe ulcer that needs to be opened up. Pulling up that foot to see what’s really going on can guide you in the best direction to go for treatment and help you determine if it’s something you need to consult your veterinarian on or take to them for more aggressive treatment.”

Q: What is the No. 1 takeaway for producers as it relates to lameness? “The sooner that you recognize and intervene in these lameness cases the better your outcomes will be. I can’t emphasize strongly enough that if you treat a suspected case of ‘foot rot’ with antibiotics and they don’t show significant improvement in a couple days, they need to be seen by a veterinarian, or at least caught and re-evaluated. Don’t just give another round of antibiotics and waste valuable time while the issue worsens.”

Visit ValleyVet.com to continue learning and to help ensure livestock health.

About Valley Vet Supply

Valley Vet Supply was founded in 1985 by veterinarians to provide customers with trusted animal health solutions. Building on over half a century of experience in veterinary medicine, Valley Vet Supply serves equine, pet and livestock owners with thousands of products and medications. With an in-house pharmacy that is licensed in all 50 states, and verified through the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP), Valley Vet Supply is the dedicated source for customers’ horse, livestock and pet needs. For more information, please visit ValleyVet.com .

Feedlot Cattle Health Summits Scheduled for Scott City, KS, and Kearney, NE

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 13:52:39 GMT

Production Animal Consultation (PAC) will host two beef industry summits, allowing people from the beef industry to gather and exchange ideas. “Each year brings new challenges and opportunities to cattle feeders. We are excited to bring this program with excellent speakers to address cattle health while enjoying fellowship amongst leaders in our industry.” Dr. Jared Bourek, PAC veterinarian and summit co-chair.

The PAC Beef Summits will be held April 3, 2024, at the Scott County Community Building in Scott City, Kansas, and April 4, 2024, at the Holiday Inn in Kearney, Nebraska. The event features an exciting line-up of speakers and topics:

Greg Penner, PhD, a ruminant nutrition physiologist from the University of Saskatchewan, will discuss maintaining rumen health on feedlot diets.
AJ Tarpoff, DVM, MS (Scott City Summit), Kansas State University Beef Extension Veterinarian, or Jesse Fulton, MS (Kearney Summit), Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance Director, will give an update on the results of the 2022 National Beef Quality Audit.
Walt Woodard, world champion team roper, will inspire mental toughness and teach attendees to develop and possess a positive mental attitude.
PAC veterinarians and team will give a business and research update and discuss new data-driven tools for clients and feedlots.

“PAC’s acronym could stand for People and Cattle. These are our two most precious resources in our business. We decided to provide two summits this year to better accommodate our cattle feeders in the Nebraska and Kansas regions. We are excited to host this line up of speakers and learn new opportunities to manage cattle health,” said Dr. Kip Lukasiewicz, consulting veterinarian and PAC owner.

Production Animal Consultation veterinarians care for cattle from birth to harvest. In addition to providing veterinary health services, PAC conducts cattle research and data analysis, hosts educational opportunities on animal stewardship and facility design, and provides bilingual consultation for livestock producers both domestic and international. PAC veterinarians strive to provide industry leaders with opportunities to improve their operations through collaboration and science.

To register and learn more about the 2024 PAC Beef Summits, visit https://www.pacdvms.com/beef-summit

Tips for Dealing with Wet, Muddy Feedlot Conditions

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 20:18:10 GMT

In unexpected warm, wet winter conditions cattle face challenges accessing feed, water, or a place to lie down. Muddy conditions affect requirements for maintenance, according to this UNL study . Even if feed intake is not affected by muddy conditions (cattle can reach the bunk and water trough and consume a full ration daily), mud depths of less than 9 inches increase maintenance requirements up to 80%. This means that cattle consuming a finishing diet containing 1 Mcal NEm/lb will require nearly double the amount of feed to meet their maintenance requirements or 19 lb for a 1,400-lb steer. In many cases, intake is affected by muddy conditions and 19 lb may not be achievable, leading cattle to lose weight.

That’s why it’s important to reduce the effects of mud and standing water in pens as soon as possible. Inherently, pen conditions are dictated by siting, orientation, fence type, and percentage of solid surfacing around bunks, water tanks, access points and loafing areas. Therefore, strategies to reduce the effect of mud and standing water on cattle performance are listed below for worst to best pen conditions:

Suggestions for worst pen sites

(flat, heavily stocked or with standing water and/or with less than 1/3 of the pen are as solid surfacing):

Remove lightweight cattle to pastures or corn stalk fields stocking at a rate of 1 acre per head on hilly ground or 2 or more acres per head on flat ground.

On pens made available by this strategy, scrape solid surfacing to the bare material (concrete or bituminous) and bed heavily before permitting access to heavier or newly received cattle housed yet in adjacent pens (continue to feed only the home pen).

If this is not possible, simply lay whole round bales of bedding or even hay on areas with less mud. Cattle will work the material off, using it for bedding and feed. Continue this strategy until weather conditions improve.

Suggestions for average pen sites

(with some slopes for loafing areas, stocked lighter and/or more than 1/3 of the pen are as solid surfacing)

All aprons and surfaced areas, scrape down to the surface. This is a minimum to let cattle find a spot to lie down.

Aprons need to be scraped two to four times weekly. On wide aprons (over 20'), lay bedding down heavily after scraping in areas beyond the first 20’ behind the bunk.

If forming a bed pack, only bed when pack begins to seep. Dry or sticky packs are still functional as bedding.

Scrape any scattered (not heavily wet) bedding onto bed pile. Bed on top of it.

To make additional “emergency” hard surfaces (applicable to both pen conditions described above):

Potential areas to enhance surfacing: behind bunk or water tank aprons or on top of mounds if accessible (don’t attempt to build a hard surface on hillsides unless machinery can safely drive over it).

Alternatively, consider ground-cover mats like this or this used to move heavy construction equipment over a ground surface. Make sure this “path” is in place before attempting to improve a site within the pen.

Scrape down below surface line about 1', attempting to remove excess accumulated manure and mud.

Lay down recycled concrete to the depth of 6". Bed heavily on top of this. A 25' by 25' area filled to a 6" depth will need 16 ton of recycled concrete (one short truck load; about $500 for concrete).

Alternatively, one might consider using railroad ties to create the base. About $30 each at retail price.

Dimensions are 8' x 7" x 9", so a 48' x 3' surface made from ties would require 24 ties or $720.

A square design is recommended for recycled concrete (to prevent excess scattering), while a long rectangle shape is recommended when forming a base with ties to keep them tucked together in a narrow path.

Bed any emergency surfaced areas generously. The prorated rate of bedding to achieve a working bed pack is 4 lb per head daily or more. Any bedded areas must be rebedded regularly, particularly on areas with no surfacing. Lapses in bedding will create worse conditions even on surfaced areas.
Areas where recycled concrete is laid should be managed separately when cleaning manure from pens. They can be left installed permanently and managed as an extension of the apron (recycled concrete tends to “set” together with traffic and moisture) or power washed and surfaced with concrete when weather improves.

Ties can be lifted when weather improves (and before extending the area using concrete) and be used for other purposes.

Note: these are emergency recommendations to improve pen conditions rapidly and are not tested by scientific procedures. In the example dimensions provided above, and assuming 24 ft² are needed to fit one animal, no more than 25 head will be able to access this area at one time at a cost of between $500 to $1,000.

Yet, considering the value gain resulting from fed cattle prices increase since the beginning of the year results in a $75 increase in value per head. Investments at or below this level to preserve the performance and life of a $2,700 animal are well advised.

More resources about managing feedlot cattle in muddy conditions.

You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet: Why Economists Say Cattle Prices Will Soar Even Higher This Year

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 17:03:12 GMT

There’s no doubt the U.S. cattle inventory continues to shrink . The latest numbers from USDA out this week showed the U.S. cattle inventory dropped 2% year-over-year with 87.2 million head of cattle and calves on U.S. farms as of Jan. 1, 2024.

(Farm Journal)

Other key figures from the report showed:

Of the 87.2 million head inventory, all cows and heifers that have calved totaled 37.6 million.
There are 28.2 million beef cows in the United States as of Jan. 1, 2024, down 2% from last year.
The number of milk cows in the United States decreased slightly to 9.36 million.
U.S. calf crop was estimated at 33.6 million head, down 2% from 2022.

“Not really a lot in the way of surprises in this report, it was pretty well anticipated,” says Derrell Peel, Extension Specialist for Livestock Marketing with Oklahoma State University. “I think the take home message here is pretty powerful in that this industry continues to get smaller. We got smaller through 2023. So we’re coming into 2024 with smaller cattle inventories pretty much across the board.”

(Farm Journal)

Peel points out with the U.S. beef cow herd the smallest since 1961 and the all cattle inventory the lowest since 1951, it’s setting the market up for more strength in cattle prices.

“We have gotten smaller than we intended to be smaller than we need to be from a market standpoint,” says Peel. “And I think that’s going to be where we jump off to think about where we go from here.”

Nevil Speer of Turkey Track Consulting says not only did the latest report shows signs of further contraction, there currently aren’t any signals showing the rebuilding of the U.S. cattle herd has started to take place.

“40% of the on feed population is heifers last quarter. So, there’s no indication that we’re ready to dig back in and start rebuilding,” says Speer.

So, could the U.S. cattle market see higher highs? Dave Delaney of Ever.Ag says it’s a bit of a loaded question, but volatility will continue to take place.

“Short-term, I think as we look at the fat cattle market, we’re on a plane of steady to maybe a softer undertone for a short period of time, but I do believe we are going to go higher in the fat cattle market, as well as the feeder cattle market.”

“We’re nowhere near done with this thing,” says Peel “We had a tremendous runup in prices in 2023. And you can look at the setup last year, and I know some producers are thinking, ‘Okay, we’ve got our run up that we’re close to the top.’ And we’re comparing a lot to 2014 and 2015, which were the last highs, but those high prices in 2014 and 15 happened a year to a year and a half into herd expansion.”

Peel says the highs of the market will be in once the industry starts to retain more heifers and the rebuilding process has taken place.

“That’s what puts the highs in the cattle market. So, we haven’t started that process yet. That’s all ahead of us,” says Peel.

Register Today: Managing mud in feedlots - Online Discussion Monday, Feb. 5 at Noon (CST)

Sat, 03 Feb 2024 23:35:37 GMT

Nebraska beef producers don’t often have to deal with managing mud in January and February, but this year’s precipitation and unseasonbly warm temperatures have created challenges even for those who often deal with muddy lots.

UNL Feedlot Extension has organized an online discussion for noon (CST) Monday, Feb. 5 to talk with cattle producers about the challenges they’re facing in dealing with the muddy conditions.

Register for the discussion at https://go.unl.edu/mudregistration and we’ll email a link ahead of the discussion.

Or see below for access information.

Here are a few suggestions that may help producers deal with cattle in muddy conditions in the short-term, said Rick Stowell, Extension specialist, UNL biological systems engineering.

Adding bedding at prolific amounts
Physically disrupting mud dams / barriers to drainage
Adding aggregate (stone/gravel)
Relocating cattle

“None of these are very palatable but may be necessary in some situations,” Stowell said.

AI-Powered Feed Bunk Reader Launched by PLT

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 17:25:53 GMT

The first system using artificial intelligence (AI) to predict cattle feed intake and make feeding recommendations has been announced by Precision Livestock Technologies (PLT).

The system generates daily quantitative feeding predictions based on hundreds of data points gathered from PLT’s machine vision Bunk Management System and external data sources, taking into account feeding rates, feeding times, feeding cycles, cattle behavior, ration type, weather, and other factors. The company developed its AI-based algorithms through machine learning techniques, based on over 150,000 discrete pen days.

The system replicates the capabilities of a hyper-observant and highly trained cattle feeding professional. Using the system, PLT clients can both automate feeding decisions and give their employees an expert system against which to check assumptions and make corrections before costly mistakes are made. Rather than apply a “one size fits all” approach, the technology is configured to allow PLT to efficiently tune the output to match specific feeding protocols.

“Developing this capability has always been a high-priority goal for the company, and it is extremely gratifying to see the system adding value for our customers,” said Andrew McKenzie, CEO. “Though we only released the system recently, customers have already confirmed that they are receiving valuable guidance. We are confident that the unique, objective data of our Bunk Management System can be harnessed to increase profits and improve animal health.”

“Our team worked through many iterations and pilot rollouts to get the technology to this point, and we are very excited about its potential to overcome the factors that limit productivity in the cattle industry - having good data and the ability to use it to make well-informed, optimized decisions.”

McKenzie added, “One powerful aspect of machine learning is that applications can continuously improve as more data is generated. As the company continues to add clients and expand system use to cover more cattle, the technology will continue to improve and generate higher returns for PLT customers.”

About Precision Livestock Technologies

Precision Livestock Technologies, Inc. uses artificial intelligence and machine vision to deliver data to livestock producers to boost production, increase quality, and improve animal health. For more information visit www.precision-livestock.com .

USDA Launches Remote Beef Grading Pilot Project

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 15:22:01 GMT

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a pilot project on Friday that will allow more cattlemen and meat processors to utilize USDA carcass quality grades.

The Remote Grading Pilot for Beef, developed by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), matches simple technology with robust data management and program oversight to allow a USDA grader to assess beef carcass characteristics and assign the official quality grade from a remote location, reducing costs and location as barriers to participation in voluntary grading services.

Secretary Vilsack announced the new pilot during a panelist discussion with livestock producers and independent meat processing business owners in conjunction with the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colo.

“On average, a beef carcass that grades as USDA Prime is valued at hundreds of dollars more than an ungraded carcass, but costs for this voluntary USDA service often prevents smaller scale processors and the farmers and ranchers they serve from using this valuable marketing tool,” Secretary Vilsack said. “This remote grading pilot opens the door for additional packers and processors to receive grading and certification services allowing them to access new, better, and more diverse marketing opportunities.”

Cattle groups immediately voiced their support of the project. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association issued statements welcoming the project they believe will lead to better marketing opportunities for more cattlemen.

“The USDA quality grades of prime, choice, and select are instantly recognized by consumers and an important way for cattle producers to be rewarded for raising high-quality beef,” said NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane. “NCBA is glad that USDA is launching this Remote Grading Pilot Program and expanding opportunities for meat grading to occur in smaller, local processing facilities. This will increase marketing opportunities for cattle producers and help them capture more value from their product.”

USCA Independent Beef Processing Chairman Patrick Robinette said, “Before today’s announcement, it was simply unaffordable for an independent producer or processor to participate in providing quality-graded beef to the marketplace. On my operation, the cost would have averaged $410 per head to receive grading services, which I would have never recouped.”

“The pilot program would reduce that cost to $4.56 per head.” Robinette continued. “Now, the producers I serve will be able to access value-added programs that were previously unavailable to them. With the free ribeye grid device that will be provided to participating processing facilities, independent producers and processors can qualify for programs like Certified Angus Beef.”

In addition to the pilot, Secretary Vilsack highlighted USDA programs in the West that create economic prosperity for farms, ranches and rural communities by supporting on-farm conservation, bolstering new markets, creating jobs, and keeping farming and ranching viable for the next generation. Today’s announcement builds on USDA’s comprehensive approach to increase competition in agricultural markets, create a fairer playing field for small- and mid-size farmers and ranchers, and provide producers more options to market their products.

Consumers as well as buyers and sellers of beef rely on USDA quality grades, including Prime, Choice, and Select, as a clear and standardized way to indicate quality. Everyone involved in the beef supply chain, from cattle producers to beef consumers, benefit from the greater efficiency permitted by the application of official U.S. grade standards.

USDA offers these services to packers and processors on a user-fee basis. While over 90% of America’s fed beef supply is officially graded by USDA, most users are large beef packing operations. USDA’s meat grading and certification services are significantly underutilized by small, independent processors, in large part due to the expense of paying for a highly trained USDA grader to travel to their facility to perform service in-person for a relatively small number of cattle that may not require a full day of the graders’ work. Experience with remote grading so far has shown it dramatically reduces travel-related expenses, which makes the service more accessible to smaller processors.

In this pilot, trained plant employees capture specific images of the live animal and beef carcass. These images are submitted electronically to a USDA grader already stationed elsewhere in the U.S., likely located in another rural community, who reviews the images and accompanying plant records and product data, assigns the USDA Quality Grade and applicable carcass certification programs, and communicates the official grade back to the plant to be applied to the carcass. Plants can then use this information in their retail marketing and transmit carcass performance information back to producers.

The pilot will build on lessons-learned during AMS’ feasibility study of a “remote grading” process conducted during the second half of 2023. AMS will expand its testing by engaging a larger and more diverse number of beef packers to participate in the development of this procedure. Through the pilot, AMS will gather additional information on actual cost and the level of in-person surveillance needed to ensure program consistency and integrity to formalize this innovative service option as part of the USDA Quality Grading Service.

The Remote Grading Pilot for Beef is limited to domestic beef slaughter facilities operating under federal inspection and producing product that meets the eligibility criteria for the USDA grading program.

For more information about the Remote Grading Pilot for Beef, visit www.ams.usda.gov/remote-beef-grading or email AskLP@usda.gov .

USDA will host a webinar Thursday, Jan. 25 at 3:00 PM Eastern Time to provide additional information about the program. To register, visit the signup webpage . A recording will be made available.

Grants Seek to Address Liver Abscess Formation in Cattle

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 21:22:11 GMT

Liver abscesses are a significant problem in beef and dairy cattle. The condition occurs when bacteria cross from an animal’s gastrointestinal tract into the bloodstream and accumulate in the liver. Liver abscesses jeopardize animals’ health and cost producers approximately $30 million annually. The International Consortium for Antimicrobial Stewardship in Agriculture (ICASA) awarded four grants totaling roughly $1.15 million to identify why liver abscesses occur and develop diagnostic tools to enable informed decision-making to treat the condition.

While difficult to know how many animals are affected, liver abscesses affect roughly 20% of United States beef cattle, reaching as high as 70% in some groups. Antibiotics are commonly used to prevent and control liver abscesses, but the condition is still highly prevalent. To prevent liver abscesses from forming, current control methods involve treating entire groups of animals with antibiotics at the same time. As a result, healthy animals are often administered antibiotics, as it is difficult to determine which animals are infected. This method is costly and can increase antibiotic resistance in cattle, making them susceptible to other lethal conditions.

Following a 2022 call for research , the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research ’s (FFAR) ICASA Consortium awarded the following grants to better understand and prevent liver abscesses in cattle.

Dr. Raghavendra Amachawadi , Kansas State University (K-State)

Dr. Amachawadi received a $300,000 grant to evaluate the associations between feeding and management practices of beef-on-dairy cattle, a beef production system that uses beef cattle semen to breed dairy cows. The practice increases the value of dairy calves, as beef-on-dairy calves have feedlot performance, carcass quality and meat quality attributes similar to conventional beef cattle. Although no published data currently exist, it is commonly believed that the rate of liver abscesses in beef-on-dairy cattle is two to three times greater than beef-on-beef cattle. The research team is planning to conduct a comprehensive analysis of feeding and management practices to determine their associations with and timing of liver abscess development. An understanding of the epidemiology of liver abscesses in beef-on-dairy cattle can identify opportunities and interventions to reduce antibiotic use.

Matching funds were provided by Syracuse Dairy, Animal Welfare Consulting and Research, Deer Creek Feeding, LLC and ICASA partners Tyson Foods , Veterinary Research & Consulting Services, LLC (VRCS), Hy-Plains Feedyard, LLC and Cargill for a total $600,000 investment.

Dr. T. G. Nagaraja , K-State

Dr. Nagaraia received a $248,641 grant to evaluate a comprehensive “biochemical fingerprinting” in blood plasma collected from beef cattle with and without abscesses in the liver. Unique biomolecules in the blood of cattle with liver abscesses can help detect the onset and progression of liver abscesses and can aid evaluating antibiotic alternatives for prevention.

Matching funds were provided by K-State and ICASA partners Tyson Foods, Cargill and United Animal Health for a total $497,282 investment.

Dr. Kendall Samuelson , West Texas A&M University

Dr. Samuelson received a $300,000 grant to evaluate liver abscess development in feedlot cattle reared in conventional beef versus dairy management systems. The research team is investigating the relationship between calf management, feedlot performance, liver abscess prevalence and cellular and molecular mechanisms. The results of this project will provide insight into liver abscess pathogenesis and identify biomarkers that assess the risk of the development of liver abscesses.

West Texas A&M University is providing matching funds for a $600,340 investment.

Dr. Dale Woerner , Texas Tech University

Dr. Woerner received a $300,000 grant to create a model for genomic, blood and microbiological markers for liver abscesses in beef cattle. He is leading a research team investigating genetic markers and biomarkers, including blood chemistry and individual microbial pathogen prevalence, which contribute to the formation of liver abscesses. Identifying markers in cattle predisposed to developing liver abscesses would allow producers to make more informed breeding and management decisions to reduce susceptibility in cattle and reduce reliance on antimicrobial treatments.

Matching funds were provided by Texas Tech University and ICASA partners Genus ABS , Hy-Plains Feedyard, LLC and VRCS for a $633,462 investment.

FFAR established ICASA in 2019 with an initial $7.5 million investment to fund research that promotes targeted antibiotic use, advances animal health and welfare and increases transparency in food production practices. The private sector is matching FFAR’s investment for a total $15 million investment in antibiotic stewardship research.

Understanding Cattle Stress: Oklahoma State University Researchers Focus On Genetic Predisposition

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 16:31:38 GMT

Using cutting-edge artificial intelligence and sensor technologies, Oklahoma State University researchers have embarked on a groundbreaking $1 million, four-year, multi-disciplinary project aimed at studying stress in cattle.

“I had a theory that some of these animals may be genetically predisposed to becoming dark cutters or having heart failure or being less efficient due to physical stressors and animal-environment interactions,” said Janeen Salak-Johnson, an associate professor of animal and food sciences, in a recent release .

Specifically, the project seeks to explore the genetic predisposition of cattle to conditions like dark cutter meat and heart failure, which have been linked to stressors experienced throughout the cattle lifespan.

Dark cutter meat lacks the vibrant red color typically found in retail stores, explains the release, which leads to the inability for the meat to be sold in retail stores and discounts by other food services. The scientists believe the condition is partially caused by the accumulative stressors livestock animals experience during the weaning phase, notes the release.

Funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Interdisciplinary Engagement in Animal Systems program, the research will focus on moderate-growth and high-growth cattle, analyzing their responses to stress using sensor technology. Parameters like heart rate, body temperature, steps and respiration rate will be monitored to understand the cumulative effects of stress throughout their lives.

“These conditions don’t happen because animals experience stress one time. It’s a cumulative effect,” Salak-Johnson said in the release. “This project will allow us to characterize the physiological responses of these animals based on their genetics for growth. We hope to unravel where in their lifespan they face the most critical stressors and if the level of stress they experience is influenced by their genetic capacity for growth.”

Traditionally, cattle selection has prioritized traits like growth rate and carcass quality. However, concerns have risen regarding increased death rates during the late-finishing period due to aggressive growth selection, David Lalman, professor of animal and food sciences, explains in the release. This is believed to be linked to compromised immune systems in rapidly growing cattle.

Preliminary studies conducted by Salak-Johnson’s team have already revealed the influence of genetics on stress responses, including those during the weaning phase. Collaborating with veterinary consultants and large feedlot operations, researchers will examine tissue samples from cattle affected by sudden death syndrome. By analyzing protein and metabolite changes, they aim to predict the underlying causes of this condition.

To facilitate this extensive research, a biomathematics tool will be employed for in-depth analysis of tissue samples. Additionally, artificial intelligence technology will assist in assessing the vast amount of data collected, aiding in the development of a predictive tool to identify stress predisposition in animals.

The research team, which includes experts from various fields such as meat science, sociology, computer science and biosystems engineering, plans to interview producers about their willingness to adopt the predictive technology.

“I really think there’s an opportunity for this team to have a significant impact on this area of research because we are going to look at a more holistic and more complete characterization of these animals,” Salak-Johnson said in the release. “This research could lead to producers having the ability to implement strategies at certain times of the year or when they see certain behavioral changes in livestock.”

Read More:

Heartache: Bovine Congestive Heart Failure A Growing Concern

Fatigued Cattle Syndrome: What It Is and What to Do About It

Peel: Ensuring High Cattle Prices for Longer

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 16:19:09 GMT

Higher placements and reduced marketings resulted in an October 1 feedlot inventory of 11.58 million head, 0.6 percent higher than one year ago. This was the first monthly year-over-year increase in 13 months and the second highest October on-feed total in the data series back to 1996.

The October USDA Cattle on Feed report showed September feedlot marketings down 10.6 percent year over year. This marketing total reflects one less business day in the month compared to last year and was slightly less than average pre-report estimates for marketings. September feedlot placements were up 6.1 percent from one year ago. Placements were expected to be up year over year, but this total was larger than pre-report estimates.

Despite ever smaller feeder cattle supplies, feedlot inventories have temporarily halted the slow decline of the last year with the September surge in placements. Sixty-eight percent of the increase in September placements were between 700 and 900 pounds, which means that the bulk of the cattle will be marketed in the first quarter of 2024. The remaining increase in placements was cattle weighing less than 700 pounds and will be marketed in the second quarter of the year. Some of the placements were likely drought-forced early feeder sales and may be offset by some reduction in feeder numbers in the fourth quarter. Increased placements no doubt also reflects many producers selling feeder cattle to take advantage of the sharply higher prices this fall.

Continued heifer feeding made up the biggest part of the increase in feedlot inventories. October 1 feedlot inventories were up 71,000 head from one year ago and heifers made up 60,000 head (84.5 percent) of the increase. The number of heifers on feed was up 3.7 percent from July and up 1.3 percent over last year. This is the largest October heifer on feed total in the data series back to 1996. Heifers currently represent exactly 40 percent of the total cattle on feed, up fractionally from July and are at the highest percentage of feedlot inventories since October 2001.

The industry continues to liquidate females. Monthly slaughter data through September shows that total female (cow + heifer) slaughter has averaged 51.8 percent of total cattle slaughter for the past twelve months. This is the highest twelve-month average female slaughter percentage since August 1986. The latest slaughter data and the latest Cattle on Feed report both suggest that heifer retention is not beginning in 2023. Year-to-date beef cow slaughter is down 12.9 percent from last year but will still result in a net culling rate over 11.5 percent for year - indicating continued liquidation. The beef cow herd will be smaller in January 2024, and it increasingly looks like the best that could happen in 2024 is to stabilize the herd with significant growth delayed until 2025 or beyond.

Beef production is down 5.2 percent thus far in 2023. This is a significant decline from 2022 record beef production but is less of a decrease than would be the case if herd liquidation were not continuing. Smaller beef cow inventories are ahead and more dramatic reductions in cattle slaughter and beef production – and higher cattle prices - will occur when herd rebuilding gets rolling. This process looks to continue into 2026 at least. This latest Cattle on Feed report may be taken as bearish for cattle markets in the short term, but it is certainly bullish for cattle markets in the coming years.

Derrell Peel, OSU Extension livestock marketing, explains why herd rebuilding is at a standstill on SunUpTV from October 14, 2023. (11) Livestock Marketing - Oct. 14, 2023 - YouTube

Speer: Day-Old Calves Cost How Much…?

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 14:38:56 GMT

“Holy Buckets!”: There’s seemingly always an exclamation of surprise when discussing current prices for day-old beef-X-dairy (BXD) calves with producers. And that’s generally followed with skepticism: “Are you sure?”

But maybe it makes more sense than we think. Let’s approach it from a cow/calf perspective to discern the value of day-old calf at the farm or ranch (versus the dairy).

Cow Cost: The obvious place to begin is allocation of cow costs. Outlined below are some basic assumptions:

The cost meter starts clicking once the previous calf is weaned – call that day 205. Even if the cow was NOT pregnant at weaning, maintenance cost up to weaning would still be assigned to the weaned calf. That leaves us 160 days of pregnancy from weaning to calving assigned to the newborn calf.
Assume annual $1100/cow maintenance cost – or roughly $3/day.

Total assigned cost = $480/calf

Bull Cost: This gets somewhat trickier with more room for varied assumptions. Depending on an operation’s individual budgeting, the cost may be absorbed by the annual cow cost as outlined above. However, given we’re not detailing the full year for the cow, it’s appropriate to include this as a separate item.

Keeping it straightforward, assume a bull’s net service cost is $3,000 over his lifetime (purchase less salvage value). On average (key emphasis), his useful life will be three years. (Some bulls work much longer but others fail to ever service a cow.). Last, we’ll suppose he sires 25 calves per year. That works out to ~$40/calf.
Conservatively assume it costs roughly $1250 annually to maintain a bull – that equates to $50/calf.

Total assigned cost = $90/calf

Interest: The current median interest rate on operating notes is roughly 8.5% . We’ll assign that rate for 160 days on the cow side and a full year on the bull side. That works out to roughly $18 plus $8, respectively.

Total assigned cost = $26/calf

Death Loss: Based on historical USDA survey data , assume 3% of calves will be lost due to dystocia and/or other causes. Another 4% are born alive but die prior to weaning. Assigning one-fourth of those post-calving losses equals 1%. Therefore, we’re left with a 96% survival rate ready for sale. That adds an additional $25/head to the cost.

Total assigned cost = $25/calf

Total Direct Costs: Based on averages, IF someone wanted to purchase day-old calves from your farm or ranch, you’d require total direct cost just to breakeven. We can fuss with the numbers here-and-there but it provides a ball-park figure of the cost assigned to every calf.

Total direct cost: $621/calf

Intangibles: But we need to stretch beyond just those considerations. IF the following things were to occur, you’d require even more dollars to ensure you’re adequately compensated for your management:

Cows bred to known sires with propensity for superior feedlot and carcass performance;
Ensure each calf receives colostrum AND has its navel dipped;
Individually identify every calf with an eID;
Ranch provides ready access to comprehensive data management system enabling potential access to sire and dam (and other pertinent) information to buyer;
Provide easily-accessible facilities to pick calves up with minimal hassle;
Facilitate steady, reliable source of calves year-around.

All of those items provide added value to the buyer. As a producer, you’d accordingly want to be rewarded for such. Not to mention, there needs to be some consideration for profit in all of this.

Total Assigned Cost = +$10, +$25, +$50, +More???

Bottomline: Markets are amazingly efficient. The end result is uncanny; the numbers are remarkably similar to current prices for day-old calves (i.e. sizeable quantity of high-quality, well-managed calves). And from that perspective, the two sides of the business (beef versus dairy) really aren’t all that different. I noted in a previous column that, “What used to be considered a highly discounted after-thought (straight dairy steers/heifers) is rapidly transforming into a meaningful source of production (BXD steers).” With all that in mind, perhaps the day-old BXD market really isn’t as far off-base as we might have first thought.

Congestive Heart Failure an Issue in Finishing Cattle

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 19:09:24 GMT

Congestive heart failure in finishing beef calves is increasing, what used to be known as ‘Brisket Disease’ and only described in cattle populations at higher elevations of over 5,000 to 7,000 feet. Recently deaths from congestive heart failure have been reported in feedlots at low and moderate elevations. It has been estimated that congestive heart failure is responsible for 4% of feedlot mortality causing significant economic losses to the feedlot industry because the majority of these deaths occur late in the finishing period right before slaughter and there appears to be more impact on the highest performing cattle of mostly Angus ancestry.

An analysis in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association of the risk factors and timing of heart failure in feedlots in the US and Canada showed that average heart failure occurred at 179 days on feed. Beef breeds had higher rates than dairy or dairy/beef crosses in each year of the analysis. The impact of risk category for bovine respiratory disease (BRD) was influenced by feedlot elevation, where high risk cattle for BRD had the lowest heart failure rate at low elevation, but risk categories for BRD did not affect rate of heart failure in moderate and high elevation. The authors concluded that risk of heart failure has increased over the last 10-years and that these deaths are occurring later in the feeding period.

Another study published in the journal Frontiers in Genetics analyzed a heart scoring system and showed that increasing heart scores were correlated with the percentage of Angus ancestry in commercial finishing cattle and can be used as a selection tool to reduce heart failure risk that would not interfere with selection for carcass and production traits.

Pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) is also considered a marker for congestive heart failure risk. PAP has been used an and indicator trait for pulmonary hypertension at high altitudes (i.e., brisket disease) and the American Angus Association publishes an EPD for PAP as a selection aid. It is thought that PAP can also be used as a selection tool for heart failure at lower altitudes. The relationship between PAP and feedlot and carcass performance at moderate elevations was examined by Briggs and others at Colorado State. This analysis also shows that PAP is similar in heritability to production traits like feedlot performance and feed intake and will not negatively affect feedlot performance and carcass quality.

The increasing incidence of congestive heart failure in feedlot cattle is a challenge to the beef industry for economic reasons like death loss and reduced performance but also because of reduced animal welfare. The genetics of heart failure appear to be unrelated to performance and carcass quality traits, so genetic selection and breeding will reduce heart failure rates without compromising performance and beef quality.

12 Percent Claim is 100 Percent B.S.

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 19:21:47 GMT

Old, white males such as me are responsible for a large share of the world’s problems. That argument is routinely made by politicians young-and-old, scientists young-and-old, and many women I have met.

There’s some truth to that broad statement, but sometimes you just have to call B.S. when you see it.

Last week I learned that I’m a 12-percenter, and if you’re a Drovers reader you’re probably a 12-percenter, too.

The 12-percenters are a demographic identified by researchers at Tulane University’s School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine, which conducted a study to identify the demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral correlates of disproportionate beef consumption in the United States. Us 12-percenters were singled out as a problem.

“Concern for the environment when making dietary choices has grown as the contribution of the food sector to global greenhouse gas emissions becomes more widely known,” the authors wrote. “Understanding the correlates of beef eating could assist in the targeting of campaigns to reduce the consumption of high-impact foods.”

Beef, of course, is one of those “high-impact” foods. That’s an argument in itself, and one that has been a target of significant misinformation. (More on that later.)

Back to us 12-percenters. The Tulane researchers concluded that half of the beef eaten in the U.S. daily is consumed by 12% of the population, with us old men between the ages of 50-and-65 eating a “disproportionate” amount.

That’s a stunning claim, if true. But it just doesn’t pass the smell test – or, in this case, a calculator test.

The U.S. population is estimated at 334 million in 2023, which means there are roughly 40 million of us 12-percenters. Last year beef production was estimated at 28 billion pounds. So, half of that, 14 billion pounds is eaten by 40 million people? That’s 350 pounds per year for the 12%, nearly a pound per day.

That’s a quarter-pounder for breakfast, a quarter-pounder for lunch, and an eight-ounce steak for dinner. Every day! Preposterous!

When reviewing claims such as the 12%, we’re often told to follow the money. Well… Tulane’s research was supported in part by a grant from the Center for Biological Diversity, a non-profit conservation group. That’s not to suggest anything improper, but worth noting the Center for Biological Diversity has urged the EPA to “regulate factory farms.”

Let’s revisit the issue of “high-impact” foods. In the introduction to the study, the Tulane researchers said, “Meat, particularly from ruminant animals, is at the top of the list of impactful foods. Livestock alone accounts for 14% of global GHGE.”

In the context of this study that quote is an apples and oranges comparison. The authors clearly identify the U.S. as their research target, yet they cite a 10-year-old study from the U.N. that assigns 14% of global GHG emissions to livestock. A study, you might recall, that was challenged by a prominent U.S. researcher.

Much of the misinformation about beef can be traced to the 2006 United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization report “ Livestock’s Long Shadow: Environmental Issues and Options.” That report said livestock are responsible for 18% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, a figure which FAO changed to 14.5% in its 2013 study “Tackling Climate Change Through Livestock” and cited by the Tulane study authors.

But here’s why that claim is apples to oranges. The 18% claim seemed exaggerated to Dr. Frank Mitloehner and his colleagues at the University of California at Davis. Mitloehner, an animal scientist and air quality expert, uncovered some critical flaws in the U.N. report that resulted in livestock’s role being overstated. And, whatddyaknow, in 2013 they amended the report and that’s where the 14.5% GHG contribution comes from.

But that’s global livestock emissions. In the U.S. the number is… 4.2%! That’s quite different than what many anti-beef activists would have you believe.

In his 2015 report, “ Livestock’s Contributions to Climate Change: Facts and Fiction ,” Mitloehner said:

“Leading scientists throughout the U.S., as well as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, have quantified the impacts of livestock production in the U.S., which accounts for 4.2% of all GHG emissions, very far from the 18% to 51% range that advocates often cite.”

Further, Mitloehner offered some logic years ago that is still valid today regarding livestock production.

“The developed world’s efforts should focus not on reducing meat and milk consumption, but rather on increasing efficient meat production in developing countries, where growing populations need more nutritious food,” Mitloehner said.

“Smarter animal farming, not less farming, will equal less heat. Producing less meat and milk will only mean more hunger in poor countries.”

Peel: No Herd Rebuilding in Sight

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 01:24:45 GMT

The July Cattle report showed that the U.S. beef cow herd continued to decline through the first half of the year. The July 1 beef cow inventory was 29.4 million head, down 2.6 percent year over year. This is the fifth year of smaller beef cow inventories since the 2018 cyclical peak, with the beef cow herd down 3.0 million head, a five-year decrease of 9.3 percent. The smaller beef cow herd is part of a general decrease in all cattle numbers in the U.S.

The total inventory of all cattle and calves in this report was 95.9 million head, down 2.7 percent year over year. The total inventory of heifers was down 3.8 percent from last year with decreases of 2.4 and 2.7 percent for beef and dairy replacement heifers, along with a 5.2 percent decline in the inventory of other heifers. The inventory of steers over 500 pounds was down 3.5 percent year over year and the inventory of calves under 500 pounds was down 2.6 percent from one year ago. The bull inventory was down 5.0 percent year over year. Total cattle in feedlots on July 1 was 13.1 million head, down 2.2 percent year over year. The calculated supply of feeder cattle (other heifers + steers + calves – cattle on feed) based on this report is 34.4 million head, 3.6 percent smaller than last year. The report pegged the 2023 calf crop at 33.8 million head, down 1.9 percent year over year. The dairy cow inventory, at 9.4 million head, was unchanged from last year and was the only inventory category in the report not showing a year-over-year decrease.

(Farm Journal)

Not only did the report show continued cattle liquidation thus far in 2023, but there are also no clear indications that numbers will stabilize and grow anytime soon. The current inventory of beef replacement heifers is 4.05 million head, lower than the previous cyclical low of 4.2 million head in 2011 and 2012 and is the lowest in 50 years of available July 1 inventory data. There is certainly no indication of heifer retention in this replacement heifer inventory. Moreover, the inventory of heifers in feedlots from the July Cattle on Feed report was unchanged from last year, which indicates that relatively large numbers of heifers continue to be fed for slaughter rather than retained for breeding. Heifers currently represent 39.9 percent of total feedlot inventories, the highest proportion of heifers in feedlots since 2001.

The sharp increase in feeder cattle prices this year represents a growing market incentive for the beef cattle industry to transition from liquidation to herd expansion, but it does not appear that the industry is responding yet. Feeder cattle prices will continue to increase to jump-start heifer retention, which will lead to even higher prices as feeder supplies are further squeezed with fewer heifers in the feeder cattle supply.

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