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Pig Production On Trial On-farm trials of feed, equipment, genetics and management are a good idea for any pork producer, if done properly with an understanding of the results that are being targeted and a commitment to carry it out to completion, according to international pig consultant John Gadd. "The best pig producers I know always have had a portion of their farm -- and of their time and energy -- as an on-going test-bed," Gadd points out in his new book, Pig Production. Negative results from trials can be as valuable as positive results, saving the producer wasted effort and expense.

Pig Production

Aussie Beef
North America's mad cow disease scare and the popularity of the Atkins diet will likely produce another strong year for Australia's beef industry, according to the Cattle Council of Australia. The council is predicting a strong export year in 2005, after beef exports last year increased in value by 18 percent. The Australian

Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in the Air at Industrial Swine Plants
People could be exposed to antibiotic-resistant bacteria from breathing the air from concentrated swine feeding facilities, according to researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. They detected bacteria resistant to at least two antibiotics in air samples collected from inside a large-scale swine operation in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The study adds to the understanding of various pathways in which humans can be exposed to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, such as consumption of retail pork products and contact with or ingestion of soil, surface water and groundwater near production operations. The article is published in the online edition of Environmental Health Perspectives.
 

Controlling Weeds With Sheep Sheep offer more than warm fuzzy wool. Sheep are proven biocontrol agents for rangeland weeds. Using them in fallow grain fields might cut herbicide and fuel use as well as provide feed for the sheep, according to a report from Montana State University, where researchers are trying to work out the best timing for a sequence of grazing opportunities. Sheep may go from grazing rangeland noxious weeds before they set seed in the spring to grazing weeds in summer-fallow fields. They could graze fallow fields again to manage stubble density before winter wheat planting in fall.

Nitrates in Small Grain Hay Pose Dangers
Hay sustains cattle, but hay made from small grains also can contain dangerously high nitrate levels. While drought usually is the cause for high nitrate levels in hay made from small grains, normal precipitation doesn't mean nitrates are not hazardous. Nitrates in Livestock Feeding provides information on the dangers of nitrates in feed.

Fish Oil Cuts the Gas
Adding fish oil to animal fodder could cut the greenhouse gases emitted from livestock, according to researchers at Ghent University in Belgium. As reported in the journal Animal Feed Science and Technology, switching animals from regular feed onto a diet of fishy fodder cut the amount of methane in their belches by nearly half. New Scientist
 

Genes Hold Secret to Leaner Pigs University of Georgia researchers are working to raise farmers' profits by trimming the amount of fat in pigs. University of Georgia

Producers Can Add Value to Calves
In the low margin industry that is the cow-calf business, producers ignore the advantages of calf de-horning, de-worming, castration, implantation and vaccination at their own risk. Oklahoma State University

Making Sense of Ultrasound 
U.S. beef production and marketing systems are changing. Production segments are becoming more coordinated; sometimes by formal business alliances, sometimes by improved information transfer and measurement of value. Montana State University

• The Livestock Market Page All USDA AMS reporting locations.
• Livestock Marketing Information Center Great Market Reports, graphics, and analysis.