The Brush Country
Agriculture Newsletter
atascosa.agrilife.org
Winter 2014
Meeting Beef Demand in 2015
Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State
University Extension Livestock
Marketing Specialist
Many years of cattle herd liquidation, due to
drought and other factors, have left the beef
industry with such low cattle inventories that severe
reductions in beef production are inevitable. Beef
production in 2014 is projected to total roughly 24.4
billion pounds, down 5.2 percent from last year and
the smallest annual beef production in the U.S.
since 1994. Cattle slaughter through mid-November
is down 7.1 percent, including a 3.6 percent decline
in steer slaughter and an 8.3 percent decrease in
heifer slaughter. Total steer and heifer slaughter in
2014 is projected to be the smallest since 1968. The
industry has offset some of the reduction in cattle
slaughter by increasing carcass weights, with
current steer carcass weights at record levels of 906
pounds, up 28 pounds year over year and heifer
carcass weights at 829 pounds (down one pound
from the week earlier record level of 830 pounds),
and up 23 pounds from last year.
Concerns about beef demand have preoccupied the
beef industry for many months and will continue for
months to come as beef production is expected to
fall in 2015 and into 2016 pushing retail prices
higher. Steer and heifer slaughter is expected to
decrease another two percent in 2015 which,
depending on carcass weights, would contribute to
another 1 to 1.5 percent decrease in total beef
production. While beef demand in 2014 has been
unexpectedly strong, the challenges will continue for
many months. Retail prices have risen significantly
in 2014 with All-Fresh beef prices currently 20
percent higher than year ago levels. Current retail
prices undoubtedly do not fully reflect the impacts
of declining beef supplies, even if production
stabilized at current levels. With additional
decreases in beef production ahead, the demand
challenges will persist.
The demand challenge is not just one of beef
quantity but, perhaps increasingly, one of beef
quality. The question of whether beef consumers
will pay ever higher prices for a smaller quantity of
beef will likely depend critically on beef
quality. There is a degree of quantity versus quality
tradeoff in the beef industry that may be more
critical in the coming months. The industry in
general has, and feedlot and packing companies
directly have a strong short run incentive to mitigate
decreased animal numbers with larger carcass
weights. Managing for ever larger animals increases
the chances of negative quality impacts. One such
measure is quality grade, which, measured as
Choice grading percentage, has remained above
year over year levels through most of 2014 but has
dropped close to year ago levels recently as carcass
weights have jumped sharply. Potential quality
grade impacts should be monitored carefully in
coming months as efforts to push carcass weights
continue.
Increased carcass weights may be directly
contributing to demand challenges. Beef carcasses
are so big that extended cooling time is sometimes
required to properly chill carcasses and some
packing plants are remodeling to handle larger
carcasses. And yet, demand for larger muscle cuts
is not growing. Indeed, concerns about portion size
have been raised for a number of years. These
concerns may be particularly important in coming
months. Consumers manage total dollars spent and
beef retailers accommodate this with grocery
retailers managing package cost and restaurants
managing plate cost as much as possible to
minimize the impact of high unit beef prices. This is
increasingly difficult with larger and larger muscle
cuts. There are strong indications that consumers
will pay premium prices for beef, but only if quality
is premium as well. Consumers demand a package
of beef product attributes that includes marbling,
tenderness, flavor, and product size. Using bigger
carcasses in the short term pursuit of beef quantity
at the expensive of middle meat demand is not
beneficial for the beef industry.
Caring for Poinsettia at Home
Did you know that the Poinsettia is a native plant of
Mexico? The Aztecs used to cultivate these plants for
their brilliant colors. During the Christmas season, we
see lots of poinsettias. Here are some tips to care for
your poinsettia to keep them looking good and to
avoid some of the common diseases that affects
them.
COMMON DISEASES:
Pythium root rot is a common pathogen of
Poinsettias. The pathogen attacks the roots of the
poinsettia causing it to change from a clean white to
brown and
mushy. When the poinsettias are sold they are
typically placed in a protective sleeve to prevent
damage during shipping. These sleeves do not have
drainage holes in the bottom. When water is allowed
to stand in this sleeve, it encourages root rot from this
pathogen. As the roots are destroyed, the plant will
begin yellowing and dropping leaves. There are also
several disease that show up as spots or blotches on
the leaves of poinsettias, typically on the lower
(green) leaves. Many times, these are due to improper
watering and stressing the plant. Removing the leaves
and properly caring for your poinsettia will usually
reduce the disease. However, prevention is always
better than cures that affect them.
Here are some tips for reducing environmental stress
on your poinsettia:
•Do NOT expose to cold or hot drafts. Poinsettias
does best at 60-70 °F. If these plants get too cold, they
can turn yellow and drop leaves rapidly.
•Do NOT drown poinsettia. If soil feels dry to touch,
then water. Overwatering will also encourage
diseases.
•Do NOT fertilize when in bloom. This will help to
maintain the bright colors through the Christmas
season. Do fertilize after the season if you wish to
keep the plant growing.
Plan now for a
Spring Garden
A gardener needs a plan just as an
architect does.
Careful
planning
lessens
gardening work and increases the return on
your labor. Table 3 shows the relative
maturity rates of various vegetable crops.
Long-term crops require a
long growing
period. Plant them where they won’t interfere
with the care and harvesting of short-term
crops. Plant tall-growing crops (okra, staked
tomatoes, pole beans, sweet corn) on the
north side of the garden where they will not
shade or interfere with the growth of lowgrow-ing crops such as radishes, leaf lettuce,
onions
and
bush
beans.
Group
crops
according to their rate of maturity so a new
crop can be planted to take the place of
another as soon as it is removed. When you
plant a new crop, it should be totally
unrelated to the crop it is replacing. This is
called crop rotation. Crop rotation helps
prevent the buildup of diseases and insects.
For example, follow early beans with beets,
squash or bell peppers.
Upcoming Local Educational Programs
December 2014
Location
17 CEU Workshop – Pre Plant
18 CEU Workshop - Fall Pasture
Rossville
La Vernia
Coming in Spring 2015
South TX Peanut Growers Assoc. Annual Meeting
Atascosa Cattlemen’s Association Annual Meeting
C.E.U. Program Opportunities & More…
REDUCING
BACTERIA
WITH
BEST
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR
LIVESTOCKFEED, SALT, AND/OR
MINERAL
LOCATIONS
Jennifer
L.
Peterson,
Extension
Program
Specialist, texas
AgriLife
Extension
Service
Larry
A.
Redmon,
Professor
and
State
Forage Specialist,
Texas
AgriLife
Extension Service
Mark
L.
McFarland,
Professor
&
State
Soil Fertility
Specialist,
Texas
AgriLife
Extension Service
Description:
The
placement
of
feed,
salt,
and/or
mineral
locations
off‐stream
as
an
attempt
to
improvegrazing
distribution
and
encourage
livestock
to
move
away
from sensitive
riparian
areas.
Benefits
to
Producer
•Reduces
herd
health
risks
associated
with
livestock
standing
in
muddy
areas,
such
as
foot
disease
and
injuries
due
to
unstable
footing.
•Decreases
herd
injuries
associated
with
cattle
climbing
steep
and
unstable
stream
banks.
•Improves
water
quality
by
reducing
sediment,
nutrient,
bacterial,
organic,
and
inorganic loading
to
the
stream.
•Reduces
stream
bank
destabilization
and
associated
erosion
due
to
trampling
and
overgrazing
of
banks.
•Increases
grazing
distribution.
•Increases
overall
herd
gain. Bacterial
Removal
Efficiency:
•Supplemental
feed/salt
locations
can
be used in
conjunction with other
conservation
practices
including
Fencing
(NRCS
Code
382)
and
Watering
Facilities
(NRCS
Code
614).
These
practices
have
been
shown
to
reduce
concentrations
of
bacteria.
Anypractice
that
reduces
the
amount
of
time
cattlespend
in
a
stream
will
thus
reduce
the
manureloading
and
decrease
the
potential
for
adverse
affects
of
water
pollution
from
grazing
livestock.
Other
Benefits
•Increased
gain
in
beef
cattle
of
0.2‐0.4lb/day.
•Increased
annual
net
returns
to
ranch
between
$4,500
and
$11,000
depending
on
cattle
prices
and
precipitation
levels
with
use of
off‐
stream
water.
•Increased
cattle
distribution
and
consumption
of
upland
forage.
•Reduced
development
of
uncovered
and
unstable
streambanks
by
9%
over
two
grazing
seasons
as
compared
to
pastures
not
offering
supplemental
feed/salt.
•Reduced
time
cattle
spent
near
stream
by
50‐
100%.
From Our Friends…
to Your Table
Love pot roast? Use this recipe to cook a tender
pot roast. It has onion, orange juice, and spices
to boost the flavor.
Ingredients
1 frozen beef round roast (2 pounds, thawed)
1/2 cup onion (chopped)
nonstick cooking spray
2 cups hot water
1 beef bouillon cube
1 tablespoon orange juice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
1. In a large heavy skillet coated with
nonstick cooking spray, cook onions until soft.
2. Add beef round roast to skillet and brown on
all sides.
3. In a small bowl, combine the hot water with
the bouillon cube and stir until it dissolves. Mix
in orange juice and pepper.
4. Pour over meat. Cover and cook over low heat
for 1 ½ to 2 hours.
Recipe adapted from USDA Recipes and Tips for
Healthy, Thrifty Meals.
Chicken Breeds and the Colors of Their Eggs
Egg color is characteristic of the breed of chicken
producing the egg. The genetic background of the hen (the
hen’s “mother and father”) determines the inherited egg
color produced. Egg color or pigment is secreted and applied
to the final layers of the eggshell by the hen. The location of
this pigment in the outer layer can be demonstrated by an
experiment with a brown egg. The egg’s color can be
removed by soaking a brown egg in vinegar, which
dissolves the outer layer of the shell.
Generally, the color of the chicken’s earlobe
accurately predicts the color of egg the hen
will produce. Hens with white earlobes produce white eggs
while hens with red earlobes produce
brown eggs. Currently we are unaware of a book that
displays pictures of eggs from different
breeds of chickens. However, there is an excellent book that
details and pictures the size and
color of hundreds of species of birds.
Birds' Eggs (An Eyewitness Handbook) by Michael Walters (1994)
Dorling Kindersley, Inc., 95 Madison Avenue, New York 10016
The following is a list of chicken breeds and their egg color.
Chicken Breed
Plymouth Rocks
Dominiques
Wyandottes
Javas
Rhode Island Whites
Buckeyes
Chanteclers
Jersey Giants
Lamonas
New Hampshires
Hollands
Delawares
Brahmas
Cochins
Langshans
Dorkings
Redcaps
Cornish
Orpingtons
Sussex
Australorps
Leghorns
Minorcas
Spanish
Andalusians
Anconas
Sicilian Buttercups
Catalanas
Hamburgs
Campines
Polish
Houdans
Crevecoeurs
LaFleche
Faverolles
Araucana
Egg Color
Brown to light brown
Brown
Light to rich brown
Brown
Brown to dark brown
Brown
Brown
Brown to dark brown
White
Brown
White
Brown
Light to dark brown
Brown
Very dark brown
White
White
Brown
Light to dark brown
Brown
Brown
White
Chalk white
White
Chalk white
White
White
White or very light tint
White
White
White
White
White
White
Light brown
Blue to green to brown
‘From Battleground to
Breaking Ground’
agricultural workshop slated
for Jan. 24 in Georgetown
By: Paul Schattenberg
Free program designed for current, former
military service members and others
GEORGETOWN — The Texas A&M AgriLife
Extension Service, in cooperation with the Texas
AgrAbility Project and the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, will present an agriculture workshop
for active duty and veteran military service
members Jan. 24.
The free workshop, called “From Battleground to
Breaking Ground: A Transformational Journey,”
will be held from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at the AgriLife
Extension office for Williamson County, 3151 S.E.
Inner Loop in Georgetown.
engaged in production agriculture,” said Erin
Pilosi, Texas AgrAbility program coordinator,
College Station.
She said the program was developed with input
from AgriLife Extension, AgrAbility, the USDA’s
Natural Resources Conservation Service, the
National Farmer Veteran Coalition, Farm Service
Agency, USDA Risk Management and Texas
Department of Agriculture.
To ensure adequate space, attendees should
RSVP by registering online and in advance
at http://txagrability.tamu.edu.
A
form
can
also
be
downloaded
from http://williamson.agrilife.org/programregistration/or http://bit.ly/14GGPlxand mailed to
the attention of either Grenwelge or Pilosi at
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, 578 John
Kimbrough, College Station, Texas 77843-2251
oremailed
to chgrenwelge@ag.tamu.eduorempilosi@ag.tam
u.edu.
“Military families understand the importance of
building plans on good information and will benefit
from the array of speakers and resources that will
be presented during the program,” said Fred Hall,
AgriLife
Extension
agriculture
agent
for
Williamson County. “Any small-landowner with a
desire to be part of the local food system will
benefit from this information.”
More information can be found on the Texas
AgrAbility website or by contacting Pilosi at 979847-6185 or Hall at 512-943-3300.
This program workshop gives current and former
military with or without disabilities interested in
farming or ranching the opportunity to get
information on starting, developing and funding an
agriculture business, according to Dr. Cheryl
Grenwelge, AgriLife Extension specialist in
disability transition with the Texas AgrAbility
Project in College Station.
1003 Oak Street
Jourdanton, Tx 78026
830-769-3066
830-769-2330 – fax
“While the program is designed for current and
former military, beginning farmers and ranchers,
women and small-landholder farmers and
ranchers are also welcome to attend and can
benefit from the workshop information,”
Grenwelge said.
Presentations will address how to develop an
agriculture business plan, starting an agriculture
business, possibilities and options for farming or
ranching with a disability, and resources available
for funding an agricultural enterprise.
“Texas AgrAbility focuses on connecting,
assisting and empowering agricultural producers,
their family members and employees with
disabilities and chronic health conditions to stay
The Brush Country Agriculture
Newsletter
Dale Rankin – County Extension Agent
dw-rankin@tamu.edu
Educational programs of the Texas A&M AgriLife
Extension Service are open to all people without
regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin,
age, disability, genetic information or veteran status.
The Texas A&M University System, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, and the County
Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating. We
will seek to provide reasonable accommodation for
all persons with disabilities for this meeting. We
request that you contact the Atascosa County
Extension Service eight days (8) prior to the event
at (830) 769-3066 or as soon as possible to advise
us of the auxiliary aid or service that you require.