International Conference on the Use of Antimicrobials in Cattle Production

May 27 - 29, 2009 at Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS

A conference designed to educate consumers, producers, and veterinarians about the use of antimicrobials in cattle production.

• Cattle production and what benefits are realized?
• What non-antimicrobial disease control measures are utilized in beef and dairy cattle production to reduce the need for antimicrobials?
• Zoonotic pathogens of concern in cattle:  What is the evidence for zoonotic transfer?
• Genetic transfer and spread of resistant mutants:  how does resistance move?
• Food safety interventions addressing zoonotic pathogen spread
• What data exist to link the use of antimicrobials in cattle with therapy of infectious disease in humans?
• Unmet therapeutic and preventive needs in cattle
• The role of veterinary, producer, and activist groups in the future of animal and human health

• What is antimicrobial resistance and how do we study it in the laboratory?
• How do we study antimicrobial resistance in cattle populations?
• How are antimicrobials approved for use in cattle production?
• What regulations govern the use of antimicrobials in cattle?
• How do we quantify risk and benefit?

More information . . .

"K-State veterinarian Mike Apley talks about public misperceptions about the use of antibiotics in cattle production, which will be among the topics at an international conference on anti-microbial use in the cattle industry taking place this spring at K-State."

Dr. James D. Sartwelle, III is the Livestock Economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation, based at its headquarters in Washington, DC. There since 2006, he is responsible for analyzing the impacts of policy changes on livestock producers, and for livestock market outlook.

Previously, Sartwelle served as an Extension agricultural economist for 12 years, based in Garden City, Kansas; Amarillo, Texas; and College Station, Texas.

Listen as Sartwelle speaks about the livestock economy and animal welfare in "Brave New World: Animal Welfare and Us".

K-State’s Beef Cattle Institute (BCI) and the Frontier program have embarked on a project to celebrate the history of the Kansas beef industry. To learn more and view a video previewing the project click here. To read the KSU Media Relations news release click here. For this project, Kansas State University requests stories, histories, and pictures regarding the beef industry in Kansas. These questionnaires will provide a place for you to share your story as it pertains to the industry.

• Beef Industry Questionnaire

• Ranch History Questionnaire
  

Frontier Program
K-State Media Relations News Release 

Welcome to the Beef Cattle Institute Web site! The Beef Cattle Institute was founded August 1, 2007. The initial funding for this program was awarded by the Targeted Excellence Initiative at Kansas State University. The purpose of the Beef Cattle Institute is to create a collaborative environment at Kansas State University to tackle today's and tomorrow’s issues facing the beef industry through education, research and outreach.

Kansas is ranked second nationally in total cattle numbers and cattle on feed, with 6,650,000 total head of cattle (2,550,000 on feed) in Kansas on January 1, 2006. Sixteen of the 25 largest cattle feeders in the U.S. have facilities in Kansas and represent a major market for Kansas feed grains. The Kansas beef cattle industry has national and international responsibilities for providing safe, affordable, wholesome food. In 2005, 104 beef packers in Kansas harvested 9.1 billion pounds of cattle from Kansas and surrounding states.

The financial well-being of Kansas citizens is critically dependent upon the profitability and growth of the beef cattle industry. In 2005, cattle in Kansas produced $6.1 billion in receipts. For each $1 million expansion/decline that occurs in the cattle ranching and feeding sector, total economic activity in Kansas expands or declines by $1.96 million.

This institute will enhance the education and the value of the degrees of KSU students, increase information access and training opportunities for people working in the beef industry today through research and practical engagement, and improve the cultural and intellectual diversity of our student body. The goal of the Beef Cattle Institute is to provide beef producers with the most current education, research and outreach available.