The 10th Semi-Annual Beef tour - October 3-7, 2012. 

We will be traveling by bus to Ohio.  Stops will include commercial and registered cow/calf operations, farmer feeders, and backgrounding operations. Tentative plans also include The Ohio State University and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center.  There will be several pick up points across NY. These tours are a great way to learn about the beef industry from a different perspective and also get to know other NY beef producers. Please look for registration forms soon.

NY All Breed Beef Bull and Heifer Sale, April 27 2012, 7:30 pm, Empire Farm Days Site, Seneca Falls, NY

Sale Sponsored by:
NY Beef Producers Association

NYBPA 2012 Sale Catalog

Sale Addendum

EHDP Defination of Terms

A select group of yearling bulls and heifers from New York beef producers are being offered for sale. There will be 21 registered bulls for sale representing the Angus, Red Angus, Hereford, and Simmental breeds. Nineteen heifers will be offered. Open registered heifers include Angus, Hereford, Red Angus, and Simmental. In addition
there will be 9 commercial bred & open heifers. All animals have been BVD tested and vaccinated for respiratory disease, and the bulls have passed BSE. A portion of
these bulls and heifers have been fed at Erwindale Farms in Waterloo. Some of the heifers have been developed as part of the New York Empire Heifer Development Program. Reproductive and ultrasound data on some of the animals will be available sale day. Come early, view the cattle and take home some quality breeding stock. Whether interested in starting a beef herd or wishing to add to the genetic quality of your existing herd, this is a prime offering. Any registered animal with pedigree potential for testable genetic defects, has been tested free of such defects.
FOOD will be for sale by the NYJBPA, available starting at 5:00 pm
AUCTIONEER: Ron Parker, Finger Lakes Livestock Exchange
LOCATION: Empire Farm Days Site, Route 414, south of Seneca
Falls, NY
TRUCKING: Buyers need to make arrangements for cattle to be
removed by noon on Saturday.
Sale Day Phones: Andy Weaber 315-261-1331
Steve Packard 585-738-9404 Robert Groom 315-573-2569
Ringmen: Robert Groom & Charlie Davis
Terms & Conditions: Cash or check day of sale.
All guarantees are between buyer and seller.
Sale Vet: Becky TenEyck

The Daily Livestock Report is published by Steve Meyer and Len Steiner. To subscribe/unsubscribe visit www.dailylivestockreport.com.

BSE Follow-up: Cattle futures were higher yesterday as market participants were reassured by the response of a number of key trading partners who affirmed the new case of BSE will not affect beef trade. Also coverage of the issue in the media was restrained and devoid of sensationalism. As the LFTB issue showed, how the media approaches an issue has an significant impact on the consumer response. We can only hope that the popular press opts for facts rather than sensationalism and, in this case, it appears the former have prevailed. Also positive for the cattle market is the sharp turnaround in the price of the beef cutout, with the choice beef cutout closing last night at $190.5/ cwt., $13.8/cwt. or 8% higher than just two weeks ago. The higher prices have in part come from packers cutting back on slaughter but also because the negative effect of the LFTB stories seems to be waning. One sign of that is the recovery in the price of fat beef trim, which is now trading in the mid 80c/lb. compared to about 50 c/lb (or even less) in early April.

Folks,

Below is some information regarding the confirmation of a BSE infected cow reported today. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me via email or phone 607-227-6320 (c).

Mike

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed this afternoon a positive test result as part of its enhanced surveillance program to test cattle for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). USDA has confirmed this animal did not enter the human food or animal feed supply. USDA is conducting an investigation to confirm the origin and age of this animal. Samples from the animal in question were tested at USDA's National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa. Confirmatory results using immunohistochemistry and western blot tests confirmed the animal was positive for atypical BSE, a very rare form of the disease not generally associated with an animal consuming infected feed. In 2011, there were only 29 worldwide cases of BSE, a dramatic decline and 99% reduction since the peak in 1992 of 37,311 cases. This is directly attributable to the impact and effectiveness of feed bans as a primary control measure for the disease. The bottom line for consumers remains the same: Beef is safe. Experts in human and animal health agree that U.S. beef is safe from BSE because of the progressive steps taken by the U.S. government over the past two decades. The world's leading scientists, medical professionals and government officials agree that BSE is not a public or animal health risk in the United States.
Experts in human and animal health agree that U.S. beef is safe from BSE because of the progressive steps taken by the U.S. government over the past 23 years.  Preventive measures going back to 1989 have ensured that BSE would not become a serious animal or human health issue in this country.
  BSE is extremely rare in the United States.  The United States started taking preventive steps against BSE in 1989.  BSE is not a risk in this country because significant actions were taken well before there was an opportunity for this disease to take hold.  BSE can only be spread through contaminated feed and, in 1997, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned from cattle feed such protein supplements that could spread BSE. BSE is not a contagious disease.

 Measures to reduce risk of BSE infection - USDA Public Health Veterinarians examine every single animal before processing and condemn those with any signs of illness. Animals most likely to have BSE are older animals either unable to walk or showing signs of neurological disease. Such animals are banned from the human food supply.   The strong BSE measures in place in the United States apply to all beef produced in this country. All beef, regardless of whether it is organic, natural or conventionally raised, is safe. No cattle in the United States can be fed animal by-products that could spread BSE.
The BSE risk in this country is so low, in part, because of a progressive series of strong actions taken by the U.S. overnment.  Actions such as removal of specific risk materials (SRM) that would most likely carry BSE, banning animals that show signs of the neurological disease and the effective feed ban ensure the very low risk of BSE in the United States.
SRM Removal - The firewall established by USDA mandates removal from the food supply material that would most likely carry the BSE agent (such as brain and spinal cord). This process happens every day with every animal to ensure this diminishing disease has no effect on public health.  BSE infectivity exists primarily in nervous system tissues such as the spinal cord and brain of older animals with this rare disease, and USDA mandates that these materials are removed prior to processing.

Banning animals who cannot walk or show signs of neurological disease - In 2003, USDA strengthened its food safety program by banning from the human food supply any cattle that are unable to walk or show signs of possible neurological disease.
Feed Ban - In 1997, the FDA banned feeding ruminant-derived protein to cattle. This feed ban breaks the cycle of BSE.
  To learn more about BSE, information can found at the following Web sites:

• USDA Q&A http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=BSE_FAQs.xml&contentidonly=true
• Centers for Disease Control Q&A: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/bse/
• Food and Drug Administration Q&A: http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/SafetyAvailability/ucm111482.htm
• Beef Industry Scientific Panel Information Resource: www.BSEinfo.org

Tuesday, April 24, 2012
News Makers AM from meatingplace.com

Consumers prefer fatty beef, study finds  
By Michael Fielding
When it comes to food, the alternatives are endless: spicy or bland; Mexican, Italian, Asian or Southern-style comfort dishes. But when it comes to beef, almost everyone agrees on a few features. “Consumers tell us that higher fat levels are more desirable; they like it better,” said Mark Miller, meat scientist at Texas Tech University. “We’ve found that marbling level has a really big impact on the consumer’s desire for beef.” He referenced a study by Travis O’Quinn, “Consumer Acceptance of Beef Strips,” comparing strip loins from USDA Prime to Select. He found that overall preference declined to 79 percent from 95.8 percent. That linear downtrend mirrored the flavor ratings, which showed 97.5 percent of the Prime steaks were acceptable. Those scores dropped with each successive grade break: 94.2 percent for high Choice, 92.4 percent for low Choice and 85.8 percent for Select. Overall liking was most highly correlated with flavor, but tenderness and juiciness ratings followed similar patterns. The USDA quality grades do their job, Miller explained. “They’re based on what will give you the ultimate level of consumer satisfaction,” he said. Juiciness is controlled by degree of doneness, so that leaves flavor and tenderness. Since quality grades include a maturity component, that helps with the latter. “On top of that we use marbling, a factor that’s tremendously related to all three." Research a decade ago showed tenderness contributed half of overall beef eaters’ satisfaction, followed by flavor at 40 percent. “Tenderness is by far the most important factor, but once a steak meets a consumer’s threshold for tenderness, then flavor becomes the sole driver,” Miller said, explaining flavor was a main focus in the latest study. “Tenderness is the most important factor and we need to keep on top of it—we need to keep surveying and monitoring it. We need to keep progressing,” he added. “But flavor is an area where we can make a lot of progress on our competition, especially in the international market."