Jack Hippen Market Development Director, North America DeLaval Inc. Vernon Hills, Illinois

With beta-agonists being in the news lately, I find myself frequently being asked questions about these animal feed ingredients and why they’re used in raising some livestock today. Beta-agonists have been used in U.S. swine production since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in 1999 and in U.S. cattle production since 2003. Approval for use in turkey production has followed, but is not used as widely as in cattle and swine.

Gina McCarthy, the newly appointed administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, addressed a group of Iowa agriculturists in an effort to strengthen the relationship between the EPA and the industry.

Beef herd owners would be shocked to learn they’d lost 25 percent of cow pregnancies in two weeks. It happens all the time. And owners never know it.

As summer winds down, many dairies may see a little relief in sight as temperatures begin to cool down and the incidences of heat stress decrease. While heat stress is a common concern during these months, many producers may want to consider how the temperature is affecting their milk production and milk quality. According to the National Mastitis Council, poor milk quality isn’t cheap. The average case of mastitis costs a farmer $184, with two-thirds of that amount due to loss in milk production.

The number one factor influencing success of any dairy farm business is its ability to focus on the business side of the dairy. When we think about companies doing a good job at managing the “business side,” we think of Fortune 500. Read about their defining characteristics and what dairy can learn from them in this week’s column from John Frey. PD Click here for the column.

Merck Animal Health, the makers of the beta-agonist cattle supplement Zilmax, announced Aug. 16 that it will temporarily suspend sales to study and audit its uses by cattle feeders.  

New landowners interested in learning to better manage their ranch’s resources while protecting the environment can do so during the annual Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Ranch Management University on the Texas A&M University (TAMU) campus in College Station.

From the Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook for August 2013: Despite there being no mid-year Cattle report from USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service due to sequester-driven budget cuts that necessitated cancellations of several NASS surveys, greater year-over-year total commercial cow slaughter through the first half of 2013 would suggest the potential for another decline in January 1, 2014 cow inventories.

New reports from Iowa now say the Iowa company that sought a permit for horse slaughter is dropping the bid.