Ceremony Reopening US Beef Trade With Mexico to be held in Laredo, TX

Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples announced plans for a ceremony celebrating the reopening beef trade with Mexico on May 21, 2008 in Laredo, TX, at the Texas Department of Agriculture’s export facility. An agreement reached in March 2008 between the U.S. and Mexico restores a market worth more than $80 million to cattlemen in Texas, the nation's largest producer of cattle. The event will bring together federal and state officials from the United States and Mexico, as well as livestock producer organizations, to highlight the opening of the border and to thank all partners involved in this success story.

Cow Calf: Sex-Sorted Semen For Commercial & Purebred Beef Producers

By Justin Rinehart, MSU Extension Beef Cattle Specialist

Courtesy of the Cattle Network Web site

In the past few years, sex-sorted semen has made its way from the lab and field trials to use in beef cattle production. Shifting the sex ratio for a calf crop has been tried several different ways, but the idea of sorting or selecting semen to favor male or female offspring has been researched since the advent of artificial insemination. The fact that makes this concept possible is that the fertilizing sperm cell determines the gender of the calf. Due to the genetic makeup of the cells, sperm that produce female offspring are referred to as X-bearing sperm while those that produce male offspring are referred to as Y-bearing sperm. Read more on the Cattle Network Web site.

Energy News: Try These Tips For Fuel Cost Savings

By Carl Pedersen

Courtesy of the Cattle Network Web site

With the rising cost of fuel, many people are looking for ways to make their vehicles more efficient.

"There are a number of simple things to do to save a few dollars on your fuel budget," says Carl Pedersen, North Dakota State University Extension Service energy educator. "All vehicles are different and will experience various levels of savings, but there are a few of the basics that work for all types of cars and trucks." Read more on the Cattle Network Web site.