A consumer confidence index surprised analysts by climbing to its highest level in four years this month, and consumer spending is up, according to reports from Bloomberg News last week. Continued consumer optimism should be positive for domestic beef demand. A separate Bloomberg report notes that while average hourly pay for American workers has declined slightly over the 12 months through March, total wages and salaries increased by 2.2 percent. More people are working and are working longer hours, resulting in the bump in incomes. In addition to small gains in employment and wages, a slowing of layoffs could allow employed workers to feel more confident of future employment. Also, gasoline prices have dropped since peaking earlier this spring, potentially freeing consumer dollars for spending on other things.
John Paterson, Ph.D., a cattle producer and well-known beef cattle Extension specialist who was previously with Montana State University in Bozeman, has joined the National Cattlemen's Beef Association as the organization's executive director for producer education. He replaces Tom Field, Ph.D., who was named director of the University of Nebraska Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneur Program.
DNA technology is one of the emerging solutions for beef production, and although registered cattle owners will be quicker to use the tool, new lower-density, lower-cost tests could greatly impact commercial cattle. Larry Kuehn, geneticist at the USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, Neb., says DNA is the best forecasting tool available right now for young calves. Kuehn reported that testing saves time, and the technology has gotten better and cheaper in the last five years. Today, DNA works especially well in predicting carcass traits.
- by Loretta Sorenson
- Photo by Malloree Barnes
Injecting vaccine into a calf doesn’t necessarily mean the animal receives maximum protection from disease. At numerous points between when the vaccine leaves the supplier and when it enters the animal, quality and effectiveness of the shot can be reduced if it’s not handled carefully. Terry Todd, licensed veterinarian and Cohagen, MT, rancher says compromised vaccine can’t stimulate the necessary level of antigens in an animal.
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- by Dr. Arn Anderson, DVM
At the end of the summer our health insurance company decided that it was time for me to take another physical exam and a set of screening tests. After my required procrastination, denial and good intentions to make an appointment, my wife took over and arranged a physical exam at our local human clinic.
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- Photo by Jeffrey Banke / Dreamstime
Effective soil management is key to producing high quality alfalfa. That’s the message long-time journalist and researcher Harold Willis brings out in the booklet he authored, How to Grow Great Alfalfa. The 47-page, 6x9 booklet contains a number of black and white photos and outlines the steps involved in establishing a highly nutritious and productive alfalfa stand.
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Love That New Cattleguard
- by Jennifer Showalter
Photo from Powder River Livestock Handling Equipment
Powder River cattleguards are designed to meet the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) specifications. The strongest models are built to handle up to 30 tons per axle.
Opening and closing a gate from time to time is no sweat off any rancher’s back. It’s when the same gate has to be gone through over and over that it becomes more trouble than it’s worth. With this in mind, every rancher has a cow or two that seems to be able to smell an open gate and won’t let anyone slide by without closing the gate each and every time.
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Process Verified Program, that is
- by Merridee Wells
- Photo by Sage Pool
Process Verified Programs, or PVP’s as they are commonly called, are another of the many new-fangled phrases which are becoming commonplace in our cattle industry today. Breed associations draw them like a gun while marketing programs dazzle you with their PVP requirements and the auction companies brag on their value-added benefits.
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Make sure your cows are nutritionally ready
- by Gilda V. Bryant
- photo by Lucie Wiese
Minerals are important for herd health, reproduction and efficiency during winter. However, that is only part of the picture. Extra protein and energy are vital during cold, wet weather. Producers should also be aware of forage and by-product supplementation quality, as well as body condition scores.
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