Cattle Industry News
APHIS Alters BSE Announcement Strategy as Testing Proficiency Improves
Protocol Change Seen by Cattle Producers as Positive Step
Washington, D.C. (August 4, 2004) – Improvements in BSE testing protocols by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will continue the agency’s science-based approach to identifying and announcing potential BSE cases, according to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).
APHIS announced today that it will now wait until the second and third concurrent rapid tests are conducted before declaring a test sample inconclusive. Only if one of these tests is reactive will APHIS announce the result as an inconclusive, at which point a confirmatory test will be conducted at National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa.
This protocol is consistent with manufacturer’s instructions, which state that a sample is inconclusive for BSE if either of a set of duplicate tests conducted after the first rapid test is reactive. At that point an immunohistochemistry (IHC) test – the gold standard test for BSE – is performed.
“We suggested this change to USDA, and support their action,” said NCBA President Jan Lyons, a beef producer from Manhattan, Kan. “It conforms to the manufacturer’s recommendations and is consistent with practices by other countries, which have identified the best scientific practices to identify the disease. Their move should help protect our industry by maintaining consumer confidence and reducing market volatility.”
According to APHIS Chief Veterinarian John Clifford, APHIS has completed
proficiency testing of all BSE labs, including reviewing data from the first 60
days of testing. Its protocol change is based on this review. Rapid tests on
more than 28,000 samples have been conducted since June 1.
- National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
USDA Awards $11.64 Million to States for a National Animal Identification System
REDWOOD COUNTY, Minn., Aug. 5, 2004 - Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman today announced the selection of 29 state and tribal projects to receive a total of $11.64 million to advance the national animal identification initiative.
"This first phase of funding to states and tribes takes us closer to our goal of implementing a national animal identification system (NAIS) for all U.S. livestock and poultry animals," said Veneman. "These projects represent strong collaboration among state and tribal animal health officials, academia, producers and producer organizations."
USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will distribute the funds through 29 cooperative agreements. States and tribes can use the funds to register premises through a standardized system provided by APHIS or through other systems that comply with NAIS data standards. Besides registering premises and establishing necessary data transfer procedures, many states and tribes will also conduct field trials or research in order to test and fine-tune ID technologies and collect animal movement data.
State and tribal plans include collecting intra- and interstate animal movement records electronically; integrating data collection technologies at livestock marketing facilities and processing plants; tracking livestock imported from other countries; and electronically collecting animal movement data as livestock are loaded on and off trucks and trailers at their ship-from and ship-to locations. The Department's technology-neutral position will allow industry to determine which animal identification method or methods are the most practical and effective for each species.
The animal identification initiative is a continuing USDA priority. Currently, USDA is holding a series of listening sessions across the country to discuss with producers the development, structure and implementation of the NAIS. Six sessions have been held so far, and nine more are scheduled, with one scheduled to take place on August 27 at the Joplin Regional Stockyards.
The Missouri Department of Agriculture will receive $433,064 for the “Missouri Premise Identification System.” - USDA
Cargill Says it Won't Slaughter R-CALF Cattle
Calgary - One of the country's largest meat packers says it won't knowingly process cattle owned by members of an American lobby group fighting to keep Canadian beef out of the U.S., a move sought by Alberta ranchers.
Cargill faced a blockade by ranchers and feedlot operators two weeks ago, when its trucks tried to haul away cattle that the protesters believed were owned by Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America (R-CALF USA). Cargill spokesman Rick Meijer says the company will rely on feedlot operators and ranchers to alert them to which cattle are owned by R-CALF.
In April, R-CALF successfully lobbied a Montana judge to block additional beef exports into the U.S. The U.S. Department of Agriculture had approved the wider scope of acceptable beef shipments.
R-CALF also opposes reopening the border to live cattle, arguing Canadian beef is unsafe. Many in the local industry don't believe the group's members should be allowed to profit from selling Alberta cattle whose prices are driven down by the mad cow crisis when they are actively working to keep the border closed.
Feedlot operator Rick Pascal, who helped organize the small blockade of Cargill in mid-July, believes R-CALF members own as many as 50,000 cattle in the province. He says they're now going to greater lengths to disguise who owns the animals, including selling to two or three surrogate owners and rebranding them.
"There's what I call some unscrupulous people in this business that are trying to bail these R-CALF guys out and buying these cattle cheap from the R-CALF guys and trying to sell them cheap to the Canadian packers," Pascal said. "I'm telling you we're going to do whatever we can to put some stress on these guys. "If it means some of their cows don't get slaughtered, well, I guess that's what it is."
In a statement, R-CALF said it can't control what individual members do, and maintained its position that the border should remain closed until Canada can ensure the safety of its cattle. The U.S. and 33 other countries closed their borders to Canadian beef May 20, 2003, after a single case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy was discovered in Alberta. While the United States began accepting some cuts of beef last August, they still won't allow shipments of live cattle.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is in the process of determining whether it should be reopened to live cattle. - Calgary CBC
Cattle- Fax Market Update
Market Highlights - Prices paid for fed cattle were mostly steady last week in a limited test. Live prices were established at $85 to $85.50. Dressed trade was $1 to as much as $3 higher, trading at $134 to $135. Cutout values moved higher in response to the firm fed cattle prices and higher asking prices. Feeder cattle and calves were primarily $1 to $2 higher on the week, supplies remain limited. Slaughter cows and bulls were mostly $1 to $3 higher. Demand remains good for all classes.
Low-Carb Impact – Low carbohydrate diets like the Atkins and the South Beach diets have certainly had an impact on consumer attitudes and buying habits. So far this year, food companies have launched 1,863 products marketed as low-carbohydrate in an effort to capitalize on the boom in sales that has been experienced by meats, dairy products, and eggs. Some of these are new products and others are low-carbohydrate varieties of current products. -To join Cattle-Fax, call (800) 825-7525
Missouri Cattlemen’s Association News
2004 Missouri Beef Tour Features Variety of Production Topics
Bull development, handling facilities, the Premier Beef Marketing program, contract embryo implanting, the Show-Me-Select Heifer Replacement Program, feeding cattle in Missouri, and financing cattle-feeding operations are just a few of the topics to be discussed during the 2004 Missouri Beef Tour on August 27.
The 2004 Missouri Beef Tour will feature four operations in Northeast Missouri: Hopewell Farms, Paris, operated by Bob and Lynn Fodge and son Bobby; Kenny and Imogene Latimer’s farm north of Hunnewell; Bob and Charles Vannoy’s farm east of Shelbyville; and the Ricketts Feedout/Buckman Feedlot just east of Shelbina. The final tour stop includes a beef dinner prepared by members of the Lewis/Marion and Monroe County Cattlemen’s Associations at the American Legion Hall in Shelbina.
The Beef Tour begins at 1:30 p.m. on August 27 at the Hopewell Farm, located near Paris in Monroe County. There is no cost for those wishing to participate in the tour. For more information, contact Al Kennett, MU Regional Extension Livestock Specialist, at (573) 985-3911 or kennetta@missouri.edu.
Sponsors of the 2004 Missouri Beef Tour are the Lewis/Marion and Monroe County Cattlemen’s Associations, local beef organizations, agribusinesses and individuals, MU Extension and the Commercial Agriculture Program, and the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association.
- Information provided by Commercial Agriculture
Calendar of Events
Aug. 12-22 Missouri State Fair, Sedalia
Aug. 12 Polk County – Smith’s Restaurant, 7:00 p.m.
Aug. 28 American Hereford Association Breed Improvement 101, Litton Hall, University of Missouri – Columbia
Sept. 16 MCA Board of Directors Meeting - Columbia
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