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Game changer Test results TAXING EFFORTS Sa les tax re gistration numbers re quir ed. PA GE 6 EXPORTING U.S. PRODUCTS Fr ee trade agr eements to incr ease demand. PA GE 15 BIG BUSINESS Hu nters signifi cantly boost local economies. PA GE 18 TRICH QUESTIONS Dr . Wi kse talks tritrichomonas pr ev ention. PA GE 20 November 1, 2011 PREGNANCY TESTING CAN HELP DETERMINE CULLING DECISIONS PAGE 12

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Page 1: Land and Livestock Post

Gamechanger

Test results

TAXING EFFORTSSales tax registration numbers required.PAGE 6

EXPORTING U.S. PRODUCTSFree trade agreements to increase demand.PAGE 15

BIG BUSINESSHunters significantly boost local economies.PAGE 18

TRICH QUESTIONSDr. Wikse talks tritrichomonas prevention.PAGE 20

Novembe r 1 , 2 011

PREGNANCY TESTING CAN HELPDETERMINE CULLING DECISIONS

PAGE 12

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OffersOffersOff goodgood onon newnewnew andandand unrunrunrunregegegegististististererereredededed unitsunitsunitsunits purchasedchased between 7/27/11–10/31/11. *On select models. See your dealer for details. **Rates as low as 2.99% for 36 months. OffersOffersOff only available at participating Polaris® dealers. Approval, and any rates and terms provided, are based on credit worthiness. Other fi nancing offersoffersoff are availableailable. ApAppliesplies toto thethe purpurchaseof all new ATVV andand RANGER ® models made on the Polaris Installment Program from 7/27/11–10/31/11. Fixed APR of 2.99%, 6.99%, or 9.99% will be assigned based on credit approval criteria. Warning: ATVs can be hazardous to operate. For your safetsafetsaf y: Avoid operating Polaris ATVs or RANGER s on paved surfaces or public roads. Riders and passengers shouldalways wear a helmet, eye protection, protective clothing, and a seat belt and always use cab nets (on RANGER vehicles). Never engage in stunt driving, and avoid excessive speeds and sharp turns. Polaris adult ATV models are for riders age 16 and older. Drivers of RANGER vehicles must be at least 16 years old with a valid driver’s license. All ATV riders shouldtake a safetsafetsaf y training course. For ATV safetsafetsaf y and training inforinforinf mation, call the SVIA at (800) 887-2887, see your dealer,dealer,dealer or call Polaris at (800) 342-3764. ©2011 Polaris Industries Inc.*MSRP $8199. Our Price $7275 does not include government fees, taxes, dealer freight/preparation, dealer document preparation charges. MSRP/or final actual sales price may vary depending on options or accessories selected in store. In store prices and online prices may vary.*Rebates vary by model. Please see dealer for details. **Offer is subject to credit approval, applies to purchases of new Polaris off road vehicles sold by 10/31/11. Terms up to 60 months available for purchases based on credit approval criteria. Fixed APR of 5.99%, 9.99% or 11.99% will apply. an example of monthly payments required on a 60 month termat 5.99% APR is $19.33 per $1000 financed. See Normangee Tractor For Details.OffersOffersOff good on new and unregistered units purchased by 10/31/11. OffersOffersOff only available at Normangee Tractor. Free products only available at Normangee Tractor. *Polaristar Payment Protection provided by cynoSure Financial, Inc. Must purchase and take delivery by 10/31//11. Other restrictions apply. See Normangee Tractor for details. Void whereprohibited by law. Polaris reserves the right to terminate the program at anytime. **Rebates vary by model and are only available on select ATV and RANGER® vehicles. ***Offer is good at Normangee Tractor and subject to product availability. On approved Polaris StarCard® qualified consumer purchases. Reduced Rate 9.99% APR and the following paymentsare effeceffeceff tive if your account is kept current: $59 for purchases financed up to $5,000 (ATV(ATV(A only). Specified payments may be increased due to debt-cancellation fees or any late fees (if applicable). AfteAfteAf r the promotional period, the standard minimummonthly payment and Standard Rate 21.99% APR will apply. For Accounts not kept current the promotion willbe canceled and the Default Rate 21.99% APR and standard monthly payments will apply. Paying only the amount advertised will not pay off the purchase during the promotional period. Minimum Finance charge: $1. Certain rules apply to the allocation of payments and Finance Charges on your promotional purchase if you make more than one purchaseon your Polaris StarCard. Call 1-888-367-4310 or review your cardholder agreement for inforinforinf mation.Warning: ATVs can be hazardous to operate. For your safetsafetsaf y, avoid operating Polaris ATVs of RANGERs on paved surfaces or public roads. Riders and passengers should always wear helmet, eye protection, protective clothing, and seat belt on RANGER vehicles.Riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix. Polaris adult ATV models are for riders aged 16 and older. 90cc ATV models and RANGER RZR® 170 models are intended for riders aged 12 and over,er,er and 50cc ATV models are only intended for riders aged 6 and over. Drivers of RANGER vehicles must be at least 16 years old with valid driver’s license. All ATV riders should takea safetsafetsaf y training course. For ATV safetsafetsaf y and training inforinforinf mation in the U.S., call the SVIA at (800) 887-2887, see your dealer,dealer,dealer or call Polaris at (800) 342-3764. Vehicle is shown with optional equipment. ©2010 Polaris Industries Inc. **Written Quote on same model Polaris ATV qualifies for $100.00 Cash.

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Rains help someFrom the General Manager

I’ve had a smartphonefor a little more than ayear now, and I’ve

never owned anything thatmakes it easier to do somany stupid things.

Since I’ve had thisphone, mynetwork-ing capa-bilitieshavegreatlyimproved,as well asmy abilityto kill apig with a bird. I’d say it’sabout dead even betweenasset and distraction. But,whether you look at smart-phones as a nuisance or anecessity, one thing is forcertain: They havechanged the way we com-municate.

Even the Land &Livestock Post has boardedthe e-train. We’ve had awebsite for years, but weare now on Facebook,Twitter and soon will havea new and improved inter-active website for you toutilize.

Be sure to visit our cur-rent website: www.landan-dlivestockpost.com toenter your free listing inthe 2012 Ag Directory. Forthose less computer savvy,there is also a form in thisissue you can fill out andmail or fax in. The AgDirectory will appear inthe Dec. 15 issue, and wewill distribute extra copiesat trade shows and conven-tions throughout the year,so it is a great free oppor-tunity to get your nameout there.

Our cover story in thisissue focuses on methodsthat can help your herd:pregnancy testing. We alsohave a few stories aboutthe global market and howit affects the ag industry,as well as some of thethings to look out for goinginto winter.

However you read thisissue, whether on a smart-phone, tablet, computerscreen or good old-fash-ioned, user-friendly paper,I hope you enjoy it, andthanks for reading.

’Til next time,

By ROBERT BURNSTexas AgriLife Extension Service

COLLEGE STATION —Nearly all of Texas receivedrain in October, but evenwhere the rains were substan-tial, the drought is far fromover, according to TexasAgriLife Extension Servicereports.

Since early October, theRolling Plains, Central andNorth regions received themost rain, with accumulationsof six inches and more, withtwo to three inches common,according to the NationalWeather Service’s daily precip-itation analysis. San Antonioand surrounding countiesreceived two inches or more.With a few exceptions, the restof the state received from atrace to about two inches.

Where the rains were sub-stantial, the agricultural bene-fits were great, replenishinglivestock water tanks and

ponds, and encouraging farm-ers to plant winter forages andprepare fields for fall planting.

The general consensus fromAgriLife Extension countyagents, however, was thatmuch more rain is needed tosustain winter crops.

“Rainfall received this weekwas from 0.5 inch to more thanone inch across the county,”said Greg Jones, AgriLifeExtension agent in GarzaCounty, southeast of Lubbock.“The rainfall will help for ashort period of time, but addi-tional rainfall will be needed.Small-grain crops will emergewith current moisture but willnot be sustained.”

“Most of the county receivedone inch to two inches of rainthis week,” said StevenSparkman, AgriLife Extensionagent in Hardeman County,northwest of Wichita Falls.

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Page 4: Land and Livestock Post

By JOB SPRINGERSamuel Roberts Noble

Foundation

Conditions throughout 2011have been tough in theSouthern Great Plains, espe-cially in Texas andOklahoma, home to about 23percent of U.S. beef cows.With triple-digit tempera-tures and very little rain, thelivestock industry is feelingthe effects of drought.The U.S. Department of

Agriculture has rated 90 per-cent of pasture conditions inthe region as very poor. Tomake matters worse, mostlivestock water sources aredrying up or have reached apoint where water quality is amajor concern.All of these issues have

area cattle producers strate-gizing as to what their ranchmanagement plan should bein the near future. They areevaluating how many days ofquality water they have left orhow many days of standingforage and hay are available.The hardest question for anycow/calf producer to face nowis being asked by countlessranchers: Will I have to liqui-date my cow herd?While the Noble Foun-

dation’s website has calcula-tors to help with water andfeed concerns, it does nothave a simple calculator todetermine the need for herdliquidation. Considering cer-tain factors, however, canhelp you make the decision

for your circumstances.The first step is to deter-

mine the current value ofone’s cows — that is, to calcu-late the value of your cows ifthey were sold in today’s mar-ket. While this is an uncom-fortable issue to face, it isimportant.The Agricultural Market-

ing Service of the USDA has awebsite that reports marketprices of livestock in selectauction facilities across theUnited States. These reportscan be found by going towww.ams.usda.gov andaccessing to the markets ofinterest under the “MarketNews” section or directly at1.usa.gov/nhlyFi.In August, the Oklahoma

City market was showing anaverage 2- to 7-year-old cow,bred or not, worth $700. Whilethis price is more than $300lower than the same time in2010 for a bred cow, one mustconsider the increased num-ber of cows that have been orare going to market.This brings up the second

determination that needs tobe made: costs. To decide if

herd liquidation is the bestoption, it is important tounderstand what the costs areexpected to be from todayuntil we have green grass inApril or May of 2012. Due tothe drought, area pastureshave little to no grass left andmost producers stocked for anaverage rainfall year. If youare considering feedingthrough the winter, realizethat starting from Nov. 1 tothe end of April wouldrequire 181 days of feed.Hay in the marketplace not

only is limited, but is morethan double the price of oneyear ago. Average prices forgrass hay have been between$120 and $180 per deliveredton in the southern Oklahomaand northern Texas area. Italso is looking like we are notgoing to catch a price breakon feed. Prices for many by-product feeds are about $260per ton, and 38 percent cubesare about $380 per ton.If a cow consumes 3 percent

of its body weight (includingwaste) and we have 181 daysto spring green-up, then a1,200-pound cow is going to

consume 6,516 pounds (1,200 x.03 x 242) of forage during thistime. At $150 per ton, hay willcost $488.7 per cow (6,516 ÷2,000 x 150).Most of the hay brought

into the area will not meet thetotal nutrient requirementsof the cow, especially duringlactation. This is where by-product feeds or cubes areneeded. Hay quality, cowweight, milk production, calv-ing season and weather allwill have an effect on howmuch and what type of sup-plement is needed.An estimate for supplement

cost is an additional $85.50 percow.Mineral, fuel, machinery

use and other costs throughthe winter will add up to over$100, and by the end of Aprilthe cow will have $674.20 incosts. If the cow is worthapproximately $700 today andwe spend an additional$674.20 on it by the end of

April, its value to the produc-er in the spring is $1,538.90.The last consideration then

has to do with replacementoptions. Could a producer buya cow or a pair at the end ofApril for $1,538.90 or less? Ifso, it is time to sell and buyback in the spring. Realizethat some of the cows going tomarket are going to greenerpastures elsewhere and notnecessarily to the packer.This means that there will becows to buy when we get rain.Our recommendation is to

create a ranch managementplan for your operation thatincludes your specific inputsto determine the most prof-itable option for you.

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Time to determine whether to liquidate herd

Published by Bryan-College Station Communications, Inc.(979) 776-4444 or (800) 299-7355

Land & Livestock Post

Published by Bryan-College Station Communications, Inc.,P.O. Box 3000, Bryan, Texas 77805.E-mail: [email protected]

All offices are located at 1729 Briarcrest Drive, Bryan, Texas 77802.POSTMASTER: Send address changes to

The Eagle, P.O. Box 3000,Bryan, Texas 77805-3000

President - Jim Wilson...................................................Ext. 4613Publisher and Editor- Kelly Brown................................Ext. 4656Advertising Director - ....................................Ext. 4740Advertising Sales/General Manager - Jesse Wright ........Ext. 4721Financial Director - Rod Armstrong..................................Ext. 4605New Media Director - Mike Albin ....................................Ext. 4663Production Director - Mark Manning................................Ext. 4671Circulation Director - Jack Perkins ..................................Ext. 4752

The Post is printed in part on recycledpaper and is fully recyclable.

The Eagle

The first step is to determine the current value ofone’s cows — that is, to calculate the value of yourcows if they were sold in today’s market. While thisis an uncomfortable issue to face, it is important.

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Sales tax registrationnumber to be required

AUSTIN — Farm, ranchand timber operators whoproduce agricultural and tim-ber products for sale soon willneed a special registrationnumber to claim a sales taxexemption on taxable prod-ucts used in those businesses.The new rules begin Jan. 1.

Texas Comptroller SusanCombs announced producerscan get a registration numberthrough either a mail-in appli-cation or an online applica-tion process that began Oct. 3.

Registration is required byHouse Bill 268 passed in thisyear’s legislative session. Itwas supported by retailersand agriculture groups.

“Beginning Jan. 1, anyonewho wants to claim the agri-culture or timber sales taxexemptions for qualifyingproducts will need a registra-tion number to show retail-ers, instead of simply signingan exemption certificate atthe time of purchase,” Combssaid. “The new registrationprocess takes the burden offretailers to verify whether apurchaser is eligible forexemption. And it narrowsthe pool of purchasers claim-ing the sales tax exemption tothose actually involved in pro-duction of agriculture andtimber products for sale.”

The new legislation re-quires a registration numberto claim tax exemptions whenbuying items such as machin-ery and equipment, fertiliz-ers, insecticides, irrigationequipment and off-road motorvehicles used for farming and

timber production.Those entitled to make tax-

free purchases of taxablequalifying products includegroups such as:

• Farmers and rancherswho raise agricultural prod-ucts to sell to others.

• Fish farmers and beekeepers who sell the productsthey raise;

• Custom harvesters.• Crop dusters.• Commercial nurseries

engaged in fostering growthof plants for sale.

• Timber producers, includ-ing contract lumberjacks.

Products such as feed forlivestock and wildlife, seedsand annual plants are alwaystax-exempt and would notrequire a registration num-ber.

The primary owner or oper-ator of a farm, ranch or tim-ber operation may obtain oneregistration number that canbe used by anyone authorizedby the registrant — includingfamily members or employees— to make tax exempt pur-chases of qualifying productsfor the business.

The application for a regis-tration number should takeless than 10 minutes to com-plete.

To register online, go towww.GetReadyTexas.org.Online applicants will receivea registration number imme-diately. If you prefer, you maydownload a paper applicationform from the website or call1-800-252-5555 to receive aform by mail.

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News

“This is the first rain in ayear, measuring over an inchat one time for most of thecounty. Wheat producers willwait several days for volun-teer wheat and weeds to comeup then spray to kill it andplant the 2012 wheat crop. …This rain was nice, but leavesus about 18 inches below nor-mal.”“After a good rain this past

weekend, farmers are firingup tractors and grain drills toget wheat planting underway,” said Justin Gilliam,AgriLife Extension agent inArcher County, south ofWichita Falls. “While somefarmers are having to replant,most are just now puttingseed in the ground. Tanks andstreams are all at least halffull, while some are overflow-ing.”“We got rain last weekend.

Most areas received one inchto five inches,” said Scott

Anderson, AgriLife Extensionagent in Brown County,southwest of Fort Worth.“Most stock tanks caughtughtugsome water; some filled up.There was increased fieldactivity: plowing and plantingsmall-grain fields. Most pas-tures will not be able to growmuch grass or forage due tocooler nighttime temps.”“The county received from

three to seven inches of rain-fall over the weekend, butthere was no runoff water,and stock water is still a graveconcern,” said David Winkler,AgriAgriAg LifeLifeLi Extension agent inBosque County, betweenDallas and Waco.More information on the

Texas drought and wildfirealerts can be found on theAgriLife Extension Agricul-tural Drought Task Forcewebsite at agrilife.tamu.edu/drought/.AgriLife Extension district

reporters compiled the follow-ing summaries:

Central — Most of the regionreceived significant rainfall duringthe last two weeks. But with thecooler temperatures there was

very little warm-season grassgrowth and forage suppliesremained low. Topsoil moisturewas good, but deep-soil moisturewas still a concern.

Coastal Bend — A fewA fewA f areasreceived 2 to 4 inches of rain,but the drought continued.Producers were skeptical aboutplanting winter annuals such aswheat, oats and ryegrass unlessadditional moisture is received.As grass was scarce and hayhard to find, livestock producerscontinued to sell cattle or feedsupplements. Some farmerswere light plowing. Most countiesneeded an additional 6 to 8 inch-es of rain to bring subsoil mois-ture to adequate levels. Mostfarm ponds were still empty ornearly so.

East — Some parts of theregion received as much as 3inches of rain while othersremained dry. Temperatures wereabove average. Producers contin-ued to reduce cattle numbersand purchase hay from out ofstate. Some were preparing toplant winter pastures, hoping formore rain. Reports of armywormson pastures increased.

Southwest — The district

received from 0.5 inch to 6 inch-es of rain, but pastures remainedbarren and dryland farming oper-ations were still at a standstill.Livestock producers continued toreduce herds as forage was inshort supply. Cooler nighttimetemperatures prevailed.

Far West — The area receivedscattered light rains, with accu-mulations from a trace to 0.2inch, accompanied by cooler tem-peratures. Much of GlasscockCounty was the exception, receiv-ing 2 inches of rain, which haltedcotton harvesting for a few days.Other area cotton producers weredefoliating cotton and servicingpickers. Some chilies were har-vested with yields better thanexpected. Ranchers continuedselling cattle due to very dry pas-tures and troubles finding hay tobuy. Most cattle remaining werein poor to fair condition. The wild-fire danger was still high, andburn bans remained in effect.Two days of 30-40 mph windsblew pecans out of trees, but alight to fair crop was still expect-expect-expected if the weather cooperates.

North — Some countiesreceived from 0.5 inch to 3 inch-es of rain, but soil moisture gen-

erally remained short to veryshort. Many farmers were plant-ing small grains, while ranchersplanted winter annual pastures,and these crops emerged afterthe rains. Livestock feeding con-tinued. Conditions for livestockproducers were still very critical.The rain soaked in rather thanran off to fill stock ponds.Armyworms were reported inparts of Kaufman County. Feralhogs continued to be a majorproblem. Fly populationsincreased.

Panhandle — Some areasreceived from a trace to 3 inchesof rain. Soil moisture was veryshort to adequate, with mostcounties reporting very short toshort. The corn harvest wasongoing. The cotton harvest wasunder way with the crop reportedto be in fair to poor condition.Producers continued plantingwheat. Most rangeland and pas-tures were in very poor condition,with livestock producers continu-ing to provide supplemental feed.

Rolling Plains — Timely rainsencouraged wheat growers toplant. Hardeman County reported1 inch of rain, its first substantialrain since last September.

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Scientists study feed efficiency in beef cattleBy BLAIR FANNIN

Texas AgriLife Communications

COLLEGE STATION —Feed efficiency in beef cattleis getting a closer look by aTexas AgriLife Research sci-entist who is evaluating bothfeedlot performance and feedintake to improve profitabili-ty and reduce the environ-mental impact of beef produc-tion systems.Gordon Carstens, an

AgriLife Research animalnutrition scientist, along withother agency researchers, hasbeen using GrowSafe technol-ogy to measure feed intakeand feeding-behavior traitssuch as daily visits and timespent at the feed bunk.The technology is part of

ongoing research efforts inCollege Station and theMcGregor AgriLife ResearchCenter.“Calculating residual-feed

intake is an alternative

method of assessing feed effi-ciency in beef cattle, which isbased on the fact that consid-erable individual animalvariation exists in feed intakeabove and below what isexpected on the basis of ananimal’s size and growthrate,” Carstens said.For example, Carstens said

to imagine two bulls that bothweigh 900 pounds and gainfour pounds per day during aperformance test.“For a given ration, we

would expect that both bullswould eat, say, 26 pounds perday because their require-ments for maintenance andgrowth should be similar,” hesaid. “In reality, one bull mayhave eaten 24 pounds and theother 28 pounds per day.”Residual-feed intake is cal-

culated as actual intakeminus expected intake basedon an animal’s body weightand growth rate, Carstenssaid.

“So the residual-feedual-feedual-f intakewould be minus and plus twopounds per day for the twobulls with the efficient bullbeing the one with a negativeresidual feed intake.”Carstens and other scien-

tists have found that residualfeed intake is a “moderatelyheritable” trait that is geneti-cally unrelated to growthtraits. Thus, genetic selectionfor low residual-fee-fee-f d intakeoffeoffeof rs opportunities to selectfor improved feed effieffief ciencywithout having to stock larg-er, mature cows, he said.“With increased feed costs

in recent years, there are a lotof folks in the industry inter-ested in using this trait aspart of a selection program toimprove genetic merit forfeed efficiency.”In addition to measuring

feeding intake, the GrowSafesystem is able to monitorindividual feeding patternsby using electronic radio fre-

quency identification deviceear tags. Sensors captureeach animal’s trip to the feedbunk and the frequency andtime of each bunk visit isrecorded by the system’s com-puter software program.

This data is valuable inevaluating differences infeeding behavior patternsamong efficient and ineffi-

• See FEED/PageFEED/PageFEED 10

Gordon Carstens, left, Texas AgriLife Research animal nutrition sci-sci-entist, and Joel Walter,lter,lter a graduate student in animal science atTexas A&M University,University,University evaluate feed-intake data on a computercomputermonitor.monitor.monitor The data is captured by the automated feed monitoring sys-sys-tem as part of a study to investigate feed efficiency in beef cattlenear College Station.

Texas AgriLifeAgriLife ExtensionExtension photo by BlairBlair FanninFannin

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BryanResults of the Brazos Valley

Livestock Commission’s Oct. 11sale:Head: 946Steers: 200-300 lbs., $122-

$170, 300-400 lbs., $116-$172.50, 400-500 lbs., $116-$161, 500-600 lbs., $105-$144,600-700 lbs., $110-$127, 700-800 lbs., $110-$123.Heifers: 200-300 lbs., $102-

$129, 300-400 lbs., $105-$136,400-500 lbs., $100-$130, 500-600 lbs., $100-$124, 600-700lbs., $95-$120. 700-800 lbs.,$104-$110.Slaughter bulls: $65-$75.Slaughter cows: $33-$64.50.Bred cows: $460-$910.Cow/calf pairs: $800.

BuffaloResults of the Buffalo

Livestock Exchange’s Oct. 8 sale:Head: 2,197Steers: 150-200 lbs., $125-

$150; 200-300 lbs., $125-$160;

300-400 lbs., $120-$155; 400-500 lbs., $117-$143; 500-600lbs., $115-$136; 600-700 lbs.,$115-$127; 700-800 lbs., $112-$120.Heifers: 150-200 lbs., $115-

$145; 200-300 lbs., $110-$140;300-400 lbs., $110-$150; 400-500 lbs., $110-$140; 500-600lbs., $105-$130; 600-700 lbs.,$102-$135; 700-800 lbs., $100-$113.Slaughter bulls: $55-$72.Slaughter cows: $35-$68.50.Bred cows: $610-$1,135.Cow/calf pairs: $900-$1,000.

CaldwellResults of the Caldwell

Livestock Commission’s Oct. 12sale:Head: 605Steers: 200-300 lbs., $130-

$160; 300-400 lbs., $130-$165;400-500 lbs., $125-$155; 500-600 lbs., $120-$140; 600-700lbs., $115-$130.Heifers: 200-300 lbs., $127-

$150; 300-400 lbs., $125-$165;

400-500 lbs., $123-$145; 500-600 lbs., $118-$135; 600-700lbs., $114-$130.Slaughter bulls: $57-$73.Slaughter cows: $30-$63.Stocker cows: $480-$810.

GroesbeckResults of the Groesbeck

Auction & Livestock Co.’s Oct. 13sale:Head: 1,243Steers: 300-400 lbs., $138-

$162, 400-500 lbs., $122-$142,500-600 lbs., $110-$132, 600-700 lbs., $110-$122.Heifers: 300-400 lbs., $130-

$138, 400-500 lbs., $115-$135,500-600 lbs., $110-$125, 600-700 lbs., $96-$125.Slaughter bulls: $65-$73.Slaughter cows: $40-$65.Bred cows: $550-$900.Cow/calf pairs: $750-$1,100.

JordanResults of the Jordan Cattle

Auction’s Oct. 13 sale:

Head: 1,428Steers: 200-300 lbs., $145-

$165, 300-400 lbs., $140-$159,400-500 lbs., $135-$154, 500-600 lbs., $130-$143.50, 600-700 lbs., $125-$134, 700-800lbs., $118-$127.Heifers: 200-300 lbs., $125-

$145, 300-400 lbs., $125-$144,400-500 lbs., $125-$134, 500-600 lbs., $120-$131, 600-700lbs., $115-$120, 700-800 lbs.,$110-$118.Slaughter bulls: $55-$74.50.Slaughter cows: $40-$66.Stocker cows: $500-$960.Cow/calf pairs: $700-$1,060.

MilanoResults of the Milano

Livestock Exchange’s Oct. 11sale:Head: 888Steers: 300-400 lbs., $129-

$167.50, 400-500 lbs., $129-$167.50, 500-600 lbs., $119-$143, 600-700 lbs., $116-$137.Heifers: $300-400 lbs., $118-

$145, 400-500 lbs., $113-$130,

500-600 lbs., $109-$129, 600-700 lbs., $109-$125.Slaughter bulls: $59-$76.50.Slaughter cows: $34.50-$72.Bred cows: $670-$850.Cow/calf pairs: $850-$980.

NavasotaResults of the Navasota

Livestock Auction Co.’s Oct. 8sale:Head: 2,552Steers: 150-300 lbs., $115-

$170; 300-400 lbs., $100-$157.50; 400-500 lbs., $100-$151; 500-600 lbs., $100-$134;600-700 lbs., $100-$127.Heifers: 150-300 lbs., $100-

$140; 300-400 lbs., $100-$135;400-500 lbs., $100-$135; 500-600 lbs., $100-$123; 600-700lbs., $100-$121.Slaughter bulls: $55-$75.Slaughter cows: $25-$66.Stocker cows: $650-$900.Cow/calf pairs: $625-$1,100.

— Special to The Post

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Page 10: Land and Livestock Post

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cient cattle, Carstens said.“We are interested in learn-

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allowing for a feed truck tofeed cattle in feed bunks eachday, thus eliminating thetime-consuming task of man-ual feeding and reducing thecost of collecting feed intakedata for genetic evaluationpurposes, Carstens said.“Without a doubt, the

recent increase in grainprices the past few years, andhigher hay costs caused bythe drought will create moredemand for cattle with superi-or genetic merit for feed effi-ciency,” he said. “In the past,the beef industry has mainlyfocused on improving genet-ics of carcass and growthtraits. Most recently, thefocus has been on improvedefficiency, and yes, theincreased cost of feeds anddrought has driven moreinterest in these areas.“We can now start talking

about how to improve effi-ciency so we can also reduce

the environmental impact ofbeef cattle production sys-tems. Cattle that are more effi-cient also produce lessmethane and less fecal output.Several countries are current-

ly exploring the use of thesetechnologies to improve feedefficiency in beef cattle asstrategies to mitigate the car-bon footprint of animal agri-culture.”

TheLand

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Trips to the feed bunk, measurements of feed intake and other datacan be viewed on a computer.computer.computer

Texas AgriLifeAgriLife ExtensionExtension photo by BlairBlair FanninFannin

StudyFrom 10

GrowSafe technology allows researchers to measure daily feedintake by beef cattle, frequency of feed bunk visits and time spentat the feeder.feeder.feeder Scientists are studying the technology.technology.technology

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Page 12: Land and Livestock Post

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Up close and real personalBase culling decisions on pregnancy testing

By ROBERT FEARSSpecial to The Post

Pregnancy testing can showwhether a cow needs culling.But, more importantly, it is an

evaluation of ranch managementskills. Profitable calving percentagesresult from good nutrition, effectivehealth programs, successful geneticsand rigorous culling.Pregnancy testing measures how

well you designed and implementedthese management practices.“If breeding soundness exams have

shown that the bulls can successfullybreed and the cows have body condi-tion scores of five or better and aredisease-free, then open cows identi-fied by pregnancy testing should beculled,” says Dr. Mike Wirtz, ownerof TZ Cattle Co. of Brenham.“Keeping unbred cows until the

next breeding period will costbetween $200 and $400 per animal. Inaddition to the maintenance cost, youhave a risk that the open cows won’tconceive next year,” Wirtz said.Wirtz is adjunct professor of live-

stock production medicine at TexasA&M University and a member of thenational emergency response teamon infectious cattle diseases. He prac-ticed large animal medicine for 30years.Selling unbred cows is extremely

important during our currentdrought. Herd size needs to be bal-anced with the amount of feed youcan affoaffoaf rd to buy and pregnancy test-ing offers an opportunity to identifycows to sell. This is not the time togive open cows a second chance.“During years of adequate rainfall,

pregnancy testing shouldn’t be con-sidered until other good managementpractices are in place,” Wirtz said.“Profitable calving percentages beginwith breeding soundness exams onall bulls each year before turningthem in with the cows. Good nutri-tional and health programs are neces-sary so that both bulls and cows willbreed.“A bull should not be expected to

service more than 25 to 35 cows andthe breeding period should last 60 to90 days. After these practices are inplace, a cow/calf operator should def-def-definitely pregnancy test females every

year approximately 60 days after thecows are separated from the bulls,”Wirtz said.A common method of pregnancy

testing is palpation, which isdescribed by Bruce Carpenter andL.R. Sprott in Texas AgriLifeExtension Bulletin B-1077. They statethat pregnancy determination or pal-pation is conducted by inserting anarm into a cow’s rectum and feelingher reproductive tract for a fetus.It is recommended that the palpa-

tor wear a protective plastic sleevethat covers the arm and hand up tothe shoulder to guard against diseaseand irritation of the arm. If a plasticsleeves tears, it should be replacedbefore palpating the next animal.An obstetrical lubricant or mineral

oil should be used to make entry intothe rectum easier. Soap or detergentsare not recommended as lubricantsbecause they are skin irritants.Wirtz recommends that palpation

be conducted by a veterinarianbecause a medical diagnosis is com-pleted as part of the process. On theaverage, a veterinarian will chargeapproximately $5 per head for palpa-tion. The cost depends upon condi-tion of corrals and chutes, tempera-ment of the cattle and quality of helpfrom ranch personnel.Under good conditions, experi-

enced veterinarians can palpate acow per minute or several hundredhead during a normal workday.“The chute for holding the animal

during palpation should allow her tostand in a normal position,” writeCarpenter and Sprott. “It should havea fronta fronta f wall or gate and a bar justabove the animal’s hocks in the rear.This bar keeps the cow from kickingand protects the palpator.Include an entrance gate in the

chute at the rear of the animal toallow the palpator to enter and exiteasily. Provide a gate to swing acrossthe crowding chute and fasten it infront of other animals coming behindthe palpator. Squeeze chutes may beused, but you do not need to catch thecow’s head for this procedure.”“During palpation a veterinarian

looks for abnormalities such as poor

circulation, bladder problems andtumors on the ovaries, cervix andabdomen in addition to feeling for afetus,” Wirtz said.“When palpation shows that a cow

will have trouble calving, she canimmediately be sold for slaughter.This avoids the possible abortion of acalf or causing the cow to experiencepain and discomfort in trying to givebirth.“If the veterinarian feels that a cow

with problems will be able to safelydeliver a calf,lf,lf then the best strategy

is to let her calve and then sell thecow after the calf is weaned,” Wirtzsaid.If pregnancy testing is the only con-

cern, palpation can be executed byexperienced cattle producers.Palpation proficiency begins withtraining through a short course orworking and learning from someonewho accurately palpates cattle.Experience is developed through

A properly designed and constructed chute for conducting pregnancy testing allowsthe cow to stand normally, bmally, bmally ut prevents it from kicking.

Photo by Robert Fears

• See COW/PageCOW/PageCOW 13

PhotoPhoto courtesy ofof BioBio PrPreg Check.Check.

ON THE COVER

Page 13: Land and Livestock Post

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many palpations.Pregnancy testing is an art

and skill and much practiceis necessary to become accu-rate. Under the VeterinaryPractice Act, a producer canpalpate his own animals andfor other people but cannotcharge for the procedure.To palpate successfully,

you have to know the feel ofthe various parts of the cow’sreproductive tract and beable to determine their posi-tion and size during variousstages of fetal development.You also have to feel thefetus and estimate its size.The reason Wirtz recom-

mends palpation at approxi-mately 60 days after bulls areseparated from the cows isthat a stage of fetal develop-ment has occurred by thistime. So if the cow conceived,a fetusa fetusa f should be detected.

“An experienced palpatorcan detect a pregnancy asearly as 30 days, however,injuinjuin ry to the fetus is possi-ble,” Wirtz said. “There is anormal percentage of earlyfetal death or reabsorptionduring the first 60 days ofpregnancy; so early palpa-tions may be misleading.”

Ultrasound can be used forpregnancy testing, but it isnot the preferred methodbecause of its cost. Use ofultrasound may be justifiedtifiedtiffor early pregnancy testing,fetal sexing or determiningembryo health.

The newest method of preg-nancy testing through bloodsamples is also described byCarpenter and Sprott and iscalled the Bio-PRYN test.This test has been availablesince 2004 and has proved tobe more than 99 percent accu-rate in identifying pregnantcows and approximately 95percent accurate in identify-ing open cows. It is a yes-notest only and is not effective

in determining the pregnan-cy stage or identifying abnor-malities.Blood samples are collected

by the producer or veterinar-ian from the vein underneaththe tail at the tail head. Thesamples are shipped to a lab-

oratory and do not have to berefrigerated. Results of thetests are sent to the producerwithin 27 hours of samplereceipt. Analysis cost cur-rently is $3 per sample plusthe cost of blood collectionequipment and postage.

Pregnancy testing costing$3 to $5 dollars per animal isa good investment to avoidkeeping open cows until thenext breeding season at amaintenance cost of $200 to$400 per head, especially dur-ing drought.

CowFrom 12

Palpation approximately 60 days after the bulls are separated from the cows will allow producers todetermine which cows should be culled.

Photo by Robert Fears

For sale information, contact:Carl Herrmann, Owner/Operator(979) 820-5349Hank Herrmann: (979) 820-5277Sale Barn Office: (979) 567-4119P.O. Box 542, Caldwell, TX [email protected]

BROKEN TRIANGLECattle MarketingMilton E. Charanza, Jr.(979) 450-8588, Cell

[email protected]

2011FallReplacementFemaleSaleSATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19TH • 1:00 P.M.

Caldwell Livestock Commission • Caldwell, TX(Caldwell Livestock Commission is located off Hwy. 36 South)

A complete listing of cattle will be availableNovember 7th on www.brokentrianglecattle.com

800+ HEADPairs, Bred Cows,Bred & Open Heifersincludes Over 200Brahman FemalesMany of these open females will besold in uniform groups of 5 and areperfect for commercial pen heifercompetitions!

All these cattle are consignedby top producers from our area.Many have cut really deep into theheart of their programs due to thedrought. All cattle are young, willbe palpated and sold in uniformgroups. Offering includes threetotal herd dispersions.

Caldwell Livestock Commission • Caldwell, TXCaldwell Livestock Commission • Caldwell, TX

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By MICHAEL J. CRUMBAssociated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa — U.S.farmers recently celebratedthe approval of free tradeagreements with SouthKorea, Colombia andPanama, saying the pacts willincrease demand for theirproducts, though Americanconsumers shouldn’t see adrastic increase in overallfood prices.Congress approved the

agreements, calling for theelimination of tariffs on U.S.products exported to thosecountries.Farm exports are expected

to increase by $2.3 billion and20,000 agriculture-related jobsare expected to be createdunder the agreements, whichwill gradually be phased in.“Other parts of the econo-

my will benefit, but nonemore so than agriculture,”said U.S. AgricultureSecretary Tom Vilsack. Farmexports are expected to reach$137 billion over the nextyear.From corn, pork and cattle

to cherries, orange juice andhoney, tariffs on U.S. agricul-tural products shipped toSouth Korea, Colombia andPanama will be eliminated.Some will be eliminatedimmediately. Others will bephased out over a period oftime as outlined in each of thepacts.While demand will rise and

amounts paid to producersare expected to increase, theeffect on the prices con-sumers pay is expected to benegligible for many products.“This is such a good deal

because they don’t like thesame pieces of meat we like,”said Iowa State Universityeconomist Dermot Hayes,who published a study earlier

this year about the effects thefree trade agreements wouldhave on the U.S. pork indus-try. “Because they like otherpieces — they buy the head,shoulder, feet — they mayhave no effect on our tender-loins.“By increasing prices of

those, potentially, it couldreduce prices for consumersbecause producers don’t needto make as much on cuts thatare popular here,” Hayessaid.U.S. consumers may notice

increases in certain produceitems, however. The impactisn’t as drastic for productswhose tariffs are beingphased out over time, saidChad Hart, another IowaState economist.For example, South Korea

had a 24 percent tariff oncherries that will be eliminat-ed immediately. South Koreahad a 45 percent tariff onapples that will be phased outover a 10-20 year period, “cre-ating much slower impact,”Hart said.“The idea is those products

affected immediately will seethe shock up front,” Hartsaid. “Those more slowlyrolled back gives the marketmore time to adjust.”Hayes noted said the agree-

ments will add about $11 perhead for U.S.-produced hogs,but that will be phased inslowly.Bill Donald, a rancher from

Melville, Mont., and presi-dent of the NationalCattlemen’s Beef Association,said exports add about $200per head for cattle. And whenit comes to beef products,those shipped to some othercountries, such as SouthKorea, “aren’t as important tothe U.S. consumer.”He said various parts,

including the tongue, are pop-

ular there but not as soughtafter in the U.S. “so it shouldnot have that much of animpact” on consumer prices.Beef exports total about

$850 million a year and hesaid that is expected toincrease to about $1.8 billionby the time the trade agree-ments are fully implemented.Officials and farmers also

say the agreement with SouthKorea could help open doorsto increased trade with Chinaand Japan.“If we have some success

with Korea, hopefully othercountries will see that,”Donald said.Besides eliminating tariffs

on U.S. products, the agree-ments will open U.S. marketsto products from those coun-tries, Vilsack said.Sam Carney, an Iowa pork

producer and chairman of theNational Pork Producer’sCouncil’s Trade PolicyCommittee, called the trade

agreements “great news” forall of agriculture.“You produce more pigs,

you need more people work-ing at plants, more proces-sors, more transportation andthat requires more jobs,”Carney said. “It’s nothing buta plus, plus for everyone.”Chad Blindauer, chairman

a South Dakota corn producerand chairman of the NationalCorn Growers Association’sTrade and Biotechnologyaction team, said the U.S. waslosing some of the Koreanmarket because of aEuropean free trade agree-ment that went into effectJuly 1. He said the agree-

ments approved by Congresswill assure the Korean cornmarket is maintained.“The impact is pretty big,”

said Blindauer, who growsabout 2,500 acres of corn nearMitchell, S.D. “Historically,South Korea has been the No.3 buyer of U.S. corn, so it’s abig market for us.”

While Colombia andPanama are smaller markets,they still are important, offi-cials said.Blindauer said they may

not buy raw corn, but theywill want distillers grains, ahigh-quality feed for livestockthat is a byproduct of theethanol industry.

TheLand

&Livestock

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Free trade agreements will increase demand

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LANDLANDL & LIVESTOCKIVESTOCKIV

POSTPOSTP ’S’S’ AG DIRECTORIRECTORIR YECTORYECTOR :• Reaches over 42,500readers across Texas

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Page 17: Land and Livestock Post

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Chinese overseas cornpurchase the largest ever

BEIJING (AP) — Chinahas made one of its biggestpurchases of corn on over-seas markets, buying 900,000metric tons of Americancorn and showing that grow-ing Chinese demand willplay an ever larger role inglobal grain prices.

The country was a netexporter of corn until 2009but is now struggling to keepup with growing demand forthe grain — which is mainlyused in China as animal feed— as incomes increase andpeople eat more meat.

The U.S. Department ofAgriculture announced Oct.13 that China had made thepurchase, which comesdespite an expected recordgrain harvest in China thisyear.

China’s corn consumptionprobably totaled 176 milliontons in the crop year thatstarted Oct. 1, according tothe department.

The purchase was neces-sary to help fill China’sdwindling corn reserves,said Hanver Li, chairman ofthe market research firmShanghai JC IntelligenceCo. Ltd.

“China’s harvest is up butthat will just about satisfydomestic demand and mean-while reserves are running

low so China needs toimport corn to build up theirstocks,” he said.

“In the long run, it shouldhave a pretty big impact onglobal corn prices,” Li saidof the growing demand fromChina.

Corn prices on theChicago Board of Tradehave increased about 70 per-cent over the past two years,though they have eased fromnear record highs in June.

Li forecast China willimport between 7 and 10 mil-lion metric tons of corn overthe next 12 months. Herepeated a forecast he madelast year that China’s annu-al corn imports should climbto as much as 15 million met-ric tons by 2015.

Li’s estimate for the com-ing year echoes similarnumbers reported last weekby the U.S. Grains Council,which predicted between 5million and 10 million met-ric tons of imports for theyear beginning in October.

Animals account for about70 percent of corn consump-tion in China with the restused to produce alcohol,corn starch and other prod-ucts. Only a small amount isdirectly consumed by hu-mans.

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Including Pairs, Bred Cows,Bred & Open HeifersThese cattle have all beenscreened to ensure you onlythe best quality commercialcattle will be offered. Cattlewill be palpated and sold inuniformly sorted groups to fitany cattleman’s needs.

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Page 18: Land and Livestock Post

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Hunting big businessfor Texas communities

By BLAIR FANNINTexas AgriLife Communications

Hunting and hunter appre-ciation events held in parts ofTexas are big business to thehost counties, with the aver-age non-local hunter spendingmore than $1,300, according toa Texas AgriLife ExtensionService study.Hunter appreciation events

are held throughout themonth of November as com-munities and counties inTexas welcome hunters withsuch things as welcome din-ners, raffle sales and otheractivities, said RebekkaDudensing, AgriLife Exten-sion economist in CollegeStationCounty agents in Coleman,

Concho, Edwards, Gillespie,McCulloch, Runnels, Sterling,Sutton and Uvalde countiessurveyed hunters and eventorganizers for the study.The nine-county Texas sur-

vey found that hunters spentmoney on hunting fees, suchas leases and guide services,lodging, food service, autoexpenses, retail and otherexpenditures. In most coun-ties, hunting fees made up thelargest share of the expenses.The average visiting hunter

spent $1,069.15 annually in thehost county and an additional$322.10 in others parts of thestate. Resident hunters spentan average of $776.98 in theirhome county and $158.97 inthe remainder of the state,Dudensing said.Direct spending by hunters

is not the only benefit to localeconomies, she said.“A hunter’s direct expendi-

ture at a local store, cafe orhotel is multiplied as firmspurchase inputs and payemployees who also makeregional purchases,” she said.“The total effect on employ-

ment, labor income, valueadded (contribution to grossdomestic product) and grosssales in the county is greaterthan the initial dollar spent.”Dudensing said some of the

original expenditure leaks outof the regional economy, “forexample, as inventory isimported from other regions,employees commute fromother regions and businessand households pay state andfederal taxes.”Dudensing said each county

“experienced its own econom-ic impact” from hunters intro-ducing new money into local

• See HUNT/PageHUNT/PageHUNT 19

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economies.“Spending and impacts var-

ied widely between counties,based on the size and struc-ture of the local economies,”Dudensing said.Those impacts from non-

local hunters attending appre-ciation events ranged from$272,500 in gross sales and 2.3full- and part-time jobs to $2.3million in gross sales and 17.2jobs.“Across the region, most

survey respondents wereTexas residents,” Dudensingsaid.“Thus, while hunters intro-

duced new money to individ-ual counties, they may haveredirected their spendingfrom other Texas activities,for example, purchasing hunt-ing gear instead of fishingtackle,” she said.The study found hunters

(both local and non-local) at

the surveyed appreciationevents made $6.2 million indirect purchases, supporting49.1 direct jobs, $2.2 million invalue added and $1.3 millionin labor income. These expen-ditures contributed a total of97.6 jobs and $12.6 million ingross sales across the entireTexas economy, including a$46 million contribution togross domestic product and$3.4 million in labor income.“Those are just the impacts

from hunters at the events inthe surveyed counties,” Du-densing said. ”Across thestate, hunting impacts arelarger.”Event attendance ranged

from 400 to 1,650 participants,an average of 874. Huntersattending appreciation eventstraveled an average 125 miles.Hunters cited the most popu-lar reason for hunting in WestTexas as spending time withfamily and friends, followedby enjoying the rural atmos-phere and seeing vast quanti-ties of wildlife.“Clearly, not all benefits are

monetary,” Dudensing said.

HuntFrom 18

Smoke rises above the Prairie Land Heritage Museum grounds in South Jacksonville, Ill., last monthwhile Ken Huffaker and Aarron Bixler of Mount Pleasant, Iowa, operate a 1914 Advance steam trac-trac-tion engine manufactured by the Advance-Rumely Co. of Laporte, Ind. Steam engine power and old-timefarming methods live on in display at the museum grounds.

AP Photo/The StateState Journal-Registernal-Register,nal-Register,nal-Register DavidDavid SpencerSpencer

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Tritrichomonas infections costly in a herdQuestion:Question:Q “I read an

articleQarticleQ in TheCattlemanQCattlemanQ about a trich

outbreak in 600 cows that costa Texas rancher between$400,000 and $500,000 in onebreeding season. I couldn’tsurvive that. Doc, tell me, cantrich really be that devastat-ing?”

Answer: I’ve battled trich(Tritrichomonas foetus infec-tion) in many herds and myanswer is it sure can be thatdevastating. Next to foot andmouth disease, it’s the mostterrible disease you can get inyour herd.

The protozoan T. foetuslives in the reproductive tractof bulls and cows. It is trans-mitted venereally from bullsto cows and from cows tobulls. An infected bull willtransmit the infection to near-ly every cow he breeds. Oncea bull becomes infected, he is

persistently infected for life.In contrast, most cows willself cure in two to fourmonths and be temporarilyimmune. They can thenbecome preg-nant anddeliver a livecalf.

Fewer than1 percent willremaininfectedthrough ges-tation andenter the nextbreeding season infected. Thatis one reason control meas-ures must continue indefinite-ly once a herd is infected withT. foetus.

Surprisingly, infected cowsreadily become pregnant. Theproblem is their fetuses usual-ly die after 60 days. Cows thencome back into heat weeksafteafteaf r a normal heat would be

expected. If the breeding sea-son is over then, the cow willbe open at pregnancy exami-nation. If the breeding seasonis still going on, the cow willbe pregnant with an earlyfetus at pregnancy examina-tion. She will deliver that calflate in the calving season andit will be lightweight at wean-ing.

Sources of infectionBeef herds become infected

with T. foetus when an infect-ed bull or cow enters either bypurchase or leaky fences.Tritrichomonas foetus infec-tion results in severe depres-sion of production character-ized by lower pregnancy ratesand lower weaning weights.Declines in production varybetween outbreaks.

Control measures must beradical and continued foryears to be successful.

General recommendationsinclude shorten the breedingseason to three months orless, maintain good fencesbetween your cattle and yourneighbor’s cattle, never mixyour cattle with those of oth-ers and do not borrow or leasebulls.

Recommendations for bullsare to test all bulls with cul-tures and/or polymerasechain reaction tests to identifyand cull those infected. Thedifference between the sal-vage value of a cull bull andcost of his replacement maybe $2,000. Test all bulls annu-ally pre-breeding or twice ayear (pre- and post-breedingseason) to be sure each breed-ing season begins with cleanbulls. Vaccinate all bulls withtwo injeinjein ctions, two to fourweeks apart, of T. foetus vac-cine and booster annually pre-breeding.

Use virgin bulls if possible.In the past it was thought thatkeeping the bull battery asyoung as possible was wise,however, many young bullsare chronically infected withT. foetus.

RecommendationsRecommendations for cow

management in a trichomoni-asis outbreak are severe. Thenumber one control measurefor cows has been to cull allopen cows at pregnancy exam-inations and maybe thosewith small fetuses (early bredcows). The difference betweenthe salvage value of a cull cowand her replacement may be$500 to $700. Also, vaccinateall keeper cows with T. foetusvaccine according to theschedule described for bulls.

• See TRICH/PageTRICH/PageTRICH 21

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There has been some inter-est in vaccinating and keepingopen cows in an attempt tolower the economic impact ofa trichomoniasis outbreak.Only open cows that have hadtheir reproductive tracts pal-pated by a veterinarian andfound clean by speculumexamination would be kept.

Some veterinarians who areseasoned with dealing with T.foetus-infected herds, howev-er, feel successful controlwithout strict culling is wish-ful thinking. More research isneeded on ways to reduce thehuge financial losses of thisdisease.

Management practicesManagement practices to

prevent entry of T. foetus intoa beef herd consist of many ofthe measures used to control

an outbreak. All the generalrecommendations apply. It’sbest to purchase virgin bullsand replacement heifers. Testall bulls including supposedlyvirgins for infection annuallyat pre-breeding. Cull all opencows. Vaccination of bulls andcows against T. foetus is rec-ommended for non-infectedherds at high risk. High riskherds have frequent additionsor neighbors known to beinfected.

The heavy financial lossesfrom a trichomoniasis out-break are the sum of produc-tion losses and disease controlcosts. Production lossesinclude cull cow replacementcosts, bull replacement costs,lower income from sellingfewer calves and lowerincome from selling lighterweight calves.

Remember the old saying“once a cow calves late, shealways calves late or may turnup open?” That means theinfected cows that developed aself cure and had successful

pregnancies later in the breed-ing season likely will producelight weight calves for severalyears. Production losses willbe greatest the year of the out-break, but will probably con-tinue for at least three years.

Financial impactJim McGrann, professor

emeritus agricultural econo-mist, of Texas A&MUniversity estimated thefinancial impact of a tri-chomoniasis outbreak 10years ago in a breeding groupof 161 cows that I routinelypalpated with my students.Pregnancy rate was 93 percentthe previous fall. It dropped toan alarming 65 percent theyear of the outbreak. In addi-tion, a lower percentage ofcows were heavy bred (5 per-cent in last trimester) than theprevious fall (25 percent) anda higher percentage were inthe first 3 months of pregnan-cy (25 percent) compared tothe previous fall (9 percent).Fences surrounding these

cows were poor and 10 suspi-cious neighbor cows weregathered with them.

We successfully controlledthat outbreak of trichomonia-sis by the traditionalapproach of culling all opencows and infected bulls, plusvaccination of cows and bullsand testing surveillance ofbulls.

McGrann made a conserva-tive estimate of $101,331 for itstotal economic loss. I thinkyou now can appreciateclaims of losing hundreds ofthousands of dollars due to tri-chomoniasis are realistic.

Trichomoniasis is sort oflike rabies: The disease is sobad you must do everythingpossible to prevent it.Management practices thatsuccessfully prevent the dis-ease are well-known.

Be sure to consult your vet-erinarian for recommenda-tions on management prac-tices that prevent trichomoni-asis tailored to your herd.

News

TrichFrom 20

Celebrating 25deer seasons

By JESSE [email protected]

MADISONVILLE — Jackand Jackie Jarrett of Jarrett’sMeat Service in Madisonvilleare set to celebrate their 25thyear in business the way theycelebrated their first: by stay-ing open late and workingthrough the weekend.

They first opened the doorson the opening weekend ofdeer season.

Although not normallyopen on the weekends, Jackiesaid on opening weekend ofdeer season they stay openSatur-day and Sunday late.

“Opening weekend is a bigdeal at Jarrett’s Meat Ser-vice for the hunters as well asus,” Jackie Jarrett said.

Jarrett’s Meat Service,located on Crossroads Streetin Madisonville, is one of thefew full-service slaughter-houses and butcher shops inthe area.

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Tiny Mexican fish points to life on other planetsBy STEVE BYRNS

Texas AgriLife Extension Service

COLLEGE STATION —Could there be life on otherplanets less hospitable thanours? Many have speculatedon the possibility, but a teamof Texas A&M University andOklahoma State Universityscientists studying a tinyMexican fish think it’s plausi-ble.

“The fish we study areextremophiles, meaning theyare adapted to life at the edgeof biological tolerance,” saidKatherine Roach, a graduatestudent at Texas A&MUniversity in the wildlife andfisheries sciences depart-ment.

Roach, together withRegent’s Profesofesof sor KirkWinemiller and collaboratorMichael Tobler, recentlyauthored a paper on the fishaccepted for future publica-tion in the journal Ecology.

The small fish their studyfocuses on is Poecilia mexi-cana found in the Cueva delAzufre or the “cave of sulfur”located in Tabasco state,Mexico.

The small (about 2.5 inchesat maturity), almost blind fishlive in total darkness swim-ming in oxygen-starved waterwith hydrogen sulfide con-centrations so toxic theywould kill most other lifeforms, according to Roach.

“Our research shows thatorganic carbon produced bysulfurlfurlf bacteria oxidizing dis-solved hydrogen sulfide, aprocess called chemoautotro-phy, is the main food sourcefor the fish,” Roach said.

“Though it is known thatsimpler life forms flourish byfeeding through this process,ours is the first study to actu-ally document a fish, a truevertebrate, directly receivingits sustenance through bacte-ria performing chemoautotro-

phy.“Their ecosystem in the

cave is basically self-sustain-ing without much input fromplants at the surface. As aresult, our research hasimplications for discoveringlife outside the earth. If thesecomplex vertebrates canthrive on sulfur bacteria, whycouldn’t similar, more evolu-tionary derived organisms besupported by chemoau-totrophic bacteria on other

moons or planets such asEuropa, one of Jupiter’smoons? It may not be alto-gether impossible,” she said.

Roach explained that mostof the earth’s ecosystemshave food chains supportedby organic carbon producedfrom the fixation of atmos-pheric carbon dioxide byplants using sunlight. These,in turn, release breathableoxygen into the atmosphere.

Roach said another study in

Movile Cave in Romania afew years ago examined apopulation of macroinverte-brates that have been isolatedin the cave for some 5.5 mil-lion years, which also feed onchemoautotrophic bacteria.She said that study generatedenough public interest to war-rant its own Wikipedia pageand noted that author E.O.Wilson highlights this casestudy in his book The Futureof Life.

“What makes our study soexciting is that we’re the firstto actually document a fish, arelatively large and complexvertebrate, that is able tothrive by being solely sup-ported by chemoautotrophic-processed hydrogen sulfidebacteria,” Roach said.

Once their study is pub-lished in about two months,Roach said their work can befound at www.wfsc.tamu.edu/winemiller/lab/Roach_publications.htm.

Poecilia mexicana, a fish with an alien appetite, thrives in an envi-envi-ronment that would kill most other life forms. Found deep inside aMexican cave, it gets food from a process called chemoautotrophy.ophy.ophy

Texas A&MA&M UniversityUniversity photo by MichiMichi Toble

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EXPODEC. 3rdEXPODEC. 3rd