Oklahoma State Vet Cautions Livestock Owners to Stay Alert for Anthrax This Summer

Anthrax is a zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. The disease is most common in cattle and sheep, but can be seen in dogs, horses, pigs and other animals including humans. While humans can become infected by handling carcasses or the body fluids of an infected animal after its death, the disease causing agent in livestock is not as easily transmitted to humans as the modified anthrax spores that were used as bioterrorism agents after the World Trade Center bombings.


Cases of anthrax are seen yearly in states such as Texas, North and South Dakota, and other Midwestern states. Oklahoma has not had any known cases since 1996.


Outbreaks have often been associated with floods that follow drought, and are slightly more apt to occur in alkaline soil. Oklahoma has a higher than normal potential to experience cases of anthrax this summer and livestock producers should be alert to the signs of the disease.


Most of the time, owners see no signs of illness with anthrax in their livestock and the animals are found suddenly dead. A carcass will typically bloat rapidly, dark tarry blood oozes from body openings, and rigor mortis does not set in. A live animal with anthrax will have a very high fever, be very listless, and will usually die within a few hours. If you suspect anthrax, please call your veterinarian immediately for an assessment.


Animals that die from anthrax should not be moved or have the carcass opened up.  Click here to read more about the concerns with anthrax.

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


The latest trade data for April generally showed relative improvement in meat trade despite a variety of continuing challenges. The strong U.S. dollar continues to work against U.S. meat exports and support increased imports. The avian influenza outbreak continues to grow and impact poultry trade; while high prices and limited supplies are the biggest challenges for the beef sector.


Despite bans or restrictions in most markets for U.S. poultry, broiler exports in April were fractionally higher than year ago levels holding year to date broiler exports to a decrease of 8.4 percent compared to last year. Most importantly among broiler export markets is Mexico, which was up 1.5 percent year over year in April and is up 4.8 percent for the year to date. Mexico is by far the largest broiler export market, accounting for 21 percent of total 2014 broiler exports. Year to date broiler exports to China and South Korea are down over 90 percent along with zero exports to Russia (banned in 2014 prior to avian influenza). Turkey exports were down 27.2 percent in April contributing to an 11.4 percent year to date decline compared to last year.


Pork exports were up 10.9 percent in April, cutting the year to year date pork export decrease to 7.4 percent. This is the first year over year increase in monthly pork exports in 2015. Increased pork supplies and lower pork prices are overcoming the negative impacts of the strong U.S. to boost pork exports. Among major pork export markets, year over year April exports were stronger to Japan (up 16.2 percent) and Mexico (up 15.2 percent), China (up 1.4 percent), and South Korea (up 43.2 percent) while Canada was down 13.9 percent. 

Click here to read more about beef imports and exports for the year to date.  

Corn and Soybean Conditions Mostly Good to Excellent As Planting Winds Down- Crop Weather Reports in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Focus on Wheat Harvest

Soybean and cotton planting continues to progress nationally. That's according to the latest crop progress report released Monday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Soybean planting has reached 79 percent complete. That's behind last year's 86 and average of 81. USDA reports 68 percent of the crop has emerged with 69 percent of the crop in good to excellent condition, 26 percent in fair and five percent in poor to very poor condition. Cotton planting reached 81 percent. That's behind last year's 87 and average of 89. The crop rated 50 percent good to excellent condition, 43 fair and seven percent poor.


The nation's corn crop has reached 91 percent emergence, in line with last year and average. The crop has started off looking similar to the 2014 crop. The crop was rated 74 percent good to excellent, 22 percent fair and four percent poor to very poor.


To view the full national crop progress report, click here.


After showing no wheat harvested in the first report of June a week ago- the weekly crop weather update shows that wheat harvest has gotten underway in Oklahoma. The latest crop summary has 13 percent of the crop harvested. That's behind last year's 23% and the five year average of 37%. Spring crop planting is nearing completion with 89 percent of the state's corn crop seeded as of Sunday and peanut planting is 86 percent complete. Sorghum seedbed preparation reached 89 percent, soybeans 71 percent and cotton is 95 percent. Topsoil and subsoil moisture conditions were rated mostly adequate to surplus. Click here for the full Oklahoma report.


Wheat harvest continued in Texas.   USDA reports 20 percent of the crop has been harvested. That's about 10 points behind last year and the five-year average. Wheat and oats have suffered damage in the Cross Timbers region due to excess moisture. USDA has half of the wheat crop rated in good to excellent condition, 32 fair and 18 poor to very poor. Planting has progressed with drier weather. Corn planting reached 93 percent complete, cotton was 75 percent planted, peanuts 87 percent, sorghum 82 percent and soybeans 73 percent. Click here for the full Texas report.


Planting continues to be delayed in Kansas. Some areas in northeast part of the state received up to six inches of rain this past week. There were concerns some corn may need to be replanted where flooding occurred. Corn planting reached 93 percent, soybeans were at 31 percent, cotton was at 63 percent planted, sorghum was at 30 percent planted. The wheat crop condition was unchanged over last week with 30 percent rated good to excellent, 41 fair, and 29 percent poor to very poor. Click here for the full Kansas report.  

Oklahoma Wheat Commission Reports Harvest Now Border to Border- Test Weights Holding Up

Mike Schulte with the Oklahoma Wheat Commission released a wheat harvest update on Monday afternoon- reporting that "Harvest has continued to progress throughout the state over the weekend, with many of the custom crews moving at full speed in Southwestern Oklahoma. Harvest has also been progressing in Central Oklahoma, but because of the muddy conditions and later wheat in the Southern regions, some harvest crews have been struggling to move North." 

Mike adds that "Producers are hopeful we can dodge the predicted rains so combines can keep rolling. Overall, crop conditions continue to be favorable, although we have seen some lower test weights reported in areas. As of today we have had some minor sprout damage reported in the Central regions of the state. However, even in the lower lying areas of Southwest Oklahoma where some of the wheat was waterlogged, no sprout damage has been showing up."

Reports stretch from Grandfield in the south where over half of the crop has now been cut to Alva in the north where a few loads have now come into the local elevators.  Some of the common themes are test weights averaging 58 to 59 pounds per bushel, sprout damage being found only in central Oklahoma and yields being reported all over the place.  

You can read Mike's complete report by clicking here.

AND- if you are harvesting wheat or canola- drop us an email and let us know how things are going- a picture or two would be great, too. Email me at ron@oklahomafarmreport.com.

Farm Service Agency County Committee Nomination Period Begins June 15

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Monday announced that the nomination period for local Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees begins on Monday, June 15, 2015.


"Through the county committees, farmers and ranchers have a voice. Their opinions and ideas get to be heard on federal farm programs," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "It is important for county committees to reflect America's diversity, so I encourage all eligible farmers and ranchers, including beginning farmers, to get involved in this year's elections. We've seen an increase in the number of nominations for qualified candidates, especially among women and minorities, and I hope that trend continues."


To be eligible to serve on a FSA county committee, a person must participate or cooperate in an agency administered program, be eligible to vote in a county committee election and reside in the local administrative area where they are nominated.


Farmers and ranchers may nominate themselves or others. Organizations representing minorities and women also may nominate candidates. To become a candidate, an eligible individual must sign an FSA-669A nomination form. The form and other information about FSA county committee elections are available at www.fsa.usda.gov/elections. Nomination forms for the 2015 election must be postmarked or received in the local USDA Service Center by close of business on Aug. 3, 2015.  

Click here to read more about the county committee election process.

Award winning broadcast journalist Jerry Bohnen has spent years learning and understanding how to cover the energy business here in the southern plains- Click here to subscribe to his daily update of top Energy News.

Kristy Johnson of Blanchard Wins 2015 Oklahoma Beef Ambassador Contest

The 2015 Oklahoma Beef Ambassador contest was held as a part of the Oklahoma Junior Cattlemen's Summer Preview Show in Chickasha, with eighteen young men and ladies competing for top honors in three age divisions.


Winning the state senior division this year was Kristy Johnson of Blanchard. She was a first time contestant in the Beef Ambassador contest and will represent Oklahoma later in the year at the National Beef Ambassador competition. Pictured here are the senior winners with Deano Cox of AT&T, Oklahoma. AT&T is a primary sponsor of the contest. Standing left to right is Deano Cox, first place winner Kristy Johnson of Blanchard, Lettie McKinney (2nd place senior), Katelee Lehew (3rd place winner), Oklahoma Cattlewoman President Becca Lasich and Contest Chair Ddee Haynes.

In the Junior division, the winner this year was the second place finisher in the Junior Division in 2014- Will Shelby of Madill. Second place was awarded to Ella Chaffin of Chickasha while third place was won by Kelsey Bonds of Blanchard.


The Novice Divison for participants aged 9 to 13 was won by Hattie Haynes of Weatherford, Oklahoma. Second place was won by Blake Henrichs of Okarche and Kaden Hartin of Stuart earned third place.

Click here to read more about the national beef promotion and education competition, including how Oklahoma has a representative on the current National Beef Ambassador team, Kayln McKibben of Wyandotte, Oklahoma. 
  

This N That- Rain Coming This Weekend, Cotton Farmers Face RMA Planting Deadliine and Protect The Harvest Event Tomorrow! 

Northwestern Oklahoma got some rain Sunday night/early Monday morning- but that was about it here for the front end of this week when it comes to rainfall.  Better chances are coming this weekend- and as you can see with this graphic courtesy of Jed Castles at News9- the Panhandle could be a wet place- lust as we hoping to get some combines into the wheat fields.

Between now and Friday- it looks like we have several more days of harvest weather that will keep lots of folks very busy.

**********

Our Oklahoma State University state cotton specialist Dr. Randy Boman reports in the most recent Cotton Comments newsletter that crunch time is on top of irrigated cotton farmers in southwest Oklahoma where it appears that we do have water to use for irrigation this year- Randy writes "There is no way to say it other than we will have a late irrigated crop in 2015. The final planting date for insurance purposes for several counties (Jackson, Tillman, Harmon, Greer, Custer and Blaine) with substantial irrigated cotton is June 10th. This deadline doesn't mean you can't plant after that. 

"Cotton can still be planted during the 7-day Late Planting Period and insured. However, the acreage planted during the Late Planting Period will have the insurance coverage amount reduced by one percent for each day of the Late Planting Period that passes before planting occurs.

"Many times our dryland is planted later into June, so what will happen there remains to be seen. Most of our southwest counties have June 20th insurance deadlines for non-irrigated cotton."

Boman provides a complete rundown of those final planting dates for cotton in our state- click here to check them out.  

*************

The founder of Lucas Oil and Protect the Harvest, Forrest Lucas, will be in Oklahoma tomorrow for a special fundraiser reception at the home of Bob Funk of Express Ranches in Yukon.  The reception is being hosted by Funk and the Oklahoma Farm Bureau to benefit Protect the Harvest and the efforts they are planning to support passage of State Question 777, Right to Farm.  

If you want details, I would suggest that you call Todd Pauley at 405.842.5896.   

State Question 777 will be on the ballot in November of 2016- and it is expected that supporters will need to raise a significant amount of money to offset what could be spent by groups like HSUS opposing the measure.

It's a busy time- but if you can attend this special event- make plans to do so by calling Todd.