Consumers often perceive the modern beef production system has an environmental impact greater than that of historical systems, with improved efficiency being achieved at the expense of greenhouse gas emissions,” says Jude Capper, private Sustainability Consultant and Adjunct Professor of Animal Science at Washington State University....More

You’ve worked for decades to build the practice of your dreams. You’ve overcome obstacles and, sure, you’ve seen your share of ups and downs. But in the end, you’re proud of what you’ve accomplished....More

Today’s food production system is questioned relentlessly with issues ranging from “pink slime,” to “mad cow” and general animal welfare. Often, veterinarians can find themselves caught in the middle....More

In the second issue of BEEFVet it’s only fitting we acknowledge one of the most significant contributions veterinarians have made to the beef industry. Without veterinarians passionate about making change, the initial National Beef Quality Audit and the subsequent Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) initiatives may not have happened. Or, the improvements would not have taken center stage for more than a quarter century....More

Rational thinking would cause one to figure, in a drought as epic as this year’s, that worm larvae have a snowball’s chance of surviving. Pastures have a crisp, toast-like patina and there isn’t enough moisture and green grass to entice any self-respecting Ostertagia larvae to leave that nice, homelike cow patty and brave the elements....More

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) Wildlife Services (WS) program will conduct a second U.S. field trial of a vaccine to control rabies in raccoons, skunks, and other wildlife beginning this month. The expansion was approved after an environmental assessment process....More

Anything that can be done to help calves thrive in a feedyard is important. That’s the takeaway from a nationwide survey of modern cattle feeding. Of six pre-arrival management practices that cattle feeders were asked about, all ranked high in importance. But the big winner was that calves be castrated and dehorned at least four weeks prior to shipping....More

 Some heat-stressed cows are delivering premature calves, ahead of normal fall-calving season.   With a heat wave and severe drought, fall-calving season might become as labor intensive as winter calving, say University of Missouri Extension specialists. Farmers who have calved both spring and fall prefer the normally trouble-free ease of fall calving.   "Cows under stress need to be watched closely," says David Patterson, MU beef reproduction specialist.  ...More

Once a cow is bred, she should calve about 283 days later. However, sometimes the pregnancy is lost. Late pregnancy loss is usually visible; you find the aborted fetus or the cow with placental membranes hanging from the vulva. “But with early pregnancy loss, you don’t have a clue,” says Ahmed Tibary, DVM and Washington State University (WSU) professor of theriogenology....More

Meeting this week in Rome, the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) adopted global food safety standards for ractopamine hydrochloride, a growth promotants used in cattle and pigs. The decision will be finalized on Saturday, July 7, when Codex adopts its final report. The Codex actions establish international standards for an acceptable daily intake (ADI) and maximum residue levels (MRLs) for the product in cattle and pig muscle tissue, fat, liver and kidney....More

Now is the time of year for livestock producers to be vigilant for anthrax. "The hot summer months of July and August are when we see most of our anthrax cases in the upper Great Plains," says Charlie Stoltenow, North Dakota State University Extension Service veterinarian. "Cattle should have been vaccinated before they were turned out into the pasture." Vaccination is especially important for livestock in areas with a history of anthrax, he adds....More

As the temperature increases ranchers and feedlot operators start to worry about the well-being of their cattle. However, it is not just heat that plays a part in heat stress, says Heather Larson, SDSU Extension Cow/Calf Field Specailist.   "Producers need to monitor all weather conditions such as temperature, humidity and wind, closely and start interventions early in the day, well before noon," Larson said. "If an extended amount of time elapses before cattle are cooled down it may be too hot and late."  ...More