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Cows could hold the secret to unleashing energy in corn
NEW YORK - Researchers attempting to make the production of corn-based ethanol more efficient may not have needed to leave the farm.
During photosynthesis, corn stores nearly half of its potential energy in places other than the corn kernel, such as stalks and leaves.
An enzyme found in a cow's stomach may hold the key to using all of the plant, rather than just the kernel.
Michigan State University professor Mariam Sticklen was curious as to how a cow's stomach quickly broke down corn and other foods high in cellulose - a material that makes cell walls thick - and if it could be replicated outside of a cow.
Right now the ethanol industry primarily uses corn kernels during production because stalk and leaves contain a type of fiber too tough to break down without expensive chemicals.
Sticklen, however, took a gene from a cow, implanted it into a corn cell, and let the gene replicate an enzyme that breaks down thick material.
The enzyme ends up in the cell's vacuole - a type of garbage bin - where it sits until the plant is crushed to make ethanol.
Spartan Corn III is the culmination of Sticklen's search for a new way to break cellulose into simple sugars for use in fuel.
"I feel this is a start in a revolution for biofuel," Sticklen said.
Kansas-based Edenspace Systems Corp. beat four other competitors to secure the rights to Sticklen's technology.
"We see this whole area of developing new, value-added crops as one of the key elements in solving the world's need for more food and fuel," said Bruce Ferguson, the company's chief executive.
It is hoped that the new technology creates unprecedented efficiencies in capturing unused energy from corn.
"What we're doing is developing a way to capture that additional 40 percent" that goes unused, Ferguson said.
The company hopes to have a product available by 2011. NEW YORK - Researchers attempting to make the production of corn-based ethanol more efficient may not have needed to leave the farm. ... more -
Mad cow woman: "suck my udders"
An Ohio woman has been arrested after she went on a drunken rampage wearing a full body cow-suit, when she was supposed to be advertising a local theme park.
Reports claim that Michelle Allen was chasing children, threatening police and even urinated on a nearby garden before being arrested.
That's a pretty weird chain of events right there, but it gets so much better, when she was taken to court she'd clearly become at one with her new bovine exterior, because she started challenging people of the court to "suck her udders."
Just a bad day at the office... right? An Ohio woman has been arrested after she went on a drunken rampage wearing a full body cow-suit, when she was supposed to be advertis... more -
Mama's Milk Ice Cream Cone, Anyone?
Mooove over, Holsteins. PETA wants world-famous Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream to tap nursing moms, rather than cows, for the milk used in its ice cream.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is asking the ice cream maker to begin using breast milk in its products instead of cow's milk, saying it would reduce the suffering of cows and calves and give ice cream lovers a healthier product.
The idea got a cool reception Thursday from Ben & Jerry's officials, the company's customers and even La Leche League International, the world's oldest breast-feeding support organization, which promotes the practice — for babies, anyway.
PETA wrote a letter to company founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield on Tuesday, telling them cow's milk is hazardous and that milking them is cruel.
"If Ben and Jerry's replaced the cow's milk in its ice cream with breast milk, your customers — and cows — would reap the benefits," wrote Tracy Reiman, executive vice president of the animal rights advocacy group. She said dairy products have been linked to juvenile diabetes, allergies and obesity.
Ashley Byrne, a campaign coordinator for PETA, acknowledged the implausibility of substituting breast milk for cow's milk, but said it's no stranger than humans consuming the milk of another species.
"We're aware this idea is somewhat absurd, and that putting it into practice is a stretch. At the time same, it's pretty absurd for us to be drinking the milk of cows," she said.
It takes about 12 pounds — or 1 1/2 gallons of milk — to make a gallon of ice cream. Ben & Jerry's, which gets its milk exclusively from Vermont cows, won't say how much milk it uses or how much ice cream it sells.
As a standardized product under federal regulations, ice cream must be made with milk from healthy cows. Ice cream made from goat's milk, for example, would have to be labeled as such.
Presumably, so would mother's milk ice cream. Mooove over, Holsteins. PETA wants world-famous Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream to tap nursing moms, rather than cows, for t... more -
Cow chases bear from her apple tree near Boulder
Cows chasing Bears? hmm...
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Edinburgh Cow Parade (2006)
All throughout the world, these events occur where around 100 cows are decorated with various artwork featuring a variety of themes. Edinburgh's was no different with many of the cow statues being placed around the city centre for tourists and locals to find. It is just like a treasure hunt and I love them. One summer, I decided to go around and track down each individual cow, this seemed an even bigger challenge for me at the time as I hadn't been getting around up to this point. A problem occured though when I found many of the cows had been vandalized and ripped from their bases so I stopped the trail but did manage to take photos of many of the cows. Most of the city centre cows weren't damaged but some of the outer centre ones were. I think they should do something similar to this event as it is kinda fun to go around Edinburgh to places you haven't been before and summer is great in Edinburgh as long as it doesn't rain. All throughout the world, these events occur where around 100 cows are decorated with various artwork featuring a variety of themes. E... more
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Royal Highland Show (2006)
Every June, An area of Edinburgh called Ingliston is transformed into four days of food markets, competitions, music and with a whole host of trading for farmers. I went along for the first time in 2006 and had a great day out watching all of the horses on show and the various competitions that took place such as sheep shearing. I intend to go back here next year and make a bigger film to really show the show off to it's full. From Edinburgh City Centre, there are buses put on that take you to the show ground which if your lucky is dry. Each day out of the four features different events and you may want to see something specific so do check out their web page at http://www.royalhighlandshow.org/ come along and I'm sure you'll enjoy it, in the meantime, take a look at this taster of the event; I made another film the following year which also shows some more of what you would see at the show. Every June, An area of Edinburgh called Ingliston is transformed into four days of food markets, competitions, music and with a whole ... more
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Runaway Cow Caught in New Jersey
Authorities are trying to determine who owns a runaway cow that was roped in Ho-Ho-Kus.
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» Raman Singh attacked by cow he prays to
September 8th, 2008 - 8:45 pm ICT by IANS -
Raipur, Sep 8 (IANS) Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh escaped getting hurt after being attacked by a cow he offered sweets to following prayers to “goumata”, the police said. His security staff escorted the chief minister to safety following the incident Sunday evening some 75 km west of Raipur. Raman Singh had gone to Rajnandgaon to inaugurate nine newly-built cowsheds.
After praying to “goumata” (mother cow), the chief minister offered sweets to a cow. But it tried to gore him.
A police inspector, Arshad Khan, was injured after being knocked down by the cow. He was taken to a hospital where doctors said he may have sustained internal injuries.
Officials said the cow probably got irritated as Bharatiya Janata Party members kept shouting slogans at the venue. September 8th, 2008 - 8:45 pm ICT by IANS - ... more -
Pint sized Dexter cows helping NZ town folk as prices rise | NATIONAL | NEWS | tvn...
The price of milk has shot through the roof prompting even town folk to start running their own cows.
It seems they have discovered a sort of town cow - low maintenance, cute and only about the size of a big dog.
The Dexter breed is just the right size for people with a small parcel of land and no stomach for rising meat and milk prices.
Bruce and Liz Jones have been breeding Dexters for 10 years and say more and more people are going DIY.
All people need is an acre and they cost around $400 to buy and $200 a year to keep.
For that the owners get over 20 litres of milk a day, a free lawnmower, pet day calf for the kids and they're also a source of quite tasty meat worth around a $1000.
And apart from needing a drench a few times a year, they're pretty low-maintenance.
It is said Dexters were once used to help struggling Irish families stay alive.
Robyn Snelgar, the Dexter Cattle Society secretary, says they were the cows that the poor man could keep basically on his backyard.
"Very small acreage and they got all the things that you get from the dairy cattle, the milk, the cream, the cheese and the meat of course," says Snelgar.
And it seems in these tough times; Dexters are now New Zealand's cash cows. The price of milk has shot through the roof prompting even town folk to start running their own cows. ... more -
Cornish Cow Drum Disaster | Sky News
An unfortunate cow had to be freed by the RSPCA after getting its head stuck in a washing machine drum that had been dumped in its field.
The Cornish cow's ordeal ended after a member of the public saw the animal trying to free itself - and called the animal charity to the scene in Higher Fraddon, St Columb.
"It is one of the more unusual things we have had to rescue an animal from," said RSPCA spokeswoman Jo Barr.
"Young cows are quite curious, and she probably thought there was some food inside the drum."
RSPCA inspector David Hobbs rescued the heifer and returned it to the herd.
The cow was lucky to escape unharmed after the washing machine incident - but the animal charity warned fly tipping can pose a serious danger to wildlife.
Mr Hobbs said: "Most people hate to see fly-tipping as it is an ugly blight on the landscape, but incidents like these highlight that as well as the visual impact the rubbish can also endanger animals.
"The heifer was probably curious to see a new item dumped in the field and curiosity would have turned to panic once she got her head stuck in the drum and was unable to get it out.
"If people disposed of their rubbish properly many animals would be saved from injury and death.
"A large proportion of the injuries the Society's inspectors, animal collection officers, vets and wildlife hospitals deal with are caused by carelessly discarded rubbish and fishing litter." An unfortunate cow had to be freed by the RSPCA after getting its head stuck in a washing machine drum that had been dumped in its fie... more -
Scientists discover that cows are magnetic
Zoologists in Germany have studied 8,510 cattle in 308 herds around the world through Google Earth to come to the conclusion that, when at rest, they tend to orient themselves approximately North-South. Apparently nearly two out of every three cattle were oriented in this way. The researchers believe that this means the cows can tap into the earth's electromagnetic fields.
Though why they should do this still seems to be a mystery.. Zoologists in Germany have studied 8,510 cattle in 308 herds around the world through Google Earth to come to the conclusion that, whe... more -
Cows Like M&M's,Too
Well, we don't know if they like them, but they will eat them. And as the cost of grains and corn has gone up because of the interest in ethanol, feeding cattle strictly corn is too expensive, reports the Wall Street Journal. So farmers are now moving to alternatives such as m&m's and potato chips mixed in with their corn, frankly because its cheaper. Compared to some of the other things that ranchers can and do feed cattle, maybe its not such a bad thing.
Grass-fed cattle make up only 10% of the beef market, according to the report. The farmers have to charge 30% more for the beef because its more costly to raise the cattle, and they can't pack as many cattle onto the property because of resource limitations when cattle just roam and graze. Americans are used to the high-fat taste of corn-fed beef, which is another concern for grass-fed cattle farmers when they take their beef to market. Well, we don't know if they like them, but they will eat them. And as the cost of grains and corn has gone up because of the inte... more -
Cattle shown to align north-south
"Have you ever noticed that herds of grazing animals all face the same way?
Images from Google Earth have confirmed that cattle tend to align their bodies in a north-south direction.
Wild deer also display this behaviour - a phenomenon that has apparently gone unnoticed by herdsmen and hunters for thousands of years.
In the Proceedings for the National Academy of Sciences, scientists say the Earth's magnetic fields may influence the behaviour of these animals.
The Earth can be viewed as a huge magnet, with magnetic north and south situated close to the geographical poles.
Many species - including birds and salmon - are known to use the Earth's magnetic fields in migration, rather like a natural GPS.
A few studies have shown that some mammals - including bats - also use a "magnetic compass" to help their sense of direction.
Dr Sabine Begall, from the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany, has mainly studied the magnetic sense of mole rats - African animals that live in underground tunnels.
"We were wondering if larger animals also have this magnetic sense," she told BBC News.
Deer (J Cerveny)
This sense may be quite widespread in the animal kingdom
Dr Begall and colleagues first decided to study the natural behaviour of domestic cattle.
The researchers surveyed Google Earth images of 8,510 grazing and resting cattle in 308 pasture plains across the globe.
"Sometimes it took hours and hours to find some pictures with good resolution," said Dr Begall.
The scientists were unable to distinguish between the head and rear of the cattle, but could tell that the animals tended to face either north or south.
Their study ruled out the possibility that the Sun position or wind direction were major influences on the orientation of the cattle.
Dr Begall said: "In Africa and South America, the cattle (were) shifted slightly to a more north-eastern-south-western direction.
Deer beds (J Cerveny)
Forest dormitory: Deer "beds" are seen in a line
"But it is known that the Earth's magnetic field is much weaker there," she explained.
The researchers also recorded the body positions of 2,974 wild deer in 277 locations across the Czech Republic.
Their fieldwork revealed that the majority of grazing and resting deer face northward. About one-third of the deer faced southward.
"That might be some kind of anti-predatory behaviour," speculated Dr Begall.
Willy Miller - a Scottish cattle farmer - remarked: "I've never noticed that my cows all face the same way."
Cows are social animals: "[They] all sit down before it rains [and] huddle together in a circle formation during blizzards. But from a cow's point of view, that's just sensible," he told BBC News.
Professor John Phillips, a sensory biologist from Virginia Tech University, US, commented that this sixth magnetic sense might be "virtually ubiquitous in the animal kingdom".
He added: "We need to think about some really fundamental things that this sensory ability provides in animals."
The challenge remains for scientists to explain how the animals behave in this way - and if Scottish cattle are the exception to the rule!" "Have you ever noticed that herds of grazing animals all face the same way? ... more -
Need to go north? Look which way the cows are pointing
If you're lost in the countryside without a compass, don't panic.
Just look for a herd of cows and see which way they are pointing.
After monitoring the behaviour of thousands of cattle, scientists have found that they tend to face north after aligning themselves with the Earth's magnetic field.
The astonishing ability appears to be a relic of the days when the wild ancestors of today's domesticated cattle used inbuilt compasses to find their way across the plains of Africa, Asia and Europe on long migrations.
The finding - based on satellite images of cattle all over the world - has astonished farmers and animal behaviourists.
Although cows are famed for their ability to forecast rain hours in advance, their talent for navigating has so far gone overlooked.
Dozens of species of animals use the Earth's magnetic field to navigate - including birds, turtles, termites and salmon.
The ability is also found in some mammals including rats and bats.
Animals are thought to use internal magnets - made of crystals of magnetite - to find their way around.
Homing pigeons, for instance, have a tiny blob of these crystals in their beaks.
Dr Sabine Begall and colleagues from the University of Duisburg-Essen used Google Earth to find images of cattle in worldwide locations including Britain, Ireland, India and the U.S.
They also directly observed almost 3,000 deer in the Czech Republic.
The deer tended to face north when either resting or grazing, and while the satellite images of the cattle were not detailed enough to show which way they were facing, their bodies were clearly aligned in a north-south direction.
This suggested that they were behaving in the same way as their close relatives, the deer.
Because the direction of the wind and sunlight varied hugely in the different locations, the scientists were able to rule out weather and the position of the sun as an explanation.
'We conclude that the magnetic field is the only common and most likely factor responsible for the observed alignment,' the researchers wrote in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Gywn Jones, who has kept dairy cattle for 25 years in West Sussex, confirmed: 'They know what weather to expect in advance.
'Beef cattle will head up to higher altitudes if the weather is going to good.
'My dairy cattle have their favourite fields where they go if it is going to be sunny.
'I let mine go in and out, and if it's going to be wet they head inside.
'In rough weather they like to have their backs to the wind. But I've not noticed a preference for facing north.' If you're lost in the countryside without a compass, don't panic. ... more -
Cows have magnetic sense, research indicates
Satellite images show that cattle tend to point north and south when grazing and resting.
Birds do it, bees do it, and so, apparently, do . . . cows?
No, it's not that. We're talking about sensing the Earth's magnetic field.
[more] Satellite images show that cattle tend to point north and south when grazing and resting. ... more -
Cows seem to know which ways north?
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Talk about animal magnetism, cows seem to have a built-in compass. No bull: Somehow, cattle seem to know how to find north and south, say researchers who studied satellite photos of thousands of cows around the world.
Most cattle that were grazing or resting tended to align their bodies in a north-south direction, a team of German and Czech researchers reports in Tuesday's issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
And the finding held true regardless of what continent the cattle were on, according to the study led by Hynek Burda and Sabine Begall of the faculty of biology at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany.
"The magnetic field of the Earth has to be considered as a factor," the scientists said.
This challenges scientists to find out why and how these animals align to the magnetic field, Begall said in an interview via e-mail.
"Of course, the question arises whether humans show also such a spontaneous behavior," she said, adding, what "consequences does it have for their health."
The study sent Tina Hinchley, who with her husband Duane operates a dairy farm in Cambridge, Wis., to take a new look at an aerial photo taken of their farm a few years ago.
"The cows that were in the pasture were all over the place ... about two-thirds were north-south," Hinchley said.
Two-thirds is close to what the researchers found in their look at 8,510 cattle in 308 pastures. In the study, 60 percent to 70 percent of cattle were oriented north-south, which Begall termed a "highly significant deviation from random distribution."
Hinchley stressed that one factor that must be considered is cow comfort.
"They don't like to get hot. Their body temperature is 102, and they are wearing black leather jackets, literally! If turning north-south would keep them cooler, they would stand that way." WASHINGTON (AP) -- Talk about animal magnetism, cows seem to have a built-in compass. No bull: Somehow, cattle seem to know how to fin... more -
Dairy Industry short animated film: The Meatrix II
Critically-acclaimed, award-winning Meatrix movie - The Meatrix II: Revolting
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Life On the Roof: Shoo cow, don't bother me.
Oh how I MISS my camera! It's being fixed as we speak, and if the camera shop knows what's good for it, it'll have it back here before my baby turns two, in TWO WEEKS ('scuse me while I take a moment to hyperventilate....how did I end up with a two year old?)
I wish my camera had been here on Monday morning, when Steve awoke to find SIX cows on our front lawn. Remember this guy? Ah hell, lets give him a close up:
Imagine him, and 5 of his friends (thats FIVE, people....1,2,3,4,5!!!) greeting you from less than 20 feet away before you've even had a chance to have your Monday morning coffee. To follow that, the OPP came a knocking on the door, someone had wisely reported the wandering bovine, because before wandering into our yard, they had taken a little stroll along the ROAD.
Now, we DO live in the country, but we also do live on a fairly major road, with a big gravel pit right around the corner. There are a pile of big-arsed trucks bombing along our road all day long. Add to that the little twisty-turny uppy-downy that our road does, and you can see how a cow going for a middle of the road stroll may end up in some trouble. There was one near-miss that morning, you can clearly see the 30 foot skid marks on the highway right about the spot where our driveway ends. And all this before 8:30am on a Monday. Hell of a way to start a week!
I wonder, if a cow gets hit by a gravel truck and lands on your property, do you get to keep the meat? That's a whole lotta steak going to waste if you don't.
(I'm a classy gal, I know. You don't have to say it!)
In other news....there is no other news. Escaped cows, that's the highlight of the week 'round here! A solid indication of the lives we lead! Oh how I MISS my camera! It's being fixed as we speak, and if the camera shop knows what's good for it, it'll have it b... more -
Drug giant Eli Lilly acquiring Monsanto's controversial bovine growth hormone
This is corporate PR. rBGH is one of the most hated products in the world. That's why Monsanto is dumping it. Why would Eli Lilly want to pick up rBGH? Because they are partners in crime with Monsanto and the biotech industry--pushing largely untested and unlabeled genetically engineered products on an unwilling, but often gullible public.
PRESS RELEASE
CONTACT:
(317) 277-7464 ­ Joan Todd (Elanco)
(317) 276-5795 - Mark Taylor (Lilly)
Elanco Announces Acquisition of Posilac® Dairy Business
Deal Provides Strategic Fit with Lilly's Animal Health Division
Greenfield, IN - Elanco, a division of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY), today announced that Lilly has signed an agreement to acquire the worldwide rights to the dairy cow supplement, Posilac® (sometribove), as well as the product's supporting operations, from Monsanto Company (NYSE:MON).
"Global dairy demand is increasing, outstripping supply, and consumers are seeing rapidly rising prices," said Jeff Simmons, president, Elanco. "With the purchase of Posilac, Elanco can enhance its overall product portfolio and work together with the industry to provide dairy farmers more options and give consumers affordable choices. Critically, we remain focused on the health and care of the cow in working with farmers to increase global milk supply.
"With our rich history and experience in the dairy industry, Elanco is the ideal steward of this vital technology," Simmons said. "Elanco remains committed to using science to address the growing need for safe, affordable food; and to choices for consumers, retailers and producers."
Elanco has exclusively sold sometribove outside of the United States for a decade. Posilac has been safely used for more than 14 years.
Under the terms of the agreement, Lilly will acquire all rights to the Posilac brand, as well as the product's U.S. sales force and its manufacturing facility in Augusta, Georgia. In return, Monsanto will receive a $300 million upfront payment, as well as contingent consideration. The Posilac dairy business manufacturing and sales teams will be integrated into the Elanco business. The transaction is expected to close near the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2008, contingent upon clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Anti-Trust Improvements Act and other customary closing conditions. Lilly confirmed that the acquisition will not result in a change to the company's full-year 2008 financial guidance, as detailed in its second quarter 2008 financial results press release issued July 24, 2008.
~~~
Same poison, different drug dealer. The fight is not over. This is corporate PR. rBGH is one of the most hated products in the world. That's why Monsanto is dumping it. Why would Eli Lilly... more -
Bovine versus bear in the apple fight : News : WFXL Fox 31
COLORADO -- It was a bovine versus bear in Colorado after a black bear picked the wrong tree to try and steal apples from. The tree was in a pasture in Hygiene, west of Longmont. It's home to a Black Angus cow and she's very territorial. In fact, the cow is named "Apple" because she loves to eat them, and the bear was in her tree.
Jack McDonald and Penny Cox are tenants on the property. They said they heard a ruckus at about 5 p.m. on Sunday and when they looked they saw the bear. The bear climbed down from the tree, and climbed over the fence to get a closer look at "Apple." The two stared each other down for some time and even touched noses at one point. Then Apple chased the bear back up the apple tree. Finally she had enough of the bear and chased him off the property.
They called the Division of Wildlife and were told there were reports of a mother bear and two cubs in the area. The DOW figured the bear was one of the cubs. Nancy Dayton owns the cow. She says Apple acts more like a dog than a cow. Make that: guard cow. COLORADO -- It was a bovine versus bear in Colorado after a black bear picked the wrong tree to try and steal apples from. The tree wa... more
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