Stanislaus & San Joaquin Counties May 2003 Volume 8, No. 5

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1 Cooperative Extension Livestock University of California Lines Stanislaus & San Joaquin Counties May 2003 Volume 8, No. 5 Did You Know. For those that did not sign up for the Livestock Compensation Program (LCP) with FSA last December, you now have a second chance. See the article on page 2 for more info. by Theresa Ward Livestock and Natural Resources Farm Advisor For special assistance regarding our programs please contact us. Inside This Issue qbj mib =do^ka fk =cl iilt =rm= For those of you that missed the meeting with Dr. Temple Grandin, you missed an opportunity to listen to someone who has a unique understanding of livestock. She has the ability to see and hear things in the same manner that cattle do. We may all hear a chain dangling from the lead up, but never give it much attention; then wonder why we always have problems getting cattle to move. The following are some of the pointers that she gave in her presentation: When designing a new facility- use curved lead ups- cattle think they are going back where they came from and will easily move through. But be careful where you stand to push them. Most of us designed the proper shape, but work cattle from the outside of the circle, which makes cattle turn away. Instead, work from the inside of the circle, using a flag on a long pole to keep cattle following the design of your facility. Solid sides can reduce the risk of outside distractions. If your chute is covered, minimizing shadows will help cattle movement. Translucent panels will minimize shadows while allowing in bright light; simulating the lighting conditions on a bright cloudy day. Use a remote to open a back gate. A simple rope and pulley can be set up to make sure cattle are not seeing a person standing right where you want them to go. Make sure that the gate can be held up without any movement. Any movement in the gate will cause cattle to balk. Use your tubs as pass through pens. Filling them half full will make it easier for cattle to move through the facility. They can easily follow each other along the outside of the circle, still thinking they are going back where they started. Get down where your cattle are and look for any movement. That little chain hanging down from the back gate could be all that is wrong with your facility. And the biggest thing to do to reduce stress- Keep Your Mouth Shut!! Dr. Grandin said that cattle are more stressed hearing people yell than they are from hearing a gate slam shut. So work your cattle quietly. Did You Know Page 1 Temple Grandin Follow Up Page 1 Bovine TB Update..... Page 2 West Nile Virus..... Page 2 COOL Page 3 Recent US Consumer Survey Results.... Page 3 FSA Update-Available $$$..... Page 3 Irrigation Efficiency Meeting Page 4 University of California and U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Stanislaus County Office, 3800 Cornucopia, Suite A, Modesto, CA (209) FAX (209)

2 Bovine TB update If any of you have watched CSI- well, you have seen some of what CDFA is doing to solve the TB case. Since last June, three dairies have had confirmed cases of bovine TB. There was also a cow found at slaughter with TB, and she was reported to have been from a dispersed beef herd. In true CSI style, using DNA testing, CDFA was able to confirm that the animal was a dairy cow, not a beef cow. This is important for the beef industry since we are affected more by the restrictions in cattle movement than the dairy industry. With the second dairy heard being confirmed to have a case of bovine TB, California looses its Accredited Free status and is down graded to Modified Accredited Advanced official as of April 25, Basically, this means that any breeding animals moving out of the state must have a negative TB test within 60 days of shipping. If animals are moving out to slaughter or to be fed out, they do not have to have a TB test. But, here s what being able to prove that TB is mainly affecting the dairy cattle and not beef has done for us-cdfa, along with help from CCA, has been able to make agreements with neighboring states that commuter cattle do not have to have a negative TB test within 60 days of shipping to pasture. Instead, cattle do have to be tested within one year as of the loss of status for the state, and then cattle need to be tested every three years until California is once again Accredited Free. The earliest this can happen- if we find no more herds with TBis five years. Unless USDA modifies their regulations, which still may happen. More on that as it happens. Here are the basics as we stand now: All breeding cattle have to be TB tested if they are leaving the state. All Mexican steers have to be TB tested before coming into California. All dairy cattle entering the state have to be TB tested. Animals moving to slaughter do not have to be tested. If you have any further questions, feel free to call me here at the Modesto office. West Nile Virus Page 2 With mosquito season fast approaching, some may want to think about West Nile Virus (WNV) precautions. It is very possible that we will find cases of WNV popping up in California this summer. There are a few simple things you can do to protect your self and your horses. The first case this season has already occurred in Minnesota, earlier than expected. Reduce mosquito breeding grounds. ο Get rid of any standing water, even if it is just there for a few days- mosquitoes can use it. ο Clean water troughs regularly, or add mosquito fish. ο Empty unused troughs and leave them upside down. ο Remove water from bird baths. ο Clean and chlorinate swimming pools. ο Discard old tires that could collect water. ο ο Clean gutters. Call Mosquito Abatement: Modesto office: ; Stockton office: ; Turlock office: Limit being outside from dusk to dawn. Use bug spray with DEET. Signs of WNV in horses: ο Staggering о Fever ο Unable to get up o Muscle loss ο Death o Reduced performance Remember- a vaccine is available for horses, but is only available through your veterinarian. And two shots are required the first year, 3 to 6 weeks apart, and full protection does not begin until 4 to 6 weeks after the second shot. If you are concerned, be sure to plan ahead. Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties have been and continue to test mosquitoes, birds and animals for WNV with no positive cases as of yet. For more information, and to remain current on the spread of WNV, please refer to the websites listed below, or contact us here at the Modesto office. Center for Disease Control and Prevention: USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service:

3 Page 3 COOL Mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL) is quickly going to be a reality. In case you are not familiar with COOL, the following is some basic information: So what is COOL? The 2002 Farm Bill outlined a voluntary COOL program for retailers to use, and slated a mandatory program to begin September 30, COOL covers the following products: o Muscle cuts of beef, lamb, and pork. o Ground beef, lamb and pork. o Farm-raised wild fish and shellfish. o Fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. o Peanuts. Must be born, raised, slaughtered, and processed in the US to be US COOL. If mixed country of origin, the country for each step has to be identified, for example Mexican steers brought into California could be labeled as Mexican born, US raised and processed. Records must be kept from birth to retailmust be able to trace back each animal. No guidelines yet as to how USDA expects the paper trail to stay with the appropriate animals. If you are concerned at all about COOL-be sure to mark June 12 th on your calendar. This will be the only information meeting held in California, and is your chance to provide your input. The meeting will be in the EPA Headquarters in Sacramento at the Joe Serna Jr. Building, Central Valley Auditorium, 1001 I St., Sacramento from 1-4 p.m. If you can t make it to the June meeting in Sacramento, you can mail your comments to: Country of Origin Labeling Program Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA Stop 0249, Room 2092-S 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C Or by fax to (202) Or by to cool@usda.gov. Recent US Consumer Survey Results The March 3, 2003 edition of the Western Livestock Journal had an interesting article about consumers views on food safety. Overall, those surveyed said they want policy to favor the small, family operated farms; want to buy US produced products, regardless of the costs; and most would prefer locally produced products. When it comes specifically to meat- hands down the winner is US-produced meat with 92% of the response. After September 11, 91% of those surveyed were concerned about the safety of their food supply. With COOL mandatory labeling coming soon, there may be a benefit to having US meat identified as such. FSA Update- Available $$$ For those that did not sign up for the Livestock Compensation Program (LCP) with FSA last December, you now have a second chance. FSA is currently taking sign ups for 2003 LCP. You have until June 1 st to contact the FSA office (Modesto ; Stockton ). The requirements for the program are that your ranch headquarters are in a county with designation (San Joaquin and Stanislaus are both designated drought counties) and you own cattle, sheep, goats, or buffalo for 90 days, with June 1, 2002 being in that 90-day period. Horses are not eligible for the program. There may also be another program offered this summer. The Livestock Assistance Program (LAP) may be available in early to mid June. Payments will be based on acres, percent reduction, and number of cattle. Be sure to check back with your local FSA to see if the program has been approved.

4 Irrigation Efficiency Meeting There will be a meeting concerning irrigation practices on May 21 st in the Stockton office. Specialists from UC Davis will be down for the morning to discuss how we can possibly improve flood irrigation practices for better pasture management, as well as identify management strategies to improve water quality of any runoff. There will also be discussion concerning funding sources for potential projects. Currently, the new conditional waiver is set to expire on December 31, 2004, however the meeting being held in Sacramento on April 24 th /25 th may change how we currently know the waiver. It is important for every one to be as informed as possible and take proactive steps to ensure their operations are successful for many years to come. Please call me at the Modesto office if you have any questions. Date: May 21, 2003 Time: 9:00 am Place: Stockton Cooperative Extension Office, 420 S. Wilson Way, Stockton, CA Directions: South from the Wilson Exit on the Cross Town Freeway (Hwy 4) The University of California prohibits discrimination against or harassment of any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, physical or mental disability, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic characteristics), ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship, or status as a covered veteran (special disabled veteran, Vietnam-era veteran or any other veteran who served on active duty during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized). University Policy is intended to be consistent with the provisions of applicable State and Federal laws. Inquiries regarding the University s nondiscrimination policies may be directed to the Affirmative Action/Staff Personnel Services Director, University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources, 1111 Franklin, 6 th Floor, Oakland, CA (510) Cooperative Extension U.S. Dept. of Agriculture University of California Oakland, CA PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID USDA PERMIT NO. G Official Business Penalty for Private Use, $300 (Stanislaus 50)

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