PEDV: It's impacts on the industry

This next post was a topic requested by a reader. PEDV – Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus hit the United States hard around May 13 of last year. I’ll preface with saying that PEDV does not affect the safety of pork meat. Since 2013 cases have been on the decline, however researchers are discovering that there is a second strain emerging. What does this mean for the pork industry or the animal industry as a whole? As usual, HSUS had taken full advantage of this unfortunate happening, and shed a negative light on the situation. Due to their somewhat large following, they have created a roadblock for the industry as they try to educate consumers about PEDV. PEDV is a highly contagious disease that is impacting both young and old pigs, however younger pigs have a decreased chance of survival. Pig producers are  doing everything they can to prevent the spread of this, however due to its nature, this is not an easy task. Because so little is known about this, it is hard to know how to combat it. According to Genesus: “Although PEDV and TGEV viruses are related and the clinical signs are very similar, there is no immune corss-protection. In the event of a PEDV outbreak, currently the best means of protection comes from aggressive bio-feedback. The primary goal is to ensure that every animal on the farm in infected as soon as possible. Bio-feedback includes fecal material and intestinal tracts from acutely infected piglets.” It is no surprise that this is the angle that animal activist groups have chosen to highlight, however it is critical to keep things in perspective. For many, increased bio-security is the best plan of attack. Constant washing of feed trucks, vehicles coming on and off the premises, and making sure that workers are cleaning and disinfecting their boots and clothes.

Ask yourself this question: How willing are you to give up the bacon on your bacon cheeseburger, or the bacon that goes with your eggs and toast in the morning? What about a BBQ pork sandwich, or the Christmas ham? PEDV has impacted the overall number of pigs in the United States, meaning that numbers are declining. It’s a simple supply and demand system; supply of the product is down and demand is remaining the same or increasing meaning an increase in the price that consumers are going to pay for the product.

What can you do? Be patient and understanding as the industry works on a way to combat PEDV, and keep in mind that swine farmers are doing everything to ensure that the animals welfare and overall well-being is of first priority. 

The battle over the VHS

My sisters and I, after a text from our mom last week, are currently battling it out to see who gets the VHS player and collection of Disney movies. It's odd to think that something that was once such a huge part of our lives, is no more. With the world turning digital, and the number of working VHS players on the decline, this makes the one that works at our house a hot commodity. We each have our own very valid reason for why we are deserving of it, but it's final fate has yet to be determined. My hope is that my mom and dad will keep it, so that sometime down the road (and I mean very far down the road) their grandkids can marvel at this piece of history. The idea for this post was sparked by the lyrics in Miranda Lambert's newest song "Automatic." If you haven't had a chance to listen to it yet, don't worry, I've posted the link below! Growing up in the 90's I can relate to everything in her story. "Drying laundry on the line" - which we still do, because lets face it...climbing into bed with sheets that have just been outside on the line in the sunshine is the best feeling in the world! "Watching sun tea in the sun" -an ice-cold glass of this after stacking small square bales is so refreshing. "Windows with the cranks"- which is what my first F150 had! But my favorite line is "Come on let's take a picture, the kind you gotta shake" - no explanation needed! 

Singing along to this song, and the battle between my sisters reminds me how important it is to cherish the memories we've made. The material things of life are going to come and go, but the memories we allow to live on will always be there. 

New Logo!

Water fountain ~ Charleston, SC 

 I had no option really, but to show off the new logos that a good friend of mine designed for me. Keep in mind, I am by no means a professional photographer, instead just someone who deeply loves their Canon Rebel. I love nothing more than just grabbing my camera and going for a drive to capture nature in it's most innocent moments. I will be the first to admit that I would much rather photograph animals, sunsets, and scenery long before people (no offense). The great thing about nature is it is either #1: stationary or #2: doesn't have an opinion about how it looks, or cares how it looks in a photo. All of these photos were taken last spring break when I went to Charleston, South Carolina to visit my best friend from high school. It was very cool getting to see the city, and our visits to the ocean were something you don't get everyday in Nebraska. (or at all actually!) As my photography has taken off, I thought it was time to invest in a logo or watermark for my photos. My reasoning behind this was twofold. First, I want people who look at my pictures and like them, to know who took them (and hopefully not steal them), and secondly, I wanted a logo that I could use as I work on developing my personal brand. I want there to be a sense of cohesiveness when someone looks at my photos, my business card, and my resume to know that they all three go together.

On a separate note, I would encourage anyone who has the chance to go visit Charleston, SC to go! It's a very fun city with lots to see and do! Plus the ocean is there, so it has that going for it!

Seabird ~ Charleston, SC

Sea birds in the ocean ~ Charleston, SC

Flowers ~ Charleston, SC

24 Cups of Broccoli?

I am an avid reader of BEEF Magazine, and a huge fan of their social media work. One of their recent articles which I stumbled upon this morning breaks down some of consumers misconceptions when it comes to beef products. The recommended amount of protein that active individuals, pregnant women and teenagers should get in one day is between 75-80 grams. To get this amount of recommended protein you would have to eat  24 cups of broccoli to match the protein in 1 9 oz serving of meat. I don't know about you, but I'd rather eat a steak!

The visual that the article had can be misleading without the facts to back it up, so lets break it down:

1 cup broccoli = 31 calories. You would have to eat more than 3 cups of broccoli to get 11.1 grams of protein. (Math isn't my strong suit, but 31 x 3 = 93 calories!)

on the other hand,  a 3 oz serving of beef = 25 grams protein, while the calorie count is only 180.

If you're anything like me, you just want the numbers to make sense, so let me simplify:

6.75 cups of broccoli = 25 grams of protein = 209 calories
3 oz of lean beef = 25 grams of protein = 180 calories 

(curious on how many calories are in Tofu, Black beans and Peanut Butter compared to lean beef? Check out this great resource! Beef Its What's For Dinner Fact Sheet )

My intent here is not to bash broccoli, but simply to present the facts and clear up some misconceptions. I have a small confession, I love broccoli too! The key to maintaining a healthy diet, is incorporating foods from all the food groups, in moderation. I will agree that eating only meat for every meal is not as healthy as eating meat, and vegetables, and fruit at every meal. (plus dessert, don't forget dessert!)

99% -- minus the moo!

Lipstick, Jell-O, dog food, piano keys, dish soap, and for those of you old enough to remember, film.  What do all of these have in common? These are just a few of the products that we use everyday that come from the byproducts of beef. Let me preface this with products that are made from byproducts are safe and pose not direct threat to your health or overall well being (unless you eat the entire bag of marshmallows by yourself on your next camp-out, then that's your fault!)

Myth: The only part of the animal we use, is the meat.
Fact: We use 99% of the animal. In addition to the meat - the hide, the hooves, and even the bones get used.

Lets start with the hide. Leather purses, shoes, wallets, office chairs, and car seats are all made from the hide. In fact, from 1 cow hide you can get
12 basketballs or
144 baseballs or
20 footballs or
18 volleyballs or
18 soccer balls or
12 baseball gloves.

Where do marshmallows come into the picture you ask? Marshmallows are made from the gelatin that comes from the connective tissues. Other familiar products made with gelatin include gum, fruit snacks, gummy bears and Jell-O!

Ever hear that glue was made from hooves, well I am here to confirm that suspicion The hooves of cattle and horses are key ingredients in glue. But what might surprise you, is that the sticky part (the one that hurts so bad to rip off) of a band-aid is also made from the fatty acids which can be turned into adhesives! The power of fatty acids doesn't stop there, they can be found in toilet paper and soap *GASP* to optimize softness!

With all this by-product talk, lets not forget about the most obvious and common byproducts...FOOD! Juicy steaks and hot dogs, milk and cheese, even yogurt! 

Stearic acid (a fatty acid): is a popular ingredient in tires, lipstick, and lotion. (Animal byproducts are not used in all cosmetics, as some people have allergies)

While not near as popular in the United States as other places around the world, we can't leave out the nutritional benefits from some of the other byproducts: 

Livers: high in vitamin A, iron, zinc, B vitamins, vitamins C and D, copper, and fatty acids.

Hearts: contain large amounts of iron, and are a good source of selenium, zinc, phosphorous, niacin, and riboflavin, but are very low in sodium. 

Brains: rich in niacin, phosphorus, B12 and vitamin C

Tripe: abundant protein and B12

Sweetbreads: high in vitamin C

Kidneys: high in protein and contain riboflavin and niacin.

Tongues: good source of B12, but low in sodium

(USDA, Where's the (Not) Meat? Byproducts from Beef and Pork Production.) 

I snagged this picture from Facts About Beef blog.

As we discovered, there is more to a beef cow that just a hamburger! Don't hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns! Have a great day!

Just the Facts - Beef Byproducts. http://ardc.unl.edu/JTF-BEEFBYPRODUCTS.pdf
Marti, Daniel. Rachel Johnson. Kenneth Mathews, Jr. Where's the (Not) Meat Byrpoducts from Beef and Pork Production. Nov. 2011.
http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/147867/ldpm20901.pdf

Nothing is ever nothing

The topic for today ... the hippomane. You may be asking yourself what this is, and with good reason. I will admit that I once did not know what the hippomane was. I reference that in past tense because one night long ago (I think I was 12 or 13, my sister Janelle 9 or 10) we were helping my dad (a veterinarian) clean up from a cesarean and we came across a very uniquely shaped object with what I can best describe as a firm but squishy texture about the size of a bar of soap.What came next was a very rare thing; my dad DIDN'T know what it was. I'll let you in on a secret...there isn't much that he doesn't know. But, that did not stop him from doing the father thing. He said without skipping a beat: "Why don't you do some research and write a report about what a hippomane is." You can only imagine how devastating that was for our young ears to hear; homework and we weren't even in school. We had one week. We drew the conclusion that hippmanes do not serve any purpose. None what so ever. They just get to hang out and exist, the only similarity I can make for them in the human body is the appendix. Every cesarean after that, we searched for the hippomane, sometimes we found it sometimes we didn't. The funny thing is, that they don't always exist. 

I reflect back on that moment from my childhood and realize how much more I learned that just defining what a hippomane was. I learned how important being a life-long learner is. How questioning leads to discovery! 

St. Partick's Day: Green or Blue

It's no secret that today is St. Patrick's Day! The holiday where everyone wears green, because ... it's St. Patrick's Day?  Ever wondered why we wear green. Ireland has lots of green, so maybe that's why? As I was deciding what to wear today, I realized I don't really have that many green things, in fact, I have two green shirts. A K-State t-shirt from Fake Patty's last weekend and the one I'm wearing. It would have been simpler to just wear blue. As it turns out, I was doing some research for social media content at work, and I discovered that the original color of St. Patrick's day was actually blue and not green! However, in the spirit of the holiday I still wore a green shirt. Here is a VIDEO with other fun facts about St. Patrick's Day, Enjoy!