TheDairySite Newsletter - 7 May 2010

Friday 7th May 2010

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Welcome to this week's newsletter

Editorial: Trading Concerns

Last week, China threatened to stop US imports of dairy products. The latest development is that China has granted the US 30 days to work with Chinese authorities to secure agreement on a new health certificate for food-grade dairy exports.

Elsewhere in the US, the dairy industry is lobbying to crack down on the misappropriation of dairy terminology on imitation milk products.

The petition, managed by the National Milk Producers Federation, wants to stop non-dairy products using terms such as milk, cheese and yoghurt.

In Canada, the Minister of State is to defend the country's supply management system for dairy products in upcoming free trade talks with the EU.

Canada adopted a supply management system for milk in the 1970's, in which the industry sets production quotas and limits importation of foreign dairy products.

The system appears to work in Canada, as producers and suppliers are all paid a fair price. However should borders open, Canadian producers will be threatened by cheaper imports, potentially forcing them out of business.

The subject is a tricky one, as Canada tries to keep dairy exempted from any trade deals, other countries are becoming unwilling to participate in trade talks with them.

Charlotte Johnston

This Week's Feature Articles

We have 4 new features this week:

UK Can Expect Cattle Number To Remain Tight
The last year saw a slight decline in slaughtering numbers for prime cattle - steers, heifers and young bulls - writes TheCattleSite senior editor, Chris Harris.

How Far Can Environmental Management Go Before Risking Health & Productivity?
Not much different in size from other dairy farms in the Netherlands, De Marke has much larger ambitions. Charlotte Johnston, TheCattleSite junior editor looks at Wageninen University's research farm.

Repetitive Cattle Deworming May Cause Drug Resistant Worms
Dewormers have provided effective parasite control, which has resulted in returns to farmers between $20 to $200/hd, according to Amy Radunz, Beef Cattle Extension Specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Mastitis and BCS Loss Affects Fertility
Reproductive performance is quickly becoming the biggest challenge in dairy herdsâ€™ profitability, according to Ricardo C. Chebel, DVM, MPVM, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota.

Company News

Pfizer Announces First Veterinary Scholarships
US - Pfizer Animal Health and American Veterinary Medical Foundation are offering 222 scholarships to help decrease the debt burden of veterinary students.

VIV Europe 2010: The Best Of A Turbulent Situation
NETHERLANDS - VIV Europe 2010 was a remarkable success despite air travel disruptions, with more than 10,000 visitors from 96 countries and 85 per cent of exhibitors making it to the event in Utrecht last month.

Global Dairy Cattle Industry News