Weekly livestock news: June 26, 2023

Upside Foods and Good Meat get USDA approval to sell lab-grown meat

Upside Foods and Good Meat reported they have received final USDA approval to sell lab-grown meat. The approvals mean the United States will become the second country after Singapore to permit the sale of cultivated meat. The FDA has already determined the meat is safe to eat. Upside Foods and Good Meat, which both make cultivated chicken, plan to first serve their product at high-end restaurants before scaling production to reach a lower cost for grocery stores. Cultivated meat companies hope their products appeal to those looking for a more environmentally friendly meat option, Reuters reports.

Texas cattle producers make adjustments to care for animals in extreme heat wave

In areas like South Texas, extreme summer heat is forcing farmers to make adjustments to keep their livestock alive and well. Dairy farmers especially are finding it hard to milk their cows during the day because of the increase in body temperature. Heat can also impact the cattle’s efforts to nurse their calves. As a result, some farmers are exploring confined air-conditioned systems for their animals, although that can be expensive. Others are resorting to traditional methods, such as providing a mixture of shade and water, to help preserve their animals. In addition, keeping the animals on the leaner side, as long as they’re still healthy, helps ensure they stay cooler, KRIS reports.

Tips to help livestock beat the summer heat

Livestock outside of air-conditioned barns often need help to beat the heat. While all livestock can cool down using shade, water and fans, cooling strategies may vary depending on the species and breed, experts say. Access to shade is especially helpful for light-skinned animals at risk of sunburn around their nose and eyes, where they have little hair. In some cases, nighttime grazing might be preferable. Farmers should also be aware of hazards, including foot diseases when cows sit in watering holes, shocks to their system when animals are wet down with cold (rather than cool) water, and close access to dangerous fan blades and power cords. The News Courier has more.

CDC to investigate swine flu virus behind woman’s death in Brazil

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention plans to study samples collected from a fatal influenza infection in Brazil after investigators discovered the death was caused by an H1N1 variant spreading in pigs. While it’s unclear how the patient caught the virus, two of her close contacts worked at a nearby pig farm. Both individuals, however, tested negative for influenza and never had respiratory symptoms. The CDC researches thousands of sequenced flu viruses collected each year, comparing its genes with previous variants that have infected animals and humans. Avian flu, in particular, has posed a growing risk to people, CBS reports.

Cattle producers hope for quick FDA approval of feed additives that reduce methane emissions

Several feed additive products that could reshape the cattle industry are being researched and awaiting FDA approval, Farm Progress reports. When cows produce methane as a byproduct of feed digestion, it can be costly to producers’ bottom line. One new additive reportedly can reduce enteric methane emissions by 10–50%, depending on the species and diet. A proposed bill—the Innovative Feed Enhancement and Economic Development (FEED) Act of 2023—could change how long cattle producers have to wait for approval.

While some farmers see promise in alternative production methods, others worry about loss of subsidies

Rather than rely on tractors, barns and crops, some farmers in Scotland are seeking less conventional methods. Self-described agro-ecological graziers do not partake in government subsidy programs for food production. They let their cattle continually move across pastures, arguing the low overhead makes it easier to turn a profit. The animals are outside all year and moved daily, either to another field or to a different section of the same field, permitting the ground to recover and become a haven for wildlife before the animals return to that patch months later. Some farmers, however, are wary of attaching more conditions to farming and say their business can’t survive without subsidies. Traditional pasture-fed farming may be more expensive, they note, but it also means farmers can introduce more meat into the market. Yahoo News reports.