Pam and I were having a deep discussion on cow psychology – subjects such as horn envy, chuteaphobia, the empty nest syndrome at weaning time and unsightly hair on udders. Then she brought up a subject that I have wondered about myself, even as a cross-species problem: females working together in a tight community.

Recently, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) announced that for the months of February through May 2013, the minimum prices for the five classes of milk will be increased by varying amounts, resulting in an overall blend price increase of about $0.25 per hundredweight (cwt).

Todd’s neighbor has raised good Hereford cattle as long as Todd has known him. As years went by Mr. Gerald, the neighbor, let his herd dwindle in numbers. Then last winter he fell and injured his knee.

In this column, I have often written that the best investment we make is an investment in people. Specifically, helping them understand the importance of bringing meaning to their lives. For those choosing public service, the meaning is service to others, empathy for those less fortunate and compassion for those stuck in a life void of self-determination and opportunity.

This newsletter is published by Texas AgriLife Extension and edited by Dr. Stephen Hammack, Professor & Extension Beef Cattle Specialist Emeritus. Browse the sections below to learn about recent hot topics in the cattle industry.Where does E. coli come from? According to the TV, Internet, newspapers, magazines and other “usually reliable” sources, E. coli comes from cows.

A study published in the January 2013 issue of Theriogenology, the journal of animal reproduction, raises more questions about using modified-live vaccines (MLV) in breeding females and naïve heifers.

The European Union dropped its ban on some U.S. meat imports on Feb. 4 in a gesture aimed at starting talks on a free-trade pact, reported www.euractiv.com. The European news site said that Brussels and Washington want to deepen a relationship that accounts for a third of global trade and ending the EU import ban on live pigs and beef washed in lactic acid is meant to show the Europeans are serious about a deal.

Wisconsin farm groups, including the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation and the Dairy Business Association, say laws should be amended so that farms could legally employ foreign workers year-round. A University of Wisconsin – Madison study found that more than 40 percent of the employees on Wisconsin dairy farms were immigrants. The study also said that experts believe roughly 50 percent of immigrant workers in U.S. agriculture lack legal authorization to work here.

According to ABC News, animal rights group Mercy for Animals has halted undercover camera investigations into animal cruelty in five farm states, including Iowa and Utah where laws against such filming went into effect last year. The Humane Society of the United States has also stopped its hidden-camera investigations in those states. Click here to read Progressive Dairyman's December article, "Dairy industry adapting strategically to video probes," in which communications consultant Charlie Arnot writes that the dairy industry has "gone from saying nothing and defending the farmer at all costs to becoming a leading voice in the conversation."