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.

A funny thing happened on the way to the Super Bowl – well, actually, during the Super Bowl last week. In between the blackout and the final catch a hush came over our party when Dodge Ram aired its nearly two-minute “So God Made a Farmer” commercial. In the days since the commercial aired, I have re-watched it many times, and each time I am struck with a different thought.

As the spring calving season begins, the cows will show typical signs that will indicate parturition is imminent. Changes that are gradually seen are udder development, or making bag, and the relaxation and swelling of the vulva. These indicate the cow is due to calve in the near future.

FarmTek has launched a new website, www.FodderSystems.com, dedicated to its hydroponic forage system and the topic of growing fresh livestock feed. The site discusses the reasons to grow fodder, benefits for livestock, types of fodder seed, the systems available and more.

Purchasing a bull can be a difficult and sometimes expensive proposition for a beef cattle producer. However, ranchers got an inside look at how to overcome some of these challenges at a recent workshop held in College Station by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.