WASHINGTON, D.C. – Standard procedures were not followed recently when a condemned cow in Texas was sent to a rendering plant before tissue samples could be collected for BSE, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said May 3. A veterinarian at a Lone Star Beef plant in San Angelo, Texas, condemned the animal “after observing the […] Read more
Stories by Bob Burgdorfer
Ag Notes
Sask. hall of famers Larry Gramiak, Les Henry and Larry Janzen have been selected for induction into the Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame. Gramiak is recognized for his extension work in promoting soil and water conservation and the growing of herbs, spices and pulse crops. He grew up on a farm near Hafford, Sask., and […] Read more
Kitchen gives beef a coming out party
CHICAGO, Illinois – Beef may be what’s for dinner, according to a popular TV ad, but in the future it may be for breakfast, lunch and snacks, too. After decades of believing that consumers will buy beef simply because it is beef, cattle industry leaders in the 1990s realized that consumers were rapidly shunning it […] Read more
U.S. free of pseudorabies, says national hog board
CHICAGO, Illinois – American hog producers are declaring victory in their 13-year battle to rid the country of pseudorabies, a highly contagious livestock disease that could have cost the swine industry tens of millions of dollars in lost production and sales. The Iowa department of agriculture announced recently that the last herd suspected of infection […] Read more
U.S. turns out more pork in fourth quarter
CHICAGO, Illinois – Consumers are finding some bargains on pork chops because a surprising abundance of hogs this fall has increased fourth-quarter pork production. Some wholesale pork prices are at a three-year low. The abundance of hogs this fall surprised livestock experts. A government hog inventory report released in September indicated there would be fewer […] Read more
Livestock prices plunge
CHICAGO, Ill. – American cattle futures prices fell to a two-year low last week and hog prices neared two-year lows as each market succumbed to several bearish factors including a sharp drop in beef sales to top buyer Japan and a surprising abundance of pork. Livestock analysts said the market could drop even more because […] Read more
Cattle price faces slide
CHICAGO, Ill. – There is a record large number of cattle in American feedlots, and that supply, coupled with an expected drop in consumption, should push cattle prices lower in the fourth quarter, say livestock analysts. On Sept. 21, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that as of Sept. 1 there were 9.393 million head […] Read more
New invention detects E. coli
CHICAGO, Illinois – EMerge Interactive Inc., which makes marketing and management software for the beef production industry, says its new camera that detects deadly E. coli bacteria could be tested in beef plants next year. The electronic device, which scans raw beef for contaminants that harbour germs, has successfully completed university trials this summer and […] Read more