Arrival weight turns respiratory health into a cattle-procurement variable
Low arrival weight turns respiratory health into a procurement and management variable. APHIS has released the second report from its national 2021 feedlot study. The data, collected in 2020 from U.S. feedlots holding 50 or more cattle, show that 12.2% of cattle were affected by respiratory disease. The difference by arrival weight is substantial: 25.9% of cattle arriving below 400 pounds developed respiratory disease, compared with 9.6% of cattle arriving at 700 pounds or more.
Blood profiles can complement, not replace, feed-efficiency data in pigs
Routine blood profiles may provide an additional signal on pig feed efficiency, but they are not yet a stand-alone selection tool. An IRTA study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science combined data from five trials involving 762 commercial pigs; repeated biochemical and haematological analyses were conducted in a sample of 176 animals.
A phage against E. coli must prove its value in the actual meat matrix
A bacteriophage targeting Escherichia coli from raw meat shows potential as a biocontrol tool, but not yet as a practice-ready solution. A study published in Scientific Reports collected 60 swab samples from raw red meat in butcher shops in Iran’s Zanjan Province. E. coli was isolated from 37 samples, representing 61.7% of the investigated series.
Denmark turns poultry biosecurity into a nationwide housing routine
Denmark is turning poultry biosecurity from a recommendation into a verifiable routine. On 6 November, the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration raised the avian-influenza threat level from medium to high. From Monday, 9 November 2026, poultry and other captive birds must be housed indoors, kept under cover or otherwise protected nationwide.
Goat meat reaches the basket through cuts, dishes and cooking confidence
Goat meat gains domestic market access when the cut and eating occasion become visible. Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), together with retailer Drakes, has launched a campaign in South Australia and Queensland. Timed around Diwali, it combines in-store promotions, catalogue advertising, on-pack labels, digital content and recipes to bring the product closer both to households already familiar with it and to new buyers.
