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Have consumers gotten the LFTB message?

May 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Are consumers getting the message that lean finely textured beef (LFTB) is beef and not so-called pink slime?

Carol Lorenzen is a professor and meat extension specialist with the University of Missouri.

“I’m not sure the consumer is getting that message,” Lorenzen tells Brownfield, “We have seen the plants that have been making this reducing their workforce and even closing.”

Lorenzen says it would be a different way of processing for regular beef plants to pick up the slack.

“It does have some specialized equipment. There are some other processes that are similar to this. Right now, I think that the future of Lean Finely Textured Beef is in question,” Lorenzen says, “Hopefully, because of the education that has been put forth by a lot of people and the media that maybe consumers will accept (it) in the future.”

Lorenzen says there are some processors who use different ways of killing bacteria in the product other than the “puff” of food grade ammonia used during the LFTB process.

Filed Under: Livestock, News, Top Stories Tagged With: , , ,

New website promotes egg bill

May 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

United Egg Producers (UEP) has launched a new web site to promote passage of the so-called “egg bill”.

That’s the federal legislation that would establish a national standard for hen housing in the egg industry.

UEP says the web site—eggbill.com—provides information to help legislators, consumers, the foodservice and retail industry and others learn more about the legislation, which would codify an agreement between UEP and the Humane Society of the United States.

The legislation, which would transition egg production in the U.S. from conventional cages to enriched colony cages by the end of 2029, has been introduced in the House.  UEP says it expects similar legislation to be introduced in the Senate soon.

Filed Under: Events/Organizations, Livestock, News Tagged With: , , , , ,

Wednesday midday cash livestock markets

May 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

USDA Mandatory is reporting cattle trading is light in the Texas Panhandle and very limited in Kansas on Wednesday. Compared to last week, a few early sales are 2.00 lower at 121.00, but the majority of producers continue to pass. Trading remains inactive in all other states.  Asking prices remain around 125.00 to 126.00 in the South and 197.00 to 198.00 in the North.

Boxed beef cutout values are higher in the noon report, with the choice up .73 at 195.01, and select is .49 higher at 187.53.

Feeder cattle receipts at the Ozarks Regional Stockyards at West plains, Missouri totaled 5253 head. Compared to last week, steer and heifer calves were unevenly steady to 2.0-0 lower, although larger uniform bunches of top end quality were steady to 2.00 higher, some instances of 5.00 better. Yearling steers over 650 lbs. were firm to mostly 2.00 higher, yearling heifers over 600 lbs. were mostly 2.00 to 3.00 higher. The supply was moderate to heavy. Feeder steers medium and large 1 weighing 531 lbs. average 188.38 per hundredweight. 573 lb. heifers averaged 171.98.

Barrows and gilts in the Iowa/Minnesota direct trade are .97 lower; the West is down .86 with both at 83.40 on a carcass basis, Eastern barrows and gilts are 1.57 lower at 80.88. Missouri direct base carcass meat price is 1.00 to 6.00 higher from 77.00 to 81.00. Terminal hogs are steady to 1.00 lower from 55.00 to 57.00.

Hog buyers aggressively increased country spending yesterday, possibly suggesting that packers are shorter bought than previously thought.

Filed Under: Livestock, Markets Tagged With: ,

Kansas rancher is Monsanto ’12 Farm Mom

May 22, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Monsanto’s “America’s Farm Mom of the Year” is farmer/rancher/blogger in Kansas, Debbie Lyons-Blythe.

“My aunt nominated me and I didn’t realize also that my kids wrote an essay and nominated me so it’s a real honor that they would want to do that. But,” she tells Brownfield Ag News, “There are so many farm moms out there that do what I do, it’s just amazing to me that I would have been spot-lighted for this honor.”

Debbie Lyons-Blythe is a mother of five who runs Blythe Angus near White City, Kansas. While her husband maintains a job off the farm, Debbie runs the day to day operations of their business – they raise 250 registered Angus cows and sell registered bulls, and, have a commercial heifer development program.

She says their children – ages 16 to 21 – have all have had a role in the farming operations.

“You know,” says Lyons-Blythe, “If they want to come back to the farm they’ve got to have some skills on the farm. And, so, we felt like it was really important that they be a part of not only the labor but the decision-making as well so we’ve tried to include them at every step.”

Lyons-Blythe – a Kansas State journalism major – is a blogger and tries to educate consumers along the way: Her online blog is Life on a Kansas Cattle Ranch.

She serves on the board of directors for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Kansas Livestock Association and is an active member of the American Angus Association. Lyons-Blythe has received a 10-thousand dollar cash prize from Monsanto as one of five regional winners and the overall winner.

AUDIO: Debbie Lyons-Blythe (9:00 mp3)

Life on a Kansas Cattle Ranch

Filed Under: Human Interest, Livestock, News Tagged With: ,

Pork, beef stocks up on month, year

May 22, 2012 By Leave a Comment

USDA reports month to month in-movement of pork and beef supplies in cold storage were larger than expected, with both also well above year ago levels, due to slow consumer demand and increased production levels.

Frozen beef came out at 517.528 million pounds, up 3% on the month when the average guess was for a less than 1% increase, and 17% more than this time last year. Boneless beef cuts made up most of the total at 446.062 million pounds.

Pork in cold storage was pegged at 659.532 million pounds, 8% above a month ago and 20% larger than a year ago. That’s just below the all-time end of April record of 663.4 million pounds set in 2008. The closely watched pork belly stocks were pegged at 74.780 million tons, an increase of 13% on the month and 41% on the year.

Chicken supplies were also larger than expected, despite improved export demand and slower production projections. The average pre-report estimate was 597.6 million pounds. Chicken totaled 606.583 million pounds, 6% more than last month but 18% less than last year, with all poultry at 1.048 billion pounds.

Poultry and livestock slaughter numbers are out Friday.

Filed Under: Livestock, Markets, News, USDA/Government Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Tuesday midday cash livestock markets

May 22, 2012 By Leave a Comment

As expected on Tuesday, feedlot country is quiet. Feedlot managers are too bullish and packers are cautious due to poor margins so cattle trade will probably be delayed until late in the week. Beef salesmen are hoping they can keep cutouts moving higher. The choice beef was $2.00 higher on Monday, with select only .09 lower with decent early week movement. Asking prices are around 125.00 to 126.00 in the South, and 197.00 to 198.00 in the North.

Boxed beef cutout values are mixed in the noon report, choice beef is down .08 at 194.51, and select is .68 higher at 187.15

Joplin Regional Stockyards feeder cattle receipts totaled 5268 head on Monday. Compared to last week, steer calves traded steady to 2.00 higher, yearling steers were steady to 3.00 higher and feeder heifer calves steady to 3.00 higher. Yearling heifers were 1.00 to 3.00 higher. The demand was good on a moderate supply. Feeder steers, medium and large 1 weighing 500 to 600 lbs. traded from 165.00 to 187.00 per hundredweight, 6 to 7 weights from 149.00 to 173.00. Heifers weighing 500 to 600 lbs. brought 147.50 to 167.50, 6 to 7 weights from 138.50 to 150.00.

Barrows and gilts in the Iowa/Minnesota direct trade are not reported due to confidentiality, the west is 2.16 higher at 85.35, and the East is .16 lower at 79.60 on a carcass basis. Missouri direct base carcass meat price is steady from 75.00 to 76.00. Terminal hogs are .50 higher to 1.00 lower from 54.00 to 57.50 on a live basis.

The country movement of market hogs was limited on Monday; short-bought packers may find it necessary to resume more aggressive spending by today or tomorrow.

Filed Under: Livestock, Markets Tagged With: , ,

Nebraska’s ‘Livestock Friendly’ adds another

May 22, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Scotts Bluff County is Nebraska’s newest “Livestock Friendly” county.

It is the sixteenth county in the state to receive the designation.

The Livestock Friendly designation is a way of recognizing the importance of the livestock industry to the county.  It demonstrates that the county is open to agribusiness and the benefits that come with responsible livestock production. 

To apply for a Livestock Friendly county designation, the county board must hold a public hearing and pass a resolution to apply.  A completed application is then submitted to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture for review. 

Local producers or community groups can encourage their county board to submit a Livestock Friendly county application.

Link to news release on Nebraska governor’s web site

 

Filed Under: Events/Organizations, Livestock, News Tagged With: ,

Missouri passes ag video bill

May 21, 2012 By 1 Comment

The Missouri legislature has passed a bill that would make it a crime for employees of ag operations to hold on to videos they take of animal abuse. The Missouri Farmers Care Coalition – applauds the measure that passed last Friday, the final day of the 2012 Missouri Legislative Session.

“Say you’re an undercover investigator for an animal rights group. You shouldn’t be sitting on that for months or weeks at a time, editing it for maximum impact and fund-raising ability. You need to turn that evidence over to the authorities immediately so that problem can be dealt with through the proper channels,” says MFCC operator Dan Kleinsorge. The measure is part of a larger Missouri agriculture bill and would require such videos be turned over to authorities within 24 hours. An intentional violation would be a Class-A misdemeanor.

Kleinsorge says it’s a different approach from so-called “ag-gag” legislation that passed in Iowa and Utah that discourages people from lying on job applications to gain on-farm access, “That (ag-gag legislation) wouldn’t necessarily prevent people from sneaking into the farm or videotaping it from the outside from a public road or public access.”

Kleinsorge says the Missouri video bill would also be more likely to stand up in court. Missouri’s omnibus ag bill also – among other provisions – guarantees the right to exhibit livestock and defines animals as not having human rights.

AUDIO: Dan Kleinsorge (7:00 mp3)

Filed Under: Events/Organizations, Livestock, News, USDA/Government Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Livestock futures close lower on demand concerns and profit taking

May 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The main item of business in cattle country on Monday was the distribution of this week’s showlists. Although selling prices are not well defined early ideas are around 125.00 to 126.00 in the South and 197.00 to 198.00 in the North. The new offering appears to be generally larger than last week especially in Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado. The kill totaled 126,000 head, 1,000 less than last week, and 5,000 smaller than 2011.

Boxed beef cutout values are higher on choice and steady on select on moderate demand and light to moderate offerings. Choice boxed beef was up 2.08 at 194.59, and select was down .09 at 186.47.

Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle contracts settled 60 to 112 points lower despite the strong gains seen at the opening bell. Profit taking and cash market uncertainties pressured Monday’s trade ending a five-day rally. Traders are becoming concerned that beef buying may slow after the Memorial Day weekend. June settled .72 lower at 118.80, and August was 1.12 lower at 120.80.

Feeder cattle settled mostly lower with only the May contract higher. Although all indications pointed toward a bullish reaction to the reduced cattle placed in feedlots in April, the lack of additional buyers stepping into the market limited buyer trade. May settled .57 higher at 151.87, but August was down 1.60 at 159.10.

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Filed Under: Closing Futures & Livestock Briefs, Livestock, Markets Tagged With: ,

UNL feeding research looks at higher corn stalk inclusion

May 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Research at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) on increasing the inclusion rate of ground corn stalks in cattle rations is showing promise.

“What we’ve done around five or six times now at the university’s feedlot is we’ve compared feeding five percent corn stalks, which would be conventional, to 20 percent treated corn stalks—and getting the same performance,” says UNL extension beef feedlot specialist Galen Erickson.

“So basically you’re able to offset 15 percent of your corn needs in a feedlot, which is quite economical.”

Researchers are using alkaline treatments to make the stalks more digestible for cattle.

“We’re estimating, assuming corn stalks are 55 to 60 dollars per ton—and when you treat it, you do increase the cost and there is a hassle factor—but we’re estimating you generally can make 20 to 30 dollars more per finished animal, and also lower the breakeven,” Erickson says.

Erickson says one of the big differences between past research on corn stalk inclusion, and current efforts, is the availability of distillers grains.

“It’s probably one of the reasons we can feed 20 percent treated stalks compared to five percent untreated stalks, and get the same performance,” he says. “So we believe that having 30 to 40 percent of the diet dry matter as distillers grains is a key.”

UNL’s corn stalk research will be one of the topics discussed at a June 20th cattle nutrition meeting for consultants and producers at the UNL ag research center near Mead.

Filed Under: Events/Organizations, Livestock, News Tagged With: , , , ,
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