Voting for the 2011 Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame inductees is now open at, www.cattlefeeders.org. This year, will mark the third year of nominations and the caliber of cattle feeders nominated continues to be impressive.

Economically important parasites often differ according to geographic region, but, according to Gary Sides, Cattle Nutritionist, Pfizer Animal Health Veterinary Operations, there is one parasite for which cattle producers in all parts of the country should keep an eye out this spring: the brown stomach worm.

Three weeks ago we assessed the rate of consumption of corn and soybeans and concluded that corn consumption was progressing too rapidly based on available supplies. Soybean consumption appeared to have slowed enough so that further rationing was not required.

As if raising cattle in harsh conditions wasn’t hard enough, today’s beef producer faces an enormous uphill battle on the landscape of public relations. Eating beef remains popular, healthy and affordable in today’s market. And yet the growing percentage of the population with no direct ties to agriculture creates a complex obstacle for the beef industry.

Watch calving on TV in the comfort of your home on a wireless camera with night vision in protective housing. Receive clear, color pictures up to 2,000 feet away. The Koehn Calf-cam is waterproof, weatherproof, wide angle and is in a protective case for years of service.

Natur’s Way Inc. has released a direct-fed microbial (DFM) specifically designed for automated feedlot systems using micro-machines. Each 0.5-gram dose of MSE MAX is guaranteed to deliver 5.4 billion viable microorganisms (CFU) per head per day. The convenient seven-pound jugs contain 6,356 doses and can be safely frozen to prolong viability.

Mark Schatzker is a travel writer and columnist for the Toronto Globe and Mail and author of the book “Steak: One Man’s Search for the World’s Tastiest Piece of Beef.” An ardent defender of beef consumption, he traveled to Scotland, Argentina, Japan and Italy, learning their beef production methods and tasting their unique brand of beef. He also writes about raising his own two head of cattle on a small farm outside Toronto, purely for his own family’s beef consumption. He shared with Progressive Cattleman Editor David Cooper thoughts about the book and the response it has generated. Q. How long did it take to actually write the book?A. I would say about three years, with a lot of travel. The concentrated writing was something like six or seven months, but there was obviously a great deal of travel before that … I felt it was very important to really see many different beef-eating and beef-loving and beef-producing cultures to see the difference.