Expert Panel Examines Video from NC Broiler Farm

The Center for Food Integrity's (CFI) Animal Care Review Panel has examined video released this week from a North Carolina broiler farm. It is contained in a report produced by the group Compassion in World Farming. CFI created the Animal Care Review Panel program to engage recognized animal care specialists to examine video and provide expert perspectives for food retailers, the poultry industry and the media. Panels include a veterinarian, an animal scientist and an ethicist to assure various perspectives are represented.


This expert panel was comprised of Dr. Patricia Hester, Purdue University; Dr. S.F. Bilgili, Auburn University; and Dr. Ruth Newberry, Washington State University and the Norwegian University of Life Sciences.


"In a large flock, there will be some birds with problems depicted in this video," said Newberry. "Due to editing of the film, it is impossible to determine if the same birds are shown multiple times or if there are more widespread problems. The incidence of these conditions should be documented by the farmer and the reasons should be investigated. Birds with incurable conditions should be detected at an early stage and euthanized immediately. It's the humane thing to do."


"The farmer needs to implement a twice-daily bird health monitoring program that includes culling and euthanasia of any age chicken that is suffering and in distress," said Hester. "This includes the humane euthanasia of young chicks and older chickens with severe leg problems. It is obvious from the video that the farmer did not implement a rigorous culling program as there were older chickens in the flock that had been retained with severe leg problems. These lame chickens should have been humanely euthanized weeks earlier, yet the farmer allowed them to continue their suffering.

"The National Chicken Council's welfare guidelines explicitly state that chickens with 'stunted growth and obvious gait defects that limit an individual bird's ability to move about or access feed and water for normal growth and development are humanely euthanized.'"


Click here to read more as the CFI Animal Care Review  goes through the conditions at a North Carolina broiler farm.

Peel Offers Cattle Market Factors to Watch in 2015

Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist, writes in the latest Cow/Calf Corner newsletter.


In 2014, cattle and beef prices advanced from (what were then) record levels at the beginning of the year to a nearly continuous series of record levels throughout the year. Cattle and beef prices are expected to maintain these levels in 2015, not increasing as much or as fast as in 2014 but averaging higher than 2014, and are likely to set new record prices seasonally during the year. For the most part, the same factors we have been watching in 2014 will determine how much higher cattle and beef prices will push in 2015.


The beef cow herd almost surely began expanding in 2014, though final confirmation will come in the annual Cattle report due out January 30, 2015. The question is more one of how much herd rebuilding happened in 2014. An increase of one-half to one percent in the beef cow herd is expected. Herd expansion is expected to continue in 2015 and for several more years but it is by no means guaranteed. Severe drought conditions persist in the far west and marginal to severe drought areas remain in the southern plains and southwest. These areas have the most potential for herd expansion, having been most depleted during the drought and continued drought or slow recovery in these areas will limit herd expansion in 2015. Feeder cattle supplies will continue to tighten into 2015 with a smaller 2014 calf crop, increased heifer retention and likely less cattle imports from Mexico and Canada. The 2015 calf crop may grow with limited herd expansion in 2014 but continued heifer retention in 2015 will keep feeder supplies tight. 

Beef production is expected to decrease another 1-2 percent in 2015 following the 5-6 percent year over year decrease in 2014. Cattle slaughter will likely decrease another 1.5-2.5 percent in 2015 with fewer cows and yearlings in the slaughter mix. Steer and heifer carcass weights will remain large following the sharp increase in late 2014 and will average higher in 2015 but are unlikely to increase much above current record levels.  Click here to read more about domestic and international demand factors.
 

Cotton LEADS Deemed 100% Certified Bio-Based

Cotton fiber represented by the Cotton LEADS™ program, which promotes the responsible production practices of cotton growers in Australia and the United States, is deemed 100 percent bio-based amid changes to the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) BioPreferred Program guidelines. The technical innovation of cotton growers in Australia and the United States qualifies Cotton LEADS™ cotton as a 100 percent bio-based ingredient for textile and nonwoven products and is included in USDA's online BioPreferred Catalog.


The BioPreferred Program's goal is to increase the purchase and use of bio-based products while spurring economic development, creating new jobs and providing new markets for farm commodities. Additionally, the increased development, purchase and use of bio-based products is intended to reduce reliance on petroleum, increase the use of renewable agricultural resources and contribute to reducing adverse environmental and health impacts.


The 2014 farm law expanded the USDA's BioPreferred Program's initial scope to "promote bio-based products that apply an innovative approach to growing, harvesting, sourcing, procuring, processing, manufacturing, or application of bio-based products regardless of the date of entry into the marketplace."  Click here to learn more about Cotton LEADS BioPreferred Program.
 

Merck's Intranasal Vaccine Protecting Calves Against BRD

Bovine Respiratory Disease or BRD is one of the most expensive health issues with cattle and calves. Merck Animal Health estimates BRD costs the cattle industry about 800 - 900 million dollars annually. Cattle producers now have access to a new unique product from Merck to treat BRD. Beef Cattle Technical Services Manager Dr. Brent Meyer said earlier this year Merck introduced their latest product Once PMH IN.


"It's the only intranasal vaccine that protects against both bacterial pathogens - Mannheimia and Pasteurella," Meyer said. "What's unique about this product is that it's avirulent live, meaning that it acts like a natural infection. So its up tick in the nasal nicosia is very quick. It starts to work very rapidly." 


While some vaccines are stressful to calves, especially young calves that are nursing, Meyer said this vaccine Once PMH IN has been proven by studies to be a low stress vaccine that provides a performance benefit. One study evaluated calves treated with Once PMH IN and a competitive product. Meyer said the study found calves treated with the intranasal product Once PMH IN were 22 pounds heavier at weaning. 

Dr. Meyer joins us on the Beef Buzz.  Click here to listen to Meyer talk about Once PMH IN as well as Merck's dewormer product Safe-Guard.      

USDA-NRCS Accepting Applications for Irrigation Water Conservation Funds

Gary O'Neill, Oklahoma State Conservationist for the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Program (NRCS) has announced that the state has once again set aside Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) funds for financially assisting producers with applications that address irrigation water conservation practices that reduce the amount of water used to produce a crop. To be eligible for financial assistance, the land must have been irrigated two (2) of the five (5) years previous to the application for EQIP funding. The conservation measures applied through the EQIP Water Conservation Program must result in a net water savings to the operating unit. Farmers and ranchers will have the opportunity to install more efficient irrigation systems with financial assistance. O'Neill added, "Irrigation water conservation is only one of several initiatives that are available under DQIP. Other programs include: AFO/CAFO Waste Management, Lagoon Closure, Seasonal High Tunnel Houses, Energy, National Water Quality Incentive, and the Organic Initiative. All program applications will be due in the local NRCS by January 16, 2015.


O'Neill said, "We are accepting applications for participation in the EQIP Statewide Irrigation Water Management Initiative on a continuous basis, however, only applications received by January 16, 2015 will be ranked and considered for funding this year from a list of high priority applications until the funding allocation is obligated." Unfunded applications will be maintained for future funding consideration if the applicant chooses to remain on the waiting list. Funding selections will be made on or before March 27, 2015, exclusively for those applications received. Interested producers may learn more by visiting their local NRCS website by clicking here. You may also receive additional information and apply by visiting your local NRCS Field Office. 

Rib Cuts Keep Advancing as Prime Rib is a Cornerstone of Holiday Parties- The Latest Wholesale Report

On a regular basis, Ed Czerwein of the USDA Market News Office in Amarillo, Texas offers a review of the previous week's boxed beef trade. Here is the weekly boxed beef trade for week ending December 6th. The daily spot choice boxed beef cutout ended the week last Friday at $252.54 which was a 4.86 lower. There were 796 loads sold for the week in the daily box beef cutout which was about 250 loads higher than last week and about 12 percent of the total volume.


The comprehensive or weekly average choice cutout which includes all types of sales was $254.45 which was only 0.55 lower due partially to the buffering effect of formula prices, many of which are priced off of previous week's prices.   The total reported box beef volume jumped as the price declined.   There were 6,482 loads sold which was 564 loads higher.   However this week's sales were almost 500 loads less than last year.


The formula sales were fully steady at 3,467 loads which was only 23 loads better than last week and 53 percent of the total loads sold. Being over half of the sales volume these formula sales have tremendous impact on the average prices for the week.  Click here to listen or read more from Ed Czerwein as he reviews export sales and primal cut prices.    

This N That- OSU Meats Judging Team Wins National Title, Frank Lucas Speaks to Open Mic and GMO Debate Recap

The Oklahoma State University Meat Judging Team stands atop the meat-judging world after recently winning its 17th National Championship in the 88-year history of the competition. And make no doubt about it- it was a dominating win!


With its first title since 2002, OSU's 17 championships are more than any other university in the country. Held in Dakota City, Nebraska, the competition featured 16 teams from universities throughout the United States. 

The team finished first in Total Beef, Beef Judging, Pork Judging, Lamb Judging, Placings and Reasons, and second in Beef Grading. While the team results speak for themselves, Jessie Heidlage, senior from Claremore, Oklahoma and Audrey Zoeller, senior from Boerne, Texas, were named first team All-American Meat Judging Team members. 

Click or tap here to read more about this historic victory for Meats Team.   

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He is now the outgoing Chairman of the House Ag Committee- but Congressman Frank Lucas has promised that he won't sit in a rocking chair and watch the 2014 Farm Law be attacked in 2015 by those who want to change the comprehensive measure through the Appropriations process

Our friend and colleague Jeff Nalley from Kentucky interviewed Chairman Lucas for the Agri-Pulse audio feature- Open Mic Live.  You can hear the full conversation by clicking here. 

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We featured the debate last week over GMOs that was held by a group known as Intelligence Squared- featuring Dr. Rob Fraley of Monsanto and Dr. Alison Van Eenenaam from U.C.-Davis arguing the pro-GMO side, while Margaret Mellon, formerly with the Union of Concerned Scientists, and Dr. Charles Benbrook of the Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources argued against. 

Apparently, the team of Fraley and Van Eenenaam were more persuasive, as prior to the debate, 32% of the audience favored the use of GMOs, with 38% undecided. After the debate, 60% favored and just 9% were left undecided.  See the results here and a chance to see the debate yourself.

A website called Food Navigator has a good overview of the give and take of the debate- you may want to check that out as well.