The U.S. is beginning to see expansion of the nation's beef cow herd. That was confirmed in the cattle inventory report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in January. Going forward, the question is can expansion continue at the pace seen in 2014. Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Economist Dr. Derrell Peel said one of the key factors will be how long cattle prices remain strong, to give the signal to cattle producers to go forward.


"The real key to a producer being willing to step out there, accepting that there is more financial risk and just more total dollars needed," Peel said. "The capital requirements are higher, but it really comes back to the same question that's been there in every cattle cycle previously and that's a producer's expectations about whether these prices are good enough, long enough, to make it worth it for me to invest in that heifer rather than take the immediate sale value that she has." 


This isn't just a individual producer question, it's an industry question. Peel said an individual producer may decide not to keep a heifer, sell her and pockets the money, but that doesn't mean the next guy won't take her home for his herd. He said heifer retention needs a broader view.


"It's kind of like the cow side, one man's cull is another man's new cow in this market and it's the same thing on the heifer side," Peel said. 'It's not just the individual decision, but the collective impact of that, across all producers, in terms of who is investing and retaining heifers and who is choosing to sell those animals right now."  

At the Cattle Industry Convention, I talked with Peel about the cow herd expansion in the Southern Plains region.  To read or have the opportunity to listen to our latest Beef Buzz segment with Peel, click here. 

You can also hear our entire interview that we conducted with Derrell earlier this month at the Cattle Industry Convention- it was one of several Podcasts we posted while in San Antonio.  Click here to take a listen.

Oklahoma Confirms Case of Neurological Equine Herpesvirus 

A horse diagnosed with Equine Herpesvirus has shut down the Oklahoma State University's Veterinary Teaching Hospital to other horses. Last week the horse was referred to OSU after being treated for two weeks for a illness at a private veterinary clinic. After several days of treatment at OSU, the horse began showing neurological symptoms and the horse was diagnosed and confirmed to have EHV. 

It's unknown how long the Teaching Hospital will be off limits to other horses- once this horse is transferred, the facility will be disinfected and only then will other horses be accepted once again.


Oklahoma State Veterinarian Dr. Rod Hall said this is the state's first case of the neuropathogenic strain of the Equine Herpesvirus. Oklahoma has had cases of the typical field strain of EHV, but this is the first so-called mutant strain in the state.  


Equine Herpesvirus is more common than what one might think. Dr. Hall said most horses have been exposed to the virus during their life, but their immune system fights it off. A stressful event can trigger the virus causing respiratory signs. Hall said every once in a while it can cause neurological signs, like this horse showed. He said they don't think the horse was ill with the Herpesvirus the entire time it was being treated, but rather had a sudden response to the original illness the horse came down with. The sickness put stress on the horse's immune system and allowed the horse to show symptoms of this Herpesvirus.   

Radio Oklahoma Network's Leslie Smith caught up with Dr. Hall about this development.  Click here to read more or to listen to the full interview about what this means for Oklahoma horse owners.   

AFR/OFU Awards Scholarships to Oklahoma Youth

Twenty-three scholarship recipients were recognized at the American Farmers & Ranchers/Oklahoma Farmers Union (AFR/OFU) 110th State Convention Feb. 13. Each year, AFR/OFU awards the Incoming Freshman State Scholarship and the Continuing Education to deserving youth across the state.


"As an organization, we are committed to the future of the agricultural industry in Oklahoma," said AFR/OFU President Terry Detrick. "We are proud to provide not only opportunities for growth and personal development, but also financial support for tomorrow's industry leaders. I encourage students statewide to apply for this year's scholarships."


This year's recipients of the AFR/OFU Incoming Freshman Scholarship are Megan DeVuyst, Morrison; Michael Larson, Tecumseh; Courtney Jackson, Ringling; Jacob Grossnicklaus, Ninnekah; Lacie Underwood, Tecumseh; Kellan Hostetler, Billings; Bethany Harder, Battiest; Ryan Danker, Wellston; Gatlin Squires, Kingfisher; Jarred Strate, Fairmont.


Recipients of the AFR/OFU Continuing Education Scholarship are Trent Boles, Asher; Micaela Danker, Wellston; Morgan Hannabass, Indiahoma; Darcey Kliewer, Thomas; Bailey Kliewer, Thomas; Kalli Kliewer, Thomas; Denton Lowe, Amber; Desiree Masterson, Spiro; Tyler Schaithman, Garber; Barrett Powell, Meno; Kayla Smith, Haworth; Lindsey Underwood, Tecumseh; and Whitney Wilkinson, Cement. 

To read more about AFR/OFU Scholarship program, click here.   

Zoetis Awards Grants for Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus Research

Zoetis has awarded research grants to Suidae Health and Production and to Iowa State University to discover solutions that can help improve control of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv) in breeding and farrowing herds.


"We were interested in proposals that help discover novel approaches for optimizing the immune response of sows and gilts to help control PEDv," said Steve Sornsen, DVM, MS, senior director, Veterinary Business Solutions, Zoetis. "We're pleased to collaborate with well-experienced veterinarians representing academic and production interests. The outcome of these projects should provide insights into new PEDv control methods that can be incorporated into current production systems for the industry."


The two proposals were selected by a cross-functional group of Zoetis colleagues among a group of eight finalists. Both projects are expected to be completed in 2015.  Click here to read more about these research projects.   

Application Deadline Approaches for USDA's Conservation Innovation Grants

The deadline to submit pre-proposals for up to $1 million in U.S. Department of Agriculture's Conservation Innovation Grants is quickly approaching. Eligible state and local governments, federally-recognized Indian tribes, non-governmental organizations and individuals in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Caribbean Area and the Pacific Islands area must submit their pre-proposals by Feb. 24, 2015.


CIG funding this year can be used to help create innovative markets for carbon credits, provide additional revenue sources for producers and address natural resource conservation challenges. Approximately half of the $20 million total CIG funding is available for environmental markets and conservation finance projects that engage agricultural producers. USDA is seeking projects that will help mature environmental markets for water quality and greenhouse gases and bring them to scale to benefit both producers and the environment.


In past years, CIG has helped fund the development of the basic infrastructure of these markets. This year, USDA is seeking applications for projects that will further these efforts by maturing and scaling markets and increasing efforts to leverage private capital and investment in private lands conservation. Improved quantification tools, multi-resource crediting, and projects that substantively engage corporate or financial partners are activities that interest USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). NRCS administers CIG.  

USDA is also soliciting proposals for projects to stimulate natural resource improvements, including improvements in water quantity, soil health, and wildlife habitat.  Click here to read more about these conservation grants.   

Award winning broadcast journalist Jerry Bohnen has spent years learning and understanding how to cover the energy business here in the southern plains-

Selk Offers Re-Warming Methods for Severely Cold-Stressed Newborn Calves

Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State University Emeritus Extension Animal Scientist, writes in the latest Cow-Calf Newsletter.


A recent very cold wet night in Oklahoma undoubtedly caused a few newborn calves to be cold-stressed.


Several years ago, an Oklahoma rancher called to tell of the success he had noticed in using a warm water bath to revive new born calves that had been severely cold stressed. A quick check of the scientific data on that subject bears out his observation.


Canadian animal scientists compared methods of reviving hypothermic or cold stressed baby calves. Heat production and rectal temperature were measured in 19 newborn calves during hypothermia (cold stress) and recovery when four different means of assistance were provided. Hypothermia of 86 degrees F. rectal temperature was induced by immersion in cold water. Calves were re-warmed in a 68 to 77 degrees F. air environment where thermal assistance was provided by added thermal insulation or by supplemental heat from infrared lamps. Other calves were re-warmed by immersion in warm water (100 degrees F.), with or without a 40cc drench of 20% ethanol in water. Normal rectal temperatures before cold stress were 103 degrees F.  

The time required to regain normal body temperature from a rectal temperature of 86 degrees F. was longer for calves with added insulation and those exposed to heat lamps than for the calves in the warm water and warm water plus ethanol treatments (90 minutes and 92 minutes vs 59 minutes and 63 minutes, respectively).  Click here to read more from Dr. Selk.   

This N That- Duff Power Plus Sale Coming Saturday, Cattle on Feed and Meats Team at GIA

Duff Cattle Company's Power Plus Female and Bull Sale is coming this Saturday, February 21st,,1 PM, at the Duff Farms Sale Facility in Hobart, Oklahoma.

Kirk Duff and his team will be selling 140 Head including 50 Calving Angus Donor Prospects and 80 Angus and Aberdeen Bulls 18 to 24 months of age.

Cattle on Feed numbers for February first will be released by USDA this Friday afternoon(tomorrow) at 2:00 PM central time. According to Rich Nelson with Allendale, this could be a historic report.

"Allendale anticipates a Marketing total 6.1% lower than January 2014. There was one less weekday and one more Saturday vs. last year which artificially lowered the Marketing number. Our 1.679 million head estimate is the smallest January marketing since the current data-series started in 1996.

"January Placements are expected to be 8.2% lower than last year at 1.863 million head. January placements supply the June through September slaughter period.

"Total Cattle on Feed as of February 1 is 0.4% over last year. That is a decrease from the January 1 total of 0.9% over last year."    

As always- we plan to have Tom Leffler offer his take on the Cattle on Feed numbers after they are revealed on Friday afternoon that will be up and available late Friday afternoon and will be featured in our Monday email.

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OSU's basketball team lost to those Cyclones of Iowa State last night- but it was still a big night for the OSU Meats Judging team that won the National Championship at the end of 2014.  Here's a pic from Facebook about the Meats team being front and center and clapped for by the faithful at Gallagher Iba Arena.  

More info on that National Championship is available here.