Livestock Roundup

Thursday, March 1, 2007 10:56 AM CST

This week's listing of upcoming industry events and announcements.

Governor Doyle Announces $575,000 For Drought Relief

Governor Jim Doyle announced that more than $575,000 in drought relief has been provided to help livestock producers in Northwestern Wisconsin who suffered losses during last summer's drought. In the 12-county drought designation area, 488 farms qualified for assistance. The average grant per farm was $1,178.

The grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture went to producers in Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Polk, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, Taylor and Washburn Counties, all of which were declared drought disaster areas in 2006. Each county suffered severe to extreme drought conditions for most of the summer, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Grant payments were based on forage production losses from the drought and number of animals owned. Eligible producers were those with mature beef cattle, sheep, grazing dairy cattle, bison, elk or deer. The grants covered more than 31,000 animals and 113,000 acres of forage and pasture.

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection evaluated the 572 grant applications received and made awards to 488 eligible farms. Not all applicants were eligible.

In 2006, Governor Doyle requested U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns declare 23 counties in Northern Wisconsin disaster areas because of drought and early killing frost. While Secretary Johanns issued the disaster declaration, only 12 counties in the Northwestern corner of the state suffered severe enough losses to be eligible for livestock assistance. Producers in the other 11 counties may qualify for low interest federal loans.

Wisconsin Pork To Be Represented At National Pork Industry Forum

Pork Act Delegates will discuss some of the key issues and challenges facing the pork industry during the annual business meeting of the U.S. pork industry March 1-3 in Anaheim, Calif., at the National Pork Industry Forum.

Included in the business at Forum will be the annual meetings for the National Pork Board and the National Pork Producers Council. Leadership will be elected, and resolutions for the industry will be discussed.

Wisconsin delegates who will be attending the Pork Forum include: Lynn Harrison and Deb Gay, Pork Checkoff Delegates; and Alicia Prill-Adams, NPPC delegate.

In addition, other Wisconsin representatives at Forum will include Jonathan Wyttenbach, Pork Leadership Academy participant; Doug Wolf, NPPC Board Member; Mike Wehler; and Tammy Vaassen.

Limousin Breeders Show At Iowa Expo

Beals Limousin, Whitewater, exhibited the Reserve Champion Heifer with LEGA Selena, and the Division 2 Champion Bull, LEGA Sylor.

Beaver Brook, Shell Lake, showed the Division 1 Champion Bull, Beaver Brook Sherman.

Ellsworth Limousin, Elkhorn, had the Division 4 Reserve Champion Bull with EL Main Man.

Cattle from these breeders and others will be available on March 11, at the Equity Sales Facility in Sparta, at the Annual Limousin Sale.

World Pork Imports Up Says USDA

The major pork importers are projected to increase trade by nearly 1 million tons, 26 percent between 2007 and 2016.

Mexican pork imports are projected to increase nearly 200,000 tons between 2007 and 2016, making Mexico one of the fastest growing pork importers.

Increases in income and population are the primary drivers of Mexico's increasing demand for pork products.

Higher income countries of East Asia, such as Japan, Hong Kong, and South Korea, are expected to increase pork imports as their domestic hog sectors are constrained by environmental concerns and high imported feed costs. In South Korea and Japan, animal health related concerns regarding beef and poultry also boost pork demand.

As for beef, the projections assume that the TRQ that Russia imposed for pork in 2003 remains in effect until 2009. Although the TRQ initially lowered pork imports, Russia remains a major destination for competitively priced pork exports from the European Union and Brazil as demand growth continues to exceed Russian meat producers' ability to respond. By 2016, Russia is projected to import about 250,000 tons more pork than in 2007, growing more than any other country.

In China, increasing incomes boost per capita pork consumption and raise imports in the projections. However, China's pork production and exports also continue to rise but China's net pork exports rise only slightly during the coming decade.

Hereford AI Use Increases, AI Book Available

The American Hereford Association (AHA) reports a one-year 17 percent increase in the use of artificial insemination (AI) across the breed.

The Hereford AI Book is one tool the AHA has implemented in recent years to make the AI sire selection process easier. This year's book includes expected progeny differences (EPDs) and pedigrees on 137 Hereford sires available for AI use, semen and certificate prices, owner contact information, and some sire pictures, as well as a general listing of 262 additional AI sires.

This reference proved to be extremely popular in 2005 and 2006, and the 2007 version will be available March 1.

To request a copy, contact AHA staff at 816-842-3757. Hereford World subscribers will receive a copy with the March issue.

A feature new this year to the Hereford AI Book is the designation of "Non-Certificate AI Sires."

Calves from these sires can be registered without the purchase of an AI certificate. The AHA started the Non-Certificate AI Sire Program in April 2006. Sixteen bulls were enrolled in the program as of mid-February 2007, and Ward predicts there will be a large increase in this number as new bulls enter the market this spring. If you have a bull you'd like to nominate into the program, contact Ward at 816-842-3757 or jward@hereford.org. There is a one-time $250 enrollment fee.

To find bulls enrolled in the non-certificate program that may not be advertised in the Hereford AI Book, visit Hereford.org and select EPD Inquiry on the left side of the page. Then search for bulls by calving year.

The Spring 2007 Sire Summary, published by the American Hereford Association (AHA), is available in print and online at Hereford.org. The summary includes a detailed listing of 2,051 Hereford sires.

To request a sire summary, contact AHA staff at 816-842-3757. You can also download the electronic version at Hereford.org, under the "Whole Herd TPR" tab and then "EPD Search & Reference."

ASI Gives Reject User Fees Recommendation

The American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) joined nearly 40 other food and agriculture organizations in urging members of both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate to oppose the request to assess "user fees" for federally mandated meat, poultry and egg inspections, which was included in the 2008 U.S. Department of Agriculture budget proposal.

These user fees for government mandated food safety inspection programs represents an additional $96 million tax on consumers, livestock and poultry producers and the meat, poultry and egg processing industries.

The food safety-tax proposal would put meat, poultry and egg products at a competitive disadvantage in the domestic and international marketplace, compared with other food and imported products not subject to this tax.

Past attempts to impose user fees have been unsuccessful and ASI joins the other associations in asking Congress to once again reject this assessment, stated ASI Executive Director Peter Orwick.

Beef Checkoff Research Annual Report Available

The history and, in many cases, benchmark discoveries gained during the past 20 years of beef checkoff-funded research are profiled in the new research annual report, Creating Opportunity with Knowledge.

This year's report provides a historical perspective on many key issues that have confronted and continue to challenge the beef industry and summarizes findings from several benchmark research efforts.

Included in the report is a historical overview of beef safety research, such as interventions developed through the checkoff's aggressive response to a major E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in 2002. The report covers recent findings and sets the stage for further studies in safety areas such as beef packaging technologies, emerging pathogens, pre-harvest interventions and dust cloud cross-contamination.

It also includes a look at the continuing role of product enhancement research, such as the kind that led to creation of Beef Value Cuts, which are now firmly entrenched in foodservice. Three of the value cuts accounted for sales of 169 million pounds in fiscal year 2006. Future research will continue to expand knowledge about bovine genetics, tenderness prediction and beef quality consistency.

The report gives historical perspective on some of the studies that went deep into the nutritional makeup of beef and have led to a new, positive profile for lean beef in a healthy diet. It also covers findings of attitude studies targeting young people, ground beef and just what factors drive consumer protein preferences.

To view this report online or for more information on other checkoff-funded research, visit http://www.beefresearch.org or call 303-694-0305.

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