TheBeefSite Newsletter - 25th November 2009

TheBeefSite Weekly Newsletter

Wednesday 25th November 2009

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Welcome to this week's newsletter

Editorial: Prices Look Poor

In Northern Ireland, producers feel threatened by lower beef prices over the border in the Republic of Ireland. There are concerns that more ROI beef will be imported, reducing demand for NI products. Prices in Scotland are on average 42 pence higher than those in NI.

Earlier in the week, Australia voted to maintain a meat levy of AU$5 despite a difficult year following droughts and fires. The recent dry weather is forcing an increasing number of cattle to markets, with November expected to witness seasonal lows in cattle prices. Cow prices are 12 per cent lower than a year ago.

Brazilian beef exports fell during the first nine months of 2009, most likely due to lower beef production, reduced demand and restricted access to the EU market. On top of this, beef prices are 15 per cent lower than a year ago.

The latest in Taiwan is that US bone-in-beef will undergo normal import checks, when the first batches arrive next week. The Council of Agriculture has assured consumers that all imported food undergoes thorough checks and procedures before it goes on sale in Taiwan.

Charlotte Johnston

This Week's Feature Articles

We have 4 new features this week:

Buffalo Farming
The last 14 years have seen dramatic changes at a livestock farm in North England. Initially purchasing two water buffalo, Kate and Paul Langthorne were hoping to create a domestic supply of buffalo milk for their son, who has severe dairy allergies. Charlotte Johnston, TheCattleSite junior editor meets the family to find out how different rearing buffalo is to commercial cattle.

Harmonising E.coli Monitoring Across Europe
The European Food Safety Authority is to review the way the E.coli is monitored and reported and harmonise methods across EU countries, writes TheCattleSite senior editor Chris Harris.

Spaying Heifers: What Is It Worth?
Jolene Kelzer, from the University of Minnesota Beef Team, looks at the benefits of spaying heifers in feed-lots and discusses whether it is cost effective.

Can Fat Improve Reproductive Performance?
Over the past 15 years, 30 different research trials have been conducted that examine the impact of supplemental fat on reproductive performance of beef and dairy cattle, according to Dr. Les Anderson, Beef Extension Specialist, University of Kentucky.

Company News

VIV China Reflects Development of Chinese Industry
CHINA - The success of the recent VIV China exhibition has been attributed to the growing professionalism of China's livestock industries.

Global Beef Cattle Industry News