Head Of Beef Cattle Research Articles

The Potential of Oil Palm Plantation Byproducts as Feed for Beef Cattle

Oil palm is one of the plantation commodities that Indonesia relies on to generate foreign exchange annually. The oil palm industry generates both solid and liquid waste. Oil palm waste is a byproduct of the oil palm industry that is not reused; however, with technological advancements, this waste can be utilized as supplementary feed, especially for ruminants. The waste obtained from oil palm plantations and oil palm mills includes oil palm fruit bunches, oil palm fibers, oil palm shells, oil palm kernel meal, oil palm leaves, and oil palm sludge. Mucuna barcteata can also be used as a protein source for animal feed. Research was conducted in the Sei Mangkei plantation, and feed trials were carried out in the Bangun PTPN III Plantation (Simalungun). The methods employed included surveys and laboratory research. Proximate analysis of the suspected feed sources was conducted by PT Saraswanti Indo Genetech Bogor, which encompassed total energy, moisture and ash content, total fat, protein, carbohydrates, crude fiber, calcium, and phosphorus. The weight gain of cattle after being fed the experimental diet was observed over a three-month period. The research results indicate that oil palm byproducts can support a population of 12,365 head of beef cattle per year. Mucuna bracteata, oil palm kernel meal, oil palm fronds, and solid decanter can be used as animal feed. A feed mixture containing 30% Mucuna resulted in the highest weight gain in cattle compared to the other three treatments, with an average daily gain of 0.97.

Comparative Study Of Livestock Appearance And Beef Cattle Breeder Income In Aek Kuo District Of North Labuhanbatu Regency

Beef cattle farming in Aek Kuo District, North Labuhanbatu Regency, North Sumatra Province is traditionally managed in an intensive and semi-intensive system. This study aimed to determine differences in the appearance of cattle and the income of beef cattle breeders using intensive and semi-intensive maintenance systems. The number of respondents used in this study were 30 breederss with livestock ownership of at least two heads of beef cattle and had been running a livestock business for at least two years. The methods used are site surveys and interviews based on questionnaires. The analysis used in this study was followed by a significant partial test (T-test) assisted by the SPSS version 25 program. The results showed an increase in the intensive population rate of 42.37% and semi-intensive 24.60%, intensive calf crop of 73% and semi-intensive 40%, calving interval intensive 17.52 months and semi-intensive 20.03 months, intensive mortality 0.4 % and semi-intensive 4%. In contrast, the income of beef cattle is IDR 11,816,617.00/year/breeder, and semi-intensive IDR 4,891,733.00/year/breeder with a comparison of the R/C Ratio of an intensive system of 1.8 and a semi-intensive system of 1.5. The partial significance test (T-test) results showed that the performance and income of farmers who used intensive rearing systems had higher values ​​and were significantly different compared to farmers who used semi-intensive rearing systems

ANALISIS HARGA JUAL SAPI POTONG DI CV.MITRA AGRO SANGKURIANG

<p align="justify">Determining product pricing is a crucial aspect of business operations as it directly affects revenue and profitability. This study aims to analyze the production cost and selling price of beef cattle and examine the profit margin above production costs based on the established selling price. The research was conducted at CV Mitra Agro Sangkuriang from March to April 2022. Data collection was done through observation, interviews, and documentation, followed by descriptive quantitative analysis. The research findings indicate that production costs are determined using the full costing method, which includes raw material costs, fixed costs, and variable costs. The established selling price is competitively priced in the market. The average selling price per head of beef cattle is Rp 24,748,200, resulting in a total selling price of Rp 150,729,714,000. Profit margins vary, with the lowest price at Rp 5,680,546 per head in September 2021 and the highest price at Rp 7,242,728 in December 2020. This study provides insights into the pricing strategy of beef cattle at CV Mitra Agro Sangkuriang and its impact on profitability.</p><p><strong>Key words: </strong>Beef Cattle, Production Costs, Selling Prices.</p>

Bull selection and management in extensive rangeland production systems of California: a producer survey.

California's approximately 660,000 head of beef cattle are highly dependent on range bulls used to produce offspring that can perform across the state's diverse ecological regions. Bulls need to be functional on rugged coastal landscapes, rolling foothills, deserts, and in high-elevation terrain. Few data exist that indicate factors related to selection, maintenance, and longevity of bulls used in rangeland landscapes. Objectives herein, were to assess factors influencing bull purchasing, management, and culling decisions of California beef producers. Surveys were mailed to the California Cattlemen's Association membership (N = 1,410) with ~ 16% response rate (N = 227). Mean age and years of bull selection experience of respondents was 61 ± 1 yr and 27 ± 1 yr, respectively. Respondents managed cattle on a total of 694,949 hectare of owned, private leased, and leased public rangelands in California and surrounding states. Cow-calf herd size was 333 ± 92 head and bull battery averaged 18 ± 2 head with average bull longevity of 5 ± 1.3 yr. The average price paid for bulls in the last 2 yr was $5007 ± 163.33, while the highest price paid in the last 5 yr was $7291 ± 335.40. Survey responses were used to define current factors driving management after purchase and for subsequent breeding seasons. After bull purchase, 48% of producers turned bulls out directly with females, while 52% held bulls until the following breeding season. Additionally, most producers (70%) did not manage bulls to reduce condition after purchase. Semen quality analysis, a major component of a breeding soundness exam, was evaluated annually by 45% of respondents, while 20% of respondents never evaluated semen quality. Respondents indicated bull age (35%) and structural soundness (29%) as the most common factors for culling bulls. This research shows that despite the variability in operation demographics, there were similarities in beef bull selection and management across the state. Additionally, these data suggest the need for additional research focused on bull selection and management to maximize producer investment in reproduction.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Beef Cattle Breeding Based on the Ecological Cycle Model.

Over the past few decades, the supply of beef has increasingly become available with the great improvement of the quality of life, especially in developing countries. However, along with the demand for meat products of high quality and the transformation of dietary structure, the impact of massive agricultural greenhouse gas emissions on the environmental load cannot be ignored. Therefore, the objective of this study is to predict the annual greenhouse gas emissions of 10 million heads of beef cattle under both the ecological cycle model (EC model) and the non-ecological cycle model (non-EC model), respectively, in order to compare the differences between these two production models in each process, and thus explore which one is more sustainable and environmentally friendly. To this end, through the life cycle assessment (LCA), this paper performs relevant calculations according to the methodology of 2019 Refinement to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (2019 IPCC Inventories). The results have shown that the total GHG emissions of the non-EC model were almost 4 times higher than those of the EC model, and feed-grain cultivation and manure management were main emission sources in both models. The non-EC model produced significantly more emissions than the EC model in each kind of GHG, especially the largest gap between these two was in CO2 emissions that accounted for 68.01% and 56.17% of the respective planting and breeding systems. This study demonstrates that the transformation of a beef cattle breeding model has a significant direct impact on cutting agricultural GHG emissions, and persuades other countries in the similar situation to vigorously advocate ecological cycling breeding model instead of the traditional ones so that promotes coordinated development between planting industry and beef cattle breeding industry.

Potensi Limbah Jagung Hibrida (Zea mays L) sebagai Pakan Ternak di Daerah Dataran Kering Provinsi Nusa Tenggara Timur

Corn waste agricultural by-product that can be used for animal feed at Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) has a longer dry climate than the rainy ones, caused difficulties in terms of feeding. Farmers utilize corn waste as feed resource. This study was carried out to determine the potential corn waste and evaluate the potential capacities of livestock from corn waste as animal feed. The data was obtained from farmer group, collected during December 2019 to April 2020 in Oeteta Village, Kupang Timur - NTT. The data of corn waste material production included corn straw (stalks and leaves), corn cob, and corn husk in 7 hectares area. Data were collected by using the survey with simple random sampling for estimation of carrying capacity value. The results showed that the fresh corn waste production on the land area of 7 hectares in the Oeteta village were fresh corn straw (451,101 kg year-1), corn cob (65,225.58 kg year-1), corn husk (10,870.86 kg year-1), and total 527,197.44 kg year-1 of corn waste production. Utilization of corn waste as feed stock with the use of 30% in the ration generated a carrying capacity of 352 cattle and 2,464 goats respectively, have a carrying capacity 352 head of beef cattle and 2,464 head of goats, whereas if the use was 40% in the ration, the carrying capacity was 264 cattle and 1,851 goats. It could be concluded that the feed from corn waste available in Oeteta Village, Kupang Regency, NTT, which is 7 ha of area have sufficient carrying capacity for livestock.
 Key words: carrying capacity, corn waste, Oeteta Nusa Tenggara Timur

Call for Papers: Special Environmental Justice Issue on Industrial Animal Agriculture

Environmental JusticeVol. 14, No. 3 Calls for PapersFree AccessCall for Papers: Special Environmental Justice Issue on Industrial Animal AgricultureDeadline for Manuscript Submission: August 10, 2021Guest Editors: Adrienne Hollis, Sherri White-Williamson, and Brent NewellGuest Editors: Adrienne HollisThe Union of Concerned Scientists, Washington, DC, USASearch for more papers by this author, Sherri White-WilliamsonNC Conservation Network, Raleigh, North Carolina, USASearch for more papers by this author, and Brent NewellPublic Justice, Oakland, California, USASearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:16 Jun 2021https://doi.org/10.1089/env.2021.29006.cfpAboutSectionsPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail The Environmental Protection Agency defines animal feeding operations as agricultural enterprises where animals (beef cattle, cows, poultry, and pigs/hogs) are kept and raised in confined spaces. These operations congregate animals, feed, manure and urine, dead animals, and production operations on a small land area. Larger feeding operations, more commonly referred to as Confined or Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), have at least 1,000 pounds of animals in live weight (i.e., 1,000 head of beef cattle, 700 dairy cows, 2,500 swine weighing more than 55 pounds, 125,000 broiler chickens, or 82,000 laying hens or pullets). CAFOs produce more than 40 times the amount of waste product than biosolids generated from human sewage systems. CAFOs, unlike biosolid production, do not have regulatory guidelines related to pathogen level, emission, treatment, or waste disposal.These operations are largely located in communities of color and low-wealth populations and pose an urgent environmental justice issue for local residents. People exposed to releases from CAFOs can experience respiratory effects like asthma or allergies from inhalation of contaminants like ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during operation, air emissions, and spraying of waste and unregulated waste disposal. In addition, CAFO emissions negatively impact the air, water and soil, property values, and the local economy of the surrounding areas.All manuscripts should be submitted online using the https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/environmentaljustice link by August 10, 2021. All submissions will be subject to a rigorous peer review. We encourage submissions of the following: Research Articles; Invited Editorials; Policy Briefs; Commentaries; Review Papers; History Essays; Impact; Community Voice; Tools for Education, Empowerment and Action; Case Studies; and Methods Papers.Suggested topic areas include, among others:Confined Animal Feeding Operations (type, activity, geographic issue)Spray fields and waste pit issuesMeat processing activities, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemicNoncompliance with environmental regulations, such as the Clean Air Act, EPCRA, CERCLA, or the CWAWater and air qualityTort law (successful lawsuits, subject areas (i.e. nuisance, runoff etc.)BiogasEnvironmental racism and CAFOsSocioeconomic impactsClimate change and CAFOsRight-to-Farm lawsOccupational exposures (worker safety issues)Health effectsFederal guidelines for waste disposalNew policy recommendationsCorporate agriculture vs sustainable agricultureVisit Environmental Justice at https://home.liebertpub.com/publications/environmental-justice/259/ overview to learn more, read past issues, and view author submission guidelines (https://home.liebertpub.com/publications/environmental-justice/259/for-authors).Queries to the editor to propose a topic prior to submission are encouraged. Please contact Dr. Adrienne Hollis at ahollis@ucsusa.org to initiate your query or for any further details.Visit the Instructions for Authors:www.liebertpub.com/envSubmit your paper for peer review online:https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/envFiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 14Issue 3Jun 2021 InformationCopyright 2021, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishersTo cite this article:Guest Editors: Adrienne Hollis, Sherri White-Williamson, and Brent Newell.Call for Papers: Special Environmental Justice Issue on Industrial Animal Agriculture.Environmental Justice.Jun 2021.231-232.http://doi.org/10.1089/env.2021.29006.cfpPublished in Volume: 14 Issue 3: June 16, 2021PDF download

PSI-34 Factors influencing bull selection and management in extensive rangeland production systems of California

Abstract California’s 660,000 head of beef cattle are highly dependent on bulls used to produce offspring that can perform across the state’s diverse ecological regions. Bulls need to be functional on rugged coastal landscapes, rolling foothills, deserts and in high-elevation terrain. Few data exist that indicate factors related to selection, maintenance and longevity of bulls used in rangeland landscapes. Objectives herein, were to assess factors influencing bull purchasing, management, and culling decisions of California beef producers. Surveys were mailed to the California Cattlemen’s Association membership (n = 1,410) with ~ 12% response rate (n = 171). Data were analyzed for 56% of respondents (n = 95). Mean age and years of bull selection experience of respondents was 61 ± 1 years and 27 ± 2 years, respectively. Respondents managed cattle on a total of 694,949 ha of owned, private leased, and leased public rangelands in California and surrounding states. Cow-calf herd size was 378 ± 92 head and bull battery averaged 18 ± 3 head with average bull longevity of 5 ± 0.8 years. The average price paid for bulls in the last 2 years was $5166 ± 298, while the highest price paid in the last 5 years was $6958 ± 445. Survey responses were used to define current factors driving management after purchase and for subsequent breeding seasons. Methodology for bull turnout management (i.e. high-energy diet, pasture, supplemental hay) had no impact (P = 0.13) on average age of bulls when culled. After bull purchase, 46% of producers turned bulls out directly with females, while 49% held bulls until the following breeding season. Additionally, most producers (75%) did not manage bulls to reduce condition after purchase. Average bull longevity was moderately correlated (P = 0.01; r2 = 0.30) with average bull price a producer was willing to pay. The average age of bulls when culled was not influenced (P = 0.42) by the frequency of semen quality evaluation. Semen quality was evaluated annually by 45% of respondents, while 20% of respondents never evaluated semen quality. Respondents indicated bull age (35%) and structural soundness (29%) as the most common factors for culling bulls. This research suggests the need for additional research focused on bull selection and management to maximize producer investment in reproduction.

184 Review of animal welfare data for cattle and swine

Abstract Interest in the topic of animal welfare continues to grow as knowledge about the quality of life of food animals evolves. Improving management practices that enhance welfare conditions for livestock requires tools that allow livestock caretakers to assess and address animal welfare conditions effectively and practically on farms. Over the past several years, Elanco Animal Health has developed analytical resources for beef cattle and swine producers to inform them on trends associated with finished cattle mobility and mortality, and transport losses in marketed swine. This presentation will share findings from Elanco’s databases and the published literature to inform and foster discussion important to livestock welfare advancements. Relative to finished cattle mobility, data captured from 11.5 M head (2015–2019) demonstrate that cattle mobility continues to trend positively with approximately 90% of cattle observed with normal mobility conditions at packing plants (Edwards-Callaway et al., 2017); however, mortality trends and veterinary medical charges are higher over the past 5 years (2014–2018) when closeout data from 41.8 M head of beef cattle are evaluated across U.S. feedlots. Relative to market weight pig transport losses, an industry survey of 310 M pigs (2012–2015) indicate that averages for total dead pigs, non-ambulatory pigs, and total losses were 0.26%, 0.63%, and 0.88%, respectively (Yoder et al., 2017), which is similar to reported values in the literature (Ritter et al., 2009). Collectively, this information is important for measuring continuous improvement and determining where opportunities exist to evaluate management practices associated with herd health protocols, seasonal impacts, handling, and transport conditions. Animal welfare challenges are a non-compete issue for the livestock industry, and tools to assess these welfare topics are key to the enhancement of current practices and development of novel approaches to positively impact the role that livestock caretakers have on animal welfare.

ANALISIS FINANSIAL USAHA PETERNAKAN PEMBIBITAN SAPI POTONG RAKYAT DI DAERAH PERTANIAN LAHAN KERING : Studi Kasus di Wilayah Kecamatan Semin, Kabupaten Gunungkidul, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta

<div class="Section1"><p><em>The purpose of this study was to determine the financial feasibility and break even point on the cattle's breeding farms. Taking place in the three sites in the rural areas with the highest, moderate and lowest on population of beef cattle, such as villages of Kemejing, Candirejo , and Pundungsari all of them in the district of Semin, Gunung Kidul regency, Yogyakarta. This study was conducted in September up to October 2011. The using methode of survey to collect primary data from 60 farmers respondents and secondary data from relevant agencies. Sample was determined by purposive sampling. Financial analysis of the cattle's breeding farms using investment criteria such as a benefit cost ratio (BCR), net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), payback period of credit (PPC), and the break even point (BEP) based on 8 years investment with a discount factor of 12% per year. The analysis showed that the BCR value of 1.61; NPV </em><em>of </em><em> 12.308.146,72; IRR of 23.40%; PPC for 4.53 years and the BEP value is based on sales amounted to Rp 25,991,672.10 or based on 6 heads </em><em>of animal units. The conclusion of this study is a cattle's breeding farms in dryland farming areas are eligible to run with BEP on 6 heads of beef cattle </em></p></div>

Use of a Highly Sensitive Immunomarking System to Characterize Face Fly (Diptera: Muscidae) Dispersal From Cow Pats

We tested an immunomarking system that used egg white as marker and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay as a detection assay to characterize face fly (Musca autumnalis DeGeer) dispersal from cow pats in a pastured beef cattle operation. In microcage assays, adult flies acquired marker after contact with cow pats that were treated with marker and field aged up to 11 d. In arena assays on sprayed full-size cow pats, 77% of eclosed face flies acquired the marker. In a field-marking study, four applications of egg white marker were applied on freshly deposited cow pats over a summer at two peripheral paddocks to a main grazing pasture of ≍50 head of beef cattle. Of the 663 face flies captured, 108 were positive for the egg white marker (16.3%). Of the marked flies, ≍ twofold more male than female flies were captured. Sex-specific dispersal distances were roughly equal up to 450 m, with 11% of female flies dispersing >450 m. Dispersal capability of face flies is discussed in relation to efficacy of rotational grazing and other IPM strategies.

Optimizing the Size of Anaerobic Digesters

Anaerobic digestion (AD) of manure from confined feeding operations (CFOs) to produce biogas and in turn electric power in farm or feedlot based units as well as centralized plants is evaluated for two settings in Alberta, Canada: a mixed farming area (Red Deer County), and an area of concentrated beef cattle feedlots (Lethbridge County). Centralized plants need to transport manure to the plant and digestate back to the source CFO, an added cost relative to farm or feedlot based plants, but gain from the economy of scale in plant capital and operating cost. Based on a county survey of manure sources, a centralized plant drawing manure from 63 sources in the mixed farming area, at a manure yield of 34 dry tonne year-1 km-2, could produce 5.9 net MW of power at a cost of $240 MWh-1 (in 2005 U.S. dollars). No individual CFO in the mixed farming area, including a 7,500 head beef cattle feedlot, could produce power at a lower cost with a farm or feedlot based unit. Based on manure yields from an Alberta-based 1 MW demonstration AD plant, a centralized plant drawing manure from 560,000 beef cattle in Lethbridge County, at a manure yield of 280 dry tonne year-1 km-2, could produce power at a cost of $150 MWh-1. In Lethbridge County, an individual feedlot larger than 20,000 head of beef cattle could produce power at a lower cost than the centralized plant. Commercial processes to recover concentrated nutrients and a dischargeable water stream from digestate are not available. However, the theoretical impact of digestate processing was analyzed based on a capital cost of 2/3 of the AD plant itself. Digestate processing shifts the balance in favor of centralized processing, and a feedlot would need to be larger than 250,000 head to produce power at a lower cost than a centralized plant. Power from biogas has a high cost relative to current power prices and to the cost of power from other large-scale renewable sources. Power from biogas would need to be justified by other factors than energy value alone, such as phosphate recovery, pathogen reduction, or odor control.

Pipeline vs. truck transport of beef cattle manure

Anaerobic digestion (AD) of manure can be conducted at a wide range of capacities. As capacity increases, economies of scale in capital equipment are realized but transportation costs increase as manure must be carried longer distances to the plant site. In this study, we evaluate the cost of pipelining manure from beef cattle feedlots and digestate from an AD plant as an alternative to truck transport. Pipeline transportation cost for manure is minimized at a slurry concentration of about 12%; low concentrations require a larger pipeline, and high concentrations require higher pumping costs. Pipelining costs are highly scale dependent, while trucking costs are virtually independent of scale for a given carrier size. A stand-alone manure pipeline competes with trucking at 90,000 head of beef cattle. Digestate volume is about 2.4 times the volume of manure and a stand-alone digestate pipeline is more economic than trucking at 21,000 head, and a two-way pipeline at 29,000 head. Incremental net fixed costs for trans-shipment from truck to pipeline are low for manure and zero for digestate because equipment installed at the pipeline inlet eliminates the need for identical equipment within the digester plant. A manure pipeline must run for a minimum distance to recover the incremental fixed cost of trans-shipment; at 300,000 animals, the minimum economic pipeline distance is 9 km. Pipeline transport of beef cattle manure has the potential to reduce overall transportation cost to a large centralized digester in areas such as Dodge City, Kansas or Lethbridge, Alberta where very large numbers of beef cattle are in feedlots. A 50 km pipeline carrying manure from 300,000 beef cattle has an overall transport cost of 40% of ongoing truck transport.

Ammonia and hydrogen sulphide flux and dry deposition velocity estimates using vertical gradient method at a commercial beef cattle feedlot

Ammonia and hydrogen sulphide flux and dry deposition velocity were estimated using micrometeorological vertical gradient flux method at a commercial cattle feedyard of approximately 50,000 head of beef cattle and average 14.4 m²/head (150 ft²/head) stocking density. Ammonia-N and H2S-S loss had general diurnal patterns with the highest fluxes in daytime and lowest fluxes in nighttime that correlated to temperature changes and active evaporation process during daytime. The highest average deposition velocities also occurred during daytime with unstable atmospheric conditions and the lowest during nighttime with very stable conditions. There are exponential relationship between NH3-N flux and ambient temperature with R² = 0.57 for NH3 (NH3-N flux = – 1.46 + 7.96e0.077*Temperature) and R² = 0.22 for H2S-S (H2S-S flux = – 0.75 + 0.8e-0.013*Temperature).

A Devastating Outbreak of Malignant Catarrhal Fever in a Bison Feedlot

In early 2003, an outbreak of malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) occurred in a bison feedlot in southern Idaho. The outbreak resulted in a 51.2% (n = 825) mortality rate among bison, which had been exposed to sheep for 19 days. Diagnosis was made by detection of ovine herpesvirus 2 (sheep-associated MCF virus) DNA in tissues or peripheral blood by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and by histological examination of tissue lesions. Peak losses occurred between 41 and 55 days postmean exposure time (PME), and reached a maximum of 41 head per day. No known cases of MCF were observed among the 177 head of bison that arrived in the lot 3 1/2 weeks after the departure of the sheep. Of the several thousand head of beef cattle in the lot during the outbreak, only a single case of MCF was identified. This outbreak illustrates the devastating impact the MCF virus can have on bison under certain exposure conditions, the high threat posed by adolescent lambs to susceptible species, the significantly greater susceptibility of bison than beef cattle to MCF, and the lack of horizontal transmission from clinically affected bison to herdmates.

栃木県内飼養牛における<I>Neospora caninum</I>の抗体保有調査

A serological survey of cattle (Holstein and Japanese Black) bred in Tochigi Prefecture detected Neospora caninum in 21 of 35 cities and towns (60%) in the case of Holstein animals and 3 of 15 cities and towns (20.0%) in the case of beef cattle. It was present on 55 of 170 Holstein farms (32.4%) and 5 of 23 beef-cattle farms (21.7%). It was detected in 120 of 1, 962 head of Holstein cattle (6.1%) and 13 of 294 (4.4%) head of beef cattle. Antibody rates of cattle used as recipients of the embryo-transfer (ET) technique on 8 of 11 sero-positive farms were distributed within the range 1.2-25%. During a continuous survey conducted for one year on 2 farms (dairy and Japanese Black cattle), no animals showed increases or positive conversion of antibody titer. Nonetheless, all calves from sero-positive cows demonstrated Neospora caninum antibodies. At our suggestion, sero-positive Holsteins were subjected to planned culling; and sero-positive Japanese Blacks were used either as beef cattle or as ET donors.

Eradication of tuberculosis from an extensively managed beef herd.

Eradication of tuberculosis from a herd of 5,000 head of beef cattle with a long history of infection was achieved in a 5-year period using the single caudal fold tuberculin test in conjunction with segregation of breeders of different ages and selective slaughter of problem groups. The major problem which had to be overcome to achieve eradication was the occurrence of anergic tuberculous animals. All animals in the group were slaughtered when it was apparent testing was not successful. Testing was very effective in eliminating TB from cattle under the age of two years. Incomplete musters and breakdown of segregation caused reinfection of clean groups in the early stages.