February 12, 2021
Antimicrobial stewardship can help maximize disease-prevention and ensure proper use of antimicrobials. By: Donald Stotts Every livestock producer’s to-do list for February should include an in-depth review of his or her operation’s antimicrobial stewardship program, according to Oklahoma State University Extension recommendations. Since the introduction of antimicrobials in the 1940s, illness and deaths in both […]
January 25, 2021
With cold days ahead, producers should ensure their animals are safe. January 22, 2021, 2:25 pm | Allyson Beninga, Grant Dewell, Chris Rademacher AMES, Iowa – The colder temperatures of the winter season are on the way and livestock producers should make sure their animals are well cared for. Access to clean water, ample feed […]
January 14, 2021
In public comments earlier this week, the current Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn says he would refuse to sign the memorandum of understanding between the FDA and USDA addressing gene-edited livestock shifting oversight to USDA. The statement again reveals the ongoing turf war between the two agencies and likely continued discussion as […]
December 28, 2020
Just in time for Christmas, Congress delivered quite a package this morning by passing new COVID-19 relief legislation. President Trump is expected to sign the bill soon. Buried in the 5,593 pages of the legislation is an allocation of nearly $11.2 billion dollars to the USDA. A large portion of the USDA funds will provide […]
December 22, 2020
Last week, Bloomberg writers Isis Almeida, Samy Adghirni, and Tatiana Freitas reported that, “Brazil is close to an agreement that would allow the world’s second-largest corn exporter to boost sales of the grain to China, a move that could threaten the U.S.’s dominance, according to people familiar with the matter. “Talks between the governments of Brazil and […]
December 15, 2020
Last week, in its monthly Grain: World Markets and Trade report, the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) explained that, “Trade data for 2019/20 (October-September) are largely complete. Many countries imported record volumes of corn, despite initial concerns over a potential slowdown in feed use due to COVID-19. For 2020/21, global trade for major feed grains is forecast to grow significantly from […]
December 11, 2020
The U.S. animal protein sector is expected to face a 12% increase in feed costs in 2021, which will mark the highest year-over-year inflation since 2011. With corn futures above $4 per bushel and soybean meal futures around $350 per ton, cattle feeders, hog producers and chicken producers will pay higher prices for feed than […]
December 8, 2020
Wall Street Journal writer Lucy Craymer reported late last week that, “La Niña is shaking up agriculture in an already-tumultuous year for commodity markets. “The natural weather phenomenon, known as the cool sister of the better-known El Niño, occurs every few years. It is characterized by cooler-than-normal waters in the Pacific Ocean, causing dry weather in some parts of the […]
December 7, 2020
Corn and soybean meal prices declined sharply from late January to early August, and then increased significantly in response to deteriorating crop conditions and the potential for strong exports of corn and soybeans during the 20/21 marketing year. Given the uncertainty related to supply and demand, feed prices are likely to be volatile through at […]
December 1, 2020
Reproduction is the most important economic trait in a beef cow herd. “Selling more calves as it relates to cows exposed and cow input costs is a greater indication of business success than any other production parameter,” says Gerald Stokka, North Dakota State University Extension veterinarian and livestock stewardship specialist. “Unfortunately, the majority of our […]
