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DJ Livestock Update: US Doctor: Bird Flu May Arrive By Plane(Comtex Finance Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)WASHINGTON, Mar 30, 2006 (Dow Jones Commodities News via Comtex) --TOP STORIES Top US Govt Doctor Worried Bird Flu To Arrive By Plane The U.S. government's leading bird-flu scientist is more worried about the deadly virus arriving by plane than by fowl. PRESS RELEASE: Mercer Global Avian Flu Survey: Striking Gap between Employer Concern and Current Pandemic Preparedness SINGAPORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 29, 2006--While evidence of the global spread of avian flu increases, there is a striking gap between companies' concern about the impact of a human pandemic and actual pandemic planning, according to a global survey by Mercer Human Resource Consulting. 1st US Bird-Flu Vaccine Found To Be Only Partly Effective WASHINGTON (AP)--The U.S.'s first vaccine against bird flu is only modestly effective, producing apparent protection in slightly over half the people who receive two mega-dose shots, initial testing shows. The worrisome findings underscore the urgency of brewing a better vaccine. SURVEY: US Hog Data To Show Slow Expansion, Revisions CHICAGO (Dow Jones)--The U.S. Department of Agriculture's upcoming quarterly hog report will continue to show only slight herd expansion during the first quarter of 2006 and revisions to previous survey data to reflect larger-than-expected hog marketings so far this year, according to industry sources. SURVEY: USDA Quarterly Hogs And Pigs Report CHICAGO (Dow Jones)--The following estimates are in percentages of the year-earlier figures. High and low projections are included in the table but were dropped in the calculations of the averages. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's quarterly hogs and pigs report is scheduled for release at 2:00 p.m. CST (2000 GMT) Friday. Average Range All hogs and pigs on Mar 1 101.3 100.3-102.0 Kept for breeding 101.1 100.1-102.0 Kept for marketing 101.3 100.4-102.0 US Hog Market Poised For Seasonal Rally But Faces Barriers KANSAS CITY (Dow Jones)--Livestock and meat market analysts say that with the first quarter coming to an end U.S. cash hog prices are due for a seasonal rally. Most expect prices to advance some during the first half of April but they also note that there are significant obstacles in the way that could limit the gains. Talks Move Japan Closer To Bringing Back US Beef - Nikkei TOKYO (Nikkei)--Negotiations toward a possible lifting of the ban on U.S. beef made progress Wednesday, the Japanese government has indicated, saying Japan and the U.S. now have a certain degree of common understanding about how banned cattle backbone found its way into the imported meat, The Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported in its Thursday morning edition. MARKET TALK: US To Meet Japan Demand On Beef Regs Quickly 1044 EST [Dow Jones] - The U.S. will move quickly to respond to new Japanese demands for added safeguards on U.S. beef exports in an effort to get Japan to resume purchases, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said Wednesday. US: Japan Beef Ban 'Excessive' Compared To HK -Kyodo TOKYO (Dow Jones)--A senior U.S. agriculture official on Wednesday called Japan's move to ban all U.S. beef imports due to an ineligible export "excessive" in comparison with the attitude of Hong Kong over a similar ineligible export case, Kyodo News reported. US To Give Extra Worker Training For Japan Beef Exports TOKYO (AP)--The United States has agreed to require further training of American workers handling beef exports to Japan, U.S. agriculture officials said Wednesday. STORIES OF INTEREST: New Argentina Firm Eyes Chicken Export Market SAO PAULO (Dow Jones)--Argentine firm Avex S.A. will enter the chicken export market in April 2007, the company's president said at the Poultry Latin America conference in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Tuesday. Avex invested $45 million in constructing one of the world's first greenfield, chicken processing projects in decades. Czech Republic Confirms First Case Of H5N1 Bird Flu Virus PRAGUE (AP)--The European Union reference laboratory in the U.K. Wednesday confirmed tests indicate a dead swan found in the south of the Czech Republic had the H5N1 bird flu virus, an official said. EU Proposes Matching Funds To Aid Poultry Sector BRUSSELS (Dow Jones)--The European Commission Wednesday said it will match European Union countries' spending to support the poultry industry, hit by bird flu fears. FDA Approves Relenza For Influenza Prevention > GSK WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--The Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday it has approved the antiviral drug Relenza to prevent seasonal influenza in children and adults. Relenza, made by GlaxoSmithKline PLC (GSK), was previously approved to treat seasonal influenza in adults and children age five and older. Min:Argentina To Lift Beef Export Ban If Local Prices Fall BUENOS AIRES (Dow Jones)--Argentina's government plans lift its ban on beef exports if local beef prices decline and ranchers can guarantee enough beef to satisfy local demand, Economy Minister Felisa Miceli said Tuesday. THE MARKETS: MARKET TALK: Fed Cattle Trading Begins At $84 1350 EST [Dow Jones] - Fed cattle trading was beginning for the week in the central and southern Plains at $84 per hundredweight on a live basis, down $2 to $2.50 from last week, market analysts and brokers said. An isolated trade at $134, down $4, on a dressed basis also was reported in Nebraska. CME Cattle Review: Live Cattle Make Multiple New Lows CHICAGO (Dow Jones)--Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures registered new contract lows across the board for the third straight session Wednesday, with most-active June's new low its sixth straight. CME Pork Review:Hogs Mixed; July, Aug Bellies Limit Down CHICAGO (Dow Jones)--Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hogs closed mixed Wednesday on spongy cash hog prices, short covering and spreading. And while speculative bargain hunters bought market breaks, front-month premium's to CME's hog index trimmed advances. Pork belly futures settled sharply lower, with July and August limit down late, on fund selling, sell stops and Tuesday's bearish weekly belly storage results. -By Lester Aldrich; Dow Jones Newswires; 913-322-5179; [email protected] (END) Dow Jones Newswires 03-30-06 0744ET |