After months of preparation and weeks of anticipation, the opening day of branding season is nearly here. My kids have been counting down the days and the subject of branding monopolizes our conversations.

A beef feedlot in Underwood, Iowa, has agreed to pay a $20,000 civil penalty for unpermitted discharges of wastewater from the facility into Mosquito Creek.

The Animal Health Network is coordinating with the Texas Animal Health Commission to inform horse owners throughout the state about the potential spread of equine herpesvirus-1, also known as EHV-1, a highly contagious and potentially devastating equine disease.

National Feeder Cattle Summary for May 27

TRENDING TOPIC ARTICLE: MANURE Published: May 31, 2011 This article highlighted the AgSTAR National Conference in Boise, Idaho, in 2011, where Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy's Jerry Bingold announced a goal of 1,300 anaerobic digesters to be built by the year 2020. This would mean a digester built every day for four years. to jump to the article. Click here to learn about a new report being developed by the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. Bingold explains the development of digesters and why the 1,300 number may no longer be necessary.

The USDA crop progress report released May 23, 2011 shows 79 percent of the corn acres planted in the top 18 states versus 92 percent in 2010, well behind the 2006-2010 average of 87 percent. With wet fields and delays in planting, only 45 percent of the corn has emerged versus 69 percent in 2010.

The National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) is conducting a first-of-its-kind study on the health and management practices of custom heifer-rearing operations in the U.S. The "Dairy Heifer Raiser 2011" study will include data from custom heifer raisers in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, North Dakota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

This year’s finalists for the title of Princess Kay of the Milky Way have been named. The 12 young women from dairy farm backgrounds were selected at the conclusion of a three-day event for county dairy princesses held in St. Joseph, Minnesota. Each of the 12 will be sculpted in butter during the 2011 Minnesota State Fair. Princess Kay is crowned each year the night before the State Fair opens.

Mark Kruse will discuss his pasture conversion experiences, his rotational grazing system, organic pasture management, and manure management at a pasture walk on June 22.