An article published recently in the Journal of Dairy Science suggests that breeding programs could select cows that emit less methane per unit of milk produced if appropriate selection traits are identified. Enteric methane is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions associated with milk production, according to research commissioned by the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. A large portion of the variation in the amount of enteric methane produced by dairy cattle is inherent genetic variation among individual cows.

EPA chief Lisa Jackson has announced that she will leave her cabinet position after President Obama's State of the Union address, planned for late January. An Associated Press article summarized Jackson's three-plus years in the role: "Jackson, the agency's first black administrator, constantly found herself caught between administration pledges to solve controversial environmental problems and steady resistance from Republicans and industrial groups who complained that the agency's rules destroyed jobs and made it harder for American companies to compete internationally."

The American Jersey Cattle Association has announced that for the first time in history, it has recorded 100,000 animals in a single year. The previous record for Jersey registrations – 96,174 set in 2011 – was broken early in the day on Dec. 26, attesting to rapid expansion of the Jersey population across the U.S. “This is a milestone for not only the association and its members, but also for the Jersey breed worldwide,” said Neal Smith, the association's executive secretary and CEO.

In a year during which tremendous variability was observed within fields as well as among locations, information from replicated university trials is particularly valuable – replication helps account for variability.

The 2013 Mid-America Alfalfa Expo & Conference will offer a special presentation of the Alfalfa Intensive Training Seminar, an industry trade show and a fundraising auction.

The featured presenter will be Dan Undersander, professor of agronomy at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Sponsored by the Nebraska Alfalfa Marketing Association (NAMA), the Mid-America Alfalfa Expo & Conference will be held in Kearney, Nebraska, Feb. 5 and 6.

Staying efficient and creative are becoming vital components to the beef industry as producers continue to face severe drought, low cattle numbers, high cattle prices, high input costs and consumer demands.

As calendar year 2012 comes to a close and we reflect back on the year, it’s hard to select only a few program highlights to share because there were so many. To be brief, we bring you the Top 5:

When Dan Bell drives through his 35,000-acre (14,000-hectare) cattle ranch, he speaks of the hurdles that the Border Patrol faces in his rolling green hills of oak and mesquite trees -- the hours it takes to drive to some places, the wilderness areas that are generally off-limits to motorized vehicles, the environmental reviews required to extend a dirt road.