Beef supply at 5-year low

In addition to milk, dairies are also constant producers of beef. This is a huge reason why USDA’s latest monthly Cold Storage report should factor into their summer management plans.

The June report issued last week said that, as of May 31, beef and pork supplies were at their lowest levels in 5 and 2+ years, respectively. In addition, this spring the number of beef cattle on feed was pegged at its lowest level in six years.

The only thing preventing this situation from being a financial windfall for livestock owners is poultry. The Cold Storage report also said chicken supplies were up 9 percent from a year ago.

Even so, strong international demand for meat, combined with lower U.S. production, presents opportunity for dairy producers for at least the next several months. With milk prices still relatively weak, culling lists mean more than just income. They also represent herd improvement potential in several ways:

• Reproduction. Now is an ideal time to “cash out” problem breeders and low quality animals that drag down a herd’s overall genetics.

• Milk quality. Mastitis and staph cows have never been worth more to send down down the road. Culling a load of them could have a huge impact on overall herd somatic cell count.

• Herd health, especially if Johne’s disease is in your operation. Odds are that you do because, according to the 2007 National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) study, 68.1 percent of all U.S. dairies have it. Testing and culling is the best and fastest way to eliminate Johne’s.

• Overcrowding. At some point, adding more cows to a group reduces production per cow. This means more than just wasted feed; research is increasingly showing it also causes lower reproduction, more lameness, and more health problems.

Study puts best beef belief out to pasture

Eating-healthier-than-thou attitudes tend to float on clouds of perception rather than be rooted in fact. Thus, the bubble burst by a recent research study may do little to convince proponents about the real nutrition differences that apparently exist between beef from grass-fed cows versus grain-fed cows.

The tender and juicy bottom line: Pasture-fed beef is not only not more healthful and nutritious, but it looks like it’s actually less. That was the conclusion announced in May by Texas A&M University AgriLife researchers after a complex study focusing on meat consumed by test participants.

Researchers fed three groups of steers – same age, same breed, and in the same herd – different diets: pasture plus supplemental hay until 20 months of age, standard feedlot corn-based until 16 months of age and USDA Choice status, and additional standard feedlot time until USDA Prime status was reached. Beef cuts from each group of cattle were made into separate groups of ground beef patties, then cooked and eaten by 27 male test participants. They ate five 1/4-pound patties per week, six weeks per animal group. That was 90 patties per person in all.

“There really were no negative effects of feeding ground beef from pasture-fed cattle,” said Dr. Stephen Smith, an AgriLife Research meat scientist. “We did see many positive effects in men who consumed ground beef from corn-fed cattle. Ground beef from the USDA Prime cattle increased HDL cholesterol and LDL particle diameter. Both effects are protective against cardiovascular disease. Prime ground beef also decreased insulin, so it may have some protective effect against Type II diabetes

Add beer to your steak and live longer

As you fire up your grill this Labor Day week, consider marinating your steak in beer and not only have a juicier steak, but you also will cut your risk of cancer. Yes, it's true, according to research conducted at the University of Porto in the country of Portugal.

They found marinating steak for six hours in beer or even red wine prior to frying or grilling reduced levels of two types of heterocyclic amines (HA) by up to 90 percent. Beer was most effective, however, further reducing rates of a third type of HA after just four hours of marinating.

As you may know, cooking food increases levels of cancer-causing HAs. When it comes to fried or grilled meat, high temperatures convert sugars and amino acids found in muscle into HAs. Foods like olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic cut HAs in grilled chicken by 90 percent, while red wine reduces HAs in fried chicken. Thanks to research by the team in Portugal, you can add beer and red wine to the list of cancer fighters for steak. Beer was more effective than red wine on the third HA because it has more water-retaining sugars than wine which may reduce the transport of water-soluble molecules to the steak's surface where heat converts them into HAs, reports the Portuguese research team.

As if you needed any more convincing, two trained sensory panels pointed to beer-marinated beef as having the best smell, taste, and appearance.

Top 10 tips for sensational summer grilling

July is National Beef Month, and remember, dairy producers are beef producers, too. The beef check-off's website is a great resource for all of your summer grilling needs. See their tips for having a spectacular summer grilling season. Also, you can see some great grilling recipes in our August 10 issue.

1. Keep beef refrigerated. Grilling times are based on beef being taken directly from the refrigerator to the grill – not at room temperature.

2. Trim, if necessary. Remove visible fat from meat and poultry before grilling to help prevent flare-ups and excess smoke formation.

3. Marinating mantra. Always marinate in the refrigerator. Tender beef cuts can be marinated for 15 minutes to 2 hours for flavor. Less tender beef cuts should be marinated at least 6 hours – but no more than 24 hours – in a mixture containing an acidic ingredient or a natural tenderizing enzyme.

4. Grilling temperature matters. Grilling over medium heat ensures even cooking and flavorful, juicy meat. If beef is grilled over too high heat, the exterior can become overcooked or charred before the interior reaches the desired doneness.

5. Watch the charcoal. Never grill while the coals are still flaming. Wait until the coals are covered with gray ash (approximately 30 minutes) and spread in a single layer.

6. Know your gas grill. Since gas grill brands vary greatly, consult the owner’s manual for information about preparing the grill for medium heat.

7. Turn properly. Use long-handled tongs for turning steaks and spatulas for burgers. A fork will pierce the beef, causing loss of flavorful juices. And don’t be tempted to press down on burgers – it only releases the juices and creates flare-ups.

8. Use a thermometer. The best way to determine doneness of burgers and steaks is to use an instant-read meat thermometer, inserted horizontally from the side to penetrate the center of the meat. Allow 10 to 15 seconds for the thermometer to register the internal temperature.

9. Internal temperature matters. Cook burgers to at least 160°F. The color of cooked ground beef is not a reliable indicator of doneness. Cook steaks to at least 145°F (medium rare doneness). The color will be very pink in the center and slightly brown toward the exterior.

10. Practice food safety. Keep raw meat separate from other foods both in the refrigerator and during preparation. Wash hands, all utensils, and surfaces in hot, soapy water after contact with raw meat. Never place cooked meat on platters that held raw meat.