Monday, January 30, 2012

Fort Worth Dorper sale results announced


Date: January 21, 2012
Location: Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, Ft. Worth, TX
Judge: Brian Faris, Kansas State University
Auctioneer: Preston Faris, Sonora, TX
Sale Manager: Doug Gillespie, American Dorper Sheep Society
Sale Top: $3,500.00
Sale Gross: $18,850.00
15 Dorpers & White Dorpers Averaged $1,256.67

The American Dorper Sheep Breeders Society hosted their second National Ft. Worth Elite Sale in conjunction with the 2012 National Dorper Show in Ft. Worth Texas.  The 15 head of rams and ewes sold at a strong $1,256.67 average.

 Riverwood Farms of Ohio had the top selling individual, as their Dorper Fall Ram Lamb sold at $3,500 to Marius Meintjes of Texas.  Seth Gillespie of Texas sold a ram lamb at $800 to Judi Mault of Idaho.  The top White Dorper ram was a Riverwood consignment at $1,500 selling to Maxie Jonas of Texas. Twin County Dorpers of Texas sold a $1,000 lamb to Stuart C. Speck of Texas.

Wyatt Wertz of Ohio sold the top selling Dorper ewe at $2,000 to David Freds of Indiana.  Riverwood’s baby Fall ewe lamb brought $1,900 from Judi Mault, and Johnny & Clair Powell of Texas sold a $900 ewe to Wesley Glass of Texas.  Riverwood had the top White Dorper ewe price of $1,500 on a baby Fall ewe lamb going to Darla Schmidt of Texas.  Hamilton Sheep Station of Texas sold a baby Fall lamb at $1,400 to Huntis Black of Texas, and Stuart C. Speck received $1,100 for a ewe lamb from Rocking RG Ranch of Texas.

Friday, January 27, 2012

East Texas Meat Goat Extravaganza Nov. 9-11 in Henderson


A full weekend of goat-related activities is planned for Nov. 9-11, 2012, at the Rusk County Youth Exposition Center, in Henderson, Texas. Billed as the East Texas Meat Goat Extravaganza, the East Texas Goat Raisers Association has expanded its annual Spectacular Goat Showdown to include events sponsored by the National Kiko Registry and the Myotonic Goat Registry.
 
Activities will begin on Friday with a full day of educational seminars and hands-on workshops sponsored by the NKR. The Piney Woods Meat Goat Conference will feature three of the nation’s best-known goat experts: Dr. Frank Pinkerton “The Goat Man”; Ken McMillin, Ph.D., Professor of Meat and Animal Science, Louisiana State University; and Dr. Dave Sparks, DVM, Oklahoma State University Extension. And for the beginning goat producer, there will be hands-on demonstrations of meat goat basics such as hoof trimming, injections, ear-tags, tattooing and micro-chipping. All seminars are free and open to the public.  

Also on Friday, the Myotonic Goat Registry will be hosting a judges clinic. If you are interested in learning how to judge Myotonic goats, contact Tara Lawrence at 205-425-5954 or myotonicgoatregistry@yahoo.com to reserve your spot. (Class size is limited.)  

Saturday will feature the ETGRA’s 3rd Annual Spectacular Goat Showdown. This event combines an instructive open jackpot goat show for all ages, for all breeds of goats under one roof in just one day. The “Showdown” format offers the opportunity for hands-on help for the exhibitors and provides the opportunity to ask questions during and after the shows. Keep watching www.etgra.com  for more details.

Running concurrently with the Goat Showdown on Saturday will be a sanctioned show hosted by the 600+member Myotonic Goat Registry. The sanctioned show will be followed by the MGR’s National Show that afternoon. Myotonic goat fans will be treated to an additional sanctioned show on Sunday. Whether you call them fainting goats, stiff legs or myotonics, some of the best in the nation from New York to California and states in between will be on display at these events. More details on these shows will be available in the near future at http://www.myotonicgoatregistry.net.
 
Also ongoing Saturday will be the National Kiko Registry’s second all-breed regional pen sale. The first such sale was held this past October in Kansas and was a huge success for local producers. This sale will be an ideal opportunity for producers to market their goats in a well-publicized, well-attended sales event. This sale is open to registered as well as commercial breeding stock. For more information on the goat conference or the pen sale, contact Terry Hankins at 662-519-9697 or e-mail kikogoats@hughes.net. NKR plans to hold more of these regional sales in the future in other areas of the country. To learn more about NKR, visit www.nationalkikoregistry.com.
 
For those in the family who prefer activities not so “goaty”, make plans to attend the Heritage Syrup Festival, also going on that Saturday. This annual event includes cooking real ribbon cane syrup, musical entertainment, antique cars and tractors, arts and crafts, and vendors of all types. The activities take place a short drive from the goat show in beautiful downtown Henderson.

If individuals or businesses would like to help sponsor the East Texas Meat Goat Extravaganza or would like to donate items for raffle, contact Rene’ McCracken 903-683-5416 or lrmccracken@ag.tamu.edu to reserve a booth today.
 
The second weekend of November promises to be a fun-filled, educational and exciting weekend for the whole family. Make your plans now to attend. 
 

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Va. co-op hosts monthly goat & sheep sale


Goats are an ordinary sight at Mike Holland's farm in Drewryville. He is a volunteer vice president of a coop that holds goat and lamb sales once a month in Emporia. -- Submitted | Holland Farm
BY STEPHEN H. COWLES/CONTRIBUTING WRITER
tidewaternewsdotcom

EMPORIA—An average of 25 to 35 buyers and sellers and as many as 260 animals are part of the monthly goat and lamb auctions at the Greensville Ruritan Club grounds.

It’s been a year since the auctions, held the second Saturday of the month, were moved to Emporia from Victoria Livestock Market in Lunenburg County
Lower overhead costs contributed to the move, said Mike Holland, vice president and a founder of the Mid-Atlantic Meat and Lamb Marketing Co-op. The volunteer-led organization got its start in 1999.

“The sale (in Lunenburg) was costing us close to $1,000 for one day a month,” said Holland, who lives in Drewryville. “With the $650 rental plus utilities, we couldn’t make any money.”

The move to Greensville also allowed the co-op to attract buyers and sellers from northern North Carolina. In addition to Emporia, Holland said there are five or six other places in Virginia that sell goats and lambs.

The co-op receives a $6 commission for the sale of every animal.
“Money that the co-op gets goes back to the lamb, sheep and goat community,” he said.

Proceeds have gone toward a market goat obstacle course at the state fair and goat expo clinics.

Sale time is 1 p.m. The check-in for the animals is 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

To learn more, contact Holland at 373-3348, hollandfrm@aol.com or visit www.marketgoats.com.

Fund raising proceeds for Fort Worth champions sale


FORT WORTH -- Groups raising the money to buy the 285 champion steers, pigs, goats, and lambs exhibited by youths at this year's Fort Worth Stock Show say they're right on top of the commitments they need going into next week's Sale of Champions, the annual auction that sponsors hope will top $3 million.
Larry Anfin, chairman of the Fort Worth Stock Show Syndicate, the largest of several nonprofits that recruit buyers for the sale, estimated that donors have agreed to buy 300 animals.
"There's only 285 animals in the auction," said Anfin, of Fort Worth's Coors Distributing Co., which has bought or teamed up to buy the grand champion steer six times since 1981. "We've got everything covered."
Last year's auction raised a record $2.89 million, which went back to the youth exhibitors. Anfin, in his first of two years as syndicate chairman, said his personal goal this year is $3 million.
"I know it's an auction, and people can bid what they want," he said. "But the way the commitments are going, I think we can do it."
Commitments came in slowly through the holidays, but jumped to 280 from 122 on Jan. 12, the program deadline, Anfin said.
Major benefactors signed up this year include: the Happy Davis Foundation, which has bought the grand champion steer in two of the last three years; Coors Distributing; H-E-B/Central Market; Howard Walsh III; Ross Perot; Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House; Ed Bass; Luther King Capital Management; O'Neal Oil Properties; and XTO Energy founder and Texas Rangers co-owner Bob Simpson.
For the first time this year, the syndicate and other fundraising groups are dangling membership in the new Chairman's Grand Slam Club for whoever buys a grand champion in every animal group over a lifetime, or the same year. The aim is to boost prices for animals other than the steers, which draw the highest bids, and give previous grand champion buyers a reason to buy high again.
"If you have a grand champion in Fort Worth, Texas, it ought to be worth some college education money," said Gary Ray, a Fort Worth oil and gas insurance company owner who is a Grand Slam Club spokesman and head of the Tallest Hog at the Trough, which finds buyers for the 12 barrow hogs in the auction.
The Tallest Hog, in its fourth year since taking over for the defunct Pig Club, rang up $187,000 in total sales at last year's auction. As of midweek, the group had secured eight of 12 commitments for this year's hogs and is expecting "a good hog sale this year," Ray said.
"Year before we started, the 12 pigs brought $42,000," Ray said. "We've moved that mark consistently."
The Grand Slam Club was formed after Aledo commercial real estate investor Larry White Jr. broke a string of records: $100,000 for the champion lamb and $100,000 for the champion hog in 2011; $210,000 (which still stands) for the champion steer in 2010; and $30,000 for the champion goat several years ago.
"I still have the steer, War Admiral," White, the lone member of the Grand Slam Club, said Wednesday, chuckling. "It's in my front yard, in Aledo."
White heads two groups -- the Fort Worth Businessmen and U' Ol Goat Committee -- that spent $360,000 and $33,000, respectively, at last year's auction, with the latter taking the lead on finding buyers for the six wether goats in the sale.
White says fundraising for this year's sale has been slow because of the economy.
"But we're getting there," he said.
He thinks the Grand Slam Club will pay off soon.
"Some year, when the economy gets going, somebody's going to do it [buy all four grand champions] in one day," he said.
Ladies on the Lamb, a group that finds buyers for the eight lambs in the auction, is expecting a strong lamb sale, said Rebecca Pearce, a real estate agent and yoga instructor who heads the group.
Ladies on the Lamb spent $56,000 at last year's auction, not including White's investment in the grand champion.
"We raised quite a bit of money before the show, and we always raise a lot during the show," Pearce said. "We raise money right up until the auction."

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/01/25/3688239/stock-show-benefactors-say-theyre.html#storylink=cpy

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

UC Davis Goat Day on Saturday, Jan. 21


Goat owners, veterinarians, students, and 4-H and FFA goat-project youths from throughout California will gather Saturday, in UC Davis' Freeborn Hall for UC Davis Goat Day 2012.

Morning speakers will address a variety of goat health and management topics. They also will provide updates on current goat research and other issues important to dairy, meat, fiber and companion-goat owners. The afternoon will feature demonstrations and illustrated presentations on cheese-making, health examinations, artificial insemination, feeding and showmanship, milk-tester training and ultrasound to detect pregnancy.

The event, which will run from 8:15 a.m. to 3 p.m., is sponsored by the UC Davis Department of Animal Science, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and the California Dairy Herd Improvement Association. A complete agenda is available online at: http://animalscience.ucdavis.edu/events/goatday. For more information, contact Jan Carlson, supervisor of the animal science department's Dairy Goat Research Facility, at 530-752-6792 or jlcarlson@ucdavis.edu.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

ETGRA production seminars January 21


Submitted by:  Cooperative Extension Agent, Rene’ McCracken

                
Jacksonville, Texas-based East Texas Goat Raisers Association or ETGRA will host its annual free production seminar, Saturday, January 21, 2012 for the benefit of goat producers, 4-H members and leaders and other persons interested in learning the latest agricultural research and techniques to surviving the economy and raising goats in east Texas.

This year’s round robin seminar will be held at The ETGRA Center, 32186 Highway 69 North, Jacksonville, TX (mid-way between Rusk and Jacksonville) beginning at 10 a.m.  



Hands on demonstrations will be presented on topics including:  tattooing, nutrition and feeding, hoof trimming and other health management strategies, parasite control, working with the Kiko breed, and kidding ~ difficult births from several area goat producers, and no registration fees required!  There will be a demonstration of the association’s sonogram equipment to detect pregnancy. 


After the demonstrations, there will be a special presentation on Developing Healthy Soils in a Drought, presented by Willie Durham – State Conservation Agronomist for USDA.  He will be leading the discussion on new techniques to build up the soils utilizing NRCS approved techniques.  If you have been working with over-stressed soils with low fertility,  don’t miss this opportunity to learn from an expert in the field of re-conditioning soils.  


ETGRA members will have contact information available at the membership table for those looking to purchase goats.  If you are a vendor or wish to sell goat related items, or just interested in sponsoring the event or donating an item for the door prizes, contact Rene’ McCracken at the number below.

Many area producers looking for tips on alternative feeds, forages and marketing that would help move their operations into a more profitable position will definitely find solutions at this round robin style seminar.  



The ETGRA general membership meeting, nomination of 2012 officers and pot luck lunch will also be held directly after the demonstrations. Topics such as future production sales and shows, membership and fundraising drives, where to market goats, and nominations for leadership roles will be addressed. Members and non-members are encouraged to attend the meeting


The ETGRA members would like to issue a special invitation to area cattle producers interested in improving their soils or in purchasing goats to supplement their cattle or timber operations during the drought projected for the coming year.  


For more information on this and other goat events contact Cooperative Extension Agent, Rene’ McCracken at 903-683-5416 or lrmccracken@ag.tamu.edu.  You may also find additional information on the website at www.etgra.com.


  

Friday, January 13, 2012

Ohio Extension utilizing the Web

The Ohio Sheep Improvement Association and Ohio State University Extension are replacing the district Sheep and Goat Program series with a WebEx series. The four-part series will update farmers on sheep and goat health programs delivered through one live WebEx site and 13 remote ones. The live site will be the Knox County Career Center in Mount Vernon. To register or for details, call 740-397-0401.

Programs will be broadcast 7-9 p.m. Feb. 6, 13, 20 and 27. The WebEx series is a cost-efficient way to get more information to sheep and goat farmers, organizers say.


Session dates and topics are as follows:

  • Feb. 6 -- "Lambing and Kidding Management and Newborn Health Issues," presented by Dr. Bill Shulaw, OSU Preventive Veterinary Medicine.
  • Feb. 13 -- "Internal Parasites," presented by Rory Lewandowski and Jeff McCutcheon, OSU Extension educators with experience managing internal parasites in sheep and goats.
  • Feb. 20 -- "Udder Health and Mastitis," presented by Dr. Leo Timms, professor, Iowa State University, who specializes in the ruminant mammary health.
  • Feb. 27 -- "Recognizing, Treating, and Preventing Major Diseases of Sheep and Goats," presented by Dr. Eric Gordon, OSU Veterinary Medicine, Marysville.
Remote WebEx locations include:
  • Ada Community Health professional building, Ada. Contact: Gene McCluer, Hardin County Extension, 419-674-2297.
  • Holmes County Extension Office, Millersburg. Contact: Kate Shumaker, Holmes County Extension, 330-674-3015.
  • Huron County Administration Building, Norwalk. Contact: Mike Gastier, Huron County Extension, 419-668-8219.
  • Union County Extension Office, Marysville. Contact: Jon Rausch, Union County Extension, 937-644-8117. Preregistration required.
  • OARDC, Room 130 Research Services, Wooster. Contact: Rory Lewandowski, Wayne County Extension, 330-264-8722.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Agribition planned Feb. 3 in Alabama



February 3 is the date to mark on your calendar.  The events for this year are much the same as in past years.  We are always trying to improve the show and have events for everyone without limitations.  This show is for all youth up to 18 or one year out of high school.  Goats entered in the open show must be registered in the ABGA, IBGA, USBGA or the Canadian Boer Goat Associations but not in the child’s name.  They must be properly tattooed and have papers or applied for papers if they are under 3 months of age.   Entry fees for all classes are $10.  This year’s judge is Julie Brown from Tampa, Fla.  She is an ABGA-certified judge.  Meat goats (wethers and commercial does with baby teeth) will be shown by weight.  The class break downs are under 35 lbs. prospect class; light, medium and heavy weight wethers or commercial does that still have their baby teeth.   That would make most older commercial does that have lost their teeth competing together.  You may choose how you want to show your commercial young does.
The tentative schedule is as follows:  Registration and weigh in is between 11:00 A.M. and 2:00 P.M.   The Dairy goat show will begin at 2:30 followed by  Meat Goats and Commercial Does.  Showmanship, goat parade, dinner, % does, FB does and  Bucks will follow.   Please contact Lee Anne Hall at 205 965 1360 for more information on the Dairy Goat Show and entry form.  Exhibits: displays, scrapbooks and photos must be in place by 4:00 P.M. Bring your own table, covering and display board.  Please contact me if you are interested in a Public Speaking contest. 
The Photo Contest was a great success last year, therefore we will continue it this year. There will be three categories you may choose from.  You may entry one photograph in each of the categories or only one category, your choice. The categories are Goats on the Farm, Goats in the Landscape, and Goats with People.  The photos should be made by the youth exhibitor.  They can be of any size up to 8 X 10, color or black and white.  Either frame your photos or attach them to a mat so they can be exhibited.  Your name, age and category needs to be listed on the back of the photos.
Displays will be judged  as up to 8,  9-14 and 15-19 years of age.   Possible exhibit guidelines are herd advertisement, suitable for promotion of your own herd.  Highlight the positive points for showing and raising goats.  This could include but is not limited to promotion of a certain breed, meat productions or products, qualities that make a show goat, winnings and awards and for the love of the goat. You will be asked questions by the judge so be available at judging time.
Scrapbook contest age groups are Junior up to 10 years of age and Senior 11-19 years of age. This could also include a middle group.  It is according to how many entries we get.   Guidelines are 1. Begin with a Cover.  2.  Title page followed by a contents page.  Subsequent pages should be numbered.  3.  Cover the activities, shows, displays, work sessions, newsletters, media related articles, honors won through work with goats.  Include photographs, newspaper and magazine clippings, programs from special events, or other official documents.  4. Be neat and organized!  Have no loose pieces, caption all photos and type or write neatly.  Parents are allowed to help provided there is evidence the child has done the work too. 
We aren’t yet sure how much money will be available for premiums.  Our funds have been cut drastically due to the poor economy. 
Sponsorship for classes is $50.00; however, any amount of money or raffle items are welcome and appreciated.  Anyone who donates money or raffle items will have their names or farm name on a banner.  Please specify which you prefer to be put on the banner.
Write and bring a brief description  of your and your goat’s costume.  Name, age and where you are from.  Make it interesting.  Age divisions for the parade and showmanship are 0-5,  6-8, 9-11, 12-15 and 16-19.
If you have your own pens they are welcome and needed.
Hope to see you in Autaugaville on February 3, 2012.
Sam and Mary Lou Abney  (334 365 5146 Home)  and Day of Show (334 399 6957 Sam’s cell phone ( 334 312 5713 Mary Lou’s Cell Phone).

Ala. 2012 small ruminant health workshops



The Alabama Cooperative Extension System at Alabama A&M University is offering a series of workshops on “Small Ruminant Health from A to Z,” including gastrointestinal parasitism management and FAMACHA training. The workshops are conducted at the beginning of the grazing and kidding season in early spring since this is the season when many health problems are more prevalent.

The objective of the workshops is to educate farmers, veterinarian practitioners, Extension agents, and other interested persons on:

·       Best health management practices for small ruminants
·       FDA-approved and non-approved parasite deworming methods to treat GI parasitism among goat and sheep herds, including the FAMACHA test developed by South African scientists
·       McMaster technique of nematode fecal-egg identification and counting 
·       Life cycle of gastrointestinal worms
·       Consequences of parasite-host interactions

In addition, FAMACHA cards will be available for purchasing.

The workshops are free; however, participants are encouraged to pre-register by calling the appropriate county Extension office or Dr. Maria Browning at (256) 372-4954.

Schedule of Workshops 

February 4
9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Marshall County Extension Office
Suite G21, 424 Blount Avenue
Guntersville, AL 35976-1132
To register: Contact Eddie Wheeler at (256) 582-2009 or willed@aces.edu.

Directions: Enter Guntersville on US-431 N (Blount Avenue). Courthouse is located between US-431 N (Blount Avenue) and US-431 S (Gunter Avenue). Use Blount Avenue entrance to courthouse. Parking available around courthouse.

February 23
8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Landmark Park
430 Landmark Drive, Highway 431 North
Dothan, AL 36301
To register: Contact Willie Durr at (334) 794-4108 or durwill@aces.edu.

Directions: From Dothan, travel cross Ross Clark Circle, turn onto US-431 North. Travel approximately 3 miles and turn onto Landmark Drive.

March 2
8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Baldwin County Extension Office
Gulf Coast Research & Extension Center
8300 State Highway 104
Fairhope, AL 36507
To register: Contact Anthony Wiggins at (251) 575-3477 or wiggia1@aces.edu.

Directions: From I-65 turn south onto 287. Follow 287 to Bay Minette. Turn onto 59 south, then east onto 104. Gulf Coast Regional Research and Extension Center is on 104 approximately 13 miles from 59.

March 24
8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Lawrence County Extension Office
13075 ALA-157, Suite 6
Moulton, AL 35650
To register: Contact Robert Spencer at (256) 766-6223 or rds0002@aces.edu.

Directions: From I-65 travel west on ALA-157 to Lawrence County Agricultural Center.

April 9
5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Hale County Agricultural Extension Center
701 Hall Street
Greensboro, AL 36744
To register:
Contact Tommie Teacher at (334) 624-8710 or teachto@aces.edu.

Directions: Enter Greensboro from ALA-69, ALA-61, ALA-14, or ALA-25. Travel to intersection of ALA-69 and ALA-14. Travel east on ALA-14 approximately 300 yards to Centreville Street. Turn right on Centreville Street. Go 0.25 mile to Hall Street. Turn left onto Hall Street. Extension Office is located in the Hale County Agricultural Extension Center, clearly visible on the right by the baseball fields.

May 5
8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Tennessee State University
Meat Goat Research Facility
Ed Temple Blvd
Nashville TN 37228

To register: Contact Dr. Richard Browning at (615) 963-5837 or rbrowning@tnstate.edu.

Directions: Take I-40 West to 28th Avenue Exit #207. Turn right at end of exit ramp. Proceed north past Walter Davis Blvd (third traffic light). Farm entrance is the first driveway on the left.


Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Meat — A booming business in the USA


By Trent Loos

High Plains/Midwest Ag JOURNAL

This is the week each year when I tell you that I don't believe in New Year's resolutions but I will make a commitment to do better in one area. Today my commitment is to continue to improve lives for all mankind and the beauty of it is that what mankind really is what I enjoy most--producing more milk meat and eggs.
The United Nations, while I don't agree with their approach, says global consumption of meat is expected to rise nearly 73 percent by 2050. The Food and Agriculture Organisation released this information in December as a result of the World Livestock Report.
However, take note of how they put a negative slant on our productivity in the United States by including the statement that the world will need to produce "two-thirds more animal protein than it does today, bringing new strains to bear on the planet's natural resources." Our advantage is that we do produce more with less and improve the planet at the same time. They want to emphasize the need for more families that own a dozen goats in their backyard.
Figures from the FAO indicate that livestock products today supply about 12.9 percent of the calories consumed worldwide--20.3 percent in developed countries. Its contribution to protein consumption is estimated at 27.9 percent worldwide and 47.8 percent in developed countries.
Now for anybody that has recently sold hogs, goats, lambs, beef cattle or even milk, you clearly realize things are at historic levels but are things really that good. I am never a glass half empty guy but look at the facts.
We only produce 65 percent of the goat and lamb meat we eat domestically.
Beef cattle breeding herd numbers are at severely low numbers, low enough that we should all have great concern over the erosion of the infrastructure in place to ever again grow the size of the industry.
The dairy industry has fewer than 9 million cows in production compared to the 24 million in 1945. Those 9 million cows do produce three times as much total milk as the 24 million did 70 years ago but we are talking about the need for serious grow in production numbers.
Again looking at the FAO report which clearly states "Meat consumption is projected to rise nearly 73 percent by 2050; dairy consumption will grow 58 percent over current levels."
The high prices we received today are all due to a shortage of inventory and lack of animals to produce what we need to meet the growing demand. I am saying that we need to maintain this level of price for the animals produced but accomplish that by adding numbers in production.
The proposed need for a significant increase in milk, meat and eggs is not taxing to the planet at all if we continue to pave the road by concentrating animals, utilizing technologies and improving efficiencies.
In the same month that we get the UN's "We are destroying the planet" fear-mongering report, the following article comes out in the Journal of Animal Science.
"The Environmental Impact of Beef Production in the United States: 1977 compared with 2007" (Journal of Animal Science, Dec. 18, 2011) by Jude Capper, Ph.D., at Washington State University. Jude documents that each pound of beef raised in 2007 used 33 percent less land, 12 percent less water, 19 percent less feed and 9 percent less fossil fuel energy than equivalent beef production in 1977. Waste outputs were similarly reduced, shrinking the carbon footprint of beef by 16.3 percent in 30 years.
In addition, according to previous research conducted by Capper, each pound of grain-finished beef requires 45 percent less land, 76 percent less water and 49 percent less feed and at the same time generates 51 percent less manure and 42 percent fewer carbon emissions than grass-finished beef.
So you can see that my commitment to myself in this New Year is to be better at contributing to the overall method of feeding more people with less resources. The United States agricultural system, through research, science and the implementation of technology, has improved the opportunity for the highest quality of life known to mankind. Who would have ever guessed that "Where's the beef?" would be more than one company's marketing slogan but a mantra for consumers around the world. That is something that we, as American producers, can use to toot our own horns and also motivate us to continue increasing our productivity. Happy New Year!
(Trent Loos is a sixth generation United States farmer, host of the daily radio show, Loos Tales, and founder of Faces of Agriculture, a non-profit organization putting the human element back into the production of food. Get more information at www.FacesOfAg.com, or email Trent at trent@loostales.com.)