NCBM0409

APRIL 2009

W Wh What at Consumers Want ■ Feed Alternatives ■ Feed Grass ■ Nutrition ■

Beef up herd health and weight gain by vaccinating ® with ENDOVAC-Bovi .

-Bovi® with IMMUNE Plus® has been shown to increase average weight gain by as much as 186 pounds over the finishing cycle compared to a control group that did not receive the vaccine.* ENDOVAC-Bovi with IMMUNE Plus offers unprecedented cross protection against E.coli, Salmonella and Pasteurella; and it provides the longest lasting immune response on the market. Call an IMMVAC representative today at 800-944-7563 — where health is a science, and customer service is an art.

www.immvac.com

Superior Science *Research results from Dr. R. F. Sprouse’s paper “$100 More for Your Feed Lot Steers” pgs 1-6, 2008. Findings from Feedlot Steer Trials 2006-2008 in cooperation with Knight Feedlot Inc. For more information or complete study results, call 800-944-7563. ®ENDOVAC-BOVI, IMMVAC and the IMMVAC LOGO are registered trademarks and IMMUNE PLUS® is a trademark of IMMVAC. ©2008 IMMVAC, All rights reserved.

DISCOVER AN EXTRA CALF IN EVERY BOTTLE Vaccinating with VisionŽ 7 results in 14 pounds more weaning weight per calf than UltrabacŽ 7 –– You get an extra calf in every 50-dose bottle.

Blackleg vaccination stress can decrease performance, but VisionÂŽ minimizes the negative impact of vaccination.

The proof is in the pounds. Studies show: ¨ Less stress in calves vaccinated with Vision 2mL compared to 5mL blackleg vaccines results in a weaning weight advantage from 9 to 18 pounds ¨ Vision 7 2mL resulted in a 14-pound weaning weight advantage when compared to Ultrabac 7 5mL* – that’s an extra calf in every 50-dose bottle

Take the stress out of blackleg protection. Consult your Veterinarian or animal health supplier on switching to Vision vaccine today.

* Intervet Technical Reference 93-9: Weaning Weight Comparison of Vision 7 and Ultrabac 7 in a Wyoming Beef Herd

7 ST 3TREET s $E 3OTO +3 s INTERVETUSA COM s / " 0ART 0 6ISION IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF )NTERVET )NC OR AN AFFILIATE 5LTRABAC IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF 0FIZER )NC ÂĽ )NTERVET )NC !LL RIGHTS RESERVED

APRIL

NATIONAL CATTLEMEN • The Journal for America’s Cattle Producers

Volume 24 • Number 7

7 8

9 Use it if you have it as this is the most economical feed source you might find this year. Here are some ideas on how to get more out of your pasture and improve your forage yield.

9

CONVENIENCE IS STILL KING Even if the economy is forcing some consumers to trade down in the kinds of food they buy, they still don’t want to spend a lot of time messing with cooking. Here’s what you can do to protect the product quality.

10 TRYING A DIFFERENT FEED SOURCE? Changing feed sources doesn’t mean your cows can get by with fewer nutrients. If this is the year you try and feed something new, make sure you balance the ration.

14 REBREEDING TIPS Getting your herd ready to rebreed is critical to the success of every cow/calf operation. Check out these management ideas before you prepare for this production phase.

18 RISK MANAGEMENT Kansas State University has developed a suite of free risk management tools that are available online.

5 LEADERSHIP & SOLUTIONS Fewer people are involved in production agriculture than ever before. That means cattlemen must step up their efforts to address the environmental attacks on the industry.

NCBA is working on a strategy to address the public perception of the industry.

20 CATTLE-FAX Ethanol production slowed a bit at the tail end of 2008. Still, overall production for the year was up. The forecast is for growth this year, meaning more corn for fuel, but what happens will be impacted by the economy.

22 COUNTRY OF ORIGIN IS THE LAW OF THE LAND

DEPARTMENTS

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR GRASS

FEATURES

8

Capitol Concerns: USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack allows the COOL rule to go into effect as he asks the packing industry for voluntary compliance with a wish list of his own. For producers, not much has changed.

You still can use the affidavit NCBA helped develop with other segments of the industry.

ABOUT THE COVER Doug Ruppel, Sonoita, Ariz., is ranch manager of the Babacomari Ranch, 2008 Region VI winner of the Environmental Stewardship Award. Photo by Brian Baxter, Baxter Communications.

www.NationalCattlemen.com Th is address takes you to National Cattlemen online.

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association reserves the right to refuse advertising in any of its publications. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association does not accept political advertising in any of its publications. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association does not accept advertising promoting third-party lawsuits that have not been endorsed by the Board of Directors.

NATIONAL CATTLEMEN The Journal for America’s Cattle Producers

2009 Officers President President Elect Vice President Chairman Federation Division Chairman Policy Division Chief Executive Officer NCBA Publishing Staff Editor Assistant Editor Creative Director Designer/Production

Gary Voogt Steve Foglesong Bill Donald J.D. Alexander Eric Smith Forrest Roberts Curt Olson Joe Snyder Don Waite Joaquin Aviña

To Learn More About NCBA Call 1-866-BeefUSA (1-866-233-3872) or visit www.BeefUSA.org.

To receive e-mail updates from NCBA, contact Sheryl Slagle at sslagle@beef. org.

Contributors Elisabeth Bostdorff Chad Spearman Heather Vaughan How To Contact National Cattlemen’s Beef Association: P.O. Box 3469, Englewood, CO 80155 (303-694-0305).

Washington, D.C.: 1301 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Suite 300, Washington, D.C. 20004 (202-347-0228). National Cattlemen is published monthly by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, 9110 E. Nichols Ave., Centennial, CO 80112 (303-694-0305).

Published by Naylor, LLC 5950 NW 1st Place Gainesville, Fl 32607 Phone: 800.369.6220 | Fax: 352.331.3525 Web site: www.naylor.com Naylor Publisher Kathleen Gardner Naylor Editor Elsbeth Russell Project Manger Troy Dempsey Publication Director John O’Neil Advertising Sales David Evans, Jason White, Matt Whitworth, Paul Woods Marketing Associate Lauren Williams Layout and Design Emma Law Advertising Art Dana Marleau © 2009 National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. All rights reserved. The contents of this magazine may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

A Changing Environment

A

t my ranch in Michigan, we only have two seasons each year: white and green. Right now, we’re transitioning between the two and the changing environment is always welcome at this time of year.

As cattle producers, we’re lucky to have the chance to really enjoy the world around us and the natural resources that are so abundant in our country. We nurture the land that feeds our animals and the animals that feed our neighbors.

Lately, however, some members of the media and activist groups are questioning our commitment to preserving the environment.

While we know that these claims are false, the simple truth is that whoever shouts loudest is the one most people hear.

Cattle producers know that we are good stewards of the land, but we haven’t been telling that story. It is time we make our voices heard on this issue.

NCBA is working on a comprehensive strategy to address public perception of our environmental stewardship. This month, our Property Rights and Environmental Management Committee has organized a strategic conference on issues management and communications on environmental and animal welfare issues. Our producer members and staff are bringing in industry experts, university researchers and public relations

By Gary Voogt, NCBA President

specialists to identify resources currently available, and target our next steps.

This follows an initial roundtable meeting in December where we evaluated our current reputation as environmentalists and identified the challenges we need to overcome as an industry.

As many of you know, I approach problems with a Triple-A method: Analyze, Adapt, Advance. We’re completing the analytical phase on the issue of the environment and climate change now. The next step is to adapt and start tackling the obstacles in our path.

As we’re developing an organization-wide strategy, as a producer you can begin right away to change the perception of ranching. If NCBA is the national voice for the cattle industry, you are the local voice.

So I encourage you to begin telling our story to your community.

Fewer and fewer people are directly connected with agriculture these days, and a lot of the misconceptions out there stem from a simple lack of understanding of our business. When you see an article in your local paper that discusses the environmental impacts of livestock production, write a letter to the editor to ensure they have the facts.

We have a good story to tell. For instance, the United Nations released a report saying that cattle production contributes 18% of greenhouse gas emissions. The fact is that the entire U.S. agriculture sector accounts for

I encourage you to begin telling our story to your community.

LEADERSHIP & SOLUTIONS

APRIL 2009 VOLUME 24, ISSUE 7

Continued on page 16

www.NationalCattlemen.com

5

YOUR NCBA

Who Am I? Matt Byrne, Sacramento, Calif., is executive vice president of the California Cattlemen’s Association and hails from a fourth generation cow/calf operation on the California/Oregon border.

• •

What Feedyards Want How to Win in Hard Times

• •

Save on Haying Costs Fertilizer

Around NCBA Gary Hits the Trail Newly minted NCBA President Gary Voogt was on hand at the 66th Annual Alabama Cattlemen’s Association Convention and Trade Show in Montgomery, Ala. Gary (right) is pictured here with Alabama Gov. Bob Riley at the meeting. Gary spoke to a crowd of 120 county cattlemen leaders, auction market operators, and other industry professionals during the ACA Board of Directors luncheon. He made a point to congratulate 28 scholarship winners and 31 “Over the Top” county presidents alongside Gov. Riley and ACA President Orland Britnell. In all, more than 550 cattlemen, cattlewomen, and junior cattlemen attended this year’s ACA convention.

LMC Has New Chairman During the NCBA Livestock Marketing Council (LMC) Annual Meeting Jan. 29 in Phoenix, new council leadership was elected.

The new LMC chairman is Harry Knobbe of West Point, Neb. Harry operates Knobbe Livestock Sales as well as Knobbe Commodities and Harry Knobbe Feedyards. Elected vice chairman is Charles Adami of Baraboo, Wis., president and chief executive officer of the Equity Coop Livestock Sales Association.

Beef Safety Summit The 2009 Beef Industry Safety Summit was held March 4-6 in San Diego. The summit brought together safety professionals who work in all sectors of the beef production, processing and marketing chain.

NCBA, through its role with the Beef Industry Food Safety Council, helps organize the event. BIFSCo was founded in 1997 in the aftermath of an E.coli O157:H7 recall.

The Council is a coalition of industry executives, beef producers, university and government scientists, industry association executives and safety experts representing each segment in the beef food chain.

All members are dedicated to the

6

Coming in May’s National Cattlemen

April 2009 l National Cattlemen

BIFSCo principle of collaboration to produce the safest possible American beef products.

Visit the Cattle Learning Center If you can’t find an article you’re looking for from a past issue of National Cattlemen, go to www. cattlelearningcenter.org. More recent producer education articles are being archived there, and you’ll find links to producer education segments on www.cattlementocattlemen.org. Some proceedings from past Cattlemen’s Colleges are posted, as well as online courses in reproduction efficiency.

Deere Deals for NCBA Members John Deere is offering NCBA members discounts on riding lawn equipment and compact utility tractors. See the Member Services section of NCBA’s Web site, www.

BEEFUSA.org, for a complete listing of eligible equipment, to register and to print your discount coupons. For more information and to locate your closest John Deere dealer, visit www.

JohnDeere.com. The offer is good through Oct. 31.

Caterpillar Deals Caterpillar is the Official Skid Steer Loader and Wheel Loader for NCBA. NCBA members are eligible for exclusive member discounts on Caterpillar products and services. Visit the Caterpillar Web site at http://www.cat.com/cda/ layout?m=187521&x=7&id=786527 to redeem your member discount voucher. If you don’t know where your local Caterpillar dealer is located, call 1-888-OWN-A-CAT. The offer runs through Dec. 31.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Member Spotlight Headin’ Home

has won previous GridMaster awards.

Gift of Horse Supports Angus Scholarship

Above, Clayton Livingston and son Jarred move Livingston Ranch cows to the home place in Long Creek, Ore. Clayton is a partner at the ranch with his mom Sharon, who serves on several NCBA and joint industry committees, as well as the Cattlemen’s Beef Board. She is immediate past president of the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association.

Top Limousin Producers May Farms in Lamar, Colo., was named the fourth top Limousin breeder in the country by the North American Limousin Foundation (NALF). May Farms is run by Raymond May, an NCBA member since 1997. Express Ranches in Yukon, Okla., is the 10th top Limousin breeder. Members associated with that operation include Robert Funk and Roy Middleton.

NALF compiled its list based on the number of calves registered.

Wedel Earns GridMaster Again Wedel Red Angus of Leoti, Kan., qualified for GridMaster status on two loads with cattle they purchased from their bull customer, McIntyre Ranch of Glasgow, Mont.

The award was presented at the National Red Angus Convention in Cheyenne, Wyo. The GridMaster Award recognizes producers and feeders whose cattle achieved carcass excellence when harvested. Frank Wedel, NCBA member since 1983,

Rich Masoner, left, American Angus Association®, accepts SF Blue Sky McMaxill, a 2-year-old Blue Roan Quarter Horse, from Sheri Spader of Spader Farms, Rosendale, Mo. The Spader family donated the horse to benefit the American Angus Auxiliary’s scholarship funds. Sheri is active on numerous NCBA and industry committees, including Beef Production Research, and Resolutions.

Century Feeders Sets GridMaster Record Century Feeders of Goodland, Kan., set a record by earning GridMaster status on six loads of cattle in one year. They received the award at the National Red Angus Convention in Cheyenne, Wyo. Century Feeders has earned a total of 14 GridMasters since the beginning of the program in 2003. They were also awarded the 2008 Red Angus Industry Service Award for their commitment to feeding Red Angus cattle and to serving the needs of their customers while supplying a quality product to the consumer.

Century Feeder’s Dale Kenny has participated with NCBA since 1988.

Schooley Inducted into Iowa Cattlemen Hall of Fame The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association (ICA) inducted cattleman and auctioneer Phil Schooley into the ICA Hall of Fame Award on Jan. 6 during its annual convention in Ames.

Selection is based on contributions to the beef cattle industry, to the ICA and to the community, as well as cattle business accomplishments and other criteria. Phil owns the Bloomfield Livestock Market and is a member of NCBA, the ICA and the Kansas Livestock Association.

Environmental Stewardship Winners Highlighted Environmental Stewardship Award recipients were called out in an article about sustainable farming in USA Today. The award is managed by the National Cattlemen’s Foundation and sponsored by NCBA, Dow AgroSciences, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. It annually recognizes the outstanding stewardship practices and conservation achievements of cattle producers from across the United States, awarding regional winners and one national winner.

The USA Today article wrote about Eldora, Iowa, cattleman Dave Petty, whose Iowa River Ranch won the 2001 national award; Scott Stone, whose family cattle ranch in Woodland, Calif., won the 2007 national award; and Lydia Yon, whose family farm in Ridge Spring, S.C., won the 2008 national award.

Lydia sums up her operation — and the award — when she tells USA Today, “What’s good for us from a business standpoint and at the same time is good for the environment is not something we do because we have to, but because we want to.”

www.NationalCattlemen.com

7

YOUR PASTURES

Make the Most of Your Grass

By Curt Olson

G

ood pasture management practices pay in years when moisture in plentiful — and when it’s not.

The drought in the normally grass-rich Southeast re-taught some old lessons.

Dr. Gerry Lacefield, an Extension forage specialist with the University of Kentucky, says: “People with better pasture management programs generally didn’t get into trouble as early or as deep. Those with deep-rooted legumes were able to survive longer. Those who had a semblance of rotational grazing survived longer and better.”

With rotational grazing, Ron Lemenager, an Extension beef specialist at Purdue University, says the idea is to graze an area for no more than five to seven days and then let that area recover for about 28 to 40 days.

Others advocate grazing the grass to a specific height.

The key is to not overgraze.

Water placement helps increase the efficiency of pasture grazing. Lemenager says it needs to be within 800 feet of the farthest point in the pasture. If it’s more than that, parts of the pasture will go unused.

Cattle are selective eaters and in a large pasture they will pick and choose. The lush, young forage is the fi rst to go. Mature forage right next to it may go uneaten.

Rotational grazing forces the cattle to eat what’s available. Pasture use is increased and more forage generally is consumed out of the same area than if it wasn’t rotationally grazed. It also may give producers the ability to increase their stocking rate.

If you’re doing rotational grazing, think about

8

April 2009 l National Cattlemen

stockpiling some grass for later use. The University of Missouri says that with stockpiled grass the highest yield often produces the lowest quality. Forages that do well in a stockpiling situation are perennials like tall fescue, orchard grass and companion perennial legumes, and winter annual grasses such as rye and wheat.

Dr. Jim Russell of Iowa State University says that research funded by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture indicated that grazing stockpiled forage at two acres per cow reduced the hay needed to maintain pregnant beef cows by 1.25 tons per cow, compared with keeping them in a drylot.

Russell says any grass or legume can be used for stockpiling. Tall fescue has fall growth and persistence undergrazing, although its nutritional value is relatively low compared to other grasses. To make this work better he suggests using some legume species, as some return nitrogen to the soil.

To get the best yield and nutritive value out of your stockpiling effort, Russell says the length of the stockpiling period has to be about 70 days. Longer periods may increase the yield but the nutritive value decreases.

Nitrogen fertilization can increase the yield, but that cost has to be weighed against the forage gain. Ohio researchers found fertilizing pastures at 40 pounds of nitrogen per acre at the start of the stockpiling period increased the forage yield 50%.

Weather and timing affect the success of nitrogen fertilizing. It’s best done early in the stockpiling season. If it’s done in late September, the effect will be minimal.

In the Southwest, the fall application of herbicides can return strong stands of grass in a couple years. Brice Lee ranches on land that is near the Colorado/New Mexico border. Sagebrush is common, and a problem. He used an herbicide to reduce the sage and was pleased by the results.

A grass clipping study measured grass clippings from an untreated area on Lee’s grazing lands vs. one that was treated with herbicide. The untreated area yielded about 180 pounds of grass per acre. In two years, the treated area was yielding 800+ pounds of grass per acre. “You wouldn’t believe there’s any grass there but after two or three years you’ve got a good stand of grass,” he says.

Controlling the brush reduces competition, puts more moisture in the soil, grass returns, and stocking rates can increase.

To see a video about using the fall to improve pasture management, go to www.cattlementocattlemen.org, click on show archives and open the Sept. 16, 2008, episode.

YOUR BUSINESS

Convenience Is Still King with Consumers

By Curt Olson

M

aybe it’s true: The more we change, the more we stay the same. Harry Balzer, vice president of NPD Group, says that despite all the food fads, we eat pretty much what we did 30 years ago. NPD is a consumer marketing research fi rm that tracks, among other things, what Americans eat.

“We started collecting data in 1980,” Balzer says. “If I showed you the data from March 1980 vs. today, it looks more alike than it is different. The top foods we consume are pretty much the same as they were a generation ago.”

And the move toward convenience hasn’t stopped, even with the economy.

“There are changes, and the changes almost always are moving toward things that are easier,” he says. Most people think we are moving to cheaper or healthier — “that’s just not the case. Some of the top growing foods in this country are pizza, yogurt, frozen entrees, things that are already prepared. Everybody who’s involved in the food making process, their future lies in making my life easier.”

Even with the economy in the dumps, convenience still trumps price. While people are looking to moderate their food costs, they want to do it without cooking more.

One thing that has changed is the way consumers view healthy foods. Back in the 1970s and 1980s, what was good for you was defined by what was bad for you.

“Health is always changing. It’s not a constant,” Balzer says. “Healthy food today is different than it was a

generation ago. A generation ago it was all about avoiding the harmful substances. Somewhere along the line that changed and it became let’s add good things to our diet.

Let’s add anti-oxidants, omega 3, dietary fibers. There’s been a 180 degree shift to removing harmful substances to adding ‘good for you’ substances.”

He advises cattlemen watching the economy to keep a close eye on the restaurant industry, which is completely discretionary spending, he notes. It also is where the beef industry generates about 50% of its value as measured in dollar sales. Joe Pawlak of Technomic Inc. in Chicago works closely with the restaurant industry. He says that the restaurant forecast for 2009 is a 2% decline, which is the lowest since his group started tracking this in 1972.

He says new product development is going to be vital because consumers continually look for new menu items.

“The beef checkoff has done a wonderful job with some of the value cuts,” he says. “You look at the Denver cut, the Flat Iron steak, which have been doing very well. These are right on target.” As for the future, he says there’s a huge opportunity in the breakfast market, which beef basically hasn’t penetrated.

Here’s what producers can do to help get consumers the products they want. With cattle supplies tight, your partners in the beef industry would like to see cattle with even fewer carcass defects. The 2007 National Market Continued on Page 16

www.NationalCattlemen.com

9

YOUR FEED

Trying a Different Feed Source?

W

ith feed the top cost for cattlemen and with the cost of feedstuffs increasing sharply last year, it might pay to see what else is available in your area as an alternative to what you normally feed. Just remember that the nutritional needs of your cattle don’t change even if you alter their diet. One of the fi rst things you have to consider in changing feeds is will they eat what you want to feed them? And just as importantly, is it safe?

Any feed alternative likely will require supplementation of some sort to offset the nutrient differences in the new feed. Because of the variances in alternative feeds, Dr. Greg Lardy and Dr. Vern Anderson at North Dakota State University say it is critical that any alternative feeds be tested for their nutrient content.

“Producers must know the energy, protein and major mineral levels of these feeds to develop balanced, leastcost diets for livestock,” they write. … “Whatever feed products are used, the ration must be balanced to meet livestock needs and producer goals, which should include economical production.”

Mark Wahlberg, an Extension animal scientist at Virginia Tech, points out that many byproduct feeds can be very different from the whole grain from which they originally were derived. That is because the original processing removed a nutritional component from the grain, leaving more concentrated components in the byproduct.

Wahlberg says that starch usually is the most commonly removed component. If this is the case, the byproduct feed tends to be higher in fiber, fat and protein than the raw product from which it came. Still, it can be a good feed source.

It is important to remember that if you are buying byproducts, the processes vary from plant to plant, meaning that the nutritional value of the byproducts will vary depending on which plant they come from. Once again, test them so you can develop a balanced feed ration.

Also, it is important to calculate the total cost of using a feed alternative, including supplementation costs. Many feedstuffs are compared to corn or soybeans on a nutrient Continued on Page 16

Table 1: Nutrient Value of Selected Byproducts Feeds and Grains (values are % of dry matter) Feed

Dry Matter Content

TDN

Starch & Sugar

Crude protein

Whole soybeans

90

85

22

38

Soybean Meal

90

75

32

54

Soy Hulls

91

75

14

14

Ground Wheat

89

86

70

14

Wheat Midds

89

80

38

19

Wheat Bran

89

70

Ground Barley

88

88

60

12

Brewers’ Grains

21 or 92

66

14

26

Cracked Corn

88

87

75

10

Distillers’ Grains

25 or 91

89

14

29

Corn Gluten Feed

30 or 90

82

30

20

Hominy

90

92

52

12

Whole Cottonseed

90

87

55

22

Cottonseed Meal

92

77

15

44

Beet Pulp

91

74

40

10

Source: Mark Wahlberg, Extension animal scientist at Virginia Tech

10

17

April 2009 l National Cattlemen

EgdiZXi^dc Vi i]Z ed^ci d[ ^c[ZXi^dc

The breakthrough respiratory protection of Onset™ IN provides protection at the point of infection. Administered intranasally, the innovative mode of action and proprietary BluShadowŽ diluent help Onset IN cling to nasal mucosal tissues for an immune response that more closely mirrors the natural route of respiratory infection. As a 2mL dose in a single nostril or 1mL in each nostril, Onset IN has been proven safe and efficacious in newborn calves as young as three days of age.

Modified live virus protection against diseases caused by: t Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR) t Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) Type 1 and Type 2 t Parainfluenza3 (PI3) t #PWJOF 3FTQJSBUPSZ 4ZODZUJBM 7JSVT #347

JOUFSWFUVTB DPN t t 0 # #7 0/4 Onset is a trademark and BluShadow is a registered trademark of Intervet Inc. or an affiliate. Š2009 Intervet Inc. All rights reserved.

Talk to your veterinarian or animal health supplier to experience the breakthrough respiratory protection of Onset 5 IN and Onset 5 PMH IN (coming soon), available in 1, 10 and 50 dose sizes.

DO NOT USE IN HIGH STRESS STOCKER CATTLE OR HIGH RISK CATTLE.

>cigdYjX^c\ DchZi >C ž

Identification makes the cattle producer more profitable.

True

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Document genetics. Manage health records. Verify identity. All are important aspects of managing your herd so that it yields its highest profit potential. To do this, you need a strong partner who can provide all the elements you need to reliably and accurately identify your cattle. That partner is Destron Fearing.

IDENTIFICATION SOLUTIONS e.TAG®

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“There is nothing more difĂ€cult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.â€? — Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince (1532)

Lifetime management of Bovine Respiratory Disease Few things are more humbling to cattlemen than the unpredictability and costliness of bovine respiratory disease (BRD).

Fortunately, new technologies and vaccine strategies that allow beef producers and their veterinarians to better prevent and manage BRD are emerging.

One of the most signiÀcant developments in respiratory disease prevention is a growing body of evidence indicating newborn calves can demonstrate signiÀcant immune response if stimulated by the right vaccine administered at the right site. The use of new intranasal vaccines in vaccination protocols, used as part of a calf’s lifetime respiratory health management program, provides powerful protection against BRD.

START LIFE RIGHT Veterinarians have generally believed that a newborn calf’s immune system is not sufÀciently developed to respond appropriately to vaccination and that maternal antibody interference would adversely impact the effectiveness of any vaccine.

Emerging science shows this is not necessarily the case.

Recently published studies, including work completed by Christopher C. Chase, DVM, Ph.D., of South Dakota State University1, show that when intranasal vaccine antigens are delivered directly to the nasal mucosa, where maternal interference is less likely to occur, most young animals respond to vaccination and develop immunity. After intranasal vaccination, high levels of virus-inhibiting proteins are produced and may aid in the development of the calf’s memory immune response.

Scott Nordstrom, DVM, Manager of Veterinary Technical Services for Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health, believes the implications of this are profound when trying to maximize a young calf’s potential for developing a more responsive immune system throughout life. “Intranasal vaccination allows us to help prime the immune system of calves by creating a local and system-wide cellmediated immune response. When we consider a lifetime respiratory health management program, the implications of this understanding, and subsequent application, are numerous.â€? “For example, we can help these animals start life right by priming the immune system with Onset™ 5 IN and then boostering with VistaÂŽ 5 SQ or Vista Once SQ at approximately 3 months. Onset 5 IN and Vista Once SQ are a one-two punch for lifetime management of bovine respiratory disease.â€?

LATEST ADVANCEMENTS IN RESPIRATORY DISEASE PROTECTION In the Àght against bovine respiratory disease, veterinarians and beef producers now have one more tool in their arsenal to combat BRD — an early start.

Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health has introduced a new approach to BRD prevention by addressing the immune challenges of the youngest animals.

Onset 5 IN is the Ă€rst intranasal-administered, Ă€ve-way modiĂ€ed-live (MLV) viral vaccine to offer rapid respiratory protection for calves as young as 3 days of age. Onset 5 IN stimulates a rapid immune response at the site of infection to bovine virus diarrhea (BVD) Type 1 and Type 2, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) virus, parainĂ uenza3 (PI3) virus and bovine respiratory syncytial (BRSV) virus. “Onset 5 IN is changing the way beef producers approach respiratory disease prevention and control in young calves,â€? says Nordstrom. “Studies prove even the youngest animals can demonstrate a signiĂ€cant and rapid immune response when vaccines are delivered to the appropriate mucosal sites, such as those located in the nose.â€?

MOST COMPLETE RESPIRATORY PROTECTION Beef producers face numerous respiratory disease challenges.

Vista Once SQ provides the longest respiratory duration of immunity (DOI) available for BVD Type 1 and BVD Type 2, as well as IBR. With more than 180 days of immunity for IBR and more than 200 days of immunity for both BVD Type 1 and Type 2, producers can use Vista Once SQ when it best Àts their vaccination programs, knowing Vista is proven to provide long-lasting and complete herd respiratory protection.

Vista Once SQ used in vaccination protocols that include Onset 5 IN provides producers with respiratory herd-health management solutions that last a lifetime.

A D V ERTI SEM EN T

1 Chase C. L., Hurley, D. J., et al. (2008) “Neonatal immune development in the calf and its impact on vaccine response.� Vet Clin Food Anim 24(36-45,58,63): 87-104.

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YOUR HERD’S HEALTH

Building the Herd Back for Rebreeding

By Joe Snyder

Dr. Rick Funston is a reproduction physiologist at the University of Nebraska.

T

he profitability of a cattle operation greatly depends on managing cows to quickly rebreed after calving, with minimal purchased inputs. The key to success is good nutrition, proper body condition scores and overall herd health. National Cattlemen asked two experts to discuss reproductive efficiency. Dr. Clyde Lane is a professor of animal science at the University of Tennessee and a state Beef Quality Assurance coordinator. Dr. Rick Funston is a reproduction physiologist at the University of Nebraska’s West Central Research and Extension Center.

NCBA: What are some effective, low-cost feeding/ supplementation strategies producers should consider during the initial 60 days after calving?

Lane: One of the critical things, whether before or after calving, is to be sure the herd has an adequate mineral program. Sometimes when we get into tight money situations we start cutting the mineral program.

When that happens, we suffer the consequences, which can include a lower calf crop. Now is the time to select

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April 2009 l National Cattlemen

the best heifers based on records. Select those heifers born early during calving season because those will be the ones coming from the most fertile females. Also, get a breeding soundness exam done on your bulls. If the bulls are inadequate, that will hurt you real quick.

Funston: That varies by geographical area depending on what the basal diet is. If it’s a decent quality forage diet, the first limiting nutrient tends to be energy. If you’re meeting protein requirements with forage, then additional supplements high in energy will be helpful. Corn supplements work good when prices allow it. Producers can use a feed cost calculator where they enter the feed being used and the calculator allows comparison between feedstuffs. This can be found online at www.westcentral. unl.edu. On the left navigation bar there’s an Ag Managers Toolbox containing this and several other tools. Cattlemen should first determine the herd’s basal diet, then do a nutrient analysis before considering what supplements are needed.

YOUR HERD’S HEALTH NCBA: What are some pitfalls producers should be aware of to ensure they do not get into a situation where they need to heavily supplement the cow herd postcalving?

Lane: Don’t try to build the herd back too quickly.

You don’t need to keep 100% of your heifers. Even though you’ll be trying to build the herd numbers back, don’t save heifers that aren’t going to make a genetic improvement in the beef herd. Another pitfall can be pasture conditions. An increase in cattle numbers means the pasture needs to be adequate for those increased numbers.

Dr. Clyde Lane, Some pastures may need to University of Tennessee be renovated. If cattlemen are reducing their fertilization program, pastures will end up with less grass production and will be restricted to carrying fewer animals. Build pastures back before you expand the cow herd too much.

Funston: It’s more important and cheaper to build up body condition before calving than after. The target condition at calving is a body score of 5-6 for a first-calf heifer.

NCBA: Can estrus synchronization be used to assist rebreeding rates with natural and/or artificial service?

Lane: Synchronization is always a good management tool, particularly with heifers so that you get them all started out at the same time. If heifers start breeding together, they’re more likely to breed together for the rest of their lives.

Funston: Certainly. That is among some of the tools we have today that can induce cows to cycle. Synchronization products such as GnRH or progestins like CIDR® will induce cyclicity in some cattle.

NCBA: What are the different management strategies that should be used for 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds and mature cows?

Lane: No. 1, do not put younger cows in the same group as mature cows. It isn’t possible to adequately manage and feed 2-year-olds when they’re out with mature cows. Have them separated from the remainder

of the herd so they can get feed when it’s put out there.

The young ones need higher quality feed because they have greater energy requirements. I think the reason we have so many first-calf cows that don’t re-breed back in a short time is due to the lack of nutrition provided them shortly before and after calving. We’re trying to get them ready to breed back but unlike mature cows, they are still growing.

Funston: They have different nutritional requirements and need to be treated that way. Don’t feed young cows with older cows. Sort cattle and feed them accordingly.

This diminishes some of the competition younger cows get from older cows. Younger cows are of course still growing themselves. Th ree-year-olds should still be treated as younger cows and not managed with the mature cow herd.

NCBA: What other thoughts do you have on this subject?

Lane: Here are some money-saving tips: Hay bales need to be covered up and protected so that feed isn’t wasted. We’ve had some of our best success in using cone-feeders. We tend to get over-mechanized and end up with a lot more overhead on equipment than we should have.

Producers might consider things such as purchasing hay rather than facing all the depreciation that goes with expensive equipment. Something else really valuable and simple is forage testing. Sometimes producers automatically feed the same thing year after year. But they need to find out what the herd supplements need to be and then feed the proper amount, and that’s what a forage test will help with. Soil testing is needed as well. Without soil testing you’re just taking a guess at what and how much pasture the land will provide your herd.

Funston: It’s important to balance all nutrients. Don’t forget minerals and vitamins. Make sure you have a nutrient analysis done in order to determine what you need in purchased ingredients. If you’re feeding a supplement, I would recommend adding an ionophore such as Rumensin® or Bovatec®. They will improve feed efficiency and have a positive effect on reproduction as well. If your water quality is a concern make sure to have the water tested for potential antagonists. Some of them tie up important trace minerals, which can be a problem.

Often people don’t take into account nutrients coming from the water.

Sometimes when we get into tight money situations we start cutting the mineral program. When that happens, we suffer the consequences, which can include a lower calf crop.

www.NationalCattlemen.com

15

Leadership & Solutions Continued from Page 5

only 6.4% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Our greenhouse gas emissions are small, and we support research into finding new ways to decrease the emissions we do produce.

Greenhouse gases are only one component of the environment, however. Cattle producers also maintain vast tracts of open spaces throughout the West, which provide habitat for three-quarters of America’s wildlife.

Our cattle graze on lands that are, for the most part, unsuitable for producing crops. We turn forage into a nutrient-dense product that helps feed the world.

We also are actively engaged in improving our environmental practices through the Environmental Stewardship Award. Since 1991, this program has showcased good environmental practices and provided cattlemen with examples and ideas which may be useful on their own farms and ranching operations.

Cattle producers are good stewards of the land – we maintain a balance between productivity and conservation and we do so while feeding the nation.

Let’s make sure our neighbors hear our side of the story.

Your Business Continued from Page 9 Cow and Bull Beef Quality Audit identified areas where cattlemen have room for improvement.

1

Issue: Reduce the use of electric prods and other aggressive aids when moving cattle.

Solution: Check for workshops in your area that teach low-stress cattle handling. Make sure your employees are trained in this as well.

2

Issue: Improve footing so cattle don’t slip and injure themselves.

Solution: Visit Temple Grandin’s home page at www.grandin.com for ideas on how to make improvements.

3

Issue: Transporting cattle.

Solution: Separate them by gender to avoid injury or bruising to livestock. Also, if you have cattle of mixed national origin, do one more sort so uniform loads — U.S. only, U.S.Mexican, etc. — arrive at the packing plant in a way that’s easier to comply with COOL.

4

Issue: Administer animal-health products in the neck and do so subcutaneously when the label allows.

Solution: Go to www.bqa.org to see how you can become BQA certified in your state.

5

Issue: Follow the guidelines for animal care and handling.

Solution: Contact customerservice@beef.org and request a copy of animal handling guidelines.

6

Issue: Market your cattle before they become too thin or too lame for transport.

Solution: Add value, don’t subtract it. Market cows comprise as much as 20% of an operation’s income. Feeding cull cows to add some extra weight can translate to extra cash.

7

Issue: Keep record-keeping systems to verify your “best” management practices and reduce or eliminate chemical or physical hazards.

Solution: Good records may qualify you for more marketing programs. The IRM Red Book is an easy way to start.

8

Issue: Ensure the safety of your product. Cows and bulls must be free of chemical and physical hazards when you ship them for harvest.

Solution: If they aren’t, you’ll pay — literally.

Follow the drug administration guidelines and pay attention to drug withdrawal times and don’t ship before then.

Your Feed Continued from Page 10 basis, allowing producers to do a direct cost comparison of nutritional/energy needs. If you use something else as a primary feed, then make that your comparison point.

In planning your supplementation needs, Wahlberg says to keep the following things in mind: Energy - This is expressed as TDN (total digestible nutrients); Protein – You must make sure your cattle meet this requirement; Minerals - Cattle need adequate levels of minerals all year. Pay attention to the calcium:phosphorous ratio.

Depending on the feed source, you may need to use a mineral supplement.

For a more complete look at some of the alternative feeds available and qualities about them, Dr. Lardy and Anderson have posted a paper at www.ag.ndsu. edu/pubs/ansci/livestoc/as1182.htm. The feed sources are broken into seven categories: forages; residues and fibrous coproducts; weeds; roots, tubers and associated coproducts; grains, screenings and grain processing coproducts; pilseeds and protein meals, liquid coproducts.

To access mark Wahlberg’s paper, go to: www.ext. vt.edu/pubs/beef/400-230/400-230.html.

16

April 2009 l National Cattlemen

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YOUR BUSINESS

Manage Your Risk with These Tools

T

he Cattle Basis Risk Analysis Tools at www.

BeefBasis.com give producers the information and analytics they need to improve marketing decisions influenced by cattle basis risk. The BeefBasis forecasting tool uses information supplied by the user to generate result output that is customized to a specific location, marketing date and type of cattle.

Kansas State University (K-State) in partnership with the USDA’s Risk Management Agency and Custom Ag Solutions developed the free, interactive Web site. The tools at this location help producers determine their basis risk by plugging in an anticipated sale date, the weight and number of head of cattle and the local market selected from within 15 states, among other items. With all the data entered, the site then will display the feeder and live cattle price for that day, based in part on the price of a bushel of corn.

Basis, defined simply as the difference between the local cash markets and futures contract prices, can be complex and vary dramatically between weight classes and market locations, as well as from year to year. Understanding the risk related to basis uncertainty, or “basis risk,” is essential to making effective use of price risk management tools such as Chicago Mercantile Exchange futures and options and forward contracts.

The states included in the database for the calculations are Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wyoming.

Features The BeefBasis forecasting tools are organized on two pages, Feeder Cattle Basis Forecasting and Hedge Analysis. Users can move back and forth between these pages by selecting the appropriate link from the green menu bar above the input screen.

Feeder Cattle Basis Forecasting This page generates a customized estimate of feeder cattle basis and cash selling price at an expected future sale date. Forecasts are based on, 1) user-provided information about intended lot characteristics (such as sex, weight, frame, class, etc.), and 2) current prices for deferred futures contracts. This tool is designed to provide relevant market price information, forecasts and analysis that will be useful to cattle producers when considering alternative marketing or price risk management strategies. These may

18

April 2009 l National Cattlemen

include estimating expected sale or purchase prices at the conclusion of a futures or options hedge, evaluating a current cash market quote, or evaluating forecasted cash prices.

Hedge Analysis This page extends the feeder cattle basis forecasting model by applying the results to a price risk management scenario. Based on feeder cattle basis and selling price forecasts, the user can analyze the expected cash prices realized by a cattle seller with a hedge position in the feeder or live cattle markets under a range of hypothetical market conditions. Th is tool is intended to help users, 1) understand how hedging (or cross-hedging) can be used to manage price risk, and 2) analyze how sensitivity to market conditions changes depending on the relationship between number of cattle sold and the size of hedge position.

K-State Cattle Risk Management Information Library Available Cattle producers now have a centralized place to find risk management resources through a new Cattle Risk Management Information Library on the Web. The new Web site, available on K-State’s AgManager info Web site (www.agmanager.info/cmil/) resulted from a partnership between KSU’s Departments of Agricultural Economics, and Computing and Information Sciences, and the USDA Risk Management Agency.

“The Cattle Risk Management Library is designed to provide cattle risk management information in an easy-to-use, centralized location,” said James Mintert, Extension agricultural economics state leader for K-State Research and Extension. There is information for cow/calf, feeder and fed cattle, which can be categorized into key risk categories such as price, financial, and production risk.

The on-line Cattle Risk Management Library has links to other resources. For example, one paper on the site compares differences in fed cattle prices across various marketing arrangements with contributing authors from Colorado State University, Iowa State University, RTI International and The World Bank.

The site also has information on costs of production by USDA’s Economic Research Service.

U P to 840

STEP

One Number, Many Uses By choosing 840 eartags, you will be able to take advantage of all the opportunities that hinge on the official identification of your cattle, including: • Animal Health Programs • Marketing Programs • Genetic Programs and Breed Registries • Animal Movement

Concerned about COOL? Don’t worry!

Do

840 eartags are your passport to compliance.

Because 840 tags use a numbering system that is unique to the United Bec States, Stat you can use 840 eartags to easily signal buyers that your animals are “born and raised in the USA”

For more information visit

www.usda.gov/nais

United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

CATTLEFAX

YOUR MARKET UPDATE

Ethanol Production Slows a Bit

By Chad Spearman

T

he Energy Information Administration recently released the monthly U.S. supply and demand numbers for December 2008.

Ethanol production averaged 656,000 barrels per day, declining by 1.8% compared to November and increased 33% compared to December 2007.

Through 2008, month-to-month production increases averaged 2.5% and annual production totaled 9.25 billion gallons per year, increasing 42% compared to 2007. The annual increase was the largest annual production increase since 1983.

Ethanol imports, which were negligible in October and November, increased sharply on a daily average basis to 15,000 barrels per day in December.

Demand averaged a record high 704,000 barrels per day in December, up 4% from November and up 35% compared to December 2007. In the months ahead, gasoline consumption is expected to remain flat to below year-ago levels as a result of the deepening recession which is expected to weigh on ethanol demand.

Monthly stocks averaged 459,000 barrels per day in December, declining 10% compared to November and up 35% compared to a December 2007.

Stocks relative to demand rose to burdensome levels back in September, just before energy prices began their next leg down. However, during the fourth quarter monthly stocks levels declined significantly as demand growth outpaced production growth and imports declined.

Production Outlook and Corn Usage Corn used for ethanol is currently projected to total 3.6 billion bushels in the 2008/09 corn marketing year (from Sept. 1, 2008 through Aug. 31, 2009), increasing 19% compared to last year. The estimate assumes that only slight production growth will continue in the months ahead and would quickly be revised higher given some improvement in the economy and/or higher gasoline prices relative to ethanol prices.

The USDA recently released a preliminary estimate of corn used for ethanol in 2009/10 at 4.1 billion

World Beef Production Stable Global beef production is expected to dip less than 1% in 2009, according to USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service.

Still, it will mark the first decline in nine years. Modest increases in Brazil, China and India were more than offset by declines in the EU-27, Argentina, Australia and Russia.

Exports are forecast to rise nearly 2%. The United States is projected to own a 12% market share of beef exports among the world’s major traders. That figure has grown steadily from 3% in 2004 as the country rebounds from the

20

April 2009 l National Cattlemen

bushels, for an increase of 14% compared to 2008/09. Another government agency, the Energy Information Administration, expects ethanol production to total 10.6 billion gallons in 2009 and 11 billion gallons in 2010. Implied corn usage, based on their monthly ethanol production estimate and a yield of 2.8 gallons/bushel, totals 3.78 billion bushels of corn for the 2009/10 corn marketing year.

Bottom Line: In May, the USDA will release its first official supply and demand balance sheet for the 2009/10 corn marketing year. Based on current conditions, corn used for ethanol will likely be forecast between 3.75 and 4.1 billion bushels. This includes a wide range of 350 million bushels of corn, which will ultimately have a large impact on ending stocks and prices.

BSE incident at the end of 2003. U.S. exports are projected to be near 1 million tons this year, half of what world leader Brazil will ship. Exports from Australia and New Zealand will fall 3 to 4% for several reasons, including increased competition from the United States in South Korea and Japan.

The smaller herd in the United States means lower beef production, which along with a stronger dollar will strengthen imports. Russia, Japan and the European Union also are expected to see an increase in beef imports.

CLEAN UP AT GREEN-UP.

Spring parasite control with CYDECTIN can improve performance all season long.

Abundant grass – and abundant parasites – make spring the ideal time to deworm with CYDECTIN® Pour-On. Treat your entire herd approximately four to six weeks after green-up, as well as all incoming animals. You’ll help cattle maintain their appetites while forage is plentiful, providing more opportunities for higher performance throughout the season.

How much higher? In a university trial, stocker calves treated with CYDECTIN gained up to 31lbs. more weight per head than animals treated with Ivomec® Pour-On.1

31 lbs .

more w per he eight ad IVOMECth1an

Ask for the purple pour-on!

CYDECTIN also provides 28 days of persistent activity against brown stomach worms, the most economically significant parasite of cattle,2 and is the only pour-on with no impact on valuable dung beetle populations.3 Give yourself an edge in parasite control this spring! Contact your Fort Dodge representative or animal health supplier today.

fortdodgelivestock.com 1. Williams, J.C, et al. A comparison of persistent anthelmintic efficacy of topical formulations of doramectin, ivermectin, eprinomectin and moxidectin against naturally acquired nematode infections of beef calves. Veterinary Parasitology. 85 (1999): 277-288.

2. Gasbarre, Louis C., et al. Role of the bovine immune system and genome in resistance to gastrointestinal nematodes.

Veterinary Parasitology, Vol. 98, July 2001.

3. Data on file, Fort Dodge Animal Health. ©2009 Fort Dodge Animal Health, a division of Wyeth.

Product names are registered trademarks of their respective owners.

(moxidectin)

Your EDGE Fort Dodge Animal Health

CAPITOL CONCERNS NCBA, Working for you in D.C. Legislation 101 – Researching Bills

COOL Rule Now in Place

By Heather Vaughan

H

ave you ever wondered how to find information about a Elizabeth Bostdorff bill? Or how to find out if your member of Congress has supported a bill? You can find all of this information and more from Thomas.gov.

Thomas.gov is the Library of Congress’s legislative Web site dedicated to providing you with information about all things legislative.

To find out facts on a bill that is currently before Congress, visit www.thomas.gov. On the front page there will be a search box. Enter the issue that you are interested in or a bill number in the box and click “Search.”

If you are searching for a bill number — for instance, H.R. 503 the “Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2009”— be sure to click the button in front of “Bill Number.”

If you would like to find the legislation that has been sponsored by your member, find your member’s name in drop down menu under the title “Browse bills by Sponsor.” Once you have found your member’s name, click “Go.” If you don’t know who your member of Congress is, visit NCBA’s grassroots site at www. capwiz.com/beefusa. Enter your zip code in the box under the title “Find Your Officials” and click “Go.” While on CAPWIZ, you can send letters to your members and the administration on a variety of issues currently affecting the cattle industry.

22

April 2009 l National Cattlemen

T

he saga of mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) continues. On March 31, the six-month education and outreach program operated by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) came to an end. COOL will be actively enforced

by AMS as per the final rule issued on Jan. 15, 2009.

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack let the final rule go into effect as scheduled on March 16. He followed that with a Feb. 20 letter to the packing industry outlining voluntary recommendations for more detailed labeling. He would like processors to include information about which production step occurred in each country when multiple countries appear on the label. A sample label might read, “Born in country X and raised and slaughtered in country Y.” NCBA is pleased that USDA is implementing the final rule as scheduled, as its permanency allows NCBA and our partners throughout the industry to dedicate resources for educating producers, processors, retailers, and consumers. NCBA urged legislators and regulators in Washington, D.C., to implement the rule as written so that markets could adjust to the new regulations, and NCBA could begin assessing COOL’s value to the consumer and impact on beef demand.

The final rule contains few changes that impact producers. NCBA worked with other industry partners to develop a standardized producer affidavit that has been widely accepted and used since COOL first went into effect on Sept. 30, 2008. The affidavit is a simple way to declare origin of cattle. Usual business records can be used to verify the origin claim made on the affidavit.

The final rule also allows for visual inspection to be used to make an origin claim. Because of federal regulations, live cattle imported into the United States must be marked with a “CAN” if they are coming from Canada, or an “M” if they are coming from Mexico. In addition, Canadian animals also will have a Canadian animal ID tag and Mexican animals will have metal animal disease tags. The presence of these markings will allow producers/packers to determine if an animal is from Mexico or Canada if there is no other information in regards to their origin.

The absence of these markings can also be used to make a determination that the animal is from the United States. Visual inspection now constitutes firsthand knowledge.

Given this new ability to make visual inspection claims, NCBA still recommends that producers utilize the affidavits. NCBA also recommends that producers ensure they have some sort of record on hand (import documents, calf book, health records, or other typical business records) to further verify the origin of your cattle.

Country of origin claims can be made for an individual animal or a group lot of animals. “Evergreen” affidavits may also be used that allow sellers to notify the buyer that unless they are notified otherwise, the animals being sold to them are from country X. Packers that process animals tagged with an 840 animal identification number device, without the presence of any foreign animal marks, may use that tag alone to make a claim of U.S. origin. This does not mean that producers who sell animals with 840 tags will not be required to provide an affidavit.

YOUR CAPITOL CONCERNS Court of Appeals Denies Petition for Review of EPA Dust Regulation Rule The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision to deny a petition for review of the Environmental Protection Agency’s rule that regulates dust under the Clean Air Act. NCBA filed the petition in conjunction with other groups.

NCBA Chief Environmental Counsel Tamara Thies explained that the potential consequences of the decision are devastating. The regulation of agriculture dust means that activities ranging from soil tilling, cattle movements in feedyards, driving on unpaved roads, and planting and harvesting crops could all come under the regulatory strong-arm of the EPA. “We are very disappointed with the Court’s decision,” NCBA Chief Environmental Counsel Tamara Thies said. “There is no scientific evidence that agriculture dust causes adverse health effects and its regulation under the Clean Air Act is completely unjustified.”

EPA released a final rule on regulating particles in the air under the Clean Air Act in October 2006, which says that states should focus on regulating dust in urban areas instead of rural areas because of a lack of scientific data on health or environmental effects of agriculture dust. However, the EPA stopped short of exempting agriculture dust from regulation. Consequently, NCBA filed an appeal of the rule in the DC. Circuit Court of Appeals. Oral arguments were held on Sept. 15, 2008.

Every five years, the EPA is required to review scientific studies associated with pollutants regulated under the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) of the Clean Air Act to determine if the pollutant is regulated appropriately. Dust has been included as a pollutant, despite the fact that health studies do not show it is a concern. In order to regulate a pollutant under NAAQS, scientific

studies are supposed to show that the pollutant causes adverse effects on health or the environment.

“The Clean Air Act is intended to regulate pollutants that cause adverse health or environmental effects,” Thies explains. “Clearly, expanding this to include the regulation of agriculture dust goes beyond the intent of the Act.”

JBS Acquisition of National Beef Comes to an End JBS has dropped its bid to purchase National Beef Packing Company, of which U.S. Premium Beef is the majority owner. USPB is a producerowned cooperative that markets cattle on quality-based grids. The Department of Justice had filed suit against the merger.

JBS is a South American-based company that moved into the U.S. market with the purchase of Swift.

Last year JBS was the third largest packer in the United States. This merger, if approved, would have made it the largest packer in the country.

NCBA supported a detailed government review of the JBS merger and believes that the Department of Justice completed a thorough vetting and analysis. This process has lasted for nearly a year, and both government and industry have had time to fully consider the facts. We continue to support careful enforcement of the Packer & Stockyard Act.

Economic Stimulus Package Excludes Dairy Buyout President Obama on Feb. 17 signed into law the $787 billion economic stimulus package passed by Congress the week before. NCBA worked closely with members of the House and Senate to successfully prevent the inclusion of a dairy buyout or a ban on the processing of non-ambulatory animals in the final bill.

NCBA lined up key senators to prevent a proposed buyout of 6.5 billion pounds of milk, which could have crashed prices for beef by anywhere between 24 and 49%

if implemented. In a letter to the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, these senators reiterated NCBA’s concerns about the proposed dairy buyout, and urged the committee to forego considering any taxpayerfunded program to thin America’s dairy herd at this time.

Also at the request of NCBA, 19 congressmen sent a letter to House Appropriations Chair Dave Obey asking that conferees on the stimulus package remove language from the bill banning the processing of nonambulatory cattle. Thanks to these efforts, this language was not included in the final bill. NCBA is supportive of the current non-ambulatory ban, but not a statutory ban mandated by Congress.

Bill Would Amend Clean Air Act for Ag Emissions Senators John Thune and Charles Schumer have introduced a bipartisan bill to prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency from requiring livestock operations to get Clean Air Act Title V permits for greenhouse gas emissions caused by biological processes at those operations.

NCBA fully supports this bill, and believes that the Clean Air Act is ill-suited for regulating greenhouse gas emissions. It was never the intent of Congress for the Act to be used for this purpose. Instead, the Act was intended to regulate traditional air pollutants from major emitters on a state or regional level.

While the Clean Air Act has seen success in cleaning up criteria and other pollutants, it is not adequately equipped to address global climate change.

Agriculture is a minor source of greenhouse gas emissions overall and should not be regulated under a climate change program. Instead, the agriculture sector should be considered an important solution to the climate change problem, as it provides critical sources of soil carbon sequestration and renewable energy offsets.

www.NationalCattlemen.com

23

YOUR CAPITOL CONCERNS NCBA Joins Coalition on Agriculture for a Democratic Workplace NCBA recently joined forces with Agriculture for a Democratic Workplace, a coalition of agricultural associations and organizations determined to protect private ballots in union-organizing elections for all workers.

The coalition supports the goals of a new policy passed by NCBA members to oppose the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA). The Act, also known as “card check” legislation, would eliminate the secret ballot system in voting to organize a union.

While businesses in general will be impacted by the EFCA, agriculture could feel the effect more acutely, given the size and structure of many individual operations, and the sensitivity of agricultural businesses to supply chain disruptions.

NCBA Requests Feed Ban Implementation Date Be Extended NCBA on Feb. 3 joined with 11 other national agriculture organizations in sending a letter to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Acting Commissioner Frank Torti, requesting an extension of the pending implementation date of the final BSE Ruminant Feed Ban rule.

In early March, 18 senators echoed that sentiment and requested a 60 day extension of the implementation date.

NCBA also requested an additional 30 days of public comment to give affected industries time to provide FDA with current data and evidence of the ban’s impact on their operations.

The final rule is effective on April 27, 2009, which is approximately 12 months from date of publication, in order to allow the livestock, meat, rendering, and feed industries time to adapt their practices to comply with the new regulation. The final rule amends FDA’s existing regulations to prohibit the use of certain cattle origin materials in the food or feed of all animals.

24

April 2009 l National Cattlemen

NCBA has opposed the enhanced feed ban rule since the original proposal was published in October 2005 due to its failure to pass a cost/ benefit analysis and the lack of statistically valid improvements to animal health and food safety.

NCBA is already seeing negative consequences of this rule months before it goes into effect. Beginning as early as December 2008, many renderers discontinued picking up dead livestock because of the severe economic realities of this proposal.

For several months now, NCBA

Given this new ability to make visual inspection claims, NCBA still recommends that producers utilize the affidavits. has received numerous reports of producers having difficulty in getting dead animals picked up. If they are able to find pick-up services, the prices charged by the haulers and renderers is significantly higher than it ever has been.

Approximately 3 billion pounds of ruminant carcasses result annually from typical production mortalities and natural weather variations. NCBA and other organizations are hearing from producers and veterinarians across the country that no longer have legal methods to dispose of

dead livestock. This affects all species and communities across the United States and exacerbates already existing challenges in the proper disposal of livestock carcasses.

USDA Releases 2008 Beef Export Statistics A USDA report on beef exports says the U.S. totaled $3.62 billion in beef, beef variety meat, and processed beef-product exports in 2008. This is the highest level the U.S. has seen since the 2003 (pre-BSE) level of $3.86 billion. The top 10 countries in U.S. beef exports in 2008 were: 1. Mexico ($1.399 billion) 2. Canada ($716 million) 3. Japan ($383 million) 4. Korea ($294 million) 5. Vietnam ($131 million) 6. Taiwan ($128 million) 7. EU-27 ($111 million) 8. Egypt ($93 million) 9. Russia ($90 million) 10. Caribbean ($79 million) Of the top 10, every country other than Japan and Korea imported a new record-level of U.S. beef and beef products in 2008. The top 10 countries account for 95% of total U.S. beef export dollars, with Mexico and Canada accounting for 58% of the export total.

The U.S. is still capable of an additional $1 billion in annual beef exports to Japan, which is why regaining normalized access to this country continues to be a top priority for NCBA. NCBA members recently passed a policy to further efforts to increase access to Japan through a staged or multi-step approach.

While NCBA continues to press for full World Organization for Animal Health compliance with Japan and all U.S. trading partners, NCBA also recognizes the necessity in some cases of using a staged approach to increase market access.

Regaining access to Japan is critical to the economic livelihood of U.S. beef producers, and this policy is an important step in the right direction.

YOUR CAPITOL CONCERNS USTR and USDA Spots Filled On Feb. 26, the Senate Finance Committee held a confirmation hearing for former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk, President Obama’s pick as U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). As head of the USTR office, Kirk would play a critical role in determining the future of U.S. beef trade.

Also at the end of February, President Obama announced his intention to nominate Kathleen Merrigan as deputy secretary of Agriculture. Merrigan is currently an assistant professor at Tufts University.

She previously served at USDA from 1999 to 2001, where she helped

develop USDA’s organic rules at the Agricultural Marketing Service.

Court Rules on Property Compensation On Jan. 23 the U.S. Court of Federal Claims ruled that a property owner could seek compensation for a taking if a regulatory decision “leaves the landowner without economically viable use of the land, that denial of use is a per se taking for which the landowner must be compensated.”

The previous standard stated that a regulatory taking had occurred when a property’s entire value had been destroyed by a regulatory action. The

PUBLIC LANDS COUNCIL: Fighting for Western Ranchers!

Petition to Ban Predator Control Tools Rejected NCBA and the Public Lands Council support a decision by the Environmental Protection Agency to deny a petition for suspension and cancellation of M-44 sodium cyanide capsules and sodium fluroroacetate (compound 1080) livestock protection collars Annually, cattle and sheep industry losses to predation are estimated to be $18.3 million and $51 million respectively, and in the absence of effective predation management tools these numbers could easily double or triple.

“Ranchers invest a great deal of time, care, and resources to protect their livestock,” explained Skye Krebs, a rancher from Ione, Ore., and Public Lands Council president. “M-44s and livestock protection collars are important tools in guarding their animals from predators.”

There are significant restrictions in place to prevent threatened or endangered species from exposure to M-44s and livestock protection collars. EPA stated that M-44s and livestock protection collars do not pose a significant risk to non-target wildlife and there is no substantive reason to ban registration and use of these predator control methods.

In addition to protecting livestock, these predator control methods aid public safety, combat the spread of disease and reduce wildlife conflict while creating a sustainable balance between people and wildlife.

“M-44 and livestock protection collars are critical tools in the care and raising of our animals,” said Krebs. “It is imperative that we are able to use these resources to protect our livestock and to minimize economic losses so we can continue to provide the nation with abundant food and fiber.”

ruling could help expand property rights protections in cases where conservation regulations result in private property owners no longer being able to use their land.

A trial court must now resolve the factual issues of the case, including how much compensation is justified in such situations. NCBA will continue to monitor this issue.

To reach NCBA’s Washington, D.C., office call 202-347-0228.

Public Lands Council Hosts Western Range Summit The Public Lands Council on Feb. 26 and 27 hosted the Western Range Summit in Salt Lake City. The summit consisted of four sessions: public relations, administrative action, legislative action, and litigation — with the goal of strengthening the business climate for ranching in the West.

Summit participants spent the first day discussing the public perception of ranching and developed strategies to increase awareness of the environmental benefits of range management through managed grazing. The second day of the conference was dedicated to identifying common legislative and litigation issues.

Jeff Eisenberg, executive director of the Council, is optimistic about the next steps. “There was a very frank discussion between the agricultural and conservation groups,” he says.

“We came to a consensus about our shared goals and areas for cooperation.” A steering committee comprised of representatives from both agricultural and conservation organizations will be formed and will be developing both short and long range plans for action.

www.NationalCattlemen.com

25

T

hese are companies that have teamed with NCBA as Allied Industry members, demonstrating their commitment to the beef industry. Their involvement and investment strengthens our future. NCBA members are urged to support these partners in turn by purchasing their products and services. Those who would like to become Allied Industry partners with NCBA (securing a premium booth placement at the next annual convention and trade show), please call the Association Marketing team at 303-694-0305.

Allied Industry

Directory Gold Level Sponsors (minimum $100,000 investments) AgriLabs www.agrilabs.com Bayer www.bayer-ah.com Caterpillar www.cat.com

Dow AgroSciences, LLC www.dowagro.com Elanco Animal Health www.elanco.com Fort Dodge Animal Health www.fortdodge.com

Intervet/ Schering-Plough Animal Health www.intervetusa.com www.spah.com John Deere www.deere.com

Merial www.merial.com Micro Beef Technologies www.microbeef.com Pfizer Animal Health www.pfizer.com Purina Mills, LLC www.cattlenutrition.com

Allied Industry Council Allflex USA, Inc. Alpharma Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc.

Cargill Animal Nutrition Health Central Life Sciences CME Group Destron-Fearing

Leo Burnett USA Monsanto Novartis Animal Health U.S., Inc.

Pioneer, A DuPont Company Y-Tex Zinpro Corporation

Allied Industry Associates ADM Alliance Nutrition, Inc. AgInfoLink American Live Stock Inc. AgCareers.com Beef Magazine

Cover-All Buildings Farnam Companies, Inc. Land O’Lakes Feed Lextron, Inc. Midwest PMS, Inc.

Nutrition Physiology Co., LLC Priefert Manufacturing Company Ridley Block Operations Rabobank International

SmartLic Supplement U.S. Premium Beef, Ltd. Vigortone Ag Products Walco International, Inc.

Allied Industry Partners Agriculture Engineering Associates Albion Advanced Nutrition Alltech, Inc. AniPro Certified Angus Beef Certified Hereford Beef Cline Wood Agency CMA Consulting, LLC Croplan Genetics Faegre & Benson, LLP

Farm Journal/Beef Today Grow Safe Systems, LTD Hartford Livestock Insurance Hot Shot Products Co., Inc. IMI Global Kuhn Knight Kunafin “The Insectary” Lallemand Animal Nutrition Meat & Livestock Australia, Ltd. Miraco/Gallagher Moly Manufacturing

New Holland Noble Foundation Nova Microbial Technologies Phibro Animal Health PlainJan’s Quali Tech, Inc. Ritchie Industries Inc. Roto-Mix Stone Manufacturing Temple Tag

Teva Animal Health Tru-Test US Bank Vitalix The Vit-E-Men Co. Inc./ Life Products Western Farm Credit Association WW Livestock Systems Varied Industried Corp.

Product Council Members American Foods Group Applebee’s International Beef Products, Inc. Booker Packing Company Cargill Meat Solutions DuPont Qualicon

26

April 2009 l National Cattlemen

IEH Laboratories Kraft Food/Oscar Mayer Lobel’s of New York McDonald’s Corporation National Beef Packing

Novus International Outback Steakhouse Sam Kane Beef Processors Smithfield Beef Group, Inc. Spicetec

Swift & Company Topco Associates Tyson Fresh Meats Wal-Mart Stores Wendy’s International

www.NationalCattlemen.com

27

YOUR BUSINESS

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

It All Adds Up

By Curt Olson

S

ave here, lose there? The right record keeping will give you a picture of what is happening in all areas of your business and how a change in one area might affect other areas. For instance, you might try to cut costs by doing something that reduces the amount of harvested feed, which could decrease calf production, increase purchased feed costs and lead to the need to rehabilitate your pasture. In the long run, it may be that the good idea isn’t as profitable as you originally thought and good records will help you determine that.

With everything else you do, it may be that record keeping isn’t on the top of your “to do” list. You might even hate it, but that doesn’t make it any less important. If you find it’s something you chronically avoid, consider hiring someone to help you.

There are different levels of assistance available and you can select a plan that works for you. Th is will allow you to focus your efforts in areas that interest you more and where you are more comfortable working.

Mark Frasier of Frasier Farms near Fort Morgan, Colo., says their record keeping helps them qualify for process verified, source verified and natural marketing programs. They also keep records on their pastures and forage use and adjust their paddocks accordingly. “It isn’t only good marketing sense, it also helps to point out to us different enterprises in our overall production model that work very well and others that don’t,” he says.

With records, it’s important to stay focused on what you are trying to track and not get overloaded with data that distracts you from your goals. There are a lot of software programs out there that will help you manage the information. The most basic is a standard Excel spreadsheet.

28

April 2009 l National Cattlemen

If you can think through what it is you want to measure, all you have to do is set up the cells and calculations.

Rodney Jones, an Extension economist at Kansas State University, has developed a budget that allows producers to determine costs, risk and profitability based on calf weaning percentages. To view the document, go to www.oznet.ksu.edu/library/ agec2/mf266.pdf.

Even more basic than that, and perhaps your fi rst line of record keeping, is the NCBA Redbook. It’s pocket-sized, so it’s easy to use for recording calving and production information. It’s 100+ pages where you can record calving activity, herd health, pasture use and cattle inventory information. It also has sections on body condition scoring, cattle treatment and death loss, along with an area for notes. To order one, go to www.BeefUSA.org and click on NCBA store, or call 1-800-525-3085 and ask for Grace.

Computer Programs There are a lot of options when it comes to computerized record keeping. Like anything else, shop for what best fits your needs. Here are some choices for cow/ calf producers among the exhibitors at the 2009 NCBA Trade Show. The product lines they offer are represented on their Web sites. The companies are Cattlemax Software by Cattlesoft Inc., Microbeef, AgInfoLink, Cattle Traq, and Cow Sense Software.

ANIMAL HEALTH PRODUCTS Fort Dodge Animal Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 IMMVAC Incorporated. . . . . . . . . .Inside Front Cover Intervet/Schering Plough Animal Health . . . . .3, 11, 13, Outside Back Cover Y-TEX Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Back Cover ANIMAL IDENTIFICATION USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 EQUIPMENT Caterpillar, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 John Deere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

ADVERTISERS.COM Caterpillar, Inc. www.cat.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Fort Dodge Animal Health www.promeris.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 IMMVAC Incorporated www.immvac.com . . . . . . . . . . . .Inside Front Cover Intervet/Schering Plough Animal Health www.sp.intervet.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3, 11, 13, Outside Back Cover John Deere www.johndeere.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service www.animalid.aphis.usda.gov/nais/. . . . . . . . . . 19

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XP 820 Marks a New Era in Horn Fly Resistance Management ™

The Xtra Powerful New Insecticide Ear Tag from Y-TEX! The XP 820 introduces a totally new compound to control: • Pyrethroid and Organophosphate Resistant Horn Flies for up to 5 Months.

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Almost only counts in and

Because you can’t make money on calves that were almost born.

With everything that can go wrong between breeding and calving, you can’t afford to trust BVD protection that almost covers the entire pregnancy. Vista® vaccines are the only products that provide Fetal Protection for BVD Type 1 and Type 2 for the entire pregnancy, with protection for both Persistent Infection and Fetal Infection.

Don’t be at a loss over calves that almost were. Talk to your veterinarian or animal health supplier to incorporate the full-term BVD protection of Vista vaccines into your pre-breeding vaccination protocol.

BVD TYPE 1 & TYPE 2 FETAL PROTECTION 1st Trimester

2nd Trimester

3rd Trimester

Bovi-Shield GOLD FP PI Protection

VISTA PI & FI PROTECTION The combined Persistent Infection (PI) and Fetal Infection (FI) protection of Vista vaccines protect a fetal calf for the entire term of the pregnancy.

PI calves can only be developed in the first and early second trimesters.

intervetusa.com • 800.521.5767 • JY 12/08 • 35597 Vista is a registered trademark of Intervet Inc. or an affiliate. Bovi-Shield GOLD is a registered trademark of Pfizer, Inc. ©2009 Intervet Inc. All rights reserved.