Wiki World: cattle

Showing posts with label cattle. Show all posts

New Mustering System to Revolutionize Farming

Cattle mustering has always been a manual labor enterprise. Little has changed for centuries. Some minor improvements have occurred but the new Remote Livestock Management System (RLMS) developed by Precision Pastoral Pty Ltd is a leap forward to more efficiency.

Computer Hardware and software are combined in a practical control method. All animals have to drink. When Cattle drink at a watering point they are guided through a pathway that identifies, weighs and drafts animals into particular holding pens. Those who are not ready for market are automatically released back into the paddock. The system is solar powered so there are virtually no running costs. Cattle tags are easily read.

Growth rates, calving and fertility are all monitored. Feed supplements can also be effectively regulated. This will improve profitability for farmers. They have been waiting a long time for something like this. Degradation in rangeland can be solved by relocation into new pastures via the gates.

The new computer mustering system is seen as a revolution in cattle and sheep production. There are strong prospects for its adoption in north and south America, Asia and Africa.

http://www.adventure--australia.blogspot.com/

http://www.tysaustralia.blogspot.com/

http://adventure--australia.blogspot.com/atom.xml

http://www.technorati.com/blogs/

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Agriculture

Vista Computer Solutions Blog

World Food at Record High Prices

Enjoy "cheap" food prices now, because they are going to rise and stay high long into the future. The world population is increasing and developing countries are developing Western tastes. Meat demand is increasing, particularly beef.

When drought hits, like in Russia, the US, Ukraine and Kazakhstan at present, high demand pushes food prices up. Farmers reap the benefit. South Australian farmers are getting 30 per cent more for grain. Though Australia relies on the export of minerals for income, it is hoped that this country will be one of the world's future food baskets. Everyone concentrates on the mineral industry. Note that SA's agricultural income rose by at third from 2009-10 to 2010-11. This is a result of food being at record high prices over the last two months.

When the US cannot supply Australia jumps in as provider. This has always been the case. The reverse is also true. Another factor in rising prices is that local consumers are moving to chicken as other meat is too expensive. There has been an incredible rise in poultry production since 2004, from 10.5 tonnes to 66.25 tonnes.

Despite high prices for pork, demand remains solid, Lamb is no longer an Australian staple. This is due to lambs being bred mainly for wool, so the meat tends to have more fat than that produced in say New Zealand or Britain. Diligent farmers are no longer producing sheep. They have moved to vegetable production such as tomatoes and mushrooms.

http://www.adventure--australia.blogspot.com/
http://www.tysaustralia.blogspot.com/
http://www.feeds.feedburner.com/AdventureAustralia
http://www.technorati.com/blogs/
http://adventure--australia.blogspot.com

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Agriculture

More Meat and Milk from Cloned Cows

The Pollard farm looks like an ordinary farm but there is something that makes it unique. Many cows there are identical. Indeed, 20 are clones. They are copies of the most productive animals around. It must be noted, however, that the clones real age is their actual age plus the age of the animal they were cloned from. This is the problem with cloning, but, in breeding animals that give more meat and milk there has been no major obstacles.

Less feed is required per pound of meat or liter of milk. Clones also reproduce quicker with reduced complications. This is good for the environment: less fertilizer and diesel is used.

There are issues with genetic tampering of animals and crops. Scientists are saying that despite decades of work no genetically modified crop has yet been adopted worldwide. Because only people from high-income countries eat meat, cloning of cows will not help world hunger.

The real challenge with cloning of cows is the high cost - $15,000 per animal. So meat from them will also be expensive. Genetically modified crops also have the same problem. Thus, cost is the main persisting barrier to acceptance of GM products.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Agriculture

Problems in the Cattle Yard

There are problems in the cattle yard due a non-caring board. Richard Ogilve was voted off the Herefords Australia Limited (HAL) board. This infuriated members of the society because they believe Mr Ogilvie is the only one who knows what they want.

Richard Ogilvie owns a 5,000 strong cow herd in Millicent, South Australia. He says 10,000 of HAL members will leave and form their own association. This is nearly half the total membership of HAL.

Present members are upset by the board arguing political differences and passing time by running cattle shows, not concentrating on improving the Hereford industry. The industry for Angus cattle is booming. Many feel the Hereford market is not being managed properly. Mr Ogilvie is seen as a strong leader who can improve matters for Hereford breeders.

This is another case of those at the top fighting each other and concentrating on irrelevant issues while not doing what they are paid to do.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Society

Vaccinate All Cattle to Stop Food Poisoning?

Why bother to be hygienic. We can feed cattle all sorts of filthy stuff, and when we eat it we still remain fit and healthy. This is the message being sent by the president of company Bioniche. In order to promote his new product the president is making dramatic claims. Cattle can all be vaccinated against e.coli, can eat anything and wander around in rubbish, apparently. Such is Mr Rick Culbert's faith in the success rate of his product.

The e.coli "bug" lives in all of us both humans and animals. Only dangerous species make us sick. This vaccine will kill all e.coli in the body. Wait a minute! Don't antibiotics kill useful flora in the gut, so we must not take them regularly? What happens to a cow with no e.coli in its system is unknown. Eating such "clean" meat could be dangerous to our health.

Outbreaks of food poisoning occur in every country. The fight for cleanliness in food handling must continue. If beef is guaranteed free of e.coli wouldn't butchers have less pressure to work in a sterile environment? Radiating ingredients in manufactured goods is widespread now. There is a cost. Buy a frozen pizza from a supermarket. Take it home and put it in the oven. It looks great. The tomato is a nice bright red color, the cheese looks appetizing, but everything tastes the same. It tastes just like cardboard.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Food

Remote Sensing Reduces Farm Costs

Telemetry and remote sensing significantly cuts labor costs on agricultural properties. Water supplies for stock are being monitored remotely with water levels being relayed via radio signals back to the homestead.

Besides water levels at bores, animal weight can also be remotely monitored, but more work is needed on this. Water level, however, is by far the most important part of work on cattle stations. At Napperby station near Alice Springs the bore runs for 500km. This used to be checked three times a week. Now a physical check is done only once a week. The Fuel cost for motor vehicles is significantly reduced.

Cattle are more easily monitored because they congregate as a group at water bores. Remote drafting and weighing of cattle is being perfected and this will contribute greatly to cutting labor costs.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Agriculture

Culling of Camels in Australia's Outback Is Misplaced

Where there's money to be gained someone will jump in. This is now the case for camels in Australia. Plans are being made to kill the animals in exchange for carbon credits. It is claimed that their flatulence is polluting the atmosphere.

Northwest Carbon apparently believes it owns the camels or has the sole right to cull them. The Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency first suggested taking such action. Apparently, one camel produces a ton of carbon dioxide each year. This is an exaggeration.

Culling camels has nothing to do with reducing Australia's carbon footprint. It is just a money-making exercise. Admittedly camels are feral. They were introduced into Australia in the 19th century because they were ideal for moving goods about in the dry outback. But their metabolism is higher than cattle and their pollution level is low.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Climate

Sheep and Cattle Are in Danger From Volcanic Ash

Air passengers have been crying fowl because of the volcanic ash problems in Europe and South America. It is not only humans who are suffering. Sheep and cattle have no grass to eat because ash on the ground has turned to sludge. The provinces of Rio Negro, Chubut and Neuquen in Argentina are in dire straits.

Farmers have to put sheep in pens and feed them. There is no clean pasture to move them to. Many farmers from the Atlantic Ocean to Chile have nothing to give their sheep and there is a shortage of pens. There are fears that sheep and cows could go blind if they eat the poisonous sludge. Cows and horses are trying to separate clean grass with their hooves but sheep cannot remove the ash so easily.

The volcanic ash is a phenomenon farmers have never faced before. Local deer are blindly stumbling around. Cows have already lost a quarter of their weight. Argentina is one of the world's major beef exporters. If the volcano remains active meat prices could soon rise.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Agriculture

Cow Hold Up

"What's the hold up?"

http://vistacomputersolutions.blogspot.com/

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Subscribe to: Posts ( Atom )