Here are the headlines from a few of the news stories highlighted this week:

• Bipartisan Congressional Dairy Farmer Caucus Formed
• Sask Dairy Producers Eligible for Johne’s Funding
• Group Challenges Starbucks to Back Off Milk from Cows Given rBST
• Protestors at CME Decry Low Milk Prices
• China’s Mengniu Dairy Profits Soar 43%
• EBay Plows New Ground in Agriculture
• NY: Are Two Cheese Museums Necessary?

Click to read more about each of these and other news articles.

The enormous and sustained growth in U.S. milk production is simply overwhelming the steady expansion of dairy consumption and weighing down dairy product and milk prices. One bit of favorable news is that cheese and butter prices have halted their freefall and have begun to stabilize at levels that are 15 to 20% below prices witnessed at the beginning of 2006. Another positive note is that Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program payments have been restored and extended until September 2007, which should ease some of the worries related to declining prices.

Source: Mississippi State University/ Bill Herndon, April 2006
Source URL: http://www.agecon.msstate.edu/research/dairy_newsletter/NEWSLT06APR.pdf

Forecast milk supply in 2006 is raised from last month as USDA's Milk Production report indicated continued strong growth in milk supplies during February. With higher production, stock forecasts are increased slightly. Product prices are forecast lower than last month, but forecast CCC net removals are unchanged. The Class III price forecast is reduced due to lower expected cheese prices. Likewise, lower forecast butter prices result in a lower Class IV price. The all milk price forecast for 2006 is lowered to $12.55 to $13.05 per cwt.

Source: USDA/ ERS, April 10, 2006
Source URL: http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/reports/waobr/wasde-bb/2006/wasde433.txt

Here are some of the additional market trends and analysis presented this week:

• Bailey: Cheese Prices Mysteriously Rally
• CA: Milk Continues Coming; Prices Go South
• China Market Survey: Dairy Products
• UK Milk Production Falls
• Usage of New Generation Grain Marketing Contracts

Click to read these summaries and more.

C. parvum isolated from cattle in northeastern Turkey and in Israel was genotyped using multiple polymorphic genetic markers, and the two populations were compared to assess the effect of cattle husbandry on the parasite's population structure.

Together, these observations show that genetically distinct populations of C. parvum can emerge within a group of hosts in a relatively short time. This may explain the frequent detection of host-specific genotypes with unknown taxonomic status in surface water and the existence of geographically restricted C. hominis genotypes in humans.

Source: Emergence of Distinct Genotypes of Cryptosporidium parvum in Structured Host Populations. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, April 2006, p. 2507-2513, Vol. 72, No. 4. Sultan Tanriverdi, Alex Markovics, M. Özkan Arslan, Aysel Itik, et al.

Evaluation of foot swelling: Since the hoof capsule is rigid and incapable of marked expansion, lay personnel should be instructed to examine the tissues at and immediately proximal to the coronet for evidence of swelling. To facilitate detection of swelling of the foot, lame animals should be moved, if possible, from areas of deep grass or mud onto a packed surface. Heavily soiled feet should be cleaned. Digital swelling can be readily visualized from behind the animal by comparing the distance between the dewclaws of the affected foot to that of unaffected feet. Because the dewclaws are loosely anchored in the soft tissues, they are spread further apart in the swollen foot versus the nonswollen feet. Also, when the affected foot is viewed from the rear, the width of the heel bulbs can be compared to determine if the swelling is more severe in one digit than the other.

Source: Colorado State University/ Dairy News/ D.VanMetre, J.R.Wenz and F.Garry, March 2006
Source URL: http://www.ansci.colostate.edu/documents/Dairynews/March%202006.pdf

Objective: This study investigated the effects of consuming dairy products naturally enriched in cis-9, trans-11 CLA (and trans-11 18:1) on the blood lipid profile, the atherogenicity of LDL, and markers of inflammation and insulin resistance in healthy middle-aged men.

Conclusion: Dairy products naturally enriched with cis-9, trans-11 CLA and trans-11 18:1 do not appear to have a significant effect on the blood lipid profile.

Source: Effects of dairy products naturally enriched with cis-9,trans-11 conjugated linoleic acid on the blood lipid profile in healthy middle-aged men. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 83, No. 4, 744-753, April 2006. Sabine Tricon, Graham C Burdge, Emma L Jones, Jennifer J Russell, et al.

At first blush, the prevalence of twinning would be positive for producers – two calves “for the price of one” so to speak. However, notwithstanding the common problem of infertility of freemartin heifers (heifer twin calves born with a male), twin calves are often regarded as more of a problem than a benefit for dairy producers. Why? Well, a recent study from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine and presented at the 2005 National ADSA Meetings suggests at least a partial reason. The results of the study and the implications were very interesting.

Source: Calf Notes/ Jim Quigley, Jan. 21, 2006
Source URL: http://www.calfnotes.com/pdffiles/CN114.pdf

Dairy farmers could save up to 20 per cent of their current electricity consumption through methods identified in a recent study.

Water heating is the main source of energy consumption in the dairy farm milking shed, closely followed by the chilling of milk. These findings are the first from a two-phase study funded by Dairy Insight and conducted by Professor Ralph Sims and PhD student Karl Hartman.

Source: Massey University/ News Release, April 11, 2006
Source URL: http://masseynews.massey.ac.nz/2006/Press_Releases/04-11-06.html

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved Elector® Bait for fly control in dairy, beef, poultry and other livestock operations. This novel bait is a yellow, granular formulation that is highly attractive to flies. Elector Bait provides ongoing, effective control of house flies through a unique, delayed mode of action, with no known insecticide resistance.

Source: Elanco Animal Health/ News Release, April 10, 2006
Source URL: www.elanco.com