Hassan was asked to help a small dairy factory in the Republic of Georgia manufacture Mozzarella cheese locally and sustain its business.

“Dr. Hassan was invited for this international assignment because of his recognized expertise in dairy processing. He has made a substantial impact on the cheese industry in Georgia and his experience will be of great value to Dairy Science students at SDSU as well,” said Vikram Mistry, Dairy Science Professor and Head.

The USAID was formed in 1961 to provide social and economic development aid to developing countries, and starting in the 1990s, the emphasis has been to provide assistance to newly independent countries and those shifting to a democracy. The objective of the Farmer to Farmer program is to improve the quality of life of people in Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Farmer to Farmer programs in East Africa, Southern Africa and Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia are implemented by CNFA (formerly Citizens Network for Foreign Affairs). This organization’s mission is to stimulate economic growth and improve rural livelihoods in the developing world by empowering the private sector.

The dairy plant that Hassan assisted was built a few years ago in the Tsalka district with the financial support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. The plant manufactures a local Georgian cheese which is similar to Mozzarella and is made from raw milk. Whey cheese is also manufactured from the whey obtained during the manufacture of cheese.

“One challenge facing this plant and the dairy farmers in the region has been the competition in the Georgian cheese market and the excess of raw milk available during summer months, which significantly dropped milk and cheese prices,” Hassan said.

The goal of the CNFA project was to give competitive advantage to this plant by increasing the scope of its products, reduce its cost of production by improving operation efficiency, and create opportunities for the excess milk during summer months.

“My first step was to enhance quality, consistency and safety of the Georgian cheese and improve process efficiency,” Hassan said.

Because this domestic cheese is made from raw milk, the cheese making time could take up to 48 hours. This decreased the capacity of the plant and profit. Hassan modified the cheese making process in a way that did not affect its artisanal nature, yet significantly shortened the processing time. He also taught the plant production team how to make Mozzarella cheese from pasteurized milk using various methods.

Nigel Cook presented theHoard’s Dairyman monthly webinar on Monday, May 13, 2013, entitled “No more lame excuses.” Lameness prevalence has increased over time and is not going away. This veterinarian shared research and practical applications to controlling lameness in your herd.

Studies show that lameness is not a regional issue, but is widespread to all housing and management types. Lameness prevalence was as high as 55 percent on some Eastern U.S. farms. On the other extreme, some high producing herds in the Midwest enjoyed just a 13 percent lameness incidence on confinement operations. This data shows that lameness is not a regional issue, but is widespread to all housing and management types.

Cook shared six tips to avoid lame excuses:

1. Sand bedding. Stalls bedded with sand are comfortable and cows will rest for longer periods of time. With mattresses, the rests were shorter and had more up and down activity. Switching from straw bedding to sand showed a 2,500 pound jump in milk. In addition to milk production gains, the somatic cell count dropped and the turnover rate decreased. Cook was quick to point out that mattresses have improved in their design and construction; the gel-filled ones are approaching the benefits of sand.

2. Time to rest. The amount of time spent resting depends on stall design, time spent milking, time in lockups, stocking density and heat abatement. Cows should only be out of their pen for 3 hours each day (for milking).

3. Effective trimming. All cows should be trimmed at dry off with another hoof trim at 80 to 150 days in milk. Trimming heifers before calving is also becoming more common and is recommended.

4. Effective footbath program. In the survey taken by webinar attendees, 69 percent use copper sulfate in their footbaths, while 28 percent use formalin. However, formalin is carcinogenic. Footbaths need to prevent new cases and stop current cases of infectious hoof disease from advancing. The ideal footbaths are now longer (10 feet) to allow more than one immersion per foot per pass, with 2 to 3 passes considered ideal.

According to Cook, there is not an ideal number of cows to pass through a footbath solution before it is replaced. The common suggestion is 200 to 300 cow passes. However, manure contaminants can dilute the active ingredients, as well as prewash footbaths that are intended to clean feet before treatment. Copper sulfate’s popularity may be due to its ability to work in the presence of manure.

5. Flooring – trauma and wear. Rubber flooring has been used on transfer lanes, holding areas, milking parlors and pens to make walking surfaces more comfortable. For uncovered concrete, design has an impact on cow comfort. Ideally, grooved concrete should have 3 1/4 inch strips with ¾ inch wide groove gaps that measure ½ inch deep.

6. Adequate heat abatement. When cows are under heat stress, they stand more. This raises the incidence of lameness over time.

Cook directed viewers to a valuable resource for those wanting to learn more about foot care and lameness, http://thedairylandinitiative.vetmed.wisc.edu. This website contains a broad spectrum of information on building and design.

Zinpro Performance Minerals (www.zinpro.com/dairy) sponsored this webinar which will be archived online at the end of this week.

Join us for next month’s webinar “Group handling and feeding of calves” presented by veterinarian Mark Thomas of Countryside Vet Clinic in New York. On June 10, noon (Central time) he will discuss different housing and feeding systems for dairy calves, ranging from very basic to completely automated. He will share the benefits and potential challenges in the design and implementation of these systems. Join us and be included in the conversation.

Register at www.hoards.com/webinars. Past webinars are archived there as well.

Source: Hoards Dairyman

After a longer than average winter in the Midwest, assessing spring stands will be particularly important to a successful alfalfa crop this year. Here are a few important steps to take that will help you gauge levels of winterkill and winter injury, assess damage accurately and take the proper steps forward.

Roots Tell All
As you walk your field, excavate several alfalfa plants with a spade or shovel aiming to retrieve at least six inches of root tissue. When examining the roots, look for the following:

• Normal roots should be creamy white to tannish brown with very few scars or lesions.
• Moderate to slight damage is harder to assess but is usually manifested by slight discoloration (yellowing), a corky feel and very slow or no re-growth occurring after the soil has warmed up.
• Severely damaged roots will be discolored and possibly have a water soaked or mushy feel to the crown region.

If certain parts of the field look healthier than others, be sure to take root samplings from each area. This will allow you to get a better understanding of your field’s health overall.

Take Counts at the Right Time
Wait until your crop is growing vigorously to take your stand counts; the recommended time is typically when alfalfa is two- to four-inches tall. To get an accurate assessment, throw an alfalfa square and count the number of plants and stems that fall within the border of the square.

If your field is relatively consistent, take one count per acre otherwise take two per acre. Remember to only count plants that are healthy and will survive. Any winterkilled plants should not be counted as to avoid an inaccurate reading and plan for your crop moving forward. A good rule of thumb is that plants with only one to three stems growing out of one side should not be counted.

Newer recommendations for measuring yield potential for an existing stand use the stems per square foot as a more accurate measure of yield potential for an existing stand.

Winter Injury Management
If you do need to keep winter-injured crops for the coming season, you’ll want to be sure to pay special attention to them.

· It is recommended to delay first cutting until first flower, giving the crop more time to recover.
· Top dress these stands with potash and/or phosphorus according to soil test.
· Do not treat winter-injured crops with spring herbicides that are known to stress or stunt plant growth.

Not all crop injury can be avoided, but taking these steps to assess damage and establish a plan to move forward will help you get the most out of your crop heading into summer.

Efficiency in all the productive areas is an important factor for dairy farm profitability today.

The estimated cost of mastitis in the U.S. is about $2 billion per year, and the cost of an individual case has been estimated from many studies to be from $0 to $400.

One cost included in these estimates is the negative effects of clinical and subclinical mastitis over the reproductive performance.

The biggest losses occur from the subclinical cases that are undetected during the daily operation. About 97 percent of all mastitis cases are “subclinical.” While these cases do not involve visible changes to the quarter or the milk it produces, they do result in lower milk production and an increased somatic cell count.

In 1999, the USDA National Animal Health Monitoring System estimated that a cow with subclinical mastitis lost 1.5 pounds of milk with every increase of one point of linear score. This amounts to an estimated loss of production equivalent to $110 per cow per year.

It is not clear how the inflammatory mediators, hormones and neurotransmitters of the immune response affect the reproductive performance of cows.

The first line of defense against pathogens includes both the physical barriers – such as the skin, keratin plug and closed teat ends – plus the effect of immune cells, such as phagocytes and mammary epithelial cells.

When the physical barriers have been breached by a micro-organism, various immunological defenses are present to either limit the growth or kill the invading micro-organism. Inflammatory mediators are present and involved, coordinating the local and systemic response during clinical mastitis.

The presence of endotoxins from the pathogen induce the release of other chemical neurotransmitters and hormones like histamine, serotonin and prostaglandins (PGF2α) responsible for the local response like heat, redness, swelling, pain and loss of function.

However, these mediators and hormones have not only local but systemic effects that can affect reproductive performance and pregnancy loss.

Research from 2001 found that the time when clinical mastitis occurs can extend days open from 85 days on an uninfected cow to 106 days if the infection occurs before first service, and up to 143 days if the infection occurs between first service and pregnancy diagnosis.

There is also a significant reduction in conception rate. Research from 2004 demonstrated that the occurrence of mastitis is associated with prolonged interval to first postpartum A.I., increased services per conception and prolonged interval from calving to conception.

One possible explanation for the negative effects of mastitis on reproduction was illustrated by 2009 studies that found that 30 percent of cows with clinical or subclinical mastitis had an extended interval between estrous and ovulation of up to 56 hours.

This delay in ovulation would likely compromise the viability of semen relative to oocyte age. Those studies indicate that delayed ovulation was primarily from a direct depression of the estradiol production with the consequent depression of GnRH and LH needed to stimulate ovulation.

There are many risk factors that facilitate mastitis infections; these should be considered as opportunities to reduce clinical mastitis incidence and its negative effects on reproduction. The main risk factors for mastitis include:

• Lactation stage: During the dry period and early lactation, susceptibility to mastitis is higher. The risk of developing clinical mastitis, from either chronic infections or from new environmental infections, is greatest during the peripartum period. The incidence of mastitis during the first 60 days in milk is often 12 percent or higher.
• Housing – stalls: Cows in confinement systems are at higher risk for mastitis than cows on pasture. Similarly, cows in tiestalls are generally at higher risk compared with cows in freestalls. Regardless of the system, a clean, dry and comfortable environment is key to reducing clinical and subclinical mastitis incidence. Overstocking, dirty lots and any manure accumulation in alleys, tiestalls or freestalls will increase risk. Stall design will impact the time cows spend lying down; proper size, 2 percent slope and at least 2.5 inches of dry bedding material is important to maintain a dry and clean environment for the udder and to increase cow comfort.
• Feeding: A well-balanced ration that supplies all the nutrients as well as products that enhance health and immune systems will provide a better opportunity to resist mastitis.
• Ventilation: Humidity and high temperatures increase stress and affect milk production. High humidity favors bacterial growth and increases moisture content in bedding material, increasing the risk for mastitis.
• Milking equipment: Eight to 20 percent of new infections can be attributed directly or indirectly to improperly maintained milking equipment.
• Milking procedure: A calm, quiet, efficient, clean and complete milking procedure is fundamental to reduce risk for new mastitis infections. The use of pre-dip and post-dip are the easiest and most cost-effective tools to reduce mastitis incidence.
• Feed delivery: Fresh feed in the bunk when cows return from milking will promote standing for at least 30 minutes to facilitate teat end closure and formation of the keratin plug.
• Regular review: Managers and veterinarians should establish a routine for regular evaluation of udder health status and develop a plan for corrective actions.

Opportunities
Education is the most important tool a manager has to reduce mastitis and its impact on reproduction. The foundation of any milker training, or any other job at the dairy, is not about how, it is about “why.”

All employees, not just milkers, need to understand why they do what they do every day, why it is important to the cows for us to follow procedures and protocols consistently. We all know the parlor is the place where we get money back from all the efforts and investment on a dairy.

I wonder how much time managers and owners spend at the parlor, supervising and encouraging crews to do a good and consistent job?

A dairy is a complex biological web. Tugging on the web in one place will shake up things in another. So it is with reproduction and mastitis. Poor udder preparation or dirty stalls can have a negative influence on reproduction.

Use all the professionals on your team to help you identify weak links that might be having far-ranging negative impacts in other areas of your dairy.

Source: Progressive Dairyman

Calves represent the future of every dairy herd, and delivering proper nutrients during their first critical hours of life is vital to their survival. It’s been well-documented that there are long-term benefits of feeding high-quality colostrum and feeding to a higher plane of nutrition.

Feeding high-quality colostrum
We know that if calves do not receive enough high-quality colostrum, they will not achieve passive transfer. Calves that do not achieve passive transfer are less able to fight off disease challenges because they do not have adequate antibodies.

Calves with failure of passive transfer also have 50 percent less feed efficiency, delayed time to first calving and decreased milk and fat production during the first lactation.

A higher plane of nutrition
Researchers have found that calves fed to a higher plane of nutrition calve 22 days earlier on average and produce 1,700 pounds more milk in the first lactation.

In fact, eight university trials show that calves fed a higher plane of nutrition from birth to weaning had higher milk production in their first lactation than those that were not.

Recent work from Cornell University further examines the long-term benefits of feeding to a higher plane of nutrition in two herds.

One herd showed that for every pound of pre-weaning average daily gain (ADG), heifers produced 1,874 pounds more milk during their first lactation. In the second herd, for every pound of pre-weaning ADG milk yield increased by 2,456 pounds of milk in the first lactation.

Researchers concluded that the relationship between pre-weaning nutrition and higher-lactation milk yield is consistent, but the magnitude of the response might be different between herds.

The Cornell study also examined the relationship between pre-weaning ADG and milk yield in subsequent lactations. Researchers found that there was a positive correlation between second-lactation and third-lactation milk yield and pre-weaning nutrition.

They concluded that “the effect of early life nutrition and management previously attributed only to the first lactation can now be discussed in terms of lifetime productivity.”

A winning combination
The benefits of high-quality colostrum and feeding to a higher plane of nutrition are well-documented. But work from the University of Illinois shows that the results from pairing these two programs trump either as a stand-alone practice.

In this study, calves were classified by their IgG status as having successful passive transfer or failure of passive transfer. Calves were then offered a conventional feeding program or fed to a higher plane of nutrition.

Results showed that all calves fed to a higher plane of nutrition, regardless of IgG status, had better ADG. But those calves with a higher IgG status and a higher plane of nutrition had the greatest ADG and outshone all of the other calves.

The University of Illinois researchers conclude, “growth factors or other components in the colostrum may enable calves to more efficiently use the greater nutrient supply for rapid body growth.”

Achieve the results
To harvest these long-term milk production benefits, start with a sound colostrum management program. Experts agree that calves should be removed from their dam immediately following birth.

This prevents the spread of disease and increases the likelihood that newborns will consume adequate amounts of clean, maternal colostrum or a high-quality colostrum replacer.

Calves should receive 3 quarts of high-quality (more than 50 mg per ml of IgG) colostrum within one hour of birth via nipple bottle or 4 quarts administered by esophageal feeder within one hour of birth.

A high-quality USDA-approved colostrum replacement fed to provide at least 150 g of IgG will also do the job efficiently and effectively.

Next, manage for 1.6 to 2.0 pounds of ADG per large-breed calf through the pre-weaning phase. Small-breed calves should achieve 1.1 to 1.6 pounds of ADG.

This can be achieved by feeding as close to 2.5 pounds (1.8 for small breeds) of dry matter per calf per day as possible in two or preferably three or more feedings, regardless of whether you feed milk, milk replacer or pasteurized waste milk.

The goal is to double a calf’s birthweight and have her grow 4 to 5 inches taller by the time she reaches 56 days old.

Other goals are less than 5 percent calf mortality and less than 10 percent of calves receiving treatments for scours and other diseases.

The advantages to starting calves off with a sound colostrum program and raising calves on a higher plane of nutrition are many.

Benefits may include reduced age at first calving, potential for internal herd growth, reduced calf treatment costs and potentially longer herd life and optimal milk production.  

For more information, email Earleywine or contact him at (800) 618-6455.

Source: Progressive Dairyman

During hot weather it’s difficult for dairy cows to regulate their body temperature, says Alvaro Garcia, SDSU Extension Dairy Specialist.

“Body temperature regulation in dairy cows is constantly challenged by a combination of environmental heat and the heat produced during rumen fermentation and nutrient metabolism,” Garcia said. “Heat stress occurs when cows cannot dissipate enough heat to maintain their core body temperature below 101.3 °F. Air velocity also increases the maximum threshold, suggesting cows housed in facilities with forced air can tolerate higher ambient body temperature.”

Despite the recent cool temperatures of the early spring, temperatures in South Dakota can turn warm very quickly, says Dennis Todey, SDSU Extension Climate Specialist. He says this situation is expected during the next couple days.

“As warm air from the south combines with locally dry conditions it will allow temperatures to reach the 80s statewide,” Todey said.

Because of the cooler spring overall; the rapid shift may produce stressful conditions for livestock.

“The heat this week was preceded by unusually cool days and nights. At this point, cows have not had the chance to acclimate. Cattle usually need two to four weeks of gradual temperature built-up to adapt to changes. Temperatures above the mid-80s can be very stressful, particularly if there is little air movement and humidity above 50%,” Garcia said.

Temperature, humidity, and stage of lactation

When temperatures exceed 75 °F however, intake drops considerably even at 50 percent relative humidity. Intake is reduced at higher intakes and/or productivity.

Garcia says that close-up and early lactation cows are the most sensitive to heat stress and need more stringent cooling strategies. One strategy he suggests is soaking them with water.

“Heat loss through the skin can be improved when both skin and coat are soaked,” Garcia said. “Cows can tolerate greater body temperature during the day when ambient body temperature during the night drop below 70 °F. Keep soaking them in the evening to help accomplish this.”

He adds that intake and production are more closely associated with the temperature of the two previous days than those of the present one.

“Whenever necessary it is important to have strategies that reduce temperature at night,” Garcia said.

Cooling affects milk yield

In order for soaking to be effective, Garcia says sprinklers must soak coat and skin and should work intermittently to allow time for water to evaporate before the next soaking cycle.

“Fans alone are not enough,” Garcia said. “Treating cows under severe heat stress with sprinklers or fans alone is not enough. Both strategies need to be combined.”

He adds that the effectiveness of the cooling system depends on the number of rows of cubicles; four rows, then the sprinklers over the feed bunk and two rows of fans, one over the cubicles, one over the feed bunk, if working with two rows, then one row of sprinklers over the feed bunk and one of fans over the cubicles.

He warns dairy producers about the risks associated with high-pressure misters.

“High-pressure misters reduce the amount of water used, but eject very small droplets and when incapable to soak completely the coat and skin,” he said. “They create an air space between the skin and the water film which insulates and impairs heat dissipation. To achieve cooling they must work with a minimum water flow of 3.4 gallons per hour with 5 minute cycles.”

He explains that if the temperature is 86 degrees, the soaking cycle frequency needs to be every 8 minutes, (1 minute on, 7 minutes off.) When body temperature exceeds 68 degrees, the fans should work continuously.

“Supplemental fan cooling, in combination with low pressure feed bunk sprinklers can reduce the effects of heat stress on milk production and intake,” Garcia said. “Providing clean and fresh water, enough shade and adequate air circulation is critical to maintain production. These systems should be accompanied of key nutritional management strategies suggested for hot weather.”

Todey says near average temperatures will prevail later in the week. But warmer temperatures will return in coming weeks. For more information on keeping dairy cows cool, visit iGrow.

While most dairy producers know that a down cow soon after calving is a telltale sign of clinical hypocalcemia, or milk fever, a lack of symptoms doesn’t mean the problem isn’t present. Subclinical hypocalcemia is more common than its clinical counterpart, occurring in nearly 50 percent of second- and greater-lactation cows not on anionic salts.1 And it is much more difficult to identify than its clinical counterpart.

Subclincal hypocalcemia is an under-recognized disease, according to Dr. Brian Miller, Professional Services Veterinarian with Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. “Hypocalcemia is a gateway or connector disease,” he says. “It is linked to almost every disease we face around the time of calving.”

Low calcium levels in the blood can also increase the risk of injuries due to falling and slipping. Low blood calcium levels also have a blocking effect on immune function and increase the risk of mastitis, retained placenta, metritis and pneumonia.

With or without clinical signs, calcium is essential for all muscle and nerve function in the dairy cow — particularly functions that support skeletal muscle strength and gastrointestinal motility. Problems in either of these areas can trigger a cascade of negative events that ultimately reduce dry-matter intake, increase metabolic diseases and decrease milk yield.2

Clinical hypocalcemia is defined as low blood calcium without obvious signs; animals having it often go unrecognized on a dairy. “Typically, these cows are up and wobbly, may be quivering, are off feed, and have reduced rumen motility,” Dr. Miller says. “Milk losses can be substantial, with clinical milk fever cases resulting in a 14 percent loss of milk production in the subsequent lactation. Animals affected by subclinical hypocalcemia can experience a 2 to 7 percent decrease.”

BOVIKALC: Supplementing calcium when she needs it most

Intravenous (I.V.) calcium is necessary for cows that have become recumbent due to milk fever. To reduce the risk for hypocalcemic relapse, oral calcium is indicated following successful I.V. calcium treatment. Administer one oral supplement once the cow is standing, alert and able to swallow, followed by a second oral supplement about 12 hours later. Intravenous calcium is not recommended for cows that are still standing.

Because most cases of subclinical hypocalcemia go undetected on a dairy, an intentional strategy for oral calcium supplementation is cost-effective due to increased milk yield in supplemented cows. Most second- and greater-lactation cows should be given an oral dose at the time of calving and a second dose about 12 hours later.

BOVIKALC is an oral calcium supplement that is a combination of calcium chloride and calcium sulfate delivered in a fat-coated bolus. Dr. Miller explains that one of the biggest advantages of the product is the combination of two types of calcium it provides. “BOVIKALC gives cows rapidly available calcium, calcium chloride and a sustained-release form of calcium, calcium sulfate,” he adds.

Miller also reminds producers and veterinarians that, for cows, BOVIKALC doesn’t create an unpleasant taste like other calcium supplements. “This encapsulated version of calcium salts has the advantage of not having an unpleasant taste to the cow,” he says. “There’s little or no waste of the oral formulation, no risk for aspiration pneumonia, and a longer release of the oral calcium.”

To learn more about BOVIKALC, contact your herd veterinarian or local
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. representative. For more information, please visit www.bi-vetmedica.com.

Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. (St. Joseph, MO) is a subsidiary of Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation, based in Ridgefield, CT, and a member of the Boehringer Ingelheim group of companies.

1Oetzel GR. Monitoring and testing dairy herds for metabolic disease. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract 2004;20(3):651–674.

2Oetzel GR. Non-infectious diseases: Milk fever. Encyclopedia of Dairy Sciences Vol. 2. Eds. Fuquay JW, Fox PF, McSweeney PLH. San Diego: Academic Press, 2011;239–245.

With dry conditions last summer and early precipitation growers may be having a harder time assessing nitrogen needs this year.

This past summer N stayed in the soil profile longer due to little precipitation. For those with below trend line yields that applied N for trend line or higher yields in the spring of 2012, much of the N was still in the soil last fall.

According to DuPont Pioneer agronomists, the soil N “carried over” could be a great benefit for the corn crop in June. However, as growers continue to receive precipitation, the likelihood of that happening is getting smaller. Spring storms will likely leech the N out of the soil before the plants use it.

While N fertilizers such as anhydrous ammonia, urea and urea-ammonium nitrate (UAN) exist in various forms, the basics of nitrogen availability still apply. Stable ammonium (NH4+) forms are gradually broken down into highly soil mobile nitrate (NO3-) that readily leeches out of the soil profile. This break down process is known as nitrification. Nitrification generally occurs at soil temperatures above 50 degrees, and increases as temperatures rise above this level.

Nitrification inhibitors such as nitrapyrin and DCD (dicyandiamide) are compounds that slow the conversion of ammonium to nitrate and have proven effective for this purpose.

For more information related to soil nitrogen, including tips for managing nitrogen>, contact your Pioneer sales professional or visit www.pioneer.com.

Landmark agronomist says growers must plan accordingly to adjust to “one of the coolest springs on record.”

One of the coolest springs on records has delayed most producers across the Midwest from getting in the field. Typically, 42 percent of the corn in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois is planted by the first week in May. This year, only 5 percent of the planting had occurred by May 3.

Despite the delay in planting, Joe Speich, an agronomist for Landmark Services Cooperatives, says growers can still position themselves for a successful growing season.

“There’s still time to get the crop in the ground,” he says. “A successful start impacts the entire growing season, so it’s best to focus on the essentials rather than rushing planting.”

Essential variables of planting include: soil temperatures and conditions, ambient temperatures and rainfall. These conditions should be monitored and forecasted as the first 48 hours after planting are the most critical for corn seedling growth.

Successful corn planting is a combination of these conditions and timing. Planting too early in cool or wet conditions can cause seedling damage; however, if planting occurs after May 20 in the Midwest, it is estimated that 1 to 2 bushels per acre per day will be lost due to a shortened growing season.

“No matter the timing, we first need to get the stands started and healthy,” Speich says. “We need to make sure we plant the crop right the first time, because we can’t fix it after it’s gone in the ground.”

Here are five rules from the Landmark Agronomy team on providing the best start to the corn crop:

1. Wait until soil temperature reaches 50 degrees F. 
Planting corn in soil that is too cold can impact early seedling development. Speich says the optimal soil for corn planting is 50 degrees F because the warmth helps foster seedling growth.

2. Plant corn when average daily high temperatures reach 60 to 70 degrees F and overnight temperatures are in the mid-50 degree F temperature range for an extended period of time. 
With the delayed spring in the Midwest, temperatures have not reached this level for an extended period of time, meaning that soil temperatures have not reached the needed temperature. Watch the forecast for an extended period of warm temperatures before planting. Cold weather following planting can cause damage to seedlings by cooling the soil.

3. Do not plant before expected rainfall. 
Cold water can damage seedlings and reduce yields from the start. The most critical period of the growing season is the 48 hours following planting.

“If more than 1 inch of cold rain happens after planting, we can predict about a 20 percent stand loss just from the cold weather of the rain,” Speich says. “Once the cold water gets into the seedling, it causes cracking and infections of the cells. Look for a constant, warm 60 to 70 degree period with no major rain in the forecast; that’s a safe time to be planting corn.”

4. Be observant of soil conditions. 
Moisture levels in the soil impact seedling growth. Plant corn in saturated soil can be problematic.

“If soil is muddy, you can start seeing sidewall compaction caused by the corn planter,” Speich says. “This can cause a delay in root development in corn. To help ensure a better yield, be conscious on how wet the fields are and do not try to rush them. Letting the field dry out for an additional day will pay dividends in the fall.”

As a general rule, if the soil sticks to the depth-gauge wheel on the corn planter, the soil is too wet for corn planting.

5. Work with an agronomist to create a planting plan. 
Fertilizers, growth regulators, planter box treatments and other additives can help promote early corn stand growth. Agronomists can determine a plan that works best for the field and the goals of the operation.

“Rely on a trusted agronomist for recommendations,” Speich says. “Each farm is different; an agronomist can help you determine which products, planting time and programs are best for you.”

For more information on spring corn planting, contact Joe Speich at (608) 751-4707 orJoseph.Speich@landmark.coop or visit www.landmark.coop .

Landmark Services Cooperative is a member-owned cooperative business dedicated to providing both rural and urban customers the highest quality products and services. For more than 80 years, Landmark has been providing agronomy, energy, animal nutrition, grain, retail and transportation products and services to its more than 15,000 members in South Central Wisconsin and Northern Illinois. Employing nearly 500 people in rural areas and reaching sales in excess of $570 million, Landmark provides the benefits of volume buying and access to state-of-the-art technology to its members while maintaining a hands-on, customer service-oriented approach in each of the communities we serve. For more information, visit www.landmark.coop or call 1-800-236-3276.

Reproductive management is the profit engine of the dairy. A strong reproductive program delivers a steady pipeline of replacements, providing flexibility in herd management decisions.

A subpar system is a profitability drag on the dairy, resulting in longer lactations, reduced milk production and the purchase of replacement heifers.

So what is the secret to reproductive success? Really, it’s no secret at all. The key is getting more semen in more cows when they are most likely to become pregnant.

As the saying goes, “100 percent of the cows that aren’t inseminated will never become pregnant.” And the very best herds are able to get more semen in more cows than the average operation is able to do.

What drives pregnancy rate?
Pregnancy rate is the gold standard for reproductive measurement. It’s a figure that measures how many cows eligible to become pregnant during a 21-day cycle become pregnant.

The two drivers of pregnancy rate are heat detection risk (HR) and conception risk (CR). But which is the real driver for herds with excellent reproductive performance?

Excellent reproductive performance is most associated with reproductive management that results in excellent insemination management combined with average conception risk, according to research from the University of Pennsylvania.

In that study, published in the February 2013 Journal of Dairy Science, researchers looked at 16 high-performing herds. These herds were Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council award winners and ranged in size from 262 to 6,126 cows.

Pregnancy rates ranged from 26.5 percent to 39.4 percent. After comparing these herds with herds in the DHIA database, researchers found that the herds ranked in the 99th percentile for pregnancy rate, 99th percentile for insemination risk and around the 50th percentile for conception rate.

That means the very best herds rated the best in pregnancy rate and insemination risk (basically, the “risk” a cow would be inseminated) and were middle of the road for conception.

The researchers concluded that insemination management, resulting in a high insemination risk, drove reproductive success. In these high-performing herds, more than 75 percent of all cows are bred for the first time within 21 days of the end of their herd voluntary waiting period.

The insemination risk for repeat inseminations averaged 63.2 percent. Herd managers used a system that prepared cows for breeding and made sure semen was put in them as soon as possible and as often as possible.

How synchronization and activity monitors can help
Research into reproductive performance has focused on management technologies that help dairy producers inseminate open cows more often.

The introduction of synchronization programs ensured cows came into estrus and were inseminated in a window of time. Newer technologies such as automated heat detection share the same goal – identifying more cows ready for insemination.

As you evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your own program, each technology raises questions. Is one better than the other? Can they work together?

To help provide some answers, researchers at the University of Guelph used three large Canadian herds to compare reproductive success using timed A.I. synchronization or automated heat detection. In total, they enrolled 1,429 cows on three dairies.

At the pen level, each dairy used one technology for six months and then switched to the other. They calculated results after one year.

Each herd used a different synchronization program and only one included a presynch. All herds practiced “cherry picking” and inseminated cows observed on visual estrus outside of timed A.I.

The researchers found little difference in each herd’s performance with a timed A.I. synchronization program and automated heat detection.

Between 19 percent and 32 percent of all inseminations were based on visually detected estrus, and herd performance improved by breeding cows in heat outside of the synchronization protocol.

The study showed slight improvement from the use of automated heat detection in the herds without a presynchronization program as part of their timed A.I.

However, this improvement was visible only when the “cherry picked” cows were removed from the data. These cows are likely the most fertile in the group, which reduced the success rate of the overall synchronization group.

What works best
Timed A.I. synchronization and automated heat detection through the use of activity monitors are two technologies that can help improve reproductive success. We believe most herds will likely benefit from a combination of synchronization with heat detection.

Using a synchronization program, including a presynch, can improve days to first service by ensuring all cows are inseminated soon after the voluntary waiting period.

Accurate heat detection following this first service will help identify open cows ready for re-insemination. Heat detection can be conducted in many ways, including activity monitors, tail chalk, mounted detectors and visual observation.

Before you change your protocols, review your breeding program with your veterinarian. No system is “one size fits all,” and your veterinarian has the best insight into your program and your needs.

In fact, as many as 25 percent of cows will not display estrus that automated heat detection can sense. It’s one of many reasons why a “one or the other” approach can be risky.

As you evaluate your program, identify strengths and weaknesses in your operation before you make a purchase. If you already have average or better heat detection rates, adding a technology such as automated heat detection may not deliver the gains you want.

Similarly, if you use a synchronization program that includes several GnRH injections, success from heat detection will be limited. GnRH is a hormone that reduces estrus expression. Herds with poor heat detection will likely capture greater gains from a technology investment.

The secret to reproductive success is not a secret. Most often, inseminating more cows improves the likelihood that more cows will become pregnant.

Source: Progressive Dairyman

Internal parasites continue to be one of the largest problems that plague the livestock industries. Economic costs due to parasitism vary with animal age, stage of growth, degree of exposure, and level of nutrition. Various estimates have put the cost of internal parasites at nearly $2 billion per year. While parasites are ubiquitous, their impact on various dairy cattle groups varies greatly due to management, nutrition, genetics, and rates of exposure.

In the NE regions of the US, the major time for cattle to acquire new infections is just ahead. Therefore, it is a good time for producers and veterinarians to consider how to make parasite control programs not only effective, but to design control programs to minimize resistance as well. The cattle industry has been blessed over the past 40 years by the introduction of many very effective pharmaceuticals that made parasite control much easier. With these products high productivity and low parasite burdens could be accomplished via a number of convenient treatment options. It became easy for many people to consider parasite control as just a treatment issue. This allowed many producers and veterinarians to spend relatively little time developing a strategy or whole farm approach. A whole farm approach would include the life cycle of the parasite, the immunity or resistance of an animal or animal groups, management of the environment (pasture), and the long term concerns for development of resistance. A good plan will help keep therapy effective, while at the same time reducing the risk of development of resistant parasite strains. Resistant strains of parasites are a major concern in South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia, and they are an emerging problem in the southern US. Serious and hard to manage resistance problems have been seen in sheep, goats, horses, and cattle. Utilizing a more carefully thought out strategy will prevent or greatly delay this problem from affecting the dairy industry.

Heavily parasitized animals, primarily young cattle on pasture, can have severe health impacts. Broad spectrum anthelminthics have been a boon to animal health and productivity through effective removal of parasites. However, the indiscriminate use and improper dosing of these broad spectrum compounds has created emerging problems with resistant parasite strains. Strategic worming programs do not advocate zero care and allowing animals to suffer slowly or lose productivity gains simply to reduce the risk of developing resistance. For animal health, welfare, and profitability, animal caretakers have several legitimate reasons to minimize disease and suffering by parasites. Severely infested animals or groups need to be treated appropriately. Hopefully with a well designed control plan these sorts of cases will be few and far in between.

Much has been written in the last few years about the need to preserve some susceptible strains in the environment (refugia). No treatment strategy is 100% effective and a few parasites always remain. The goal of parasite control programs should not be 100% elimination of all parasites, rather it should be cost effective control that promotes healthy animals. Treatment strategies that do not match the life cycle of the parasite with the burden of parasites in the animal or on the pasture can actually select for more resistance genes. Conversely, just a few adjustments in treatment strategy can allow a mixing of good animal productivity along with the preservation of some susceptible strains. Allowing a greater proportion of the parasite population to remain susceptible dilutes the resistance genes (click here for a very reader-friendly summary from the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine).

Dairy producers are encouraged to design a parasite control program with their veterinarian. Here are some elements that might be considered in crafting a more effective parasite program.

1. Routinely use fecal egg counts (FEC; e.g., McMasters test for Fecal Egg Count) to determine which, if any, groups of animals are actually infected. Some groups may have little or no parasite load and do not need to be treated. A few heavy shedders can put most of the eggs into the environment.
2. When it is determined that a group of animals needs to be treated, treat only one half of the group at a time. Treat the second half of the group 1 to 2 weeks later. This strategy allows more susceptible genes to remain in the parasite population.
3. Management strategies can be employed to minimize infective parasite larvae accumulation on pasture (e.g., pasture rotation, making hay, maintaining a grass height over 1 inch, and providing plenty of alternate feeds when grass becomes limited).
4. Do not treat and then move onto a ‘clean’ pasture. This strategy promotes more or only resistant parasite strains on the new pasture. Treat and allow animals to remain on the same pasture for a while before rotating pastures.
5. Make sure that animals are dosed at rates appropriate for size. Correct mg/kg matters. Under dosing leads to resistance. Over dosing can lead to toxicity or residue concerns.
6. Limit manure application on pastures that will be grazed in the same year.
7. Veterinarians should work with producers to monitor effectiveness of product and treatment strategies. The FEC (on individual or pooled fecal samples) can be used as an approximation method to monitor effectiveness or the emergence of resistance. A therapeutic intervention is applied and a second FEC is done on the same population a minimum of 7 days later, but probably better in the 10 to 14 day range. If the treatment was effective, a 90% reduction in FEC should be expected. If this strategy is used to monitor effectiveness or resistance it is important that a consistent method of determining eggs per gram is used. Variations in methodology greatly reduce the validity when interpreting this information.

Source: Penn State Extension

References:

• Ballweber, LS, editor, Ruminant Parasitology, Veterinary Clinics of North America, November 2006, Vol 22, No 3
• Godden, S and SM McGuirk, editors, Dairy Heifer Management, Veterinary Clinics of North America, March 2008, Vol 24, No 1
• http://www.fda.gov/downloads/AnimalVeterinary/ResourcesforYou/UCM347442.pdf

As the price of corn goes, so goes the price of corn silage. Knowing how the price of the former will affect the price of the latter can translate into extra dollars in the pockets of farmers.

Purdue Extension has a new publication to help dairy producers and corn silage growers determine those prices. Determining a Value for Corn Silage also contains an online Corn Silage Crop Calculator. The publication, AS-611-W, is free and available athttps://mdc.itap.purdue.edu/item.asp?item_number=AS-611-W.

“Corn silage prices depend on the price of grain, and there can be a huge variation in prices,” said Tamilee Nennich, a Purdue Extension dairy cattle nutrition specialist and one of the publication’s authors. “There are a wide variety of strategies out there with which we can price corn silage.”

Corn silage, a forage consisting of corn grain and cornstalks harvested when the corn plant is still partially green, makes up about 30 percent of the dry matter in an average dairy cow’s diet. The forage is a good source of fiber and energy for lactating cows.

The $40-$50 per ton that dairy farmers typically pay corn growers for silage often turns into $50-$80 per ton once the dairy producer harvests and transports the forage, and then places it in a silo for fermentation and storage, Nennich said. The silage usually remains in storage for months until it is ready to be fed to cows.

There are many issues dairy producers and corn silage growers should consider when pricing silage. Buyers and sellers will come at it from different perspectives, Nennich said. One such issue is moisture content.

“Corn silage should contain 65-68 percent moisture, but the amount of actual feed dry matter varies and should be taken into account,” she said. “Determining the silage dry matter is necessary for arriving at the actual amount of feed that is harvested from a field.”

Grain yield is another consideration. A larger grain harvest could portend a higher silage price.

“As a general rule of thumb, you can price silage by multiplying the price of corn per bushel by a factor of somewhere between eight and 10,” Nennich said.

The Corn Silage Crop Calculator is a Microsoft Excel-based program that comes in two parts. One part calculates silage price based on silage yield from the field, while the other calculates silage price based on corn grain price. Either part can be used to arrive at a price for corn silage.

In both spreadsheets the farmer will enter data such as corn price per bushel, silage yield per acre or estimated grain yield, percent of corn silage dry matter, harvest/hauling/storage cost and the estimated amount of shrinkage during storage. Results appear as cost of corn silage value per ton and the final cost of silage to producer.

“There are default values built into the calculator, or a silage producer can adjust the values according to what they save in harvesting, drying and storage costs,” Nennich said. “The dairy producer can make adjustments on what their cost would be to haul and harvest the corn silage themselves, so that they can see how that affects the final silage price at feeding.”

Nennich hopes silage producers and their dairy producer customers do the calculations together. “It can help them arrive at a mutual agreement for corn silage,” she said.

Determining a Value for Corn Silage is co-authored by Kern Hendrix, a retired Purdue Extension cattle specialist. The publication is among a series of five new dairy management publications written or co-written by Nennich. All are free for download. Others include:

* Feeding Distillers Grain to Young Dairy Heifers (AS-609-W) – https://mdc.itap.purdue.edu/item.asp?item_number=AS-609-W

* Supplementing Young Grazing Dairy Heifers With Lick Tubs: A Case Study (AS-610-W – https://mdc.itap.purdue.edu/item.asp?item_number=AS-610-W

* Forages and Feeding Dairy Cattle During Drought Conditions (AS-616-W) – https://mdc.itap.purdue.edu/item.asp?item_number=AS-616-W

* Drought and Nutrient Management Considerations for Dairy Farms (AS-617-W) – https://mdc.itap.purdue.edu/item.asp?item_number=AS-617-W

Source: Purdue University Extension

High employee turnover can damage dairy wellness and profitability. The cost of employee turnover is difficult to determine, but the American Management Association estimates employee turnover costs an operation anywhere from 25% to 200% of the person’s annual salary. For a milker making $25,000, each new employee could cost you from $6,000 to $50,000 in hiring and training time and lost productivity, not to mention stress on the employees who stay.

“Some dairies we’ve worked with have seen 100% turnover in a calendar year in certain departments,” Contreras says. “Breaking the cycle of employee turnover is essential for operating a well-managed, successful dairy, and it starts with conducting better interviews and screening potential employees.”

Contreras suggests following these tips for hiring better employees.

1. Know who you want
Think about your current employees, especially the ones who are successful. What makes them good? Why do they like your operation? Know your stars, and strive to recruit and hire people like them.

2. Always be looking
Don’t just spring into action when you have an opening. If potentially good employees come to your door when you don’t have an available position, interview them and keep their information on file for when you’re ready to hire.

3. Ask thoughtful, behavioral questions
Learn more about prospective employees by asking questions that require more than one-word answers. Ask questions that require interviewees to tell a story. That allows you to learn more about their mindset and their experience. If you are filling a position that requires a specific technical skill, ask candidates to show you how they would do it.

For more help on hiring better employees, talk to a certified labor consultant, such as the ones available through PeopleFirst™. PeopleFirst™ is the industry’s first comprehensive human capital solutions program. These services were created to address the challenges Zoetis customers face managing today’s complex operations. Visit GrowPeopleFirst.com to learn more.

About Zoetis
Zoetis (zō-EH-tis) is the leading animal health company, dedicated to supporting customers and businesses focused on raising and caring for livestock and companion animals. Building on a 60-year history as the animal health business of Pfizer, Zoetis discovers, develops, manufactures and markets veterinary vaccines and medicines, complemented by diagnostic products and genetic tests and supported by a range of services. The company generated annual revenues of $4.3 billion in 2012. It has more than 9,300 employees worldwide and a local presence in approximately 70 countries, including 29 manufacturing facilities in 11 countries. Its products serve veterinarians, livestock producers and people who raise and care for livestock and companion animals in 120 countries. For more information, visit www.zoetisUS.com.

How different is the feed at various locations along the feed bunk? That was one of the measures reported at a Michigan State University Extension meeting of a TMR audit performed by feed company representatives on a local farm. At the time, I thought it was interesting, but did not appreciate how significant it can be.

Combine variation in feed quantity or quality along a feed bunk with overcrowding in a pen, and you will get competition with winners and losers. Julie Huzzey from the University of British Columbia, presented a paper on the significance of competition during overcrowding situations at the 2013 Tri-State Dairy Nutrition Conference. Video footage of a pen with headlocks along the feed bunk indicated that even two head of cattle competed for a slug of higher quality feed at one of the headlocks, even though normal quality feed was available at all of the other headlocks.

Research has better defined the negative impacts of overcrowding of cow pens, not only in performance, but also physiologically and behaviorally. The losers of competition will hold back profitability of your whole herd.

Producers who routinely overcrowd pens often use various justifications. Some will say that at any one time they expect a certain proportion of their cows to be lying down, a proportion to be eating and the remainder to be in between those two states. It sounds legitimate, but how true is it, especially considering the social nature of these animals that prefer to engage in certain activities, such as feeding, at the same time?

Others may say that they don’t see any decrease in production per cow when feedbunk space per cow decreases. Cows do attempt to compensate. However, even in compensation there may be additional problems. We’ve long known that cortical levels increase in cows during stress and that overcrowding is a stress that increases cortisol production. Huzzey reported that increased cortisol may change energy metabolism and result in higher NEFA (non-esterified fatty acids) levels.

One method that cows compensate for overcrowding at the feed bunk is to consume feed at a faster rate while spending less time at the feed bunk. While dry matter intake may not decrease in these cows, the effectiveness of the cow in nutrient absorption and digestibility may be reduced significantly due to the slug feeding.

Studies by Huzzey also showed when the stalls are limited, cows will lay down at the expense of spending time at the feed bunk. For instance, when cows in overstocked groups – in this case by 50 percent – return from milking, they are more likely to go lay down than to go to the feed bunk. In fact, they lay down 13 minutes sooner than cows did where the density of cows per stall was 1:1.

When space is limited, cows will attempt to displace cows standing at the feed bunk by head butting. Animals in a group may be classified as those who are “less successful” at displacing others (they are more often displaced), “moderately successful” (they are as likely to displace others as to be displaced) or “highly successful” (displace others more often than they are displaced). In a mixed group, the low success group is generally heifers. The low success group has higher cortisol levels and is the group that will benefit the most from regrouping or lower density.

Short-term overcrowding may be necessary in expanding herds or when heifer calf births are high. Cattle can compensate to some degree for these times unless they are vulnerable for other reasons. Transition groups should be considered high risk and overcrowding either the feed bunk or stall space should be avoided. Close up dry cows may not be able to compensate or recover from competition for feeding or lying space.

It can be tempting to overcrowd groups regularly, but we are learning more about the negative impacts on cow health, welfare and ultimately cow productivity and profitability. Give your cows the space they need, and they will give you the performance you need. Management should change in order to reduce the impacts of overcrowding.  More frequent feeding and pushing up of feed, more frequent scraping of manure and good bed maintenance should be priorities.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visithttp://www.msue.msu.edu. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

The overall goal of dairy heifer rearing is to economically raise heifers to be of adequate size and body condition and to calve at a reasonable age to produce high quantities of high quality milk during the first lactation. This goal takes many things into account including economics, growth, health, and production.

There was a time when age at first calving may have been overstressed at the expense of body size. Today, growth is emphasized with age being secondary. It is more desirable to have a well-grown heifer that calves slightly older than one that calves at 24 months but is undersized. An undersized heifer will likely struggle during the first lactation, will not compete well at the feed bunk in the milking herd, and will shift nutrients from production to growth.

Previously, growth standards were fairly rigid with specific weight goals stated for each breed. However, given that mature body size varies from herd to herd due to genetic selection goals, recommendations for bodyweight at first calving should be expected to vary similarly. Today’s rule of thumb is to have heifers calve at approximately 82% of their mature bodyweight. In order to evaluate one’s herd status, the dairy farmer needs to know the average weight of mature cows in the herd as well as bodyweights of heifers post-calving. For example, if a herd’s average bodyweight for mature cows is 1,500 lbs., the goal bodyweight at first calving would be 1,230 lbs.

Good management is required in order to reach the overall heifer management goal. It includes a strong nutrition program that encompasses forage testing, ration balancing, pasture management and supplementation, and growth monitoring. Facilities need to be functional, not fancy. Providing animals with clean, dry, and well-ventilated facilities is important for good health and growth.

Herd health for heifers begins before birth by ensuring that dry cows are properly fed, are in good body condition, have been vaccinated, and calve in a desirable environment. Colostrum management should provide at least 2 quarts of high quality colostrum to the calf within the first two hours of birth followed by subsequent feedings at 12-hour intervals for the first 3 days of life. Providing good nutrition, minimizing stress, and developing a health protocol for heifers with the assistance of the herd’s veterinarian are essentials for raising healthy heifers and achieving growth goals.

Monitoring age at first calving is still important. It is costly to delay calving, especially when feed prices are high. Many factors including growth and reproductive management influence age at first calving. One should be mindful when evaluating age at first calving because there is a 9-month lag between the management functions that resulted in conception and the time of calving. A timelier parameter to monitor is age at conception. PCDART has a database item (272) for age in days at conception. In order for a herd to reach a goal for age at first calving of 24 months, age at first pregnancy would need to be 15 months. Keeping track of age at first pregnancy for heifers diagnosed pregnant each month would allow the dairy manager to make timelier corrections to the nutrition and reproduction programs as needed. The Heifer Tracker in PCDART makes monitoring this database item fairly simple. Note that age at first breeding would likely need to be 13 months to achieve the age at first pregnancy goal to account for average conception rates.

The ultimate measure of success of the heifer rearing program is how well heifers perform once they are in the milking herd. Peak and summit milk, 305-day mature equivalent milk, and somatic cell counts in the first 40 days of milk can be useful parameters to track on a monthly basis.

Source: Dave Winston, Extension Dairy Scientist & Dairy, Youth Program Coordinator, (540) 231-5693, dwinston@vt.edu

Nitrogen (N) fertilizer applied as anhydrous ammonia, UAN solutions or urea can be lost if adverse (primarily wet) weather conditions precede the uptake by crops. According to DuPont Pioneer, controlled-release nitrogen fertilizers can reduce these losses by delaying the initial release of N and providing it gradually to better match its availability with crop uptake needs.

Controlled-release, also called slow-release or delayed-release, N fertilizers include coated ureas, non-coated “chemical-release” forms and other products. The higher cost of controlled-release products generally excludes their use in cases where conventional N fertilizers can perform the same function adequately. These products may be most useful for:

• High-value crops (i.e. seed crop)
• Environmentally sensitive areas
• Fields highly susceptible to N losses
• Fields with limited opportunities for repeat applications
• Contest plots
• Foliar applications

Most growers of commodity row crops who use controlled-release products likely apply most of their crops’ N needs with conventional products and only use controlled-release products to supplement their primary N fertilization program.

It’s fairly common practice to operate fans and sprinklers to keep the lactating herd cool. But an often overlooked group of cows are the dry cows.

According to National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) Dairy Study 74.3 percent of all operations provided fans for the lactating herd, while only 36 percent provided fans for dry cows. Sprinklers were provided to the lactating herd on 20.3 percent of all operations, yet only 4.6 percent of dry cows were cooled with sprinklers.[1]

It’s common knowledge that the negative side effects of heat stress for the lactating herd include losses in milk production and poor reproduction. But until now, not much focus has been placed on what happens when dry cows experience heat stress. Research from the University of Florida is shedding light on how important it is to cool this group of cows.

“If cooling dry cows isn’t something you’ve ever considered, it may be an area that holds significant economic potential for your operation,” says Dr. Bruno Amaral, dairy nutritionist with Purina Animal Nutrition in Florida.

The effects of heat stress on dry cows were evaluated in three consecutive research trials. Cows were imposed to heat stress (shade, no fans and no sprinklers) or cooling (shade, fans and sprinklers) from dry off until calving. Upon calving all cows were moved into a free stall barn with sprinklers and fans. The studies ran until 30 weeks in lactation.

Results from these studies showed calves born from heat stressed cows weighed on average 17 pounds less; differences in birth weights for individual studies are as follows 28.7 pounds, 12 pounds and 10.7 pounds.[2]

Cows that were cooled during the dry period produced an average of 14 pounds more milk in the first 30 weeks post-calving than heat stressed cows. Milk production responses ranged from 10.3 pounds to 20.5 pounds of additional milk for the three studies.

Outside of milk production and calf birth weights, research also showed heat stressed cows had impaired immune function. “Immune cells isolated from cows that were cooled showed a greater ability to kill bacteria and fight off infections at 20 days post-partum,” says Amaral.

“The magnitude of response an individual herd can experience from cooling its dry cows will be directly related to the heat intensity and load,” says Amaral.

“The research study holds true with what we typically see in the market,” says Amaral explaining that the fourth quarter of the year is typically when there is the lowest milk production volume across the U.S. “The cows that are peaking in the fourth quarter of the year are the cows that were heat stressed when they were dry.”

The data from NAHMS underscores how much opportunity for improvement exists. “If you haven’t considered cooling the dry cows on your operation, you may be missing milk production potential,” says Amaral.

Purina Animal Nutrition LLC (www.purinamills.com) is a national organization serving producers, animal owners and their families through more than 4,700 local cooperatives, independent dealers and other large retailers across the United States. Driven by an uncompromising commitment to animal excellence, Purina Animal Nutrition is an industry innovator, offering America’s leading brands of complete feeds, supplements, premixes, ingredients and specialty technologies for the livestock and lifestyle animal markets. Headquartered in Shoreview, Minn., Purina Animal Nutrition LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Land O’Lakes, Inc.

[1] USDA APHIS, Dairy 2007, Facility Characteristics and cow comfort on U.S. dairy operations, 2007, pgs 33 to 37

[2] Heat stress abatement in dry cows: Does cooling improve transition success?, B. Amaral, Cool Cow Heat Abatement Seminar, 2013

Choosing whether or not to use an inoculant can impact a livestock producer’s bottom line. Now available as a mobile app, the Inoculant Value Calculator (IVC) from DuPont Pioneer helps producers easily calculate the overall value of forage inoculants.

Pricing and Cost Savings
This calculator helps producers make the best silage management decision by estimating inoculant cost per cow per day and the overall feed cost savings per cow per day. Users answer 10 questions about the crop, the storage system, feeding rates and market prices of corn and soybeans to show the economic returns of various inoculant options.

After answering the simple questions, livestock producers are provided with three main “values” to calculate: 1) value from reduced shrink, 2) value of improved bunklife and 3) value of reduced feed input. These calculations allow producers to forecast dry matter recovery or preservation on the front end, predict aerobic stability on the back end and estimate feed cost savings.

Backed by Research
Backed by 27 years of research, the calculator integrates input from nearly 150 on-farm trials to help producers determine which inoculants offer the greatest return on investment for their specific operation. The new IVC app is available from the Apple App Store SM for iPad use.

For more information on forage management, visit www.pioneer.com/forage or contact your local DuPont Pioneer dairy specialist or livestock information manager.

The dairy industry currently faces higher feed costs, yardage costs, land values, cull cow values, sexed semen technology, dairy heifer inventory and beef prices. There is also a shortage of feeder replacements and the fact that you can usually purchase a springing heifer for $200–$400 less than actual rearing costs. Therefore, dairy producers must focus more on their heifer business enterprise because today’s economy does not automatically give every heifer a lactation career opportunity.

The industry needs to shift to recording and monitoring early life indicators like birth weights, passive transfer, average daily gains to 70 and 150 days of age and disease events.

These parameters have impact on several key areas of heifer nutritional management, especially the first 100 days of age. This timeframe is critical to help determine whether heifers earn their lactation careers.

The following four bottlenecks or phases of heifer development offer opportunities for dairy producers and heifer raisers to enhance heifer-rearing programs:

1. Colostrum Management. Harvesting and delivering an adequate volume of clean, high-quality colostrum in a timely manner must be the foundation of all successful dairy heifer development programs. It’s essential that 4 quarts of colostrum (Holsteins) is delivered quickly after the calf’s birth. Also ensure that proper sanitation occurs during colostrum harvest.

2. Ramp up milk intake (energy and protein) during week one.A calf needs more energy than 2 quarts of milk replacer twice a day will provide. From day two to day seven, consider feeding 3 quarts of milk replacer twice a day or 2.5 quarts three times per day.

3. Weaning. Wean calves when they consume 2.5 to 3 lbs. of a quality starter feed daily. Make sure free-choice water is available and consider leaving calves in individual hutches for a week after weaning, or until they consume 8 lbs. of starter grain, to help them to adjust to the change.

4. Lag phase. This is the period from about week nine to week 17 and includes the time when calves are transferred to group pens and introduced to forages. Avoid group housing until heifers consume 8 lbs. of starter grain daily, and wait to introduce hay to the diet until they have been in group pens for a week. Also wait to introduce corn silage or haylage until these animals are five months of age. Transition to a grower grain mix.

These points are not weak links on every farm, but they offer a good review to see where improvements can be made. An additional four bottlenecks will be discussed next month.

Meanwhile, remember that more intensive management systems that correct these bottlenecks are worth the effort and extra cost of inputs and labor through a reduction in veterinary and medicine bills and lower death losses. Click here to learn more about these heifer development bottlenecks and how to manage them on your operation.

Source: Agweb

Common house fly, Musca domestica.

We’ve all heard the old saying, “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.”  But that’s part of the problem where these germ-spreading pests are concerned:  House fly larvae can protect themselves against our most effective pesticides by burrowing deep into gooey substances like food, and adult house flies are very adept at developing resistance to pesticides.

The scientists of the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) say they’ve found an exciting alternative: a “fly swatter” in the form of a virus.  This new weapon, called salivary gland hypertrophy virus or SGHV, is a member of a newly discovered family of viruses called Hytrosaviridae.

Once a female house fly is infected with SGHV, her salivary glands swell up to huge proportions while  her ovaries remain small, and she can’t lay eggs.  That’s because the virus hijacks her body’s protein-manufacturing control system, and the protein that would normally go to make eggs is diverted to make SGHV particles. SGHV-infected male flies can’t mate.

As infected flies feed, they spew massive quantities of the virus particles on the food they leave behind.  When non-infected flies feast on the leftovers, they pick up the virus.

The scientists are testing ways to put this new “fly swatter” to work.  They’ve tried dipping flies in a solution of infected flies and water, or letting flies walk across a surface treated with the fly-water mix.  The results have been good, with an infection rate of more than 50 percent.

Although the scientists have focused principally on common house flies, other tests showed that the black dump fly and the stable fly are also significantly impacted by SGHV.  Stable flies are a significant economic pest that affects cattle, pigs, horses and other large animals, and the flies can be a problem in recreational areas.

While the virus won’t ever be a “quick fix” for flies at a picnic, for example, the scientists say it could become part of an integrated management program in which the virus is applied early in the year when flies start to reproduce—and it provides a promising template for the development of novel insect birth-control chemistries.

Source: Chris Guy, USDA Agricultural Research Service Information Staff

Each stage of a calf’s nutritional program is important to ensuring a healthy and profitable calf crop. A sound and well-managed feeding program is critical after birth to allow a good foundation for calves. In addition to water, colostrum and milk replacer, a calf starter should be fed after birth.

“Because calves are born without a functioning rumen, it is critical that a calf starter is offered one to three days after birth,” says Katie Mason, calf and heifer specialist with Purina Animal Nutrition LLC.

The fermentation from water and feed are needed to properly develop a calf’s rumen. Delaying calf starter intake can delay rumen growth, ultimately delaying the age at which calves can be weaned.

Mason recommends starting calves on feed with a handful of calf starter. As they eat the feed, offer them more starter until they are eating as much as they want. But be careful not to overfill the feed bucket because calves like to lick the bottom of the feed bucket while they are eating. This will also prevent the feed from becoming stale and spoiling.

Calf starter should be checked daily to make sure the feed is clean and fresh. Spoiled grain should be removed every day. A divider between the feed bucket and water or milk bucket can prevent having to discard wet feed.

In addition to feeding a good quality calf starter (at least 20 percent protein), make sure calves have access to clean, fresh water.

“A good rule of thumb for water consumption that I follow is 4 pounds of water for every pound of starter calves eat,” notes Mason. Free choice water should be offered to calves 1 to 2 days after birth. Water consumption will encourage feed intake, leading to faster growth and an earlier weaning age.

Calf starter intake is a primary factor for weaning calves. Instead of making weaning decisions by age alone, evaluate the amount of starter eaten by calves.

“Calves can be weaned once they are consuming 1.5 to 2 pounds of starter for three consecutive days,” says Mason. “I always measure out 1.5 to 2 pounds of starter so I know what that amount looks like.”

It is recommended that calf starter be fed to at least 12 weeks of age for strong feed consumption through the stress of weaning, grouping, moving, vaccinating and dehorning. From there, the calf can be transitioned to a grower feed.

Following these calf starter tips will help fuel your calves’ growth and their performance, allowing them to achieve maximum growth at an earlier age which will strengthen your farm’s bottom-line.

For more information on calf starter, contact Katie Mason at (937) 407-1978, email: KBMason@landolakes.com or go to: www.amplicalf.com .

Purina Animal Nutrition LLC (www.purinamills.com) is a national organization serving producers, animal owners and their families through more than 4,700 local cooperatives, independent dealers and other large retailers across the United States. Driven by an uncompromising commitment to animal excellence, Purina Animal Nutrition is an industry innovator, offering America’s leading brands of complete feeds, supplements, premixes, ingredients and specialty technologies for the livestock and lifestyle animal markets. Headquartered in Shoreview, Minn., Purina Animal Nutrition LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Land O’Lakes, Inc.

Imagine what our landscape must have looked like, not really all that long ago. Tens of millions of bison roamed the American plains in clusters so large one could have seen them from space.

These immense, grand herds would devastate each valley they came through. A flowering meadow would turn into a moonscape overnight. If a valley was lucky, it would see a full year or more before the bison returned, so it could attempt to recover from such an onslaught.

Nomadic early Americans, of course, greatly depended upon these herds for their livelihood and followed them wherever they went. They brought their families and shelters with them – the entire community was mobile.

They would hunt and kill only what they needed, consume all that was consumable, make sure the entirety of the animal was used respectfully one way or another and celebrate the animal’s sacrifice, in part by giving thanks to the herd.

Times have certainly changed. Now we house our own (much smaller) numbers of milking and beef cattle in one place (whether in barns or fenced parcels of land), provide all of their food/nutrient needs and proactively collect and redistribute their wastes.

As stewards of both the herd and the land needed to support them, like the early Americans, today’s farmers also have the important responsibility to conserve and re-use everything they can. Most critically, the nutrients brought onto the farm must be collected and redistributed safely from the farm.

“Historically, dairy farmers have been all about sustainability,” says Marie Audet, co-owner of Blue Spruce Farm in Bridport, Vermont, “even before that was a popular little ‘buzzword.’

We care about our environment. It’s not only possible to protect our water supply and put out a quality product – it’s imperative.

“Fifty years ago everybody was contributing to ‘phosphorus in the lake.’ Well, society is evolving. Dairy farming is evolving. Farmers have to look to a future – by 2050 – of increasing our food production by 70 percent to feed this growing population. That happens with innovative, sustainable, creative ideas and technology.”

Farmers have long devised and practiced methods to do just that. For example, to conserve nitrogen (that would otherwise volatize and be lost to the atmosphere), instead of spreading manure wastes onto the ground, many farmers inject it into the soil.

Aeration is one of these methods, where numerous holes are poked into the ground prior to manure application. The holes give the manure greater opportunity to soak into the ground.

Farmers know that lower ground temperatures also reduce nitrogen volatility. By injecting when the soil is cool (less than 50 degrees), additional nitrogen can be conserved.

Application of nitrogen to a growing crop mid-season, just exactly when the crop can use the nitrogen, is another common practice. By providing plant-ready nutrients when the plant needs it, total nutrient consumption is optimized and crop yield can also increase.

Audet continues, “We capture all the nutrients on our farm. We’re regulated and watched, and we measure … it’s a scientific process; it’s not just ‘shoot from the hip.’ The whole idea with this type of fertilization … is to keep the nutrients where they’re needed, right where the plants are.

“I want people to know it’s not just us – every size farm is adopting sustainable practices,” she says.

‘Green manure’
Some farmers temporarily bind the nitrogen left over from a previous crop in a fast-growing “catch crop,” such as radishes and rye – so the N doesn’t wash down into the soil (leach) or volatize to the atmosphere. When the crop is later tilled back into the soil, it releases the nitrogen (and also provides desired organic matter).

Anaerobic digester
Even after manure has been successfully land-applied and with the proper coverage, there is still significant opportunity for nutrient loss. It can take a long time for bacteria in the soil to break down nutrients into an inorganic, plant-ready state.

Anaerobic digesters are another important nutrient management solution for some farmers because, in part, it does the job of converting those nutrients into a “plant-ready” state. Once the digested liquid is subsequently land-applied, crops are able to immediately absorb and begin to make use of those nutrients.

Blue Spruce Farm also employs a digester (in part) to enhance its nutrient management capabilities. “We capture all the manure,” Audet says. “All of the wastewater – everything that happens on this farm – and we redirect it to [become] a whole bunch of value-added products.”

Protecting our waterways
Most farms have waterways winding through and around their farmland. Blue Spruce is no exception. “We also keep [nutrients] away from any possible streams, so that if there is a water event and we do get some rain, it’s not going to go anywhere.

It’s going to stop right where it is and that’s our whole intent. Historically, we didn’t know any differently [but then believed], the most efficient use of our farmland was to use every square inch. We don’t do that anymore. We know better.

So what have we done? All this marginal land on our farm and on most farms in our state is grown back into forest – serving as natural buffers. If it rains or if some nutrients escape, [the nutrients] have a place to land way before it gets to a stream.”

Nutrient supplies are not infinite
Phosphorus (P) is a relatively rare nutrient found in the earth’s crust. Many do not realize that P is not a renewable mineral – P cannot be synthesized, and global supplies of P, like oil, are finite.

Large amounts of P are lost each year from fields through erosion and runoff, and some experts fear we will face a critical shortage of P within the next 30 to 50 years.

Therefore, a farmer’s vigilance in preventing runoff, in addition to keeping our waterways clean, could also contribute toward ensuring that adequate supplies of P will be available for generations to come.

Progress
“We didn’t always do it right. We’re not perfect today. But we are doing more every day. We are capturing the nutrients. We understand that we can’t just let them go ‘at will.’

What I’d like to say to folks who claim that the model of dairy farming today is inconsistent with a ‘clean lake’ is, ‘Come to a Vermont farm and look for yourself.’ We are driven to do the right thing. Because we have a lot of pride.”  

Source: Progressive Dairyman

Corn can face many different stresses that can reduce stands, such as cold or wet soils, insect feeding, cold temperatures and unfavorable weather conditions.

There are several potential common causes that lead to emergence issues, stand loss, and non-uniform stands during early season corn development. According to DuPont Pioneer, one of the keys to evaluation is to figure out what is causing the current variability and to try to prevent some­thing similar from occurring in the future. Taking time to investigate now may help you see changes that can be made to improve corn germination and emergence in the future.

Pioneer provides stress emergence ratings to help categorize hybrids for their genetic potential to emerge under stressful environmental conditions relative to other Pioneer® brand hybrids. The ratings are intended as a general guideline; growers should take into consideration specific field conditions in making hybrid decisions.

It is important to note that the level of early season stress tolerance is limited in corn. Thus, even hybrids with strong stress emergence will experience some level of injury and stand loss if the conditions are sufficiently severe.

To track your early season scouting notes, download the Pioneer Field360™ Notes app. It streamlines and organizes field-by-field agronomic information for communication between DuPont Pioneer agronomists, sales professionals and growers. The tool is compatible with all tablet and mobile devices.

For more information related to corn emergence, including how to determine when to replant, contact your Pioneer sales professional or visit www.pioneer.com.

Critics frequently charge me with cheerleading—writing while under the influence of too much optimism about the dairy foods business.

I readily plead guilty. And now, in the court of public opinion I’d like to name numerous accomplices—other folks who are optimistic about the future of the dairy business.

• First, a name we all know: Chobani, as in Greek yogurt. The company was in such a rush to capitalize on opportunities in the marketplace that it built a brand new plant from the ground up in 12 months. Located in Idaho, the plant is meant to augment the supply already being produced at the company’s recently enlarged New York plant.
• Theo Müller, a massive German dairy company, and PepsiCo, the soft drink and snack food giant, teamed up to open a large yogurt plant in Batavia, N.Y., this summer. The joint venture, Müller Quaker Dairy, LLC, is already building its market in USA through imports. When the plant is completed later this year, all of the milk and products will be sourced from the U.S.
• Before leaving the yogurt business, let me add: Alpina, a dairy company headquartered in Columbia, South America, built a plant Bativa, N.Y., last year.
• Phoenix-based Shamrock Farms just announced plans to build a $50-million-plant in Augusta County, Va. Shamrock, with a herd of 10,000 cows in Arizona, already has national distribution of a host of dairy products at retail and foodservice.
• Dairy Farmers of America is busy building a dry dairy ingredients plant at a cost of $85 million in Fallon, Nev., (see “Built for Export,” p. 10). Ready by year’s end, the co-op will turn 2 million pounds of milk into 225,000 lb. of high quality whole milk powder per day.
• Franklin Foods, with a plant in Enosburg Falls, Vt., has started construction on a second plant, located in Casa Grande, Ariz. The 90,000-sq.-ft. facility will crank out cream cheese, including a new Greek cream cheese, early next year.
• Tillamook Cheese of Tillamook, Ore., built a second plant in Boardman, Ore., several years ago. Just recently the cooperative announced plans to add 63,000 sq. ft. in Boardman so that location can begin manufacturing WPC 80, a high-value whey product, and lactose.
• One of the three largest manufacturers of infant formula in the world is exploring the possibility of building a plant in Washington state, according to sources at Darigold, the Seattle-based cooperative.
• Last year, Leprino Foods started making nonfat dry milk at a plant in Greeley, Colo.—even while the building was still under construction. When all of the mortar finally sets later this year, the facility will be converting 7 million pounds of milk per day into cheese.
• One more optimist: Coca-Cola. I wrote about them last month. The company bought a stake in Fair Oaks Farms Brands, LLC, another bunch of optimists who created Core Power, the milk-based fitness beverage.

That’s right. I’m guilty of hanging out with optimists—i.e. capitalists investing in what they see as the bright future of the dairy business.

Jerry Dryer is the editor of Dairy & Food Market Analyst, www.dairymarketanalyst.com. You can contact him at jdryer@dairymarketanalyst.com.

Source: Dairy Today

Many calf raisers are in spring-cleaning mode as they look toward summer, but keeping calf hutches clean should be a year-round priority, says Brian Wesemann, director of sales for Calf-Tel.

In the April 2013 Vita Plus Starting Strong Calf Care E-newsletter, Wesemann says calf raisers should think of the calf hutch like a dish.

“Calves naturally chew and lick on the hutches all the time,” he says. “Just like you sanitize dishes between uses, hutches should be sanitized between calves to limit disease spread throughout your herd.”

Wesemann offers these suggestions:

• Select a good sanitizer. Many products are available. Choose a sanitizer that works best for your system.
• Scrub the hutch. A pressure washer certainly helps, but it’s also good to hand-scrub the hutch, especially the inside corners, to make sure you clean every surface. Focus on the inside of the hutch versus just spraying off the outside.
• Allow a drying period after washing. This helps break the disease cycle. A calf hutch should sit in the sun for 24 to 48 hours before a new calf is placed in it.
• Make sure calf hutches are in good condition. Cracks and crevices can hold residues and be difficult to clean. As you wash hutches, take a good look at the hutch and decide if it should be replaced soon.
• Think efficiency. Gather all of your materials – pressure washer, disinfectants, brushes, etc. – and move them to the cleaning area before you start moving hutches. Also, if you’re considering any other building or expansion projects on the farm, Wesemann says this might be a good time to add a designated cleaning area. Several farms he works with have built wash bays that allow for easy cleaning as well as supply storage.

Source: Vita Plus Starting Strong Calf Care E-news – April 2013

Dairy producers, herd managers, veterinarians, and consultants monitor production data, health events, and reproductive protocol compliance regularly; however, little time is spent evaluating semen storage and handling. Unfortunately, this can be a critical oversight, as every successful artificial insemination (AI) program begins with proper semen handling.

Sexed Semen vs. Conventional Semen

It is important to remember that sexed semen is a different product than conventional semen. To achieve 90 per cent purity of a specific sex, sperm are treated with a fluorescent dye, and X and Y chromosome-bearing sperm are sorted with a flow cytometer/cell sorter based on intensity of fluorescence following exposure to a laser. At North American AI studs, on-site sperm sorting services are currently provided by Sexing Technologies (Navasota, TX).

DeJarnette et al. (2009) evaluated farm records from U.S. Holstein dairy herds and reported that the overall conception rate for sexed semen (for all services, in herds with ? 50 services) averaged 45 per cent (range 27 per cent to 70 per cent ), compared to 56 per cent (range 34 per cent to 83 per cent ) for conventional semen. Further, the conception rate achieved following AI with sexed semen averaged 80 per cent of that achieved with conventional semen at first service (DeJarnette et al., 2009). The specific reasons contributing to lower fertility following AI with sexed semen, as compared to conventional semen, are currently unknown.

Despite decreased fertility and increased cost per dose as compared to conventional semen, the use of sexed semen has a higher economic value than the use of conventional semen in many situations (Cabrera, 2009). Keep in mind, however, that the single most important factor in the decision to use sexed semen is the current or expected heifer conception rate with conventional semen, which will determine the conception rate attained with sexed semen (Cabrera, 2009).

Handle Semen Properly

All frozen semen must be stored, thawed, and handled properly to maintain sperm viability and offer the greatest opportunity to obtain optimal fertility. Commercial AI studs, through stringent collection, processing, and quality control, provide a highly fertile product to their customers. When semen is purchased and transferred to a farm or professional AI technician’s liquid nitrogen tank, the maintenance of male fertility is in the hands of the producer, farm employees, and AI technicians.

The liquid nitrogen tank consists of a “tank within a tank,” with insulation under vacuum between the inner and outer tanks. Liquid nitrogen tanks should be stored in a clean, dry area, preferably on a wooden stand to avoid possible corrosion (due to contact with wet or damp concrete). Also, the liquid nitrogen tank should be securely fastened during transportation to avoid tipping the tank over and damaging the tank, which usually results in the premature loss of liquid nitrogen.

Avoid Exposing Sexed Semen to Ambient Temperature

A detailed inventory of semen should be easily accessible so that straws filled with semen may be located and removed from the tank quickly to avoid exposure of semen to higher temperatures in the neck of the tank or even ambient temperature.

When removing a straw from a liquid nitrogen tank, it is imperative that the technician keep the canister, cane, and unused semen straws as low as possible in the neck of the tank. A best management practice is to keep all unused straws below the frost-line in the neck of the tank. Keep in mind that although the temperature of liquid nitrogen is -320°F (-196°C), there is a temperature gradient in the neck of the tank.

For example, a tank with a neck tube that measures 6 inches (15.2 cm) long may have a temperature of -103°F (-75°C) in the middle of the neck 3 inches (7.6 cm) below the top, while the temperature at 1 inch (2.5 cm) below the top may be +5°F (-15°C) (Saacke et al., 1978).

The temperature in the neck of the tank is important because sperm injury (as judged by sperm motility) occurs at temperatures as low as -110°F (-79°C) (DeJarnette, 1999). Furthermore, injury to sperm cannot be corrected by returning semen to the liquid nitrogen.

As would be expected, the temperature in the neck of the tank becomes warmer as the liquid nitrogen level in the tank decreases. Therefore, another best management practice is to monitor the liquid nitrogen level in your tank regularly, and never let the tank go dry.

Sexed Semen Is Sensitive to Semen Handling Errors

Sexed semen for commercial use is packaged in 0.25-mL straws with each straw containing 2.1 million sperm. Although 0.25-mL straws containing sexed semen may be handled similarly to 0.5-mL straws, the smaller diameter makes them more sensitive to semen handling errors. Research from ABS Global (2009) demonstrates the decline in sperm motility over time when sexed semen is not handled properly (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Progressive motility of sexed semen after thawing in a water bath at 95° to 98°F. Thawed semen was held at constant temperatures of either 98.6°F (recommended; denoted by a solid line with diamond endpoints), 108°F (heat shock; denoted by small dashed line with square endpoints), or 40°F (cold shock; denoted by large dashed line with triangle endpoints) (adapted from ABS Global, 2009).

As shown in Figure 1, providing thermal protection for sexed semen at 98.6°F results in the greatest maintenance (least decline) of progressive motility, as compared with sexed semen held at 108°F (heat shock) or 40°F (cold shock), both of which result in sharp declines in progressive motility over time.

Maximize Potential Fertility of Sexed Semen

To maximize the potential fertility in each straw of sexed semen, extreme caution must be exercised during semen handling. Fertility will likely be maximized when AI personnel:

• accurately identify heifers in estrus,
• thaw semen in 95° to 98°F (35° to 37°C) water for 45 seconds,
• maintain thermal protection of straws during AI gun assembly and transport to the heifer,
• use appropriate hygienic procedures, and
• deposit semen in the uterus of the heifer as soon as possible (within 5 to 10 minutes after thawing).

Frozen semen must be stored, thawed, and handled properly to maintain fertility and offer the greatest opportunity to obtain optimal fertility. The range in fertility achieved following the use of sexed (and conventional) semen is quite large (DeJarnette et al., 2009) and may be due to many factors, including semen storage and handling errors. Consult your AI representative, university Cooperative Extension agent, or veterinarian to evaluate semen handling procedures. Handle sexed semen with care because every successful AI program begins with proper semen handling.

Author Information

Joseph C. Dalton, Ph.D.
University of Idaho
1904 E. Chicago St. Suite AB
Caldwell, ID, USA 83605
jdalton@uidaho.edu

References

ABS Global. 2009. Achieving maximum semen fertility with ABS Sexation. Available at: www.abspecplan.com.br/upload/library/Achieving_Maximum_Fertility_wABSSexation.pdf

Cabrera, V. 2009. When to use gender-biased semen: Economics. In: Proc. Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council Annual Meeting, Boise, ID, and Minneapolis, MN, pp. 83-91.

DeJarnette, J.M. 1999. Factors affecting the quality of frozen semen after thawing. In: Proc. Soc. for Therio. Ann. Conf., Nashville, TN, pp. 267-279.

DeJarnette, J.M., R.L. Nebel, and C.E. Marshall. 2009. Evaluating the success of sex-sorted semen in U.S. dairy herds from on-farm records. Theriogenology 71:49-58.

Saacke, R.G., J.A. Lineweaver, and E.P. Aalseth. 1978. Procedures for handling frozen semen. In: Proc. 12th Conf. on AI in Beef Cattle, pp. 46-61.

Source: The Cattle Site

It’s imperative for nutritionists to test forages for quality parameters to formulate rations, but it’s also helpful for you to be able to read your forage results and have a basic understanding of the different components. The concept of DM is something everyone working with feed on your dairy, including feeders, should understand.

Research has established that transition cows are more susceptible to disease and reduced productivity, a result of the stressors associated with calving and lactation. Improving transition cow health should therefore focus upon strategies for reinforcing the cow’s innate immune system, while also limiting the myriad of environmental and management stressors, according to Michael Ballou, Ph.D., nutritional immunologist with the Department of Animal and Food Sciences at Texas Tech University.

Speaking at the recent Central Plains Dairy Expo in Sioux Falls, S.D., Dr. Ballou noted that the risk of mastitis and metritis is greatest during the early lactation period, primarily due to environmental microorganisms. However, he said a competent immune system can eliminate the threat of disease from many known microorganisms important to the dairy industry.

“It is often said that the immune system of a transition cow is suppressed,” Dr. Ballou said. “This is partially correct, but may be an oversimplification. I prefer to say the immune system of a transition cow is temporarily dysfunctional.”

He cited research showing variation of immunologic function among and within cow groups in the same dairy, making it important to obtain a better understanding of what is contributing to that variation and how to identify and improve the health of “at-risk” cows.

Dr. Ballou said cows are creatures of habit, and the switch from non-lactating to lactating – combined with the physiological impact of high nutrient demand associated with lactation – places abrupt, dramatic stress on their immune defensive function. To improve transition health, he recommends:

Nutritional strategies to support immunological function, including OmniGen-AF®, a nutritional supplement that can help support the immune system, as well as antioxidants and acidogenic diets.

Reduction of the pro-inflammatory response through nutrition, pharmaceutical drugs and vaccines.

Management practices that promote cow comfort and limit additional stressors, including maintaining a clean, dry environment, keeping cows cool/warm, avoiding overcrowding, limited pen moves, fresh, palatable feed and keeping fresh cows locked up less than an hour.
OmniGen-AF, from Prince Agri Products, can be supplemented to all classes of dairy cattle as part of their regular diet. It has been shown to support immune function in dairy cattle, which aids in the maintenance of good health and production.

Prince Agri Products, Inc., is a leading provider of high-quality trace minerals and nutritional supplements that advance nutrition for dairy cows, beef cattle, swine, poultry and companion animals. Prince offers innovative, science-based solutions that enhance health, productivity and profitability in all classes of livestock. Prince is headquartered in Quincy, Ill., and is a division of Phibro Animal Health Corporation. For more information, visit www.princeagri.com or call 217-222-8854.

Dairy cows struggle to maintain normal blood calcium levels at the start of each lactation. Colostrum and milk both use a large amount of calcium, and the cow must suddenly adjust for this rapid nutrient outflow. Blood calcium drops more noticeably in second lactation or greater cows, and the lowest concentration occurs 12 to 24 hours after calving.

Hypocalcemia (or low blood calcium) results from inadequate calcium metabolism in fresh cows, leading most often to milk fever. While the number of milk fever cases has declined noticeably the past twenty years (affecting only 3.5 percent of cows in North America (DeGaris and Lean, 2008)), recent research shows that hypocalcemia, and especially subclinical hypocalcemia, remains a metabolic concern for dairy cows.

Cows with subclinical hypocalcemia have low blood calcium levels but don’t show the visual signs of milk fever. Subclinical hypocalcemia affects about half of all cows second lactation or greater. Gary Oetzel, D.V.M., University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, explained the negative impact the subclinical form of this disease can have at the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin’s (PDPW) “Fine Tuning the Transition Cow” workshop last week.

A large multi-farm study collected data from 2,365 cows in 55 herds in the U.S. and Canada. The recently published findings showed that the biggest impacts from subclinical hypocalcemia come from lost milk yield and a higher risk of displaced abomasums. Cows were at greater risk of developing fever, metritis and ketosis, as well. The research found that cows with subclinical hypocalcemia also had reduced pregnancy rates and longer days open.

Subclinical hypocalcemia is more costly than clinical milk fever because it affects a much higher percentage of the herd. Oetzel calculated that, for example, a 2,000 cow herd with a 2 percent incidence of milk fever would lose about $12,000 per year. (This is assuming each case of clinical milk fever costs $300. (Guard, 1996)) If the same herd had a 30 percent incidence rate of subclinical hypocalcemia in older cows (and 65 percent of the herd was second or greater lactation cows), they would lose $48,750 per year. (Assuming $125 per case of subclinical hypocalcemia, accounting for lost milk production and direct costs due to other resulting diseases.)

Subclinical hypocalcemia is a quiet but costly disease on most farms. Diagnosis is difficult without visual symptoms, but treating every cow for milk fever whether she shows signs or not is impractical. The best method of control is prevention through diet and oral supplementation, according to Oetzel.

Source: Hoards Dairyman

The benefits of artificial insemination (AI) are well understood in many beef cattle operations, however the synchronization protocols can seem to be in a different language when one sits down to plan out their breeding season. In order to understand these protocols, understanding the hormones that are used to regulate estrous cycle can prove to be very helpful.

A list of protocols is approved by the Beef Reproduction Task Force each year for the use of synchronization of beef cows and heifers. These protocols outline the timing of administration of hormones to allow for the synchronization of the estrous cycle. In order to control the estrous cycle to allow for a successful breeding season, three different hormones are approved for use.

Prostaglandin F_2α (PGF)

Prostaglandin F_2α is a hormone that is produced by the uterus to regress the Corpus Luteum (CL) and allow the female to come into estrus. The administration of a single dose of exogenous (from outside source) PGF will regress a CL on days 6 to 18 of the estrous cycle. Prior to day 6 the CL has not reached full maturity and will not respond to PGF, and after day 18 the CL will naturally be regressing.

Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone (GnRH)

Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone is used to induce ovulation and initiation of a new follicular wave in synchronization protocols. Administration of exogenous GnRH will begin a cascade of hormonal responses that will cause follicles that are greater than 10mm in size to ovulate. Following ovulation a new follicular wave will be initiated. This is why GnRH is giving at the start of several synchronization protocols and also at time of insemination during a Fixed-Time AI, when we want to force the female to ovulate at time of artificial insemination.

Progesterone/Progestin

Following ovulation the female forms a CL which produces progesterone (P4), this is the hormone that holds the female out of estrus. It is also the hormone that is responsible for maintaining pregnancy. There are two products used in synchronization protocols to mimic the CL: Synthetic progestins, the orally dosed MGA product, and progesterone, through the use of a CIDR. Both of these products can mimic the effect of CL on the estrous cycle. Administration of exogenous P4 will keep cows and heifers out of estrous, stopping ovulation, even if a CL is not present. This allows for the regulation of ovulation.

Having a basic understanding of what hormones are used to synchronize a herd and the purpose of their administration will help to ensure that synchronization protocols are followed properly. It is hard to explain these complex systems and hormonal cascades without extreme detail, thus this is not a complete overview of these processes, but will bring some light to the use and purpose of their administration. Remember it is key to give the right shots on the right days, strictly following the protocols set forth by the Beef Reproductive Task Force to have a successful AI season.

Source: South Dakota State University Extension

After being sued by an environmental group five years ago, the issue of air quality became front-and-center at DeRuyter Brothers Dairy in Outlook, Wash.

So, when a voluntary monitoring program began in the area, DeRuyter was one of 12 farms that signed up.

“It worked out really well,” Genny DeRuyter told those attending the Western Dairy Air Quality Symposium on Wednesday.

“I was startled when I finally got my report card (from the people who came out to the farm to evaluate best-management practices related to air quality),” she said. “We had a score in the mid-90s ― that’s a passing grade of ‘A.’”

The DeRuyters appreciated knowing they were doing the right thing after being caught off guard by the activist lawsuit ― a suit that was later dropped.

At Wednesday’s symposium, the monitoring program in Yakima County, Wash., in which the DeRuyters participated, was one of the solutions discussed.

What distinguished the Yakima County program was the collaborative effort between dairy producers, scientists and air-quality regulators. Those groups got together and worked out a program where producers could learn how to mitigate air-quality issues without the threat of a regulatory hammer hanging over them. Likewise, the regulators learned more about the challenges facing dairy farmers.

As one regulator put it, he’s a mechanical engineer who started off not knowing anything about cow manure.

Several speakers at the symposium referenced software programs that model ammonia and other emissions from dairies and how those models can be a valuable educational tool.

Producers can plug different management scenarios into the model to see how those affect emissions, pointed out Bill Salas, president of Applied Geosciences, developer of the Manure-DNDC model.

A 3,400-cow dairy could potentially cut ammonia emissions by 50 percent, according to the simulation model, by lowering crude protein in the ration, flushing manure versus scraping it, manure injection versus surface application, and other do-able practices.

The models have gotten more accurate over the years. In fact, estimates from the Manure-DNDC model were compared to actual emissions from five barns (using sensing devices), and there was a high correlation between the two.

Besides Manure-DNDC, there is DairyGEM, Integrated Farm System Model and several others that can be downloaded from the internet free-of-charge.

As the science of air emissions gets better, there will be less guesswork and ambiguity for producers. It takes the issue out of the realm of emotion, points out Kevin Abernathy, director of regulatory affairs for the Milk Producers Council, a California-based dairy farmer organization. Yet, environmental activists would rather keep it emotional, he added.

That goes back to a point made by Washington State dairy producer Genny DeRuyter in her presentation Wednesday.

She said the activist groups don’t like the idea of dairy farmers working with regulators to find solutions. “They would rather see us have our names splashed in the newspaper saying we are guilty of something.”

SourceL Dairy Herd Network

by Greg Booher, farm business instructor with the Wisconsin Technical College System in Cleveland, Wisconsin.

A year ago I wrote a several articles that were published in several regional publications regarding land rents in south eastern Wisconsin and the mid-west. When I wrote the articles I expected to get back lash from concerned producers, and – I got just that.

I am old enough to identify with the old adage, “what goes around – comes around.” If you didn’t grow up in Appalachia you might not be familiar with the saying. Or if you are familiar with adage, you may well be a red neck. The term means; the status of many things will eventually return to its original value after completing a cycle. A retreat towards the original value does certainly appear to be the case with the grain markets in 2013.

I can remember in the early 70’s corn selling for one dollar a bushel and through most of the 1980’s up until the mid-90’s, corn sold in the $2.50-$3.00 range. The articles I wrote and year ago hit a sensitive nerve with farmers renting acreage. The producers leasing the land obviously do not want to pay any more than required to secure the rented acreage. On the other hand, landlords want to rent their land to the highest bidder.

Over the last 40 years, I counseled producers to not grow corn for grain. Dairy farmers could maximize their incomes by growing corn for silage and hay to feed their growing herds. The required corn to feed the cows could be purchased near the cost of production or below through a feed supplier. Growing more forage and adding more cows created more net income than growing corn for sale. However, older farmers cautioned this mentality. The old times were right this did eventually turn around.

Then in the late 1990’s the United States decided we needed to be less dependent on foreign oil by using corn to produce ethanol. Government ethanol inclusion mandates and subsidies helped make the industry profitable. Believe it or not, some 42% of the nation’s corn crop now goes to feed ethanol digesters. With a limited supply of corn and a high demand for corn – walla, there you have it – sky rocketing grain markets and escalating land rental rates. It just isn’t the corn market affected by the rise in the ethanol industry because as the corn acreage increases there are fewer acres available for soybeans, cotton, wheat, hay and other crops. Therefore the prices of all these commodities increase. You, the consumer, have a more stable source of energy but pay the price at the grocery store.

What goes around comes around because of how fluid our markets can be. As the corn price increased to the$7.00 per bushel range, many ethanol plants went out of business while at the same time producers responded to the carrot dangled in front of them by planting more corn.

Since 2006 the land rental rates followed the grain markets up. It was my position, during this time, to educate the landlords about fair rental rates. Fair rental rates meaning – fair to the landlord and fair the renter. There are many things to consider when renting farm land. Will the renter be required to maintain the phosphorus and potassium soil tests at the present levels? Will the renter be required to use a crop rotation plan including small grain and or hay crop? How big are the fields to be rented? How productive are the soil types of land is involved? Is the land to be rented highly erodible? Even terms about who will mow the right-a-ways and remove snow all go into deciding on a fair land rent.

Using an average land rental price over a 5 year period or a crop share arrangement can allow both the landlord and renters to share in the ups and downs of the business.

Landlords are advised to keep in mind the needs of their current tenants. Being fair over time is important. Decisions you make as a landlord can have very negative effects on your current tenant. Use open communication with your tenant to come up with a rental agreement that is fair and equitable to both parties. Rental agreement templates are available to help producers and landlords prepare comprehensive agreements.

So to redeem myself with those producers who legitimately felt I had influenced landlords to raise their rental rates; it is now fair that the landlords reduce their rental rates in response to the lower corn market that appears to be the situation for this fall. The December corn market has dropped from the mid $7.00 per bushel range to under $5.00 at this time. If your rental agreement did not include clauses to allow the rental rate per acre to float with the markets; it is time to lower the rental rates since the corn market is down nearly 30% from the highs of 2011 and 2012.

Greg Booher can be reached at 920-960-0551.

Source: Hoards Dairyman

Whether you are a dairy producer who calves year round, a beef producer who may calve early, or if you have a calf that is born under less-than-desirable conditions, hypothermia is something that we need to be concerned about, especially this time of year. The National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) in 2007 found that the average mortality of pre-weaned calves on farms during 2006 was 7.8 per cent .

Often pre-weaned death is a result of respiratory infections or diarrhea, and often come about due to dystocia and poor environmental conditions at birth. Surveys also show that mortality in beef herds from birth to weaning also ranges from 3-7 per cent . The majority of normal deaths occur within the first 24 hours of life. The leading causes of death during this 24 hour period is dystocia (difficult births) and hypothermia (cold stress), especially this time of year.

There are two types of hypothermia: exposure (gradual) and immersion (acute). Exposure hypothermia is the steady loss of body heat in a cold environment through respiration, evaporation, and lack of adequate hair coat, body flesh, or weather protection.

Immersion hypothermia is the rapid loss of body heath due to a wet, saturated hair coat in a cold environment. Immersion hypothermia often occurs after the birthing process because the calf is born saturated with uterine fluids. Other causes of immersion hypothermia of young calves may include being born in deep snow or wet ground, falling into a creek, or being saturated from heavy rains followed by chilling winds.

Mild hypothermia occurs as the body’s core temperature drops below normal (approximately 100° F for beef calves and 101.5° F for dairy calves). Severe hypothermia results as the body temperature drops below 94° F. Below core temperatures of 94° F, the vital organs are beginning to get cold. Below 86° F, signs of life are very difficult to detect and the calf may be mistaken for dead.

The use of the thermometer is essential to determine the degree of hypothermia. Often a calf does not appear to be hypothermic, however upon taking its temperature, you find that the calf’s body temperature is below normal. This is often brought on by dystocia, which may have put the calf in a hypoxic (lack of oxygen) situation. The calf being hypoxic, is slow to dry off and nurse, which allows hypothermia to set in.

Returning the calf’s core body temperature to normal (100° F for newborn beef calves or 101.5° F for newborn dairy calves) is the immediate concern versus maintaining the calf’s body temperature long-term.

Clean dry towels or calf blankets can be used to help dry the calf off and help increase the core body temperature while rubbing the calf vigorously. Floor-board heaters or pickup trucks, placing calves next to the heater in the house, submersion of wet calves in warm baths, or placing the calf in a warming box are all methods which have been used over the years, especially if the calf is experiencing severe hypothermia.

Feeding the hypothermic calf warm colostrum as soon as possible speeds recovery and increases the probability of full recovery. Breathing the warm air, coupled with consumption of warm colostrum, heats the calf from the inside out and provides the needed energy to overcome the trauma they just went through.

Once the calf has regained its normal body temperature and is completely dried off, it should be returned to its normal environment.

Early treatment of hypothermic calves is important. The severely hypothermic calf can be revived and saved. However, they often are set back from the experience and their immune system can be compromised. Thus, these calves should be watched more closely as further calfhood health complications may arise.

Source: igrow.org

In terms of efficiency and effectiveness, few tasks on a farm match preventive maintenance of machinery. Dedicating time to preventing damage can keep all components of a job in working order; as harvest season looms for hay and forage growers, these preventive maintenance steps can provide optimized use of time in the field.

Oil and lubrication points should be addressed regularly. The gear box oil is especially important to change, as deterioration can lead to damaged seals. While changing the oil before harvest season every year is important, operators should also check with the owner’s manual for more specific information. Typically, these oil changes will be determined by hours of operation.

Depending on the baler or mower, the hourly operation intervals between changes may vary; the oil can breakdown at different rates and cause more severe damage if the recommended intervals are not adhered to.

Venting the friction clutch annually and greasing all points on each machine – including U-joints, the cutterbar and PTO shaft – are also frequent checkpoints to monitor. In the mower, be sure to check the disk for wear. If the disk is always kept in the same position, as it rotates it will only wear on one side. In order to increase longevity of the mower, the position of the disk should be altered to disperse any machine wear that could otherwise build up on a concentrated area. The mower cutterbar should also be closely examined for a unique condition that can occur in dry climates. With worries about the U.S. drought prolonging or worsening, much of the forages harvested this year could come from extremely dry fields.

Alfalfa coming from these rain-deprived areas could be particularly problematic and will require special attention. When harvested, this alfalfa can contain more sap in the stems and that can drip down and form a hard, concrete-like substance on the cutterbar. If a mower sits even for just a few hours, the disk can lock in place and burn out the clutch.

To prevent this, operators should check the cutterbar for any sap accumulation and scrape it clean before firing up the machine; if the sap is too thick, spraying the cutterbar with water can loosen the buildup and more easily allow for removal.

For balers, be sure to properly match the machine to the crop. Crops such as cornstalks and silage can be much harder on a baler than grasses, and specifically designed balers should be incorporated for those jobs. Using a generic baler is not as effective and can damage the inside of the machine.

The tedder, which is primarily used to spread out the cut forage and hasten drying time, also features a number of areas to investigate during the preventive maintenance stage. Much like the baler and mower conditioner, the tedder should be properly lubricated. Well-maintained tines are also imperative in the success of a tedder; tine lengths are designed to spread the crop with minimal damage to the plant and broken or malfunctioning tines can impede this process.

With the number of variables to consider in the harvest process, aspects that can be controlled are at a premium. By carefully preparing and inspecting the forage harvest implement line, operators can make the most of the narrow window of time available for harvest.

Got your attention, didn’t I? What 20 square feet is he talking about? Why is it so important? You’ll see!

Dan and Chip Heath in their book, Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die, describe how to communicate ideas more effectively. They provide a simple formula about how you can achieve more “sticky” communication. Using their tips, you can design effective communication that “sticks” in a way that changes opinions and behaviors.

At a recent Extension meeting, I began by asking each participant what they wanted to learn from our workshop. One dairyman commented that he wanted to know how to get employees to consistently do a good job. This is a great question! Many tasks on dairies are repetitive, routine work that may seem unimportant yet these tasks are very critical to a dairy’s success. Milking in particular is boring, repetitive work. It’s hard for anyone to stay motivated to do good work especially if they do not realize how important their work is.

Several years ago I was invited to evaluate the milking routine for a large dairy with a serious mastitis and SCC problem. About a thousand cows were being milked 3X per day and the milking crew was a group of high school students. Two milkers manned each milking shift. These young men were a lively, fun bunch and had great confidence that they were God’s gift to milking cows quickly and effectively. There was a milking SOP in place and compliance was relatively good; however, each milker had his own personal version of the milking procedure. The overall outcome was organized chaos. The bulk tank culture revealed high levels of environmental strep bacteria in the bulk tank milk—evidence of ineffective pre-milking teat sanitation. I knew that somehow I needed to make a memorable impact in order to change pre-milking cow prep behavior. Chip and Dan Heath’s sticky message formula came to mind and I thought I would give it a try.

As the young men dutifully filed into the break room to hear “the professor’s” lecture, with great flourish I drew a large 14′x14′ square on the floor. While still wondering what the crazy professor was up to, I turned to them and asked, “If I asked two of you to clean and dry an area this big (pointing to the square) spotlessly clean and gave you seven hours to get the job done, could you do it?” “Of course!!” was their laughing response at such a ridiculous question. Then I said, “What if I were to say that I was really only giving you a total time of three to four hours out of the seven hours for the actual cleaning part of the job and additional one hour for the drying… could you still get it done?” “Come on! Of course we could… nothing to it!” Now they were really curious about where I was going. “Gentlemen”, I said, “that’s what we are asking you to do at every milking.” I further explained that the surface area on the floor represented the teat surface area of the 1000 cows they were milking. “Get every teat surface spotlessly clean and dry before you attach those milking machines,” I explained. They were all ears now, listening intently. I could tell the message was sticking. Now they were open to learning that the source of the high numbers of environmental bacteria in the bulk tank milk was contaminated teat surfaces and that they could do a better job getting teat surfaces clean. I also explained that by monitoring the routine bulk tank culture reports, they could know when they were winning the game (everyone loves winning!). The message had successfully utilized the Heath brothers’ sticky message formula and it had stuck! It was:

• Simple – “ It caught their attention.
• Unexpected – “ Drawing the square on the floor had aroused their curiosity and they wanted to know more.
• Concrete  – “ The idea was clear and understandable. It is easy to visualize a clean, spotless floor.
• Credible  – “ The idea was scientifically truthful. Who can argue that clean teat surfaces don’t result in lower bacteria, lower SCC and less mastitis?
• Emotional – “ The idea aroused their emotion. “Of course we can accomplish that!” Most commitment comes from a can-do emotional response, not intellectual awareness.
• Stories – “ Riveting stories sell ideas. Personal stories and testimonials are strong motivators for behavioral change.

In simple terms, I had described the desired outcome of the pre-milking teat sanitation. The average surface area of a cow’s teat is approximately 7 to 8 square inches or 28 to 32 square inches of teat surface area per cow. For an average 100-cow Minnesota dairy, this will be a total of about 20 square feet. For every dairy farm, this may be the most important surface area on the farm to keep clean and dry.

If you have had to tell someone the same thing ten times, you need to redesign your message. My experience tells me that there are a lot of opportunities to improve employee compliance by more creative communication. I suggest that every dairy herd owner, manager, educator and consultant read the book, Made to Stick: How Some Ideas Survive and Others Die.

Source: University of Minnesota Extension