Weekly livestock news: August 14, 2023

Heat and humidity kill hundreds of U.S. cattle during world’s hottest month

Hundreds of cattle died in Iowa from extreme heat and humidity in late July—the hottest month recorded worldwide—Reuters reports, citing state and livestock producers. The deaths demonstrate the toll of severe weather on farm animals and food production. The losses further trim the U.S. cattle herd, which is already the smallest in decades after drought drove ranchers to slaughter more cows due to a lack of pasture to feed them. While not massive in number, producers said the recent deaths were unusual. Cattle also died from heat in Kansas and Nebraska, state officials said. Iowa’s Department of Natural Resources told Reuters it received a request on July 31 to dispose of approximately 370 cows that died due to heat in western Iowa recently.

Smithfield to close 35 hog production facilities in Missouri

A worker adjustment retraining notification posted by the state of Missouri showed that Murphy-Brown LLC, a division of Smithfield Foods, plans to close some of its operations in northern Missouri, resulting in 92 employees being laid off. The company reported it’s reducing its hog operations throughout Missouri and must reduce its workforce accordingly. News of the closures comes as meat and poultry companies across the industry face declining profits as the result of inflation and higher input costs, including feed and labor. Data from the state’s notification said layoffs would begin October 8. As part of the move, Smithfield will also close 35 Missouri hog farms, including 13 in Newtown, 12 in Lucerne and 10 in Princeton. The company and the WARN notice did not identify which specific facilities would be closing, Meat + Poultry reports.

Methane-emitting burps could be controlled through genetics, company says

Burps are the top source of methane emissions from cattle, and the arrival of commercially available genetics to produce dairy cattle that emit less methane could help reduce those emissions. Genetics company Semex offers semen with the low-methane trait and says the product could reduce methane emissions from Canada’s dairy herd by 1.5% annually, and up to 20% to 30% by 2050. The company began marketing semen with the methane trait this spring in 80 countries. Some dairy industry officials remain unconvinced about low-methane breeding, saying it could lead to digestion problems. Canada’s agriculture department said in an email to Reuters that it has not yet assessed the methane evaluation system underlying the product. Livestock account for 14.5% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Methane is the second-biggest greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide.

Attributes of low-methane-emitting cows could be used as targets for selective breeding: research

Researchers have identified attributes of low-methane-emitting dairy cows that could be used as targets for selective breeding, a win for farmers and the environment. In a first step towards breeding low-methane-emitting cows, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and Pennsylvania State University have identified key differences in cows that naturally emit less methane than average. The study, published in the Journal of Dairy Science, shows that low-emitting cows tend to be smaller and house different microbial communities, and these differences are not associated with reduced milk production or altered milk composition.

Aleph Farms says it’s submitted Europe’s first application for cultivated meat

Aleph Farms has submitted what it says is the first regulatory application for cultivated meat in Europe. In July, the company submitted an application to the Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office. If granted regulatory approval, the company plans to sell its cultivated beef steak, called Aleph Cuts, in Switzerland. Aleph Farms says it worked with Swiss food-enterprise company Migros to navigate the country’s regulatory approval process. According to an Aleph Farms press release, joint research conducted by it and Migros shows 74% of consumers in Switzerland would be open to trying cultivated meat. In addition to seeking commercialization in Switzerland, Aleph Farms is also pursuing launches in Singapore and Israel, pending regulatory approvals, Nutritional Outlook reports.

Dairy industry pushes back against FDA’s proposed labeling rules for plant-based beverages

Dairy industry advocates continue to push back against proposed FDA labeling rules that would allow plant-based beverages to be labeled as milk. As the public comment period for the new rule comes to a close, leaders from dairy trade organizations are once again speaking out on the issue. Earlier this year, the FDA released draft guidance for labeling of plant-based milk alternatives. In the draft, the FDA recommended non-dairy-based beverages include labels with more detailed nutritional information. International Dairy Foods Association senior vice president of regulatory and scientific affairs Roberta Wagner recommends the FDA require a declarative statement about the nutrition differences between dairy milk and plant-based alternatives. Feedstuffs reports.