Resilience of U.S. cattle and beef sectors: lessons from COVID-19. (Special Issue: COVID-19 impacts on selected commodities.)

The upheaval wrought on the U.S. beef industry by the global COVID-19 pandemic carried with it several lessons that might help improve resiliency should there be a reoccurrence. First, the futures market for fed cattle fell well before cash prices, which sent a signal to market cattle early, and those who did so benefited. Second, the decline in futures anticipated the closure of slaughter plants and provided an opportunity to purchase and store beef primals in anticipation of future scarcity. Third, the beef industry has ways of slowing or stopping the pipeline of animals destined for feed yards and can "store" these animals in background feeding facilities or on pasture or rangeland. Producers who waited to sell feeder cattle benefited from higher feeder cattle prices once the processing facilities reopened. Fourth, cow slaughter plants responded to the pandemic and subsequent scarcity of labor much better than large fed-cattle plants. Cow plants are not as sophisticated and complex as fed-cattle plants. This relative simplicity may help explain the superior performance of these plants during the crisis. Sixth, the academic work on the value of building smaller plants as a response against concentration provides mixed results-these plants require more labor per animal and can be even more susceptible to labor scarcity. Seventh, the observed increase in boxed beef prices, even as fed cattle prices fell, demonstrates the risk-mitigating impact of producer ownership of downstream activities in the value chain.

Special Issue: COVID-19 impacts on selected commodities. (Special Issue: COVID-19 impacts on selected commodities.)

This special issue consists of seven articles examining the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the markets of selected commodities, including: seafood, lumber, crawfish, cattle/beef, fruits and vegetables in the USA, cotton and garments in Bangladesh, and fuel oil globally.

Understanding small- and very-small-scale meat processors in Missouri to strengthen the local supply chain

Promoting local food systems is crucial to provid-ing a more viable economy, eco-friendly produc-tion, and equal opportunities for producers, con -sumers, and communities. Meat processors are critical to local meat producers and the meat supply chain. However, various barriers have restricted small-scale meat processors and challenged the lo -cal meat supply chain. Although local food systems have gained enormous scholarly attention, little at-tention has been devoted to specifically exploring the meat processing sector. This study investigated the characteristics and challenges of small-scale (<750 employees) and very-small-scale (<200 em-ployees) meat processors in Missouri. Twenty-six meat processors participated in an online survey through Qualtrics, a mail survey, or a structured phone interview between May 2021 and March 2022. We identified the characteristics and con-straints related to their businesses. The analysis re-vealed that 76% of meat processors perceived that their business was in better or much better condi-tion than before the COVID-19 pandemic, reflect-ing their adaptability to the disrupted meat supply chain. However, small-scale meat processing facili-ties were limited by the labor shortage, complicated regulations and high regulatory compliance costs, a lack of consistent supply, and limited access to tools and equipment. More integrated work is needed to aid smaller processors in positively im-pacting the local community and environment through locally sourced meat production. This study contains helpful implications for state-level policymaking, extension programs, and future re-search directions.

Molecular Detection and Genetic Characterization of Bovine Kobuvirus (BKV) in Diarrhoeic Calves in a Central Italy Herd

Bovine kobuvirus (BKV) is an infectious agent associated with neonatal calf diarrhoea (NCD), causing important economic losses to dairy and beef cattle herds worldwide. Here, we present the detection rate and characterize the genome of BKV isolated from diarrhoeic calves from a Central Italy herd. From January to December 2021, we collected blood samples and nasal and rectal swabs from 66 calves with severe NCD between 3 and 20 days of age. After virological (bovine coronavirus, bovine viral diarrhoea virus, and bovine rotavirus), bacteriological (Escherichia coli spp. and Salmonella spp.), and parasitological (Cryptosporidium spp., Eimeria spp., and Giardia duodenalis) investigations, we detected BKV using the metagenomic analysis. This result was confirmed using a specific polymerase chain reaction assay that revealed the number of BKV-positive nasal (24.2%) and rectal swabs (31.8%). The prevalence of BKV was higher than that of BCoV. Coinfection with BKV and BCoV was detected in 7.5% of the rectal swabs, highlighting the involvement of another infectious agent in NCD. Using next generation sequencing (NGS) approach, it was possible to obtain the complete sequence of the BKV genome from other two rectal swabs previously analysed by real-time PCR. This is the first report describing the whole genome sequence (WGS) of BKV from Italy. The Italian BKV genomes showed the highest nucleotide sequence identity with BKV KY407744.1, identified in Egypt in 2014. The sequence encoding VP1 best matched that of BKV KY024562, identified in Scotland in 2013. Considering the small number of BKV WGSs available in public databases, further studies are urgently required to assess the whole genome constellation of circulating BKV strains. Furthermore, pathogenicity studies should be conducted by inoculating calves with either only BKV or a combination with other enteric pathogens for understanding the probable role of BKV in NCD.

Marketing opportunities and challenges for locally raised meats: An online consumer survey in South Carolina

South Carolina livestock producers are expanding their operations to include local meat sales, with a sizeable number of farmers entering the market for the first time. Little is known about South Caro-lina's local meat consumers and their buying pref-erences. This study aims to identify the demo-graphic traits of local meat consumers, their pre-ferred local meat product attributes, their desired purchasing locations, and a range of prices con-sumers are willing to pay for local meat. This study surveyed 1,048 South Carolina meat consumers. Of these survey respondents, 741 had consumed local meat products within the last 12 months and 307 had not. Results indicate that local meat consumers tend to be younger, reside in larger households, have higher household incomes, and have greater educational attainment. They also may be more likely to be long-term residents of South Carolina. These consumers are willing to pay a 1% to 24% premium for local meats to be eaten at home and US$1.00 to US$1.99 more per entree for local meats at a restaurant. The most desirable attributes of local meat are hormone-free, all-natural, no anti-biotics, and grass-fed. The most popular buying locations are the grocery store, directly from farms, farmers markets, butcher shops, and online order-ing. Most consumers are unwilling to drive more than 20 miles (32 km) to purchase local meat. The study also uncovered barriers to consumers' will-ingness to purchase (or purchase more) local meats: product unavailability, high prices, food safety concerns, convenience, and ease of prepara-tion.

Food markets performance under the COVID-19 pandemic: a case study of meat industry in Iran

This paper presents empirical evidence of the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the price structure and dynamics within two food value chains. Different proxies are applied to high-frequency panel data of beef and poultry prices in Iran. Results show that during the COVID-19 pandemic increased markups are associated with reduced cost pass-through along the value chains of beef and poultry in Iran. The results indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic induces market frictions on the supply and demand side, which decreases market performance.

Epidemiological Investigation and Analysis of Bovine Coronavirus in Beef Cattle in Jilin Province.

In order to comprehensively understand the epidemiological situation of bovine coronavirus (BCoV) in beef cattle herds in Jilin Province, blood, nasal swabs, fecal swabs and tissue organs of clinically diseased and dead cattle were collected in different seasons from 12 counties and cities in the east, central and western regions of Jilin Province, using serological and molecular diagnostic testing techniques to conduct an epidemiological investigation of BCoV in the The epidemiological situation of BCoV in some areas of Jilin Province. A total of 1 298 clinical serum samples, 462 clinical samples (including fecal samples, liver, lung, spleen, trachea and other tissue samples) were collected, and PCR detection of clinical samples was performed by applying commercial BCoV antibody detection kits to detect serum antibodies and a novel detection technique of nano-PCR, and sequencing and analysis of positive results detected by nucleic acid. The results showed that the serum positive rate of BCoV antibodies was 1.08%, and the positive rate of clinical samples such as feces and liver was 21.10%. The BCoV prevalent strain in the investigated area was more than 99% homologous to the prevalent strain in Sichuan, China, after sequencing analysis. This study provides a comprehensive survey of BCoV prevalence in central Jilin Province, which enriches the epidemiological survey data of bovine coronavirus and lays the foundation for guiding the prevention and control of bovine coronavirus.Copyright © 2023 Acta Veterinaria et Zootechnica Sinica. All rights reserved.

Forecast of beef production for Brazilian market between 2021 and 2022

Cattle is one of the main items in the Brazilian productive guideline and an important export product. During the covid-19 pandemic, the price of beef occupied a prominent position in agricultural sector analyzes due to the prices increases. The objective of this research is to observe the national production behavior, exports, and domestic supply. Therefore, a domestic supply forecast was made for January 2021 to December 2022 (24 months). Based on the results obtained, it was found that the beefs supply available to the Brazilian market will not present an expressive upward behavior that compensates the evolution in beef export to international markets. Thus, a shift in the price of beef in the domestic market to higher levels may be observed.

Aquaculture Production in the Midst of GHG Emissions in South Africa

The study ascertained the relationship between aquaculture production and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in South Africa. The study used the Autoregressive Distributed Lag—Error Correction Model (ARDL-VECM) with time series data between 1990 and 2020. The results showed that the mean annual aquaculture production, GHG emissions, and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the period were 5200 tonnes, 412 tonnes, and US$447 billion, respectively. There was a long-run relationship between GHG emissions and GDP. In the short run, GHG emissions had a positive relationship with GDP and a negative relationship with beef production. Furthermore, there was a bi-directional relationship between aquaculture production and GHG emissions. In addition, beef production and GDP had a bi-directional relationship. Beef production also had a positive relationship with aquaculture production. The study concludes that aquaculture production is affected and tends to affect GHG emissions. Aquaculture legislation should consider GHG emissions in South Africa and promote sustainable production techniques.

Animal health: a cornerstone for public health

This article looks into the role of traditional or so-called 'wet markets' and their importance to public health after the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights the need for a One Health approach to prevent zoonotic diseases and the importance of traditional markets for access to fresh food products, social interaction, and income for many people. The article also discusses the Global Burden of Animal Diseases initiative and its Indonesian case study, which focuses on poultry, dairy, beef, and pig farming systems, to understand the burden of animal diseases and develop policies to prevent them. Finally, the article highlights the importance of biosecurity to prevent animal diseases, and the exchange of expertise and experience between Australian and Indonesian researchers.

Emergent Research Themes on Sustainability in the Beef Cattle Industry in Brazil: An Integrative Literature Review

Brazil is one of the world's biggest beef producers and its largest exporter. However, beef cattle ranching is a leading cause of deforestation and habitat conversion in the Brazilian Amazon, which challenges sustainable development. We adopted the triple bottom line (TBL) as a guiding theory of sustainability and assumed the necessity of a production system-specific approach. Based on an integrative literature analysis, we aimed to assess sustainability pillars in beef cattle production. The Web of Science, Scopus and Science Direct databases were searched for studies on mitigating the adverse impacts of beef cattle production before the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. We found 108 references in these databases, 46 of which met the criteria for eligibility assessment, and ten studies were selected for textual cluster analysis and thematic synthesis. The review shows emergent research themes on sustainability in beef cattle production. It also elaborates a conceptual model of the sustainability pillars in the technique, science, and social aspects of the beef cattle sector that may guide the managerial and political strategies for the beef cattle supply chain in Brazil and other emerging markets. This study indicates that sustainable beef cattle development requires new digital technologies and ideas about sustainable supply chain management, which provides human, environmental, and animal welfare. © 2023 by the authors.

COVID-19 influence on developments in the global beef and sheep sectors

While the COVID-19 pandemic and associated government responses have had a substantial impact on consumers and meat supply chains worldwide, the effect on beef and sheep farming has been surprisingly small, short-lived and largely offset by other global influences. However, the impact has also varied greatly between countries and regions, largely due to differences in Government measures and in industry circumstances and influences. This study aims to provide insights into the pandemic's impacts throughout global beef and sheep supply chains, but with a focus on the farm level, particularly producer prices in 2020. At the centre of the study is an analysis of online questionnaire-based survey responses to the Global agri benchmark Beef and Sheep Network. The study also utilizes a variety of other studies and information sources to explore other potential factors that could have also driven beef and sheep sectors worldwide in 2020. It explores how these influences interacted with the effect of the pandemic. Food service sales were highly impacted by the pandemic, meat processing was temporarily disrupted in North America but global livestock prices remained high due, in large part, to the continuation of strong beef and sheep meat demand and imports in China.

Classification of Common Food Lipid Sources Regarding Healthiness Using Advanced Lipidomics: A Four-Arm Crossover Study.

Prospective studies have failed to establish a causal relationship between animal fat intake and cardiovascular diseases in humans. Furthermore, the metabolic effects of different dietary sources remain unknown. In this four-arm crossover study, we investigated the impact of consuming cheese, beef, and pork meat on classic and new cardiovascular risk markers (obtained from lipidomics) in the context of a healthy diet. A total of 33 young healthy volunteers (23 women/10 men) were assigned to one out of four test diets in a Latin square design. Each test diet was consumed for 14 days, with a 2-week washout. Participants received a healthy diet plus Gouda- or Goutaler-type cheeses, pork, or beef meats. Before and after each diet, fasting blood samples were withdrawn. A reduction in total cholesterol and an increase in high density lipoprotein particle size were detected after all diets. Only the pork diet upregulated plasma unsaturated fatty acids and downregulated triglycerides species. Improvements in the lipoprotein profile and upregulation of circulating plasmalogen species were also observed after the pork diet. Our study suggests that, within the context of a healthy diet rich in micronutrients and fiber, the consumption of animal products, in particular pork meat, may not induce deleterious effects, and reducing the intake of animal products should not be regarded as a way of reducing cardiovascular risk in young individuals.

COVID-19 and the beef market in Latin America: An impact assessment by supply and demand.

The impact of COVID-19 on agricultural markets, especially the beef market, represents one of the greatest food security challenges the world is facing in the post-pandemic era and, for this reason, has been widely documented. This study contributes to the literature through a comprehensive impact analysis of the effects of COVID-19 on both the demand and supply of beef in Latin America and thus provides valuable information for two of the most important links of the beef value chain. Robust econometric methods and a graphic analysis were used that give solidity to the investigation. The analysis used a data panel of supply and demand variables between 2018 and 2022 derived from the US Department of Agriculture. The results suggest that the beef market was strongly affected by the pandemic related health emergency, presenting decreases in both consumption and production. These effects are transitory, however, since the analysis of the post-pandemic data revealed that consumption and production return to normal and seem to grow until smoothing out over time.

Impact of meloxicam on respiratory virus titers and health outcomes when administered concurrently with a modified live respiratory vaccine in abruptly weaned beef steers

Abruptly weaned crossbred steer calves (N = 271) were used in a randomized, blinded 2-arm clinical trial to assess the impact of a long-acting non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug on bovine herpesvirus type 1, bovine respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza virus type 3, and coronavirus titers and health outcomes when administered concurrently with a modified live respiratory vaccine upon arrival at a feedlot. Treatment groups included a control (saline, n = 135) and an experimental group (injectable meloxicam, n = 136). Viral antibody titers and body weight were measured on arrival, day 7, and day 21, along with a final weight on day 45. Body weight and antibody titers for all viruses increased over time (P < 0.001), however, there were no differences by treatment group or a significant group × time interaction when evaluated using repeated measures analysis of variance. Interestingly, the use of meloxicam was associated with increased treatment risk (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the administration of meloxicam may adversely affect health, however, a decreased vaccine response is likely not a contributing factor.

The development of beef cattle breeding business at Anutapura Public Animal Husbandry school during the COVID-19 pandemic and post earthquake, tsunami and liquefaction in Sigi Regency, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia

Earthquake is the vibrations on the earth's surface due to the sudden release of energy from the earthquake center in the earth. The released energy propagates through the ground in the form of vibrations. It is a natural ground movement caused by a variety of phenomena, including tectonic processes, volcanism, and explosions, as well as collapse. An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.4 on the Richter Scale that rocked the Central Sulawesi region caused the tsunami that hit the Talise Beach and the liquefaction in Petobo and Balaroa of Palu City, as well as the liquefaction in Sibalaya of Sigi Regency. After the disaster, the Sigi area, especially Bulubete Village, was the subject of flash floods due to the changes in waterways which should pass into the residential area instead through the river. This study aimed to determine the Development of Beef Cattle Breeding Business at the Public Animal Husbandry School (SPR) in Sigi Regency during the Covid-19 pandemic as well as the earthquake, tsunami, and liquefaction. This research was conducted from March to May 2022. The location of this research was determined based on purposively. This research was conducted in Bulubete Village of Sigi Regency. Population method was used in determining the number of samples which was also used as the sample of 36 breeders. The result obtained in this study was that natural disasters and the spread of covid-19 greatly affected the development of the cattle business at Anutapura SPR of Bulubete Village of South Dolo District of Sigi Regency. The population and demand at Anutapura SPR experienced a sales trend after the disaster and the covid-19 pandemic. In this case, the cattle population increased before the natural disaster and decreased after the natural disaster coupled with the covid-19 pandemic which affected the demand for beef.

Resilience of U.S. Cattle and Beef Sectors: Lessons from COVID-19

The upheaval wrought on the U.S. beef industry by the global COVID-19 pandemic carried with it several lessons that might help improve resiliency should there be a reoccurrence. First, the futures market for fed cattle fell well before cash prices, which sent a signal to market cattle early, and those who did so benefited. Second, the decline in futures anticipated the closure of slaughter plants and provided an opportunity to purchase and store beef primals in anticipation of future scarcity. Third, the beef industry has ways of slowing or stopping the pipeline of animals destined for feed yards and can "store"these animals in background feeding facilities or on pasture or rangeland. Producers who waited to sell feeder cattle benefited from higher feeder cattle prices once the processing facilities reopened. Fourth, cow slaughter plants responded to the pandemic and subsequent scarcity of labor much better than large fed-cattle plants. Cow plants are not as sophisticated and complex as fed-cattle plants. This relative simplicity may help explain the superior performance of these plants during the crisis. Sixth, the academic work on the value of building smaller plants as a response against concentration provides mixed results - these plants require more labor per animal and can be even more susceptible to labor scarcity. Seventh, the observed increase in boxed beef prices, even as fed cattle prices fell, demonstrates the risk-mitigating impact of producer ownership of downstream activities in the value chain. © 2022 the author(s), published by De Gruyter, Berlin/Boston 2022.

Respiratory disease in cattle in feeding herds

The clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment, prevention and control of outbreaks of Bovine respiratory syncytial virus and Bovine coronavirus causing respiratory disease outbreaks in beef cattle in Norway in January-February 2011 are described.

US grass‐fed beef premiums

This study examined monthly retail-level price premiums for grass-fed beef (relative to conventional grain-fed beef) in the United States from 2014 through 2021. We found that premiums were heterogeneous, with premium cuts, such as sirloin steak, tenderloin, ribeye and filet mignon enjoying the highest premiums. Premiums were not consistent with price levels, as the lowest premiums were observed for short ribs, skirt steak and flank steak. Our findings suggest that grass-fed beef price premiums were negatively affected by the consumption of food away from home. Changes in income, increased information about taste, protein and minerals, fat, revocation of the USDA grass-fed certification program in 2016 and COVID-19 pandemic, also affected premiums for several individual cuts. Premiums were not sensitive to changes in information about climate change. [EconLit Citations: Q11, Q13].

Filet mignon: it's what's for dinner? COVID-19 impacts on the relative wholesale prices of beef cuts

This article shows that COVID-19 had a unique impact on the prices of various individual beef cuts in the USA. This impact was also through a different mechanism than in other market shocks. The COVID-19 pandemic included a supply shock component due to reduced slaughter and a demand shock stemming from restaurant closures and aversion toward in-person dining even when available. High-end cuts, like tenderloins, were disproportionately impacted as a result of restaurant closures.