By Susan Himes COVID-19 impact to be focus The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will be holding the West Region Cattle Marketing Update online April 20 from 10-11 a.m. The focus will be the impact of COVID-19 on the beef industry. The event is free and will be held on the Zoom meeting platform. Participants may also join… Read More →
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Opinion: Government Support Needed to Modernize Agriculture
World food prices have now fallen as much as 4.3 percent amid the pandemic, potentially crippling rural economies and raising sharp concerns among farmers trying to sustain their operations. (TNS) — The United States has built the most abundant, affordable, accessible and diverse food system the world has ever known, but the emergence of the… Read More →
Using Vaccines This Spring? Keep ‘Em Cool.
By Rhonda Brooks Vaccines are effective tools against a host of cattle diseases but how they’re handled – from the time purchased to the time used – can significantly affect their efficacy. “It’s our job to keep as much of that vaccine effectiveness as possible until we actually get it injected into the animal that… Read More →
Cattle Q&A: Davey Griffin on meat safety during COVID-19
By David Cooper While the rise of the coronavirus (COVID-19) disease created turmoil in beef commodity markets, a steady supply of beef continues to be delivered into the food chain. In an effort to understand further how packing facilities are adapting to both the distribution demand for beef and the ongoing food safety concerns during… Read More →
Interim Veterinary Guidance on Companion Animal Coronavirus Testing in Texas
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) does not know the exact source of the current outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The first infections were linked to a live animal market, but the virus is now spreading from person to person.• The CDC is not aware of any companion animals (i.e. household cats and dogs) in theUnited… Read More →
Agriculture is on the front lines of COVID-19
Although it is not seen in the nightly news, agriculture is quietly going about the business of feeding all of us in the middle of this pandemic even as we social distance and shelter in place. Farmers are still tending their crops, dairies are still milking cows, ranchers are still feeding cattle and calving their… Read More →
Rx Required
By Susan Himes Food and Drug administration Is continuing the phasing in of a law that requires a prescription for any antibiotic use in animals raised for human consumption. No longer will producers who need injectable antibiotics for their cattle be able to just grab them at their local feed store or order them online…. Read More →
Meat Perspectives: Here today, gone tomorrow
By Jeff Savell and Kerri Gehring COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS — For those in the beef industry, the fact that beef is larger and heavier than it was in the past is not breaking news. Cattle are heavier, making carcasses weigh more. Subprimals are larger and heavier, making retail cuts larger. This trend began about 40 years… Read More →
Commentary: Will reinstating horse slaughter in the U.S. improve horse welfare?
By Courtney L. Daigle It is in the best interest of the horse to reinstate horse slaughter for human consumption in the United States. Related: Horse Slaughter Ban Still A Hot Topic Here’s why: Abolition of horse slaughter in the United States for human consumption has eliminated one of the management tools needed to provide horses with good welfare. This… Read More →