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Putting knowledge to work with the people of Maine
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Volume 4 Number 2
| February 2014
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| News and events of interest to beef producers in Maine from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Maine, Department of Agriculture, Maine Beef Producers and other agriculture organizations in Maine. |
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Beef Quality Assurance Training - Aroostook
February 22 from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm at Pineland Farm in
Fort Fairfield. $25 for adults, $10 for students. Registration is required. Contact Cindy.Kilgore@maine.gov
to register.
The Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program was developed to ensure that beef cattle are managed in a manner that will result in safe and wholesome beef products for the consumer. BQA is designed to enhance carcass quality by preventing drug residues, injection-site blemishes and bruises. It enables beef producers to enhance their product, maximize marketability and strengthen consumer confidence.
From gate to plate, BQA is a positive step for producers and consumers. Concern over food wholesomeness and safety is an important consumer issue. All sectors of the beef industry - from seedstock, cow-calf, heifer growers and dairy producers to stocker operators, backgrounders, cattle feeders, and points of sale and harvest - must take responsibility for the production of a safe food product through proper animal care, handling and management practices.
Please plan to join Dr. Simon Alexander, with Exeter Veterinary Service; Cindy Kilgore with Maine Dept. of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry and Donna Coffin, University of Maine Cooperative Extension for this important training. Our thanks to our host Pineland Farms for allowing us to meet at their facility at 252 Murphy Road in Fort Fairfield. Washable footwear is required; warm clothing strongly suggested; the afternoon session is outside in the barn.
Registration is required and the cost is $25 for adults and $10 for youth. Make checks payable to Maine Beef Producers. Please register with Cindy Kilgore, Dept of ACF, SHS 28, Augusta, ME 04333-0028.
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A popular belief exists that animal agriculture competes for human food supplies and wastes resources. Little scientific information exists regarding this concept, and it is therefore necessary to quantify human-inedible feedstuff use and re-examine the feed efficiency concept using a ratio of human-edible feedstuff input to human-edible (animal protein) output. This paper and video released by CAST (Council for Agricultural Science and Technology) addresses the commonly heard argument that livestock compete with humans for food resources, thus providing support for the continued existence of livestock production. It also addresses the knowledge gap that currently exists as to the quantity of human feed and fiber by-products used within animal agriculture. Chair: Jude Capper, Montana State University. IP53, September 2013, 16 pp. FREE. Available online and in print (fee for shipping/handling).
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 The goal of the New England Meat Conference is to enhance the production, processing, and marketing of sustainable, nutritious, humanely-raised, and delicious meat from New England farms and processors by providing educational and networking opportunities for meat producers, processors, and consumers. Some of the session planning include: Dry-cured meat opportunities & challenges in New England, add value to beef through alternative merchandizing, inventory & order management systems for meat processors, financing facilities, telling the story of your agribusiness, my favorite equipment video show & tell, plus much, much more. The full program will be available soon. |
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More Maine Meat Survey
The University of Maine Cooperative Extension and the Maine Sustainable Agriculture Society have initiated a project to try to improve opportunities for everyone involved in Maine's meat industry. The More Maine Meat project has a wide array of activities, but its primary goal is to "significantly increase the amount of meat that is produced, processed, distributed, and sold in Maine, and simultaneously increase wealth among those involved in Maine's meat industry."
As part of this broad effort UMaine Extension Educator Donna Coffin is implementing a survey of producers in order to better understand the needs and opportunities within the industry and to help us establish and implement an appropriate plan of action. We are asking you to supply information that will go towards those ends.
The survey's Web address (URL) is http://umaine.edu/livestock/more-maine-meat-survey/
Please take the time to fill out the survey 20 minutes. By doing so, you will be supplying us with much needed information about Maine's meat industry and, if you so choose, will be entering in a random drawing for one of four $50 prizes. Once you complete the survey (you do not have to answer all questions), you will be given instructions on how to enter the drawing. Your responses to the survey will not be linked to your entry in the drawing.
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Items of Interest
- Is Endophyte a concern for Maine Beef Producers? Recently a few beef producers have contacted UMaine Extension concerned that Endophyte infected fescue or ryegrass may be adversely affecting their pregnant cattle. In other states Endophyte (fungus) infected pastures can cause abortions and/or poor weight gains in cattle that graze these grasses. Donna Coffin, Extension Educator is putting together a research project to try to assess if our fescue or ryegrass pastures are infected, how wide spread the infected grasses are in Maine and how much of a concern it should be for beef producers. She is looking for beef producers who have had unexplained abortions occur in their cattle placed on pasture during the summer. If you are interested please contact her at (207) 564-3301 or donna.coffin@maine.edu
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Maine Beef Producers Association Website Coming!!
 Later this month www.mainebeefproducers.com will be up and running. The Maine Beef Producers Association is in the process of updating and redesigning their website. The committee has been worked with a web designer to make this site an asset to the members of MBPA, potential members and people interested in finding out about beef production in Maine. The committee welcomes your suggestions and recommendations to make this site as helpful as possible. Please send your suggestions to: |
To receive Maine Beef News: All Maine beef producers are welcome to subscribe to the Maine Beef News for free. To keep costs down we are asking folks to sign up for the electronic version at http://bit.ly/PPfarming
If you prefer surface mailed Maine Beef News, please call Melissa Libby at (207)581-2788 or send your mailing information to UMaine Extension Livestock Office, 134 Hitchner Hall, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04479-5735. Currently we are only able to offer free mailed copy for free to Maine residents.
Please note that we do not sell or share your contact information.
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 Join the Maine Beef Producers Association
The Maine Beef Producers Association is accepting dues for the 2014 year. Annual dues are $35. for an extra $25 you can get a year subscription to County Folks. For more information on this organization and for membership application go to
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Featured UMaine Extension Publications
The following agriculture related Extension publications are available or can be ordered at the Extension Office nearest you. You will notice that some publications are free and some have a cost recovery charge. Many other publications are available for free online or may be purchased at our secure publications web site.
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Calendar
- February 14, 2014 Livestock Producers Working with Slaughterhouses, 9 am to 3:15 pm. Makris Lobster & Steak House, Sheep Davis Rd., Concord, NH. USDA Meat, Poultry & Value Added Products Regulations, NH Rules and Regulations for Offering Meat & Poultry, Small Beef Jerky Business, Keys to Successful Meat Marketing & a Slaughterhouse Panel. Sponsored by the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension & USDA Risk Management Agency. Registration includes lunch $20. FMI contact Michal Lunak (603) 787-6944.
- February 22, 2014 Beef Quality Assurance Training Aroostook County Pineland Farm, Fort Fairfield. $25 for adults, $10 for students. Registration is required. Contact Cindy.Kilgore@maine.gov to register.
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March 1, 8, 15, 22, and April 5,
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March 7 -8, 2014
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March 15, 2014
Maine Grazing Conference, 9:15 am to 4:00 pm, KVCC, Fairfield. Registration $75 with discounts for sudents, MGFN and MBPA members.
- April 10, 2014 Hay & Pasture Management, 7 pm to 9 pm at the Penobscot County Extension Office, 309 Maine Ave, Bangor. Rick Kersbergen will cover soil fertility, hayfield/pasture species identification and management. Also he will discuss weed control and pasture renovation techniques and the basics of forage quality. FMI Donna Coffin at 207-564-3301.
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May 16 - 18, 2014
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May 17th, 2014 MBPA Preconditioned Feeder Calf Sale at Northeast Livestock Expo.
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Contact Info
Donna Coffin, Extension Educator
207-564-3301 or in Maine 1-800-287-1491
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Information in this newsletter is provided purely for educational purposes. No responsibility is assumed for any problems associated with the use of products or services mentioned in this newsletter. No endorsement of products or companies is intended, nor is criticism of unnamed products or companies implied.
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