ClO-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 19, 1994 I®"*' Livestock Notes The Genetics Of Carcass Grade John W. Comerford Assoc. Professor Dairy And Animal Science Penn State The conventional wisdom in the cattle feeding business has been that, if you feed cattle the right feed for a long-enough period of time, you can eventually get them to grade Choice. While this method has resulted in plenty of Choice cattle, it also has created plenty of fat in cattle. And fat costs the industry money more than over $lOO per carcass according to the National Beef Quality Audit. Is there a better way? We have known for some lime that fat thickness in a carcass is not highly correlated genetically with marbling score (intramuscu lar fat in the ribeye that largely determines quality grade). There fore, we know it is possible to select cattle for marbling score without also making them fatter. The problem has been that the cattle were already dead when the marbling was measured, and there was little identification to trace the parentage for genetic evaluation. Several breed associations, notably the American Angus Association, have tried to fix the problem by developing EPDs (expected progeny differences) for marbling score in bulls. It is now possible to buy bulls with the genetic ability to transmit mar bling to their offspring. A recent study at the University of Nebraska (Vieselmeyer et. al) has proven the value of the mar bling EPD. In this trial, crossbred cows were mated to either high- or low-marbling EPD bulls. Results indicated birth weight, weaning weight, and yearling weight dif A LESSON WELL LEARNED... LANCASTER FARMING'S CLASSIFIED ADS GET RESULTS!. Authorized Parts & Service Kubota Industrial Diesel Engines Check Our Prices on New and Used Parts YAMMAR Diesel Engines Mitsubishi • Satoh Compact Diesel Tractors Specializing In Complete Service For Skid Loaders and Most Types Of Small Diesel Powered Equipment. Dismantling For Parts NH LSS3 Skid Loader Yanmar 155 Tractor GD Equipment np 385 W Metzler Rri Fphrala, PA 1752? 717-859-3533 ferences were accounted for by the differences in the EPDs for these traits among bulls. Therefore, selection for mar bling score did not affect these traits. However, 77 percent of steer calves and 72 percent of heif er calves from high-marbling bulls reached Choice grade after a pre scribed feeding period, compared to 47 percent of both steers and heifers from low-marbling bulls fed for the same amount of time. Further, fat thickness was not dif ferent among these groups. Genetic selection has improved the ability of the breeder to change traits that are most economically important. Quality grade can now be added to the list. Cattleman Survey For Pennsylvania John W. Comerford Assoc. Professor Dairy And Animal Science Penn State A recently completed survey of Pennsylvania beef, dairy, and veal producers has highlighted impor tant trends in the state’s cattle industry. Respondents were randomly selected from a list of more than 12,000 names and asked to pro vide information about possible expansion of their cattle enter prise, evaluate possible roadb locks to that expansion, and indi cate if they felt they had access to the information and technology needed to remain competitive. The answers provide an important view of the catde business. A high percentage of cattle owners, primarily the undcr-40 group, anticipate expanding their enterprises in the next few years. Answers on many topics from this age group were consistently diffe rent from those in the 40-60 and over-60 age groups. These topics 1994 TR< ft BOLLINGER’S / Lawn & Garden Equipment HERSHEY EPHRATA 1515 E. Chocolate Ave 4126 Oregon Pike 533-4060 738-1131 Mon.-Fri. 8-5:30; Sat. 8-12 Financing Available included how they access infor mation, who they consider to be the best sources of information, and their fear of regulations that will affect their ability to expand herds in the future. Information provided by those who listed beef as their major enterprise provided bolh good and bad news for the industry. First, the notion that beef breeders in Pennsylvania are primarily hob byists without a profit incentive was thoroughly dispelled. More than 90 percent of the respondents indicated they depend on beef pro duction as either a primary or sec ondary source of family income. About one-third of all farmers in the survey owned beef cattle and, roughly, two-thirds owned dairy cattle. The disturbing news indicated a clear trend in the age of beef pro ducers in the state. Fewer than 20 percent of beef producers listed their age as under 40, the opposite that shown for those primarily in dairy. This is a signal to the indus try that methods must be found and implemented that will allow entry of younger cattle producers into the beef business if it is to remain consistent and viable over the next 10 years. Copies of the survey arc avail able at $2 per copy from John Comerford. The Pennsylvania State University, 324 William L. Henning Building, University Park, PA 16802. BSE Issue In The Spotlight William R. Henning Assoc. Professor Animal Services Penn State The topic of bovine spongio form encephalpalhy (BSE) has worked its way back into the news this fall. Several of the trade magazines have published reports and articles about the discassc. The most balanced, easiest to read report on the subject was published in the August 25 issue of Hoard’s Dairyman. Press coverage reveals a great deal of uncertainly, scientifically speaking, about BSE. Some repor- UP “We’ve Got The Power.” ters are trying to make it a con sumer issue. The University of Wisconsin held a symposium in September, which brought together experts to assess the status of BSE in this country. The USDA, through the Animal and Plant Inspection Ser vice, has been tracking the disease world-wide for several years. One USDA scientist described BSE status in the U.S. as “circumstan tial evidence of a hypothetical disease.” To date, these are the facts in the U.S. • There is no known incidence of BSE in this country. • No medical evidence suggests that BSE presents a human health risk. • The USDA conducts ongoing epidemiological surveillance and research for BSE. • The U.S. does not import live cattle, beef, or beef products from Great Britain. Since the conference in Wis consin, however, the first case has been confirmed in North America. The animal diagnosed was a six year-old cow imported from the U.K. as a 5-1/2 month old calf in 1987. While this finding is signif icant, it is not a crisis. First, all scientific evidence shows that lateral transmission (animal-to-animal) does not occur. The USDA and Ag Canada are tracking the offspring from the cattle that were imported from Great Britain to the U.S. or Cana da prior to the 1989 moratorium. Hence, the entire at risk popula tion is known and accounted for by the USDA and Ag Canada. NAFTA And The Meat Industry William R. Henning Assoc. Professor Animal Sciences The North American Free Trade Agreement has been signed into law! Most experts believe it will be good for agriculture in both the short and long run. The American Meat Institute says, “each of the five volumes was as large as a Kubota. Press your toes on the pedal and you go forward. Put your heel down and you back up. Simple. This four-wheel drive compact tractor is powered by a Kubota liquid-cooled diesel engine. Mid and rear PTO plus hydraulic three point hitch orowiHa great implement selectioi to perform many chores. So if you're looking for a hard worker, look no further than Kubota's worker 87100 HSD Tractor. We Ship Parts UPS TRACTORS «■ EQUIPMENT [ tifBAIWH TT Serving Central PA Since 1921 L pilotsi keller BROS, i "'TZSiZZX:™ leas. iwMtwmeeaweenwai airport * *“* * 71T-MMOOO »r’iwnww wrrSii dmimiis 71741H100 _ phone book and written with the legal profession's usual clarity.” So it appears that the vote was taken more on emotion and specu lation than on substance. NAFTA appears good in all respects for the meat and poultry industries. Mexico has been a growing market for US meat pro ducts, and will probably become even better as Mexico’s economy improves. Last year, the U.S. exported $448 million in meat products (13 percent of our total exports) and imported Mexican meat products worth $l.B million (0.7 percent of our total imports). It appears that beef will be helped the most by NAFTA. Mex ico recently imposed tariffs on beef 15 percent on live slaugh ter cattle, 20 percent on fresh beef, and 25 percent on frozen. These tariffs cost the U.S. beef industry an estimated $95 million in 1993. Tariffs on beef will be rescinded immediately, with the exception of a 20 percent tariff on beef varie ty meats, to be phased out over the next 10 years. Coming the other way, U.S. tariffs of two cents per pound on Mexican beef and one cent per pound on live cattle will be eliminated immediately. The picture is not so bright for pork. Mexico will establish a spe cial safeguard tariff rate quota on fresh and frozen pork of 68,500 metric tons. Mexico’s current tar iff of 20 percent on these products will be reduced by 2 percent per year over the next 10 years, while the quota will be increased by 3 percent per year, compounded. Pork cuts going to Mexico in quantities over the quota level will be subject to a snap-back 20 per cent tariff for the next nine years. After the tenth year, there will no quotas. Other tariffs on pork are 20 per cent for processed, 15 percent for pork sausage, 20 percent for pork variety (10 percent if frozenjp Since we currently import no pork from Mexico due to hog there are no tariffs on Mexican pork. This import ban will (Turn to Page Cl 1) 87100 HYST. 4 W/D Diesel, Std. 3 Pt. ICE FIGHTER Nothing works harder than iur 87100 HSO tractor. From lome use to commercial ap ilications, this 16 HP tractor is lust right for all kinds of jobs. The 87100 HSD comes with a lydrostatic transmission that means there are no gears to shift. monday- FRIDAY 7:30-5:00 mKUB 0 T B SATURDAY 7:30-12:00
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers