A five-year-old cow in South Carolina was discovered to have a case of atypical BSE late last week. USDA’s Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirmed the cow was positive for atypical L-type BSE. BSE can manifest in two forms - classical and atypical. The incubation period for classical BSE from prion-infected feed, from time of infection, thought to occur early in life, until the onset of clinical signs averages three to six years. Atypical BSE, on the other hand, occurs spontaneously at very low levels in all cattle populations, particularly in older cattle, and does not appear to be associated with contaminated feed. Over the past 20 years, this is the seventh case of BSE...
What You Need to Know Today: The corn and soybean markets closed slightly higher in low-volume trade. The wheat market was mixed, with HRW continuing its downward trek on improved moisture. As expected, the bearish cattle on feed report drove down cattle prices and pulled hogs down with it. Mi...
Monday, 25 May is a U.S. holiday, and both the markets and our office will be closed. Please note that the next issue of Ag Perspectives will be published on Tuesday, 26 May. The WPI staff wishes everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend...
USDA’s monthly cattle on feed report was released today. The total number of cattle on feed in feedlots with 1,000 head or more capacity amounted to 11.6 million head, 102 percent of last year. Source: USDA, WPI Placements were up, but part of that is attributable to persistent drought c...
From WPI Consulting
Forecasting developments in production agriculture
On behalf of a private U.S. agricultural technology provider, WPI’s team generated an econometric model to forecast the movement of concentrated corn production north and west from the traditional U.S. Corn Belt. WPI’s model has subsequently provided quantitative support to a multi-million-dollar investment into short-season corn variety development. WPI’s methodology included a series of interviews with regional grain elevators and seed consultants. Emphasizing outreach and communication with stakeholders who possess intimate sectoral knowledge – on-the-ground insights – is a regular component of WPI’s methodologies, made possible by WPI’s ever-growing network of industry contacts.