Preliminary tests indicate cattle TB infection in Texas dairy
Preliminary test results indicate that a dairy in West Texas is infected with cattle tuberculosis (TB). Cattle TB is caused by the Mycobacterium bovis bacteria and can cause internal lesions in animals. Milk from commercial dairies is pasteurized, killing bacteria with heat, so there is not public health concern from this herd detection. more

FDA announces confirmation of the effective date of the BSE final rule
The Food and Drug Administration April 22 announced that the final rule entitled "Substances Prohibited From Use in Animal Food or Feed," will become effective on April 27, 2009. However, to allow renderers additional time to comply with the new requirements, the Agency has established a compliance date of Oct. 26, 2009. The additional 6 months will provide time for those affected to identify appropriate methods for disposing of material prohibited from use in animal feed by this rule. more

Some doubt about end of drought
According to the experts, when it comes to determining if a drought has ended, one of the most important questions to ask is: Which one? Many factors, including rain, runoff, inflows and social impacts must be considered before determining a drought has indeed ended. And there are four generally acknowledged types of drought – meteorological, hydrological, socioeconomic and agricultural – each as varied as the Texas weather. more

It's what's for dinner: beef steak & potato kabobs
With the weather turning warm, it's the perfect time to start grilling! This is the perfect meat-and-potatoes dish to get your appetite started. more