University of Nebraska–Lincoln scientists are taking their battle against food borne pathogens such as E. coli O157:H7 into the belly of the beast, as it were — hoping to figure out what is in the gut of some livestock that makes them so-called "supershedders" of pathogens.

“Ahead of the feeding curve” is a good place to be with the volatile markets and ever-changing dynamics in the cattle feeding business. It’s also the theme of this year’s Feeding Quality Forum, slated for August 23 in Omaha, Neb., and August 25 in Garden City, Kan.

BISMARCK, North Dakota – North Dakota's state veterinarian is encouraging ranchers along the Souris and Missouri rivers to talk with their local veterinarians about anthrax vaccinations for animals.

The Texas drought and the statewide outlook for beef production will  headline the 2011 Central Texas Cow/Calf Clinic scheduled 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m., Aug. 18 at the Lampasas County Farm Bureau Building, 1793 North Hwy 281 in Lampasas.

National Feeder Cattle Summary for July 15

Dodge City, Kansas, plans to build a $7 million facility for a large agricultural exhibition show that had previously been held in Garden City and Great Bend.The Western Kansas Manufacturers Association (WKMA) has hosted the 3i Show, a major ag-related trade expo, in Garden City and Great Bend in alternating years for nearly six decades. The three i’s in 3i Show stand for irrigation, implements and industry.

Heartland Grains and Milling, LLC, a manufacturer of poultry feeds, was acquired by Pacific Elements, LLC effective July 1, according to Pacific Elements, LLC, Director of Operations, Vince Cline. The two companies share the Heartland facilities in Ceres, California, where Pacific Elements, LLC is a major supplier of custom animal feed supplements for dairy, beef, poultry, pet and companion animals.

BOISE, Idaho –Under threat of a voter initiative, an Idaho cattle group says it supports legislation to punish third-time animal cruelty offenders with a felony. The Idaho Cattle Association's feeder council voted unanimously at a recent meeting to pursue the bill in 2012, according to the association's July newsletter.

LUBBOCK, Texas –The unrelenting Texas drought has produced a cruelly ironic twist: cattle dying from too much water. Agriculture officials in parched Texas said Wednesday there are no hard numbers on how many head of cattle have died but reports of deaths from too much water or too little are showing up across the nation's leading cattle production state.

MIAMI, Texas–A Beef Marketing and Risk Management meeting will be held July 25 at the Roberts County Emergency Service Building at 214 S. Main, Miami, according to a Texas AgriLife Extension Service agent.