It seems that people could have more in common with cattle than previously thought, including spontaneous occurrences of mad cow disease, according to new research.

The last two cases of mad cow found in the U.S.—in a Texas cow and an Alabama cow—appear to have been caused by an atypical strain of the disease. The two cases have drawn international attention as researchers presented studies last month on the American cases and similar ones in Europe.

Source: Forbes/ Associated Press/ Libby Quaid, June 11, 2006
Source URL: http://www.forbes.com/business/feeds/ap/2006/06/11/ap2807633.html

California livestock producers say that under a proposal before the state legislature, they would get help from first responders in evacuating their livestock during life-threatening disasters. However, critics of the bill under consideration in the California Legislature say the plan is a waste of taxpayer money and emergency personnel.

Dairy producers and farmers say the bill would require first responders to take their livestock into account when evacuating areas due to floods, earthquakes, wildfires and other disasters. The bill would direct the state Office of Emergency Services to take into account livestock evacuations in its operational plans.

Source: North County Times/ Associated Press/ Samantha Young, June 7, 2006
Source URL: http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/06/07/news/state/18_02_526_6_06.txt

Following are a few of the headlines from news articles highlighted this week:

• Northeastern States Form Dairy Coalition
• San Joaquin to Vote on New Air Rules
• Greater Number of Women Entering Dairy Industry
• Financial Health Varies from WI Farm to Farm
• IDFA Briefs Congress Staff on Dairy Reform

Click to read more of these and other news stories.

The U.S. dairy industry is facing surplus market conditions as the milk supply continues to grow at unprecedented levels. This is in stark contrast to just a few months ago when the U.S. was a major exporter of surplus skim milk solids. Despite strong rates of growth in the milk supply the U.S. was able to balance the cheese market, export skim milk powder and maintain strong market prices. Market prices today, however, are considerably lower.

The outlook over the next six months depends critically on the following unknown factors. First, how will the milk supply adjust to new market realities? The summer is approaching and heat stress may aide in this market adjustment. But then again, cow numbers continue to increase. Second, will domestic demand remain strong, especially for cheese, fluid milk, and butter? Third, will the export market for skim milk powder rebound?

Source: Penn State University/ Dairy Outlook, Summer 2006
Source URL: http://dairyoutlook.aers.psu.edu/reports/Pub2006/DairyOutlookSummer2006.pdf

Corn, soybean and wheat prices have traded in a wide range since March. All indications are that price volatility will continue to be the norm for these markets.

December 2006 corn futures declined to about $2.50 just before the USDA’s March Prospective Plantings report revealing producer intentions to reduce corn plantings by 3.74 million acres. That contract raced to a high of $2.88 in mid-May, but settled at $2.6775 on June 9. November 2006 soybean futures traded above $6.25 in early March, declined to $5.85 following the USDA’s report showing producer intentions to increase soybean plantings by 4.75 million acres, traded above $6.35 in mid-May and settled at $6.155 on June 9. September 2006 wheat futures at Chicago traded above $4.00 in late February 2006, declined to near $3.60 in late March, peaked over $4.40 in late May and settled at $3.89 on June 9.

Source: Farmdoc/ University of Illinois/ Darrel Good, June 12, 2006
Source URL: http://www.farmdoc.uiuc.edu/marketing/weekly/html/061206.html

Following are the headlines of a few of the marketing and analysis articles highlighted this week:

• Report: Economic Chronology of BSE in North America
• Economic, Social Consequences of Animal Disease
• Short-Run Price Forecasts for US Dairy Industry
• Feed Outlook: US Corn Exports Raised

Click to read more of these and other market stories.

This paper studied the incidence of mating concerning Holstein dairy cattle with CVM in Brittany and the possible influences of CVM status for sires and darns on return-to-service at different intervals post-service in cows and heifers.

Following mating between a non-carrier bull and a dam at risk of being a carrier, the risk of return-to-service decreased at a low but significant level, whatever the interval in the heifers but only for 19-25 days intervals in the cows.

Source: Effects of sire and dam genotype for complex vertebral malformation (CVM) on risk of return-to-service in Holstein dairy cows and heifers. Theriogenology 65 (6): 1215-1225, 2006. Malher, X.; Beaudeau, F.; Philipot, J.M.

"I'm working harder than I ever have and am having more difficulty getting my cows pregnant." This quote from a Central Minnesota dairy producer reflects the thoughts of dairy producers throughout the country. It has been well documented that reproductive efficiency is on the greatest decline since the mid 1980s with services per conception and days open increasing. Most other countries have seen the same trend.

Source: University of Minnesota/ News Release/ Jim Salfer, June 3, 2006
Source URL: http://www.extension.umn.edu/dairy/dairystar/06-03-06-Salfer.htm

A number of major scientific advances have been realized in the last 25 yr in determining the opportunities and limitations of altering milk composition through nutritional manipulation. Because of the greater sensitivity of milk fat to dietary manipulation than either protein or lactose, nutritional control of milk fat content and fatty acid composition received a great deal of attention. New information emerged linking ruminal production of trans fatty acid isomers with milk fat depression.

This paper highlights the major advances in controlling milk composition by dietary manipulation and how it influences the entire animal system from practical feeding studies to basic cellular work on mammary tissue metabolism.

Source: Major advances in nutrition: Impact on milk composition. Journal of Dairy Science 89 (4): 1302-1310, 2006. Jenkins, T.C.; McGuire, M.A.

Feed is the largest single expense associated with the production of milk at 40 to 50% of production costs. Therefore, improving the conversion of feed nutrients into milk either through more milk per nutrients fed or similar milk production from fewer nutrients will improve profitability of dairy farms. Other livestock industries (pork, beef and poultry) have measured and benchmarked feed efficiency for several years. Only recently has the dairy industry begun measuring and evaluating feed efficiency. This paper will explain how to measure and use feed efficiency on dairy farms as a production benchmark.

Source: University of Minnesota/ 2006 Dairy Days/ Jim Linn and Jim Salfer, May 2006
Source URL: http://www.extension.umn.edu/dairy/dairydays06/pdfs/LinnSalfer_FeedEfficiency.pdf