U.S. Sens. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and Tim Johnson, D-South Dakota, are continuing their efforts to end the shortfall of veterinarians in rural areas by reintroducing the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program Enhancement Act (VMLRP).

The Wyoming Public Lands Coalition (WPLC) has elected Dennis Sun as its chairman and Wyoming director of the Public Lands Council. Sun will replace Niels Hansen, who ranches near Rawlins“We are extremely grateful to Niels for his leadership of the Wyoming Public Lands Coalition and we welcome Dennis into his new role,” said Wyoming Stock Growers Association Executive Vice President Jim Magagna.

The 2013 Purchasing and Ingredient Suppliers Conference (PISC), an annual two-day event of the American Feed Industry Association concluded March 14 in Fort Worth, Texas.

The first month of 2013 offered a mix of good news and challenges for exports of U.S. beef and pork during January, according to statistics released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).

Details are starting to be released about the meat inspector furloughs being forced by USDA budget cuts, which include an estimated $52.8 million cut in fiscal 2013 spending for the Food Safety and Inspection Service. According to the Capitol Hill publication Roll Call, it looks as though there will be 11 days of unpaid leave required to meet the across-the-board budget cuts that went into effect March 1.

Parnell, a global leader in dairy reproduction, today announced the launch of Synchronization Pack, containing estroPLAN (cloprostenol sodium) and GONAbreed (gonadorelin acetate) - the first reproductive hormone ever to be approved by the FDA to synchronize estrous cycles in lactating dairy cows and beef cows. Currently done with extra label drugs and hormones. Synchronization Pack incorporates timed injections of GONAbreed (gonadorelin acetate) and estroPLAN (cloprostenol sodium) to allow for fixed time artificial insemination (FTAI) in commonly used cattle breeding programs.  GONAbreed has also been FDA-approved for the treatment of ovarian follicular cysts in dairy cattle.

The National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) has named Thad Simons, President and CEO, Novus, as the 2013 Agribusiness Leader of the Year. This award, which is NAMA’s highest honor, will be presented at the Opening General Session of the 2013 Agri-Marketing Conference, “Forging New Frontiers,” April 18, 2013, in Kansas City, Missouri.

USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service is suspending a number of statistical surveys and reports for the remainder of the fiscal year due to reduced funding caused by sequestration. The suspended reports include the July cattle report.

A new study by researchers at the University of Arizona and Northwest Missouri State University shows that standing and lying behavior can predict heat stress in cows.

Do you know someone who’s temperamental? What about an animal? Amazingly, cattle can be temperamental too, which influences how they should be handled, how they perform and even how they react to viruses that cause diseases.