Diamond V products improve beef performance, according to study

Feedlot managers gained confirmation of the role of Diamond V Original Products in feedlot performance and quality grade. Diamond V supplies nutritional fermentation products used to optimize digestive function.
John Wagner, Professor of Animal Science, Colorado State University, conducted a beef research meta-analysis and found a beneficial effect on average daily gain, feed efficiency and carcass quality grade when Original Product was fed throughout the entire feeding period. The meta-analysis evaluated the effects of fermentation products on feedlot performance and carcass traits based on results from 28 feedlot studies. The data consisted of 67 treatments means from 234 pens and 7,660 feedlot cattle.
Methodology
Data analysis used mixed model procedures. Fixed class variables included Diamond V Original Product, monensin, tylosin and implants, in addition to gender. The days on feed were included as a fixed continuous variable, when statistically significant. "Study" was included in all models as a random class variable. The analysis was weighted by pen replicates per treatment mean.
According to Wagner, the meta-analysis found cattle fed Original Product had 2.8 kilograms heavier final bodyweight, achieved greater average daily gain of 1.42 kilograms versus 1.38 kilograms per day and gained 3.0 percdent more weight per kilogram of dry matter intake (gain: feed ratio) versus control cattle. Dry matter intact was similar between the control and Original Product.
Receiving Period
An analysis of receiving period data included 11 studies with 31 records, 104 pens and 1,066 cattle. When the Original Product was compared to a control, Wagner found statistically significant trends for increased final bodyweight of 1.2 kilogram, increased ADG of 1.27 kilogram versus 1.21 kilogram per day and improved gain: feed of 4.4 percent. Daily dry matter intact was not influenced by supplementation with Diamond V Original Product.
Finishing Period
For the finishing period, Wagner reported a statistically significant trend, based on 28 records, 108 pens and 1,906 cattle, of a 2.5 percent improvement in gain: feed for the Original Product versus a control.
Carcass Data
Wagner said his carcass data analysis of the research that was statistically significant revealed an increase in the percent Choice and Prime combined — 66.5 percent versus 54.8 percent — and a reduction in the percent Select carcasses of 28.7 percent versus 40.9 percent for the Original Product versus the control.

Outlook shows production increase in poultry, pork and beef

As the U.S. Department of Agriculture released its Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook on January 17, it showed a slight increase from December 2012 numbers in poultry, pork and beef production. However, overall U.S. meat production is down 1.3 percent from 2012 per the USDA's January estimate.
Broilers saw a one percent increase from December numbers, but about 0.05 percent down from January 2012.
"We're still down a little bit, about a half a percent from last year, but nevertheless, every time we look into 2013, it's getting a little higher," said Gerry Bange, USDA World Outlook Board chair. "With broilers, if you look at egg sets, and the heavier weights of the birds, and the prices that are attractive to broiler producers right now, we're looking at a production for 2013, which is up 355 million pounds, up to 36.8 billion pounds."
The report also included that beef production is down 4 percent from the same time in 2012, but up almost 1 percent from December numbers. Pork production saw a two percent rise from December.

USDA: existing safeguards protect food supply, beef is safe

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has reiterated that existing safeguards protect the American food supply and that consuming beef and dairy products is safe, in the wake of a recent confirmed case of mad cow disease in California.
"This animal was never presented for slaughter for human consumption, so at no time presented a risk to the food supply, or to human health in the United States," said the USDA of the infected cow. The animal has since been humanely euthanized.
The U.S. has a system of three interlocking safeguards against Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, BSE, that protects public and animal health. The first is the removal of specified risk materials — or the parts of an animal that would contain BSE should an animal have the disease — from all animals presented for slaughter in the U.S. The second safeguard is a feed ban that protects cattle from the disease. The third safeguard is an ongoing BSE surveillance program that allows the USDA to detect the disease if it exists at very low levels in the U.S. cattle population and provides assurances to consumers and international trading partners that the interlocking system of safeguards in place to prevent BSE are working.
In addition, the USDA has announced a new tracing method for meat and poultry contaminated with E. coli, meant to track tainted product more effectively.

US, Japan hold technical meeting on beef, beef products

Technical delegations from the United States and Japan met on Sept. 14 and 15 to discuss issues related to bilateral trade in beef and beef products.
The working-level meeting covered such topics as current Japanese regulations and regulatory processes, Japan's risk assessment process for beef and beef products and Japan's import inspection and border measures. The discussions were led by Dr. John Clifford, chief veterinary officer for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Dr. Toshiro Kawashima, director and chief veterinary officer for the Animal Health Division of Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.