Expert: Facts, education needed about lean, finely textured beef

Here is an article written by Blair Fannin, that spells out the facts about recent media hype related to finely textured beef. He has also posted an audio interview with Dr. Cross available at http://agrilife.org/today/files/2012/03/leanfinelytexturedbeef.mp3

Lean, finely textured beef “is meat” and a healthy form of protein, according to a Texas A&M University expert.Dr. Russell Cross, head of the department of animal science at Texas A&M, said lean, finely textured beef is nutritious, and a production process he approved while serving as administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Food Safety Inspection Service in 1993.

“The simplest way to describe this is that it is meat, it’s beef,” he said. “The protein content is similar to what is ground in a steak. This product is no different than meat; that’s the reason USDA calls it meat.”

Cross said much misinformation has been reported and discussed in various media. That’s why it is important that the facts be told about the production of lean, finely textured beef, which comes from traditional carcass-harvesting-methods, he said.

“The carcass is chilled 24 to 36 hours and broken down into parts we call primal cuts, and put into vacuum bags and sent to retail stores. And that is cut into steaks and roasts,” he said. “The trimmings taken from this process — the lean, finely textured beef — is separated from the fat and from the lean trimmings. These products are frozen and put into a 60-pound box and shipped to processing plants that generate ground hamburger meat.”

Cross said there is no difference in taste, and that “it is perfectly natural to have trimmings that come from cutting out steaks and roasts from the carcass.”

“These trimmings have pieces of lean still attached to them,” he said. “It is valuable; it’s meat. Lean, finely textured beef is a process of centrifugation. It separates the lean and the fat, resulting in a very nutritious and very safe product.

Cross said every time an animal is harvested, 12 to 15 pounds of this product is generated and used in ground beef. “It’s been used for more than 20 years,” Cross said. From a beef industry perspective, this adds value to the carcass, Cross said.

“We try to harvest every single aspect of the animal during the process,” he said. “This 12 to 15 pounds would be that amount of protein not on the market. The fact we are going through this exercise of removing it from the market has caused the price of lean trimmings to go up over 15 percent. That’s going to cause the price of ground beef to go up, and we all know who is going to pay for that – the consumer.”

He said the Southwest just came off the worst drought in its history and the region “lost more than 35 percent of our cows in Texas alone.” “We are going to have a shortage of protein and this is just adding to that shortage,” Cross said. “This is going to cause the price of a lot of our products to go up.”

Cross said he and faculty members, as well as those who serve in dual roles with the Texas AgriLife Extension Service and Texas AgriLife Research, will continue to educate consumers on the facts of lean, finely textured beef.

“We have people who are very knowledgeable about this product both on the quality side and the food safety side,” he said. “We will do what we always do – we will collect the right data and get it out to the public and to the industry so they can use it. We will make it a priority to get the real facts out to the public.”

WATER CONFERENCE TO FOCUS ON CONSERVATION

Just because we have had some rain recently, does not mean we are out of the drought! Significant rainfall has not fallen in the watershed northwest of Corpus Christi that supplies Choke Canyon and Lake Corpus Christi and as a result our lake levels remain low. As local water demand continues to grow with summer approaching, conserving water needs to be everyone’s concern. To help address this critical water issue, the Texas AgriLife Extension Service along with numerous co-sponsors will conduct a Water Conference on Friday, April 13, 2012 at the Del Mar Economic Development Center (3209 S. Staples, Rm 106), Corpus Christi. Registration will begin at 8:00 a.m. followed by the conference from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Pre-registration for the conference is required by calling 361-767-5223 by April 6, 2012. There will be a registration fee of $10 per person payable at the door which does include a noon meal and conference supplies. Participants will be eligible for door prizes, including a rain barrel and numerous other water saving devices.

The conference will focus on methods to conserve water in the home, landscape, and business. The current water supply levels and projections for the coming months along with possible water use restrictions will be reviewed.
Conserving water in the home landscapes will be reviewed focusing on EarthKind Practices. In addition, improving water use efficiency with irrigation audits will be reviewed along with an actual demonstration in turf landscape. Harvesting rainwater around the home or business will be another featured topic for discussion.

How much water do you think you consume every day? You might initially consider the length of your daily shower. An efficient shower lasts 3 or 4 minutes, using only 7.5 gallons of water, as compared to an 8-minute shower using 17 gallons. More in-depth water saving tips will be discussed as it relates to indoor water conservation. Living next to a very large water source, the Gulf of Mexico, although salty, often raises the questions, if only we could remove that salt, our water worries would be history. There have been new developments in Desalination Technology and they will be reviewed by David Burnett, Director of Technology of GPRI and Research Coordinator at Texas A&M University.

Protection of our water supply is important and both groundwater and watershed protection will be reviewed at the conference. The conference will conclude with a Spring Rainfall Outlook presented by National Weather Service staff. Two CEU’s will be offered for pesticide applicators. Those participants that are MG and TMN will receive 6 CE’s. For more information on this conference please contact the Nueces County Extension Office at 361-767-5223.


Individuals with disabilities, who require an auxiliary aid, service or accommodation in order to participate in any of the mentioned activities, are encouraged to contact the County Extension Office at 361-767-5223 at least eight days before all programs for assistance.
Educational programs of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service are open to all citizens without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age or national origin.

TOOTH DENTINE - KEY TO TEXAS DEER AGE DETERMINATION

Researchers at the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Uvalde have developed a more accurate technique than traditional methods for estimating the age of white-tailed bucks. Dr. Susan Cooper, AgriLife Research associate professor and lead investigator for the new age-estimation research, states “Large-antlered deer sell for very high prices, so harvesting a good buck before it reaches its prime or after it begins to decline can represent a significant loss of income to the producer.” She notes that when owners or managers know the true age of harvested deer on their ranch, it improves their ability to predict the age of live deer on that property.

The traditional method for estimating the age of white-tailed deer has been by visual, tooth-wear patterns, and was developed using northern deer and is inaccurate for estimating the age of wild deer in Texas beyond the rough categorizations of young, mature or old according to Dr. Cooper. The new technique also relies on using the animal’s teeth, but involves measuring the width of the dentine — the hard tissue located under the enamel of a tooth — on a specific tooth.

Researchers have determined the first permanent molar would be the tooth which was most likely to show age-related wear patterns. Using digital calipers, they took accurate measurements in millimeters of tooth height, as well as all ridges of white enamel and brown dentine on the tooth from jaw samples of harvested known-age bucks 2.5 to 7.5 years old. Cooper said evaluation of measurement data revealed that only the width of the dentine in the tooth’s cusps, pointed ends of the chewing surface, was related to the age of the deer.

According to Dr. Cooper, the best measurement fit for aging was the width of the dentine, which they gave the value D, in the front cheek-side cusp of the first molar on the right side of the jawbone. Cooper said the only equipment needed for the study were the digital calipers, which can be purchased from major online retailers for as little as $20 each.

Measurements on freshly harvested deer in the field can be taken after cleaning the first bicuspid tooth, on the right jaw, so the dentine width can be measured. To save doing the math, measurements can be compared to a simple chart that has been developed as shown here in the Deer Aging Chart.

This new technique called the AgriLife Dentine Method – of aging deer provides much greater precision in aging harvested deer than the old traditional methods of looking at tooth-wear patterns. Moreover this new aging technique will be of particular interest to ranchers and hunting lease owners who wish to harvest deer at a specific age. More information about this deer aging method can be obtained by contacting Dr. Susan Cooper at 830-278-9151.

RAINS STIMULATE WEED GROWTH

Well the rains have greened up the country side, and upon close inspection of the green plant material, many of those plants are what most folks in the cattle business would classify as weeds. If you are strictly in the cattle business, your first priority should be to grow grass to maximize pounds of beef produced per acre. Coming out of a severe drought, which we all hope is occurring now, weeds tend to be a very common problem in our pastures. So if your main goal is to grow grass, here are some tips to consider for effective weed control:
• Identify the problem weed
• Use a calibrated sprayer
• Spray at the right time, at the right rate, with the right herbicide
• Recognize that drought stressed or mature weeds will be more difficult to control
• Follow label directions for mixing, application and proper use.

Now let’s take a closer look at some very important points regarding pasture weed control. Before you crank up the sprayer with the herbicide, know what weeds you are targeting, which simply means identify them, as not all weeds are created equal. If you need help with ID, there are multiple sources including some excellent web sites like rangeplants.org

Have you calibrated your sprayer? This is a practice that should be done every season. Calculating the volume you spray is critical to knowing how much product to put into the tank. Ideally, you should be putting out 20-30 gallons of mix per acre. When you calibrate, also inspect nozzles, screens, lines, pump, etc., to make sure everything is OK.

Is now the right time to spray for weed control? Most weeds are best controlled when they are young and actively growing, while others like some perennials such as Silverleaf Nightshade, are best treated when they are in full bloom or have fruit on them. Spraying them too early results in a top kill, but regrowth usually occurs. Read the label carefully to determine timings for specific weeds. Which herbicide should I use? This is always a good question and one that takes some serious thought as it depends on the weeds being treated, and your surroundings (i.e. next to cotton field, etc.). For more specific information regarding herbicides labeled for specific weeds, visit the web site called PESTMAN at http://pestman.tamu.edu/ Not only does this website provide herbicide recommendations and estimated costs, but also images of the selected plants.

So you are a pro that sprays weeds every year, and think there is no need to read all of that fine print on the label ? WRONG. Failure to follow labeled directions can not only lead to poor weed control, it is also a violation of federal law. Formulations and concentrations are always being updated which could result in new application rates.

If you are in the business of growing grass, you should know that research has shown that in native pastures, for every pound of weed controlled, you should replace those weeds with one pound of grass, while in improved pastures that can improve to one pound of weed controlled resulting in 4 to 5 pounds of grass produced.

LOWER COTTON SEEDING RATES CUT INPUT COSTS - NOT INCOME

As we move into planting activities this year most folks are aware that we have limited deep soil moisture in the Coastal Bend of Texas. Moreover most farmers are always looking for ways to reduce input costs to their respective crops, whether it be fertilizer, trips across the field or herbicide application. Another area that cotton farmers might consider to help reduce their input cost is that of seeding rates.

Recent research indicates that farmers can not only get by with a few less seed per foot of row, but that returns on investment may be equal to or better than higher rates. For the last two years I have conducted a seeding rate study with Darrell Lawhon in Nueces County using Liberty Link Cotton varieties. We looked at 2, 4, and 6 seed per foot of row planting rates. In 2011 we planted FM 835LLB2 in this test. Actual plants per foot of row were 1.6, 3.1 and 3.9, with seed cost ranging from $34 to $102 per acre.

There was not a statistical difference in lint yield per acre between the three treatments. However, when seed cost per acre is considered, the 4 seed per foot treatment shows an economic advantage of $13.20 per acre over the 2 seed per foot and $53.89 per acre over the 6 seed per foot treatment. Details on this study can be found at this link; http://nueces.agrilife.org/files/2011/08/Lawhon-plant-pop-study.pdf A similar trial conducted in 2010 also showed that the 4 seed per foot density was the most economical.

Another important factor to consider when planting cotton is soil temperatures, in fact cotton should be planted according to soil temperatures not the calendar in South Texas. The optimum soil temperature for cotton planting is 65 degree F at the seeding depth at 8 a.m. for three consecutive days, with a 5-day favorable weather forecast. Temperatures of 60 degrees F are acceptable with a favorable forecast. Recent cold fronts have resulted in the soil temps dropping into the upper 50's for a few days.

Local soil temperatures are monitored by a Crop Weather Program maintained by Texas AgriLife Research in Corpus Christi. The soil temp data is available online via the web at the following web site; http://cwp.tamu.edu/
Once in the site select the Pre-planting Soil Temperature tool and then select the nearest weather station to your farm. This is a tool provided at no cost to users.

Good stand establishment is not only affected by soil temps, but also seed-to-soil contact. One key to good seed-to-soil contact are press wheels that work well, and are aligned properly, suspended, free-rolling and clean. Having one press wheel with a smooth surface and the other with a spiked surface can improve seed-to-soil contact and reduce potential crusting.

Seedling disease can also impact stand establishment, and is caused by several species of soil fungi. Environmental factors that favor these disease include; soil temperatures less than 65 degrees F, cold and wet conditions after planting, poorly drained soils, just to mention a few. Control of seed and seedling diseases are for the most part preventative rather than rescue treatments. Preventative measures include crop rotation, quality seed, timely planting and fungicides. Today most commercially available seed is treated with fungicides, so the more control measures that are implemented, the better disease control will be achieved.

Ag Day - March 8, 2012

What Is Ag Day?
It's a day to recognize and celebrate the abundance provided by agriculture. Every year, producers, agricultural associations, corporations, universities, government agencies and countless others across America join together to recognize the contributions of agriculture.

When Is Ag Day?
Ag Day is celebrated on March 8, 2012. National Ag Day falls during National Ag Week, March 4-10, 2012.

Why Celebrate Agriculture?
Agriculture provides almost everything we eat, use and wear on a daily basis. But too few people truly understand this contribution. This is particularly the case in our schools, where students may only be exposed to agriculture if they enroll in related vocational training.

By building awareness, the Agriculture Council of America is encouraging young people to consider career opportunities in agriculture.

Each American farmer feeds more than 144 people ... a dramatic increase from 25 people in the 1960s. Quite simply, American agriculture is doing more - and doing it better. As the world population soars, there is an even greater demand for the food and fiber produced in the United States.

SOIL PROFILE STILL MOISTURE DEFICIENT

The month of February gave us some much needed rain, in fact we were well above normal for the month in recorded rainfall. However, when one looks into what we now have stored in our soils, the outlook for our crops in the coming months is a bit depressing.

A couple of weeks ago we took soil core samples in seven fields down to four feet in different locations around Nueces County. With the help of Dr. Dan Fromme, Extension Agronomist, we were then able to determine the amount of plant available water in the profile.
Field capacity (the amount of water remaining in the soil a few days after having been wetted and after free drainage has ceased) ranged from a low of 58 to a high of 73 percent, while the total plant available water ranged from 3.46 inches to 4.41 inches.

So what does this mean? If we consider our two common crops, grain sorghum and cotton, and assume that to produce 80 pounds of cotton lint and 500 pounds of grain we need one inch of water, today we could expect the following yields; cotton 277 to 353 pounds/acre, and 1,730 to 2,205 pounds/acre grain sorghum. This assumes that we have a crop emerged and growing now, with no additional moisture. So one can see that what we now have stored in our soil profile will require that we get some timely rainfall during our growing season if we are to make a respectable crop.