Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Notice of availability and request for comments; reopening of comment period [Brucellosis]

Notice of availability and request for comments; reopening of comment period [Brucellosis]
Federal Register: December 28, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 247)]
Notices
Page 68566-68567
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [ http://www.wais.access.gpo.gov/ ]

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Docket No. APHIS-2009-0006

Notice of Availability of a Bovine Brucellosis Program Concept Paper

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Symposium to Address Natural Resource Management in a Political Climate

MOSCOW, Idaho – Natural resource stewardship is one area of focus for rangeland managers, landowners, conservationists, and federal, state and private agencies during a January symposium in Boise. The "Congress on Western Rangelands" will bring together groups interested in the most innovative strategies to manage western working landscapes in the midst of controversy. The symposium -- sponsored by the University of Idaho, the Intermountain Rangeland Livestock Symposium, the Idaho Section Society for Range Management and the Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission -- takes place Jan. 13-15 at the Boise Centre, 850 W. Front St., and is open to the public.

The program is designed to help participants learn about the conditions and policies that influence western rangeland conservation and management from a multitude of perspectives. One objective is to explore some of the biggest contemporary challenges to managing rangelands, such as the pattern of litigation and appeal processes involved with federal grazing permits. These public land lawsuits can delay and prevent the implementation of actions which are expressly designed to enhance environmental conditions on rangelands.“This conference will provide a forum for dialogue about how to balance public and private costs and benefits within working landscapes,” said Kelly Crane, University of Idaho rangeland extension specialist. “The goal of the dialogue is to allow for stewardship built upon local knowledge, best available science and stakeholder involvement.”The conference also provides a forum to showcase nationally recognized individuals and organizations who have successfully implemented innovative strategies to sustain western rangelands.


Friday, December 11, 2009

Locally, sustainably grown and nutritious food is hot, hot, hot

Industry News - AM
By Lisa M. Keefe on 12/2/2009


The National Restaurant Association's annual survey of hottest menu trends shows that for 2010, it's sustainability, local sourcing and nutrition, according to a release by the organization.

Sustainability means produced according to the concepts of environmentally friendly practices. Local sourcing is believed to impart freshness, minimal transportation and economic support of local communities and businesses.

Second Brucellois Case in Idaho

By Carol Ryan Dumas
Capital Press
December 8, 2009

Tests have confirmed a second animal positive for brucellosis in an eastern Idaho herd.

The disease is highly infectious and can cause cattle to abort.

Idaho State Veterinarian Bill Barton said all animals in the herd have been tested and most results are back.

The department and the industry take a brucellosis finding seriously as another finding in a separate herd would cause the state to lose its brucellosis-free status, wreaking havoc on cattlemen's ability to market their animals.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

DON’T LET NITRATES COST CATTLE LIVES

Central Idaho Extension Agents have nitrate "quick test" kits that they can use to check forages for excessive nitrate concentrations.  The "quick test" can tell you if you need to send the sample to a lab for more accurate analysis and can be preformed on fresh or preserved forage.  These are provide under a training and certification program through Montana State.  CC

By Bruce Anderson, Extension Forage Specialist, University of Nevada.

Will you be feeding cane, millet, or oat hay to your cows this winter? If so, don’t let high nitrate levels kill your cows or cause abortions. Stay tuned for more.

Nitrates occur naturally in all forages. At low levels, nitrates either are converted into microbial protein by bacteria in the rumen or they are excreted. But when nitrate concentrations get too high, they can kill cows and maybe abort calves.

Interview with Doc and Connie Hatfield Founders of Country Natural Beef

Click here to go to the BEEF article and 9 minute video interview with the Hatfields about this history and current status of Country Natural Beef.

County Natural Beef Interview

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

USDA NAHM's Beef Survey Reveals Declining Efficacy Of Popular Dewormers

CattleNetwork
December 7, 2009

Pour-on dewormers commonly used by beef producers simply are not working like they used to, according to new research data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) Beef 2007-2008 cow-calf survey.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Bill to ban sub-therapeutic antibiotics from food animal use introduced

Feedstuffs
December 2, 2009

A bill introduced today by Rep. Louis Slaughter (D., N.Y.) would require the Food & Drug Administration to withdraw the sub-therapeutic use of seven classes of antibiotics in food animals. Specifically, the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act 2009 would target penicillins, tetracyclines, macrolides, lincosamides, streptogramins, aminoglycosides and sulfonamides.

Lemhi County Cattlemen’s Winter School

The Lemhi County Cattle and Horse Growers Association and Lemhi County Extension would like to invite everyone to their Annual Winter School. Winter School is held on Tuesday evenings beginning on January 5 and will continue till February 9. It begins at 7:00 p.m. and is held at the Elks Lodge. It is free.

January 5: Sarah Baker, Custer County Extension Educator will speaking on the value of collecting carcass data and understanding the data that is returned.

January 12: Dr. Jim England with Caine Veterinary Center will be teaching producers how to do a ranch necropsy and discussing what in new on the horizon regarding calfhood vaccinations.

January 19: The Lemhi Cooperative Weed Management Area will be presenting different aspects of noxious weeds control. Daniel Bertram will be discussing the different classifications of herbicides. Diane Schuldt will discuss the CWMA strategic plan and Shannon Williams will present the environmental fate of herbicides. Three recertification credits have been applied for.

January 26: Beef Quality Assurance will be the topic this night. Dr. Benton Glaze, Dr. John Hall and Shannon Williams will be presenting on chute-side practices that assure beef quality. Producers will have the opportunity to become certified or re-certified for BQA.

February 2: Mario De Haro Marti, Gooding County Extension Educator, will be presenting on environmental regulations and issues related to beef operations, including confined animal feeding operations and grazing. The presentation will also include regulatory frames from the State of Idaho, EPA and new NPDS permits.

Danny Martinez will also be speaking on his experience of working through public lands grazing and endangered species on his range in Arizona and New Mexico.

February 9: RaeMarie Gordon with IMI Global, Inc. will be presenting on their verification program. IMI Global is a leading provider of verification solutions for the agriculture industry.

For more information about Winter School, feel free to contact the Lemhi County Extension Office at 756-2815 ext. 283

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Brucellosis Identified in Eastern Idaho Herd

Click here for the entire article.


By REBECCA BOONE (AP) – 18 hours ago

BOISE, Idaho — The infectious bacterial disease brucellosis has been found in a beef cow in eastern Idaho, and state agriculture officials are scrambling to see if the infection is isolated or if it has spread to other herds.

Idaho Department of Agriculture state veterinarian Bill Barton sent a memo to state animal health officials on Monday, saying that a beef cow from a newly assembled 600-head herd tested positive for brucellosis. No calves or bred females have been sold from the herd, according to Barton's memo.