Innovative vaccine adjuvants


Benchmark Biolabs, Lincoln, Neb., and AgriLabs®, St. Joseph, Mo., announced the formation of VaxLiantTM, a joint venture designed to modernize how vaccines deliver antigens to prevent disease. VaxLiant offers a portfolio of ready-to-use and customizable adjuvants, and technical and marketing expertise, to help streamline the vaccine-development process. This new company is headquartered at

Helping Produce Businesses in Many Ways







PACA is your partner in the produce industry. Through its education, mediation licensing, and enforcement services, PACA provides financial protection for produce businesses.


Accurate and timely information, access to new markets, and financial protection are critical to the success of any business. In the produce industry, the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) provides services

Caracoles fósiles ‘revelan’ cambio climático hace 34 millones de años









Un equipo internacional de científicos, que utilizó una nueva técnica en el análisis de las conchas fósiles de caracoles, encontró pistas de un cambio climático ocurrido hace casi 34 millones de años, según un artículo que publica hoy Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

En ese período la Tierra pasó de un estado de “invernadero” cálido y con elevado contenido de dióxido de

Massey Ferguson 8690 and MF7624 Aerial Footage

MF 8690 and MF7624 Aerial Footage - YouTube


Hidden impacts of Foot and Mouth Disease FMD


Outbreaks of foot and mouth disease (FMD) result in a range of direct and indirect costs, and public opinion can play a significant role in response and outcomes. Those were key messages as Sebastian Heath, VetMB, PhD, branch chief of program development with the Federal Emergency Management Agency kicked off this week’s FMD Symposium in Louisville, Ky. The symposium, focusing on FMD

Cómo se predice la contaminación en las ciudades



En las grandes ciudades del mundo lacontaminación del aire supone un importante problema de salud pública, y los científicos llevan años trabajando en desarrollar sistemas para predecir el nivel de polución que habrá en las urbes cada día. Ahora, un equipo de científicos de la Universidad de Castilla la Mancha ha desarrollado, usando técnicas de geoestadística, un modelo que permite predecir

Using 21st Century Technology to Solve Age-Old Problems




For years, we believed that food was the most powerful commodity to combating food insecurity in the developing world. But with a more intricate challenge than ever before, particularly in the developing world, data and information about food insecurity and agricultural research are proving to be almost as valuable in this fight.

Later this month, here in Washington, the G-8 and World Bank

StrikeForce for Rural Growth and Opportunity

StrikeForce for Rural Growth and Opportunity - YouTube


Was 2012 really the 'big one' for U.S. corn yields?


A report from the NOAA Drought Task Force last week about the origins of the 2012 Great Plains drought has generated considerable interest and discussion.



The authors of this report concluded that the drought was largely unpredictable based on conditions even a few weeks ahead of the onset of the drought and that it was unlikely to be related to global warming.

It also highlighted the

More Americans Eating ... Guinea Pigs


New Mexico is thinking about processinghorse meat. Montanans have roadkill. And now the latest in offbeat meat appears to be ... guinea pigs. NPR reports on an American trend fueled by South American expats and the US restaurants that serve such cuisine, and bolstered by foodies' penchant for trying—and blogging about—something new. Called cuyes in Spanish, the two-pound creatures are typically

Age is Just a Number for 100-Year-old Farmer







A new calf, new life on the ranch, is reason for Annie Woodson, 100, to step out into the pasture and the Texas sunshine.


Ms. Annie Faye Woodson has been directly involved in farming and ranching in Texas for the last 76 years. At 100 years-old she stays up-to-date on Farm Service Agency (FSA) program news and still makes trips to the Fannin County FSA office to sign up for farm programs

As artificial insemination technology improves, so do cattle

Angus VNR: As AI technology improves, so do cattle - YouTube


Are Trading Houses Too Big To Fail?





Are trading houses too big to fail? It seems to be a central question coming out of the Financial Times Global Commodities Summit. The natural follow-up question is how much, or what kind, of regulation does the futures market need?

CFTC Commissioner Scott O'Malia gave the keynote speech, leading off with concerns that the Dodd-Frank financial reform legislation has complicated the too big

More proof of unmanned vehicles’ fit in agriculture

Clint Thompson, University of Georgia

Remote-controlled helicopters. Unmanned aircraft equipped with imaging sensors. Welcome to the future of agriculture.

Farmers and technology experts from across the Southeast got a glimpse of the future last week at the Atlanta Chapter of the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International’s Unmanned Systems in Agriculture Conference at the University

La tecnología punta de la agricultura



El diccionario de la lengua de la RAE define la agricultura como «el arte de cultivar la tierra». Desde hace años la agricultura ha dejado de ser una labor artesanal para convertirse en una actividad global en la que deben convivir la sostenibilidad económica, la medioambiental y la social. La agricultura se enfrenta por lo tanto al enorme reto de alimentar a una población cada vez mayor -se

The Story of a Steak, Segment 4

The Story of a Steak, Segment 4 -- March 25, 2013 - YouTube


Organic 101: Sound and Sensible Approach to Organic Certification







The ‘Sound and Sensible’ initiative is about removing barriers to certification, and working with farmers, like the one pictured here, to correct small issues before they become larger ones.


This is the twelfth installment of the Organic 101 series that explores different aspects of the USDA organic regulations.

Consumers purchase organic products expecting that they maintain their

The hormones of synchronization




South Dakota State University Extension

The benefits of artificial insemination (AI) are well understood in many beef cattle operations, however the synchronization protocols can seem to be in a different language when one sits down to plan out their breeding season. In order to understand these protocols, understanding the hormones that are used to regulate estrous cycle can prove to be

Superando frustraciones de negocios



Por: Coach de negocios E-Myth en Español

Definimos frustraciones de negocios como una serie de eventos específicos recurrentes en su negocio sobre los cuales usted siente que tiene poco o ningún control. Cada negocio tiene sus frustraciones. Desde pequeños “hipos” que dificultan el flujo del trabajo, hasta los errores fatales que pueden tener un efecto devastador desde la base hasta todas las

The Story of a Steak, Segment 3

The Story of a Steak, Segment 3 -- March 18, 2013 - YouTube


North America Prairie May See Bison Again






The Houserock Valley Bison Herd grazes on the Kaibab National Forest in Arizona. Bison will soon be seen grazing on the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in Illinois. (U.S. Forest Service photo)


Today, roughly half-a-million bison dot the nation’s landscape, a far cry from the more than 20 to 30 million that once roamed much of North America.

And while they have not been part of the

Calidad de la leche en Colombia





La calidad de la leche, como producto de primera importancia epidemiológica, dada su condición de perecedero y la susceptibilidad alta de contaminación, es objeto permanente de estudio especialmente en el área sanitaria, con miras al mejoramiento en la cadena de productividad láctea, para garantizar una materia prima microbiológicamente aceptable, que permita competir en los mercados

Natural causes, not human activity, behind 2012 Plains drought



Extreme natural events, not man-made climate change, led to last summer's historic drought in the Great Plains, a new federal study said Friday.







Drought occurred in six Plains states between last May and August because moist Gulf of Mexico air "failed to stream northward in late spring," and summer storms were few and stingy with rainfall, said a report by the National Oceanic and

Preserving genetics during drought

Angus VNR: Preserving genetics during drought - YouTube


10 STEPS SYSTEMS THINKING APPROACH TO STRATEGIC PLANNING



We have come up with a 10 steps strategic planning and implementation approach. SLC International has reinvented strategic planning into a system model of strategic management that utilizes the systems thinking approach. We go beyond the planning process into a systematic implementation plan.




OUR APPROACH-OUR “10 STEPS”SYSTEMS THINKING APPROACH TO STRATEGIC PLANNING




Step 1: Plan-

U.S. Food Companies Refocus on Product Healthfulness






ERS research on voluntary health and nutrition claims on over 7,000 recently introduced food and beverage products found that the fastest growing claims related to trans fats, gluten calories, vitamins/minerals, and antioxidants.


This post is part of the Science Tuesday feature series on the USDA blog. Check back each week as we showcase stories and news from USDA’s rich science and

Hace 10 millones de años abundaban los pingüinos en África

Una investigación llevada a cabo por científicos del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural de Reino Unido a partir de 17 fragmentos fósiles sudafricanos ha demostrado que hace aproximadamente 12 millones de años vivían cuatro especies diferentes de pingüinos en las costas de África. Según han explicado los autores del estudio, publicado en Linnean Society, los fragmentos de huesos challados

Desplazamiento del abomaso en bovinos





El diagnóstico definitivo de Desplazamiento de Abomaso en esta vaca, se realizó mediante el procedimiento de percusión-auscultación del flanco izquierdo del animal donde se registró el "sonido timpánico", signo propio de esta patología en el bovino.

I. Descripción General

Se presenta una vaca holstein, de 2 partos, 20 días de parida, con aproximadamente 600 kilos de peso vivo, con los

Ganaderos por el mundo: Jaberdale Farms

Dairy Testimonial - Jaberdale Farms - YouTube


Battling Climate Change with Tried and True Methods




U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists and their partners are providing guidance to growers in Montana and the Dakotas on how they can use some tried-and-true agricultural practices to reduce their climate change footprint.

Upendra Sainju and his colleagues with theAgricultural Research Service (ARS) in Sidney, Mont., have been studying how no-till systems, crop rotation and other

RECOGNIZING THE SYMPTOMS OF BRD



Being aware of the signs of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is imperative when managing a BRD breakout. During the production process, there are times when cattle are more susceptible to BRD. For example, the likelihood of an animal developing BRD is greater following any environmental, nutritional or management stress-inducing situations. These stressors can include: weaning, co-mingling,

Researchers explore nutritional strategies to time puberty in replacement heifers


Cattle producers typically wean replacement heifers at 7 months old and raise them with limited nutritional input before their first breeding.



This managerial strategy is often associated with delayed puberty, particularly in tropically-adapted Bos indicus-influenced cattle, according to researchers.

In Texas, Bos indicus influence generally comes from Brahman genetics, but can involve the

It is vital to maintain body condition in cows

Cow-Calf Corner (3/23/13) - YouTube


Ventanas transparentes que producirán energía


Desde hace años en la Universidad de California Los Ángeles, la UCLA, están trabajando en el desarrollo de sistemas que generen energías limpias como la energía solar. Ahora, acaban de presentar una nueva celda solar basada en un polímero que se activa por el espectro infrarrojo, siendo transparente en un 70 por ciento, lo que le convierte en el candidato perfecto para instalarse como ventanas y

UNDERSTANDING BOVINE RESPIRATORY DISEASE



Despite tremendous advancements in animal husbandry, health and handling through the years, bovine respiratory disease (BRD) remains a serious health issue for the cattle industry. On a more positive note, however, we have achieved a greater understanding of the disease, production of safer and better vaccines, and the development of antimicrobials with greater duration and better speed of

Technology drives value for Chinese dairy farmers

Adapting the latest feeding technologies will be the key driver for Chinese dairy farmers in improving their production efficiency, concluded more than 240 industry leaders at the 3rd China Dairy Symposium.



Experts at the two-day event agreed that the biggest challenge for Chinese dairy producers in the next 10 years will come from increasing demand for milk, which will continue to outpace

Ask a Farmer - Water Conservation

Ask a Farmer - Water Conservation - YouTube


A Better Understanding of the Impacts of Grazing Sheep





A U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientist is giving guidance to growers in Montana and the Dakotas on how grazing sheep when fields are left fallow will affect soil quality.

Grazing sheep and other livestock was once common in the region before fertilizers were introduced in the 1950s. While fertilizers increased yields, they also have increased nitrogen runoff and leaching, made

La población mundial dejará de crecer en 2050


Pese a que intuitivamente sería de esperar que en el futuro el número de habitantes de nuestro planeta continuase creciendo, según el último modelo, elaborado por investigadores de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, la población de nuestro planeta se estabilizará a mediados de este siglo, alrededor de 2050.

A la hora de hacer predicciones sobre la evolución de la población mundial en el futuro

Trimble, an Interesting Company






Sometimes I just get lucky.

Like a couple of weeks ago when I boarded a 5 A.M. bus for the Denver airport. Whodathunk that the nice pleasant lady who sat next to me would want to talk GPS tractors for the hour?

Imagine my surprise when she told me she was headed to China and Malaysia to discuss GPS use on heavy equipment. Imagine her surprise when she found out she was sitting next to

Urinary Obstruction in Goats

Doc Talk Show 45 Urinary Obstruction in Goats - YouTube


Una turbina que `cosecha´ agua en el aire

Una empresa ha creado un aerogenerador que recolecta el agua del aire gracias a un condensador de humedad. El invento se llama WMS100, y permite producir mil doscientos litros diarios.El agua es uno de los recursos más preciados, y además es un bien escaso. Un ingeniero francés ha encontrado, sin embargo, una posible solución al problema. Su idea es aprovechar el agua que se encuentra en forma de

Un nuevo método para limpiar los vertidos de petróleo

Los vertidos de petróleo en el mar suponen un problema ambiental muy importante. Un equipo de investigadores del Instituto Tecnológico de Massachusetts ha desarrollado un método paraseparar el agua del aceite empleando imanes. Esta técnica permitiría que el petróleo fuera después reutilizado, de forma que se compensarían los costes de la limpieza.El método propuesto consiste en añadir a la

New Study Examines Adaptation Needs for Agriculture and Forestry



A group made up of a broad collection of farmers, scientists and agriculturalists is emphasizing climate adaptation strategies for agriculture and forestry in a new report being released this week.







Kansas farmer and rancher Steve Irsik, a member of the 25x'25 adaptation committee, said he believes he began to see subtle changes in the weather about a decade ago when it began to get drier

Fire Your Welfare Bulls

Fire Your Welfare Bulls - YouTube


Deterring Ticks with Citrus and Millipedes






Why do birds, monkeys and other animals rub themselves with citrus and creatures like millipedes? One likely reason is because certain plants and arthropods contain natural repellents.

Scientists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) at theNational Zoological Park in Front Royal, Va., examined citrus compounds and millipedes

Climate Change, “Up Close and Personal”



Remember the good old days when you only got the “spring sniffles” for a few weeks as the new leaves began sprouting on the trees? And doesn’t it seem like now, for some reason, you’re taking your antihistamine almost as often as you take your multi-vitamin? That’s not your imagination; that’s climate change at work.

A USDA scientist and his collaborators have proven that ragweed pollen in

Study says MRSA can jump from animals to humans




A new study using gene sequencing finds the superbug MRSA can be transmitted from animals to humans.

Researchers in England and Denmark used whole genome sequencing to establish the animal-to-human transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, the MRSA bacteria.

“Our findings demonstrate that the MRSA strains we studied are capable of transmission between animals and humans,

Vermont Dairy is About Family

Vermont Dairy is About Family - YouTube


Adapting to climate change



Changing climate patterns already affect agriculture in the United States, and the effects will become more pronounced over the next 20 years. To sustain the ability to provide affordable food, feed, fiber and fuel in the future, U.S. agriculture and forestry will need to take a broad, collaborative approach in planning for and adapting to change, according to a new report from the 25x”25

Managing the silent disease


Your keys to handling bovine viral diarrhea virus

Bovine viral diarrhea (BVD), frequently a silent disease, is caused by bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) and has long-term consequences.

BVDV is one of the infectious agents involved in shipping fever.

The immune system is compromised by BVDV and as a result, the virus makes animals more susceptible to other diseases.

Controlling BVDV alone

Agricultura sociológica y ecológica






Creo que no es necesario, a modo de introducción, explicar la urgente necesidad de reconversión e innovación que requiere la agricultura española.






“Por último, el agrónomo no debe limitarse como ha sucedido por la escasez de luces, al corto número de plantas que maneja de ordinario, sino que ha de aspirar a enriquecerse con todas las que pueda descubrir útiles ya por su productos, ya

Vermont Dairy is Good for the Economy

Vermont Dairy is Good for the Economy - YouTube


The Value of Vigilance




After suffering heavy losses in World War I, France built the Maginot Line in the early-1930's as a way of protecting themselves from the threat of another German assault. The Maginot Line was named after Andre Maginot, France's Minister of War from 1922 to 1924, and was made up of a series of fortifications along France's border with Germany. In its time, the Maginot Line was seen as an

Great Lakes Greenhouse Gives Native Plants a Second Chance






Volunteers help harvest native seedlings at the Hiawatha National Forest greenhouse in Marquette, Mich. U.S. Forest Service photo.


Biologists have long recognized the important role native plants play in maintaining a healthy forest. When native plants are crowded out by invasive plants, those native species can suffer to the point of extinction.

Since the early 1990s, the Hiawatha

Vermont Agriculture is Good for the Environment

Vermont Agriculture is Good for the Environment - YouTube


Internet Altering How Used Machinery Bought, Sold


"Come on boys, let's get into this," the auctioneer says as he goes into his chant. And more than 800 people -- farmers, equipment jockeys and dealers -- settle in for a day of buying and selling whole fleets of farm equipment.



"Here's a lot of three [John Deere] 9530s for you, boys. Buy one; buy them all. Your choice," the auctioneer sings.Joining them via the Internet are another 1,500

Timing Is All-Important For An Effective Parasite Control Program


“Cattle just don’t gain.”



Missy Bonds’ analysis of cattle infested with parasites describes the damage the tiny creatures can have on all cattle. Thus, she’s a firm believer in dewormers and their value in a cow-calf or stocker program.

“The $5-$10/head cost of deworming a cow and calf at branding can mean an extra 50 lbs. for the calf, and better body condition and breed-back on the cow,”

What Cattle Necropsies Can Tell Us


What does a veterinarian look for in performing anecropsy? Number one is to determine if the cause of death represents an increased risk for herd mates. If it does, how can we avoid the cattle disease in herd mates, and what’s the best treatment for those that do become ill.

A successful necropsy starts with a system. I begin by removing the entire respiratory tract – from the mouth back to the

Wild Pigs - Jabalí

Wild Pigs (3/23/13) - YouTube


Two Approaches for Optimizing Water Productivity




Agricultural engineer Susan O’Shaughnessy views an irrigation prescription map constructed from data collected by an ARS wireless sensor system. The map shows variable crop water needs. Next to her, agricultural engineer Joaquin Casanova tests his prototype TDR (time domain reflectometry) probe.(D2810-1)


Agricultural Research Service researchers in Bushland, Texas, are helping farmers make

A Day in Your Life with Invasive Species






Mexican fruit flies on citrus fruit: Jack Dykinga, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org


USDA has proclaimed April to be Invasive Plant Pest and Disease Awareness Month, so this is the perfect time to consider how invasive species can crawl, swarm or ooze their way into your daily life. The fact is, invasive pests and diseases hunger for many of the same things we enjoy each day

Why Do Hog Farmers Keep Their Pigs Inside Barns?



This morning I stumbled across a letter to the editor that does an EXCELLENT job explaining what it is like to raise hogs outdoors. There are several farmers who still use this method of production and I know they are putting in many extra hours this time of year to keep their hogs safe and warm. (Especially with the upcoming snow storm we are supposed to get this weekend). It’s a very

Learning prescribed fire

Fire Training Class (2/16/13) - YouTube


Climate and Crop Trends Provide Downer Cow 'Perfect Storm'



Forage quality issues are leading to nutrient deficiencies in cattle on Canadian farms.



A long winter and a cloudy wet summer are combining to stretch low quality rations and put increasing stress on animals as calving approaches, resulting in recumbent (downer) cows.

Along with challenges posed from the weather, the developing trend for livestock farmers to increase grain and oilseed

5 Things To Keep In Mind When Working With Family


When I graduated from South Dakota State University in 2009, I thought I knew it all. With my expensive college degree in agriculture communications in hand, I moved home and immediately had some suggestions for “improvements” around our ranch.



However, when my ideas fell on deaf ears, I was flummoxed and frustrated. Even though I was now an adult, I learned that I had some stripes to earn

What do animals eat when you start with largely bare land?







The lack of need to feed the livestock or to reseed bare ground understandably puzzles many people. It is easiest explained in this manner. If there is a very poor area of land with only desert bushes, weeds and perhaps annual grasses in a good season it is generally supporting a few animals feeding on what is available over the year. Using the livestock hooves mainly to begin growing

MF 7600 - Product Walkaround

MF 7600 - Product Walkaround (English) - YouTube


Irrigation Wastewater: Waste Not, Want Not




In California’s San Joaquin Valley, high-clay saline-sodic soils can dry out and crack. Water is in short supply there, so ARS researchers are studying how to use spent, or already used, irrigation water to raise a salt-tolerant forage to improve the soil and feed cattle. (D186-2)


Agricultural producers on the west side of California’s San Joaquin Valley (WSJV) used to drain irrigation

Two Common Questions Consumers Ask Most At The Meat Counter



Last month, I had the privilege to stay with the Port family in Clarion, PA, while I was in town to speak at a Farm Bureau meeting and an FFA fundraiser. The Ports own and operate Clarion Farms Beef Barn -- a farm-to-fork beef business. They feed and finish Holstein steers, the cuts of which they market through an on-farm retail store, as well as a weekly farmers market in Pittsburgh. While

Re-use! not recycle when drinking coffee




A guerilla gardener in South Central LA

Ron Finley: A guerilla gardener in South Central LA - YouTube