State of Beef Conference Coming to North Platte November 4 & 5

Jul 25, 2014

With cow numbers at a record low and drought conditions easing in much of the Great Plains, cattle producers are thinking about rebuilding the cowherd. Nebraska's rich resources of corn, by-products, residues, forages, and feedlots make it a prime location for cowherd expansion.

The inaugural State of Beef Conference scheduled for Nov. 4 and 5, 2014, will address the many issues around rebuilding the cowherd. Plan to join us in North Platte at the Sandhills Convention Center to hear industry and university experts address topics such as economic considerations for rebuilding the cowherd, restructuring breeding programs, heifer development, expanding production with limited resources, technology application, and much more. Additionally, a producer panel will discuss entrepreneurship opportunities for expanding cattle operations. Evening small group sessions will allow producers to interact with speakers for more in-depth topic discussion.

There will be plenty to see besides the speakers. Vendor booth displays will bring a wide variety of services and supplies to one location so producers can view the latest products and services available to assist them in herd expansion.

Source: University of Nebraska

Video: Swine Industry Advances: Biodigesters Lower Emissions and Increase Profits

Analysis of greenhouse gas (GHG emissions) in the Canadian swine sector found that CH4 emissions from manure were the largest contributor to the overall emissions, followed by emissions from energy use and crop production.

This innovative project, "Improving Swine Manure-Digestate Management Practices Towards Carbon Neutrality With Net Zero Emission Concepts," from Dr. Rajinikanth Rajagopal, under Swine Cluster 4, seeks to develop strategies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

While the management of manure can be very demanding and expensive for swine operations, it can also be viewed as an opportunity for GHG mitigation, as manure storage is an emission source built and managed by swine producers. Moreover, the majority of CH4 emissions from manure occur during a short period of time in the summer, which can potentially be mitigated with targeted intervention.

In tandem with understanding baseline emissions, Dr. Rajagopal's work focuses on evaluating emission mitigation options. Manure additives have the potential of reducing manure methane emissions. Additives can be deployed relatively quickly, enabling near-term emission reductions while biodigesters are being built. Furthermore, additives can be a long-term solution at farms where biogas is not feasible (e.g., when it’s too far from a central digester). Similarly, after biodigestion, additives can also be used to further reduce emissions from storage to minimize the carbon intensity of the bioenergy.