On Jan. 12, 2013, more than 150 people journeyed to the UC Davis – School of Veterinary Medicine to attend the Second Beef Improvement and Low Stress Cattle Handling Seminar.

One of the top educational conferences in the country, the Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference is dedicated to helping dairy producers learn new ways of increasing their profitability by doing more with less. In its 11th year, the conference plans to deliver a high impact program. Leading experts will make presentations on topics ranging from labor management and community connections to calf nutrition and global issues concerning the dairy industry. Read below to see a sampling of the educational sessions.

Denver Post reporter Joey Bunch interviewed a number of attendees at the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo about the effect that potential cuts to a five-year farm bill could have on the cattle business. The farmers and ranchers interviewed said that they fear Congress will do an across-the-board cut that could hobble crop insurance, research and loan programs they consider vital to their industries. Rancher Joe Freund, for instance, has often partnered with genetics researchers and veterinarians at Colorado State University, who depend on money in the federal farm bill.

Cargill Inc., the largest U.S. beef processor, will idle a Texas processing plant after the size of the cattle herd fell to a 60-year low, due to persistent drought, and cattle futures dropped. The Plainview plant will stop operations at the close of business on Feb. 1 to reduce the strain on the company’s beef business, John Keating, president of Cargill Beef, said in a statement.

Landmark Services Cooperative will be hosting its annual farm management workshops Feb. 4 in Deforest, Wisconsin, and Feb. 5 in Janesville, Wisconsin.

“The 2013 farm management workshops will provide useful planning and production tools for agriculture producers of all scopes and sizes,” says Kristi Lange, communications and events coordinator for Landmark Services Cooperative. “As this year’s theme – “Every farm has a history: Managing your farm for the future” – suggests, discussions will help producers combine lessons learned with new industry tools to plan for a successful year.”

Salmonellosis is a pervasive disease that is hard to keep out of a dairy operation. With help from a new online tool from Pfizer Animal Health, dairy producers can assess their risk of a Salmonella outbreak. The short self-assessment — found at www.SalmonellaRisk.com/Assessment — helps producers find proactive measures to help lessen the risk of a disastrous outbreak. “Salmonella is on the rise and is a risk to every dairy operation,” says Gary Neubauer, senior manager, dairy technical services, Pfizer Animal Health.

The value of lablab, an annual tropical legume, as potential quality forage has long been known, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be made a lot better, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Research plant breeder. Gerald Smith, plant breeder at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Overton, is currently working with hundreds of crosses looking for superior qualities. “We need a new forage crop in Texas that fits our seasons and works for us in the summer,” Smith said.

Earlier this week, the California Department of Food and Agriculture released its much anticipated announcement on the Dec. 21, 2012 milk pricing hearing, saying it would temporarily increase Class 1, 2, 3, 4a and 4b prices by approximately $0.251/cwt for the period of Feb. 1 to May 31, 2013. The announcement by Candace Gates, chief of the Dairy Marketing Branch, provided these details: