USDA to Expand Testing for Drug Residues in Meat 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced on Monday July second new steps to safeguard the food supply and to protect consumers nationwide. Later this summer, the Department will launch a new approach to its testing to protect the public from exposure to harmful levels of chemical residues in meat, poultry, and egg products.

"The new testing methods being announced today will help protect consumers from illegal drug residues in meat products," USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Elisabeth Hagen said. "By allowing us to test for more chemical compounds from each sample, these changes will enable USDA to identify and evaluate illegal drug residues more effectively and efficiently."

Through its National Residue Program (NRP), FSIS tests for the presence of chemical compounds, including approved (legal) and unapproved (illegal) veterinary drugs, pesticides, hormones, and environmental contaminants that may appear in meat, poultry, and egg products. The new, modern, high-efficiency methods that FSIS is announcing today will conserve resources and provide useful and reliable results while enabling the Agency to analyze each sample for more chemical compounds than previously possible. 

Click here to read more about the USDA's expanded testing program.

Canola TV--Matching Canola Variety Decisions to Conditions Maximizes Potential 

Planning is in full swing for next year's winter canola crop and Justin Stejskal of Croplan says demand is growing for four Roundup-ready varieties his company offers. He tells us in the latest edition of Canola TV that early maturity seems to be a major consideration for many producers.

"High Class 110W is the earliest-maturing variety we have. It's a great fit for a guy who wants to plant a lot of acres out there and wants to get the quickest maturity so he can get started harvesting on something else."

For those concerned we may be heading into another drought, Stejskal recommends 115W.

"One-fifteen is an SU-tolerant variety. I feel it is our most stress-tolerant variety we have out there. We've planted 115 in a lot of different situations and it's been a very good, consistent performer across the board in those situations. We also had very, very good results in Dr. Arnauld's pH study he did last winter."

You can catch Justin Stejskal on Canola TV by clicking here. 

Feeder Cattle Prices Crater- The Question is Why?

Why have feeder cattle prices been steadily heading lower over the last several weeks? USDA market news reporter Ed Czerwein in Amarillo, Texas has responsibility for writing up the market report for the Superior Video Livestock auction- and he offered a detailed set of reasons why feeder cattle have struggled since late May. Here is his commentary as released on July 2nd on why the bubble has burst on the feeder cattle trade:

"Compared to the last sale Feeder steers and heifers prices for current, summer, and fall delivery were generally $6.00-$12.00 lower following the significant and steady decline on the CME that occurred in the past couple of weeks. All types of feeder cattle markets experienced this massive decline led by liquidation in the CME. Regional auctions and direct ranch to feedlot trades have also been down from $3.00-$8.00 each week for consecutive weeks of losses during the month of June. The unfortunate situation for the video auction is that all of the accumulated losses since the previous auction three weeks ago show up at one time, while the area auctions have posted the same losses just that they have been split up over several weeks. The nearby month for the CME Feeder Cattle option had reached its peak and closed at $161.15 early in June then fell to a $147.70 close on Tuesday during the Video auction putting tremendous pressure on all feeder cattle markets in all regions." 

Click here for more of Ed Czerwein's analysis of the bursting bubble in feeder cattle markets.

Repercussions of the 2011 Drought Continue, Worsen With Decreasing Rainfall

In the July issue of the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation newsletter, Chuck Coffey warns cattle producers that we haven't fully recovered from the 2011 drought as 2012 is now turning out dry as well.

I don't like talking about the "D-word," but the effects of the 2011 drought will be felt for years to come throughout the Southern Great Plains and the Southwest due to its severity. Limited rainfall and record heat forced the liquidation of livestock, the likes of which most of us have never seen in our lifetimes. Only the most astute land managers will recover quickly, while the majority will experience lasting effects. It may take as many as three to five years for some to fully recover and that is only if we see good years along the way.

On May 24, 2012, Gary McManus, associate state climatologist with the Oklahoma Climatological Survey said we were experiencing a "flash drought." Warm temperatures, limited precipitation, windy days and a tremendous flush of cool-season annuals worked together to rapidly remove most of the stored moisture from the soil. This combination does not bode well for the months to come. Looking at rainfall for May, south-central Oklahoma was 48 percent of normal, while the state as a whole was only 34 percent of normal. May 2012 was the fourth driest on record. Consequently, much of the state is designated as abnormally dry, which could rapidly worsen to moderate or severe drought if the trend continues. Figure 1 shows the percentage of normal rainfall Oklahoma received in May.

To read more of Chuck Coffey's suggestions for preparing for a continuing drought, please click here. 

Nitrate Concentration in Sorghum Forages Not Affected by Time of Day During Harvest, Selk Says

Does changing the time of day one cuts forage sorghum change the nitrate content in the forage? Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State University Extension animal scientist emeritus tackles that question in the latest Cow-Calf Newsletter.

Summer annuals are often used by cattle producers for summer grazing or harvested for hay. Plants such as Sorghum-Sudan hybrids, Sorgo-Sudan hybrids, Sudan-Sudan hybrids, and millets, all fall in this category. These summer crops can be very productive and high quality, but can also accumulate toxic levels of nitrate when stressed. The heat and dry weather of the past two weeks has caused many of these plants to become very stressed.   

Based on the assumption that the plant continues soil nitrate uptake during nighttime hours, followed by accelerated conversion of the nitrate to protein during daylight hours, previous recommendations have been to wait until afternoon to cut forage sorghum for hay if anticipated nitrate levels are marginally high.   

To evaluate the significance of the change in nitrate concentration in forage sorghums during the day, Oklahoma State University Extension Educators collected samples at two hour intervals from 8 AM to 6 PM. Five cooperator's fields ("farm") were divided into quadrants. Three random samples, consisting of ten stems each, were taken from each quadrant at the specified interval. The samples were analyzed at the Oklahoma State University Soil, Water, and Forage Analytical Laboratory to determine the level of nitrates, in parts per million (ppm).  

You can find more information from this study by clicking here.

Oklahoman Brings Fresh Perspective as New President of Livestock Marketing Association

The Livestock Marketing Association (LMA) is pleased to announce Tim Starks as President for the 2012-2014 term. Unlike many past presidents, Starks did not grow up in the livestock auction marketing business. Starks grew up on a farm and ranch operation near Cherokee, Okla., where for 30 years he was a customer of the local auction markets.

After graduating from Oklahoma State University (OSU) with a degree in agricultural economics in 1989, he pursued a degree in veterinary medicine, which he received from OSU in 1992.

Following graduation, Starks return home and purchased a veterinary practice next to the local livestock market in Cherokee. He and his wife, Jennifer, began a family and raised two children of their own, Garrett and Macy. Over the years, they have been foster parents to numerous children, and recently adopted an eighteen-month-old boy. 

Click here for more of the story on Tim Starks, LMA's new president.

As They Prepare for their 60th Convention- We Welcome the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association to Our Email Sponsor Family!

We are very pleased to welcome this first week of July our newest Email supporter- the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association.  The OCA is proud to be the corporate "voice' of Oklahoma cattle producers- and if you are not already a member of the OCA- we invite you to check out their website and learn more about this organization that has as one of it's primary goals "EDUCATE our members on current rules and regulations, as well as the latest developments in research and production techniques to maximize profitability."  Click here to learn more about advantages of aligning your cattle operation with this great organization! 

Even as we hook up with the OCA- their staff and leadership are very busy getting ready for the 60th Annual Convention and Trade Show of the organization that will include not just meetings for the OCA, but also for the Oklahoma Cattlewomen and the Oklahoma Junior Cattlemen's Association. They will be meeting once again at the Reed Center in Midwest City- this year's dates are July 26-28, 2012.  Among their always great lineup of speakers will be the brand new OSU Animal Science Department Head Dr.Clint Rusk, as well as brand new OSU Extension Beef Cattle Specialist Dr. Megan Rolf.  You can learn more about their convention and how you can register to be there later this month by clicking here.

Thanks OCA- we are delighted to have you on board as a Email Supporter!