North America enjoys highly efficient livestock production systems that have adapted and evolved to meet changing conditions.  The industry is competitive in the world market, but faces significant opportunities and challenges both in North America and abroad, according to an 18-month study released Tuesday, April 18, 2006, by Farm Foundation.

The study is believed to be the first to take a comprehensive look at the opportunities and challenges facing the major species of the animal agriculture industry in Canada, Mexico and the United States.  The project involved more than 150 individuals from the three countries, representing producers, industry, government agencies and academia.

Source: Farm Foundation/ News Release, April 18, 2006
Source URL: http://www.farmfoundation.org/projects/04-32Reportrelease.htm

Following are some of the news articles highlighted from the past week:

• Somatic Cell Counts of DHIA Herds in 2005
• A Federal Strategy for Bioproducts’ Success
• Vending Machine Makes Ice Cream on the Spot

Click to read more about these and other stories.

Hispanic cheeses posted the biggest gains in volume and dollar value last year, according to the newly released IDFA Cheese Market Research Project, Fourth Quarter 2005. Volume grew 6.8% while dollar value rose 8.4% in this category, which represented 1.6% of all retail non-cream cheese volume and value for 2005.

Source: International Dairy Foods Association/ News Release, April 24, 2006
Source URL: http://www.idfa.org/news/stories/2006/04/cheesemarket.cfm

Buy California. Arizona Grown. Go Texan. Jersey Fresh. These are just a few of the slogans from across the nation used to promote locally grown products, primarily to each state's citizens. Recently, there has been an increase in the number of these programs. Although there has long been a question on the effectiveness of these programs, limited empirical evidence provides some justification for them. Still, there are lessons to be learned on the effective administration of these programs. These lessons, the history of these programs, and theoretical arguments and empirical evidence on their effectiveness are reviewed below.

Source: Choices Magazine/ Paul M. Patterson, First Quarter 2006
Source URL: http://www.choicesmagazine.org/2006-1/grabbag/2006-1-08.htm

When you sell grain, do you hit the upper, middle, or lower one-third of the price range? “It is a common belief that farmers substantially under-perform the market, which is reflected by the oft-repeated adage that, farmers market two-thirds of their crops in the bottom third of the price range.” And if you turn to a market advisory service to help you market your crop, where do their recommendations fall, and do you even follow them? My, what testy questions we need answered!

Source: Farmgate/ Stu Ellis/ University of Illinois, April 25, 2006
Source URL: http://www.farmgate.uiuc.edu/archive/2006/04/post_26.html

Following are some of the market news and analysis from the past week:

·         Canadian Crops: Growers Remain Unsure

·         Looking Into Crystal Ball at Soybean Profits

·         UK: Cheese Market Continues to Grow

·         Review of Australian Dairy Industry 2005

·         Market analysis by Cropp, Bailey, Wolf, Yonkers and Roberts

Click to read these and other market stories.

Ovarian follicular development in cattle has been studied but until recently little was known about the relationship between fertility and the number of follicles growing in follicular waves. Serendipity, skepticism and informal discussions led to a recent study at Michigan State University that found the numbers of follicles growing during follicular waves in cattle may be used to identify not only the highly fertile animals in a herd, but also those that respond best to superovulation.

Source: Michigan State University/ Michigan Dairy Review/ James J. Ireland, April 2006
Source URL: http://www.msu.edu/user/mdr/archives/mdrvol11no2.pdf

The aim of this study was to describe and analyze effects of parity, stage of lactation, milkability ( 3 groups of cows with differing peak flow rates), time of milking, and quarter position on milk production and milk flow measures at udder and quarter levels. Particular emphasis was put on changes to the decline phase and in duration of overmilking.

Measured characteristics reported in this study may be important in setting default parameters in automated milking systems.

Source: Sources of variation in milk flow characteristics at udder and quarter levels. Journal of Dairy Science 89 (3): 978-988, 2006. Tancin, V.; Ipema, B.; Hogewerf, P.; Macuhova, J.

The occurrence of antibiotic resistance was compared between mastitis pathogens ( Staphylococcus aureus, nonaureus staphylococci, Streptococcus dysgalactiae, Streptococcus uberis) from farms with organic and conventional dairy production.

The antibiotic resistance status needs to be monitored in organic farms as well as conventional farms and production factors related to the absence of reduced antibiotic resistance in organic farms need to be evaluated.

Source: Comparison of antibiotic resistance of udder pathogens in dairy cows kept on organic and on conventional farms. Journal of Dairy Science 89 (3): 989-997, 2006. Roesch, M.; Perreten, V.; Doherr, M.G.; Schaeren, W.; et al.

Digestion of liquid feeds is a critical component of nutrition and health of young calves. “Mother Nature” designed calves to digest cow’s milk. The calf has the requisite digestive apparatus and enzyme systems to digest and absorb cow’s milk efficiently and utilize nutrients for growth.

But what about milk replacers? Calf milk replacers are generally based on milk ingredients – hey, whey protein concentrate and (in some countries) skim milk. Other milk replacers may contain alternative ingredients such as soy or wheat protein, vegetable fats, etc. How are these products digested by the calf? Are they as efficient? Do the differences in ingredients, processing and digestion predispose the calf to digestive upset?

Source: Calf Notes/ Jim Quigley, April 2006
Source URL: http://www.calfnotes.com/pdffiles/CN115.pdf