Archived Content

Understanding Potassium’s Role in the Ruminant Diet

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 19:36:35 GMT

By: Adele Harty, Cow/Calf Field Specialist, SDSU Extension

Potassium may often be an underappreciated mineral in the world of ruminant nutrition, but it plays key roles in the body. Potassium is involved in acid-base regulation, osmotic pressure maintenance, nerve impulse transmission, muscle contraction, and carbon dioxide and oxygen transport. Potassium works with sodium and chlorine to maintain the acid-base balance. We often hear of an animal’s salt requirement, but why don’t we hear about potassium? The concentration of potassium inside cell walls is nearly equal to that of sodium in the extra-cellular fluid, therefore the diet requirements are significant.

The answer is that potassium is more abundant in forages. Recently balanced rations for backgrounded calves have indicated excessive or toxic levels of potassium. Upon review of the feed analysis, potassium levels are often in excess of 2.5 percent on a dry matter basis and readily available for absorption. Requirements are approximately 0.65 percent for 550 lb steers, therefore forage based diets have excess potassium. What result do these excess levels have on cattle over an extended period of time? Some minerals have very detrimental effects when they are fed in excess or at toxic levels. One example is when excessive or toxic levels of sulfur are supplied, cattle can develop polioencephalomalacia.

So what happens with toxic levels of potassium? Unfortunately the answer is not clear cut. Dr. Terry Engle, a Professor at Colorado State University has a research focus on trace minerals. I asked him some questions regarding potassium and at what point do we need to be concerned about toxicity and what potassium toxicity looks like. Dr. Engle referred to the “Mineral Tolerances of Animals” Second Revised Edition 2005. This book discusses the chemistry of minerals and how they work in the body. Potassium is key to body function, but deficiency is outlined better than toxicity. In most cases toxicity is rare as excess potassium is excreted in urine, however this document also states 3 percent potassium as the maximum tolerable level. As the levels of potassium increases, magnesium absorption in the gastrotintestinal tract will decrease, which could have a resulting effect of milk fever or grass tetany depending on the forage situation. Aside from the issues with magnesium absorption, levels up to 6 percent potassium have been added to the diet of non-lactating animals with no toxicity symptoms being evident.

Why have potassium levels increased in forages? There have been some recent trials from the University of Illinois evaluating soil potassium levels and how they increase in the soil. They did a four year trial with bi-weekly testing of potassium levels to see how the levels change over time. The study showed that in order to produce a 200 bushel corn crop, 46 lbs of potassium is removed with the grain, while the residue puts 180 lbs of potassium back into the soil. This is three times more than the next crop needs and is all readily available. So as the plants go through their life cycle, a small portion of potassium is taken into the seed, with a larger portion going back into the soil from the residue.

There are a few take home messages with potassium:

Potassium is crucial for many metabolic systems in the body, but excess potassium is readily excreted in the urine.
The excess levels will have a more negative effect on lactating females than on non-lactating cattle.
Potassium fertilization of grains is not necessary in many situations as the grain takes a smaller portion of potassium out of the soil than the residue puts back in.
Most potassium sources are readily available, therefore when there are higher levels in forages, that potassium will be nearly 100 percent available.

All-Season Nonmarking Rubber Replacement Track Available from Bobcat Company

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 22:00:25 GMT

WEST FARGO, N.D. — Bobcat Company introduces the new all-season nonmarking, multi-bar lug rubber track, designed for the compact track loader and mini track loader.

The tracks are designed to fit the T180, T190, 864, T200, T630, T650, T250, T300, T320, T770 and T870 compact track loaders, and the MT50 and MT52 mini track loaders.

The multi-bar lug pitch system provides a smoother, softer ride, while the double offset tread pattern greatly reduces vibration, extending the life of the undercarriage and helping contain the growth of any cuts or cracks.

Built using patented belting technology, the tracks provide incredible strength and are designed to carry the full load of the machine while running at maximum engine capacity.

The replacement track is available in nonmarking rubber and in nonmarking orange for select models. Additionally, the nonmarking rubber compound won’t leave black rubber marks on hard surfaces such as concrete.

For more information and pricing on the Bobcat multi-bar lug replacement track, visit your local Bobcat dealership. For more information on Bobcat replacement tracks, visit www.bobcat.com/rubbertracks .

New Bobcat M-Series Loaders Lead Industry in Design and Performance

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 21:53:42 GMT

Since inventing the skid-steer loader more than 50 years ago, Bobcat has constantly improved loader design to make operators more productive and comfortable. New Bobcat M-Series skid-steer and compact track loaders feature the most significant design changes undertaken by the company. This new design enables the operator to accomplish more work through performance and durability enhancements that provide more power and keep the loader working longer, while increasing operator comfort through improved visibility and a more spacious and comfortable cab.

The first M-Series models are the S630 skid-steer loader and the T630 compact track loader. The S650 and the T650 will be available in August and additional models will be available in the future.

The S630 has a rated operating capacity (ROC) of 2,180 lb. and an operating weight of 7,707 lb. The S650 has a ROC of 2,690 lb. and an operating weight of 8,327 lb. The T630 has a ROC of 2,230 lb. and an operating weight of 9,015 lb. Finally, the T650 has a ROC of 2,570 lb. and an operating weight of 9,440 lb.

Unmatched production
Productivity is the most important feature of any compact loader, which is why Bobcat has increased the performance of the hydraulics on M-Series loaders to enable them to efficiently accomplish more work.

The hydraulic systems on M-Series loaders have been engineered for higher standard flow and pressure that give attachments more power to work more quickly. Hydraulic horsepower has been increased more than 15% and the standard auxiliary hydraulic flow is now 23 gal./min. at 3,500 lb./sq. in. and an optional high flow reaches 30.5 gal./min. for maximum attachment performance.

A new, removable hydraulic hose guide makes changing attachments easier and correctly routes the hoses, preventing wear. The guide slides onto attachment hoses and is easily attached to the loader during attachment hookup. The operator does not have to twist or bend hoses. Attachments approved for use on M-Series loaders have a post for the removable hose guide that keeps the hose secure, clean and protected when the attachment is not in use.

Other performance enhancements include an increase of the tractive effort of M-Series loaders by 15% to 20% to provide exceptional pushing and digging power; holes for frame-mounted counterweights that increase lifting performance with certain attachments; and a larger fuel capacity that allows the loader to work longer between fuelings.

Light output has increased by more than 50% to illuminate the working areas around the front of the loader. New lighting emits a high-intensity beam to provide abundant lighting when working at night.

Increased Uptime
Operators want a loader designed to work long hours on demanding job sites, and also want to spend minimal time on routine maintenance to start the day’s work earlier. The hydraulic quick couplers are now mounted directly to the front plate of the lift arm. A guard bar extends out in front of the coupler for added protection. The lower rear frame of M-Series loaders extends past the tailgate and protects the rear of the machine from obstacles, scrapes and bumps on the worksite. The tailgate door now swings open to the left, which makes it easier to fuel the loader when it is mounted on a trailer.

Keeping the loader cool when working long hours is important in prolonging the service life of the machine, which is why Bobcat redesigned the cooling system for more efficiency and higher performance. The new design also makes it easier to clean out the cooling system, with an oil cooler that swings up, allowing the operator to clean the area between the oil cooler and the radiator.

Maintenance of M-Series loaders has been simplified with a new hydraulic sight gauge that helps the operator keep an eye on hydraulic oil levels, and end-greased pivot pins at key points around the loader for simpler greasing of the pins.

Improved visibility
Even without getting in the machine, it’s easy to see how M-Series loaders differ from previous models. The unique cab-forward design not only makes the new loaders look different, it also serves the important purpose of moving the operator closer to the attachment and providing unmatched visibility in all directions.

Superior visibility is provided to the cutting edge of a bucket or the corners of an attachment because the cab door is the largest available on the market. The cab door threshold has been lowered and the overall surface of the door has increased more than 40% to provide improved visibility and make it easier for operators to enter and exit the cab.

Windows on the sides and rear of the cab have also been increased in size to provide more visibility to the tires and to the rear. The larger top window makes it easier and more comfortable for the operator to see the attachment with the lift arms raised, an advantage when loading trucks or performing other tasks. The windows are now located on the outside to make them easier to clean.

Cab comfort
Comfortable operators are more productive, and to create a better working environment, Bobcat increased the size of the cab by 10%, redesigned the interior to allow operators to adjust the environment to their individual preference and improved cab pressurization.

Keeping dirt and dust outside the cab keeps the operator clean and prevents fatigue. Bobcat M-Series loaders have a best-in-class pressurized cab, with a new one-piece seal that goes all the way around the door and fits into a special curved pocket. This pressurization minimizes the dirt and dust that might enter the cab. The system creates more enjoyable working conditions and makes it easier to clean the cab.

Noise is another factor affecting operator comfort, and Bobcat has reduced the sound level of M-Series loaders by more than 60%. New engine mounts improve isolation to decrease vibration and reduce sound levels.

The more adjustments the operator can make to the cab environment, the more comfortable the operator. The up-and-down travel of the suspension seat option was increased by more than 30% for a smoother ride over rough terrain. The seat has also been given two additional inches of forward or reverse movement to accommodate operators of various heights.

The joysticks on M-Series loaders with optional Selectable Joystick Controls move up and down in conjunction with the seat to reduce arm movement and fatigue as the operator controls the machine. The joystick mounts slide forward or backwards to adjust to the preference of each individual operator.

For more information about the M-Series loaders, visit www.bobcat.com/loaders .

Dairy Innovator Powers Farm With Food Scraps

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 20:34:34 GMT

Young farmer diversifies by producing energy from food scraps

Dairy producer Chris Noble opens a door in the refrigerated section of his local Wegmans grocery store and pulls out a carton of Siggi’s Icelandic-style yogurt. He points to the number 36 stamped into the bottom, a reference to the fact the product inside came from New York.

In fact, Chris has an edge on most consumers who put this yogurt in their shopping carts: The creamery he helps manage is one of a handful of milk suppliers for the Siggi’s brand, a high-protein, low-sugar alternative
to Greek yogurt.

“Seldom do dairy processors need all the components in farm milk to make their product. Oftentimes they might need more or less butterfat than what comes out of a cow, or maybe they need just the protein in the milk,” explains Chris, 34. “If we can produce standardized milk and cream products efficiently and deliver it when and where they want it, that’s our goal.”

Chris is just as comfortable in a high-end grocery chain as he is managing manure at his family’s 1,800-head Holstein dairy operation, known as Noblehurst Farms. He is a master at connecting the dots of production agriculture, biological processes and consumer trends.

In doing so, he has built a reputation for launching and overseeing innovative side businesses. In addition to the dairy with milk serving East Coast processors, the operation has 2,800 crop acres for feed production; and investments in Craigs Station Creamery, a cold milk-separation facility that uses milk from the dairy; Noblehurst Green Energy, including an on-farm digester that produces electricity; and Natural Upcycling, a food-scrap collection business.

“He’s observed well,” notes Sarah Noble-Moag, Chris’ aunt and a sixth-generation owner of the dairy. “He listens well. He sets a great example for other young folks coming into an established business.”

It’s for those reasons Chris is the 2016 winner of the Tomorrow’s Top Producer Horizon Award, an annual distinction that recognizes a farmer 35 and under who demonstrates entrepreneurial originality, financial and business progress, and leadership in industry and community.

Energetic Leadership. Chris represents the seventh generation of leadership at Noblehurst Farms, where he holds the title of vice president.

He spends roughly 40% of his time on the digester and Natural Upcycling; another 20% on the creamery; 20% performing various functions at the dairy; and a final 20% on industry functions, financial reporting and risk-management activities.

He enjoys managing finances and margins, skills he honed as a risk-management expert at Brock Associates agricultural marketing service and as an analyst for Rabobank. Dairy markets became his specialty when he returned to the farm full time in 2009.

“I really spent some time learning about the mechanics of the market,” Chris explains. He notes “fairly strong” milk prices for several years after 2009 enabled his family to invest capital in other places outside the traditional dairy, paving the way for his own interests to flourish.

Chris’ father, John, is president of Noblehurst Farms, which began in 1960, and Chris is part of an executive committee that manages its various enterprises. He notes the operation has been enterprising since its foundation.

“I take great pride in saying I’ve done pretty much every job on the farm,” Chris says. “It builds trust in your judgment. People know that I won’t ask them to do anything that I wouldn’t do myself.”

In many ways, Chris is continuing a long family tradition, notes Dean Norton, senior agricultural consultant with the farm’s CPA firm, Freed Maxick & Battaglia.

“Noblehurst Farms has been a leader in the farming community using new technologies, dairy innovations and cropping practices for many years,” Norton says. “With Chris’ vision and insight, they have continued that leadership as they move into the green and sustainable energy arena.”

Manure Power. A fire forged the path to Noblehurst Green Energy. In 2011, the family’s 130-kW generator that had powered the farm for a decade caught fire, torching the surrounding building in five minutes. In the aftermath, Chris received the task of regrouping and identifying a new way forward. After months of research and planning, Chris recommended the farm pursue a relationship with EnviTec Biogas of Germany.

The farm brought the $3.5 million digester online in April 2015, and the operation expects to recoup its costs in seven or eight years. The 450-kW machine produces roughly 10,000 kwh of power daily that feeds into the dairy, the creamery and surrounding homes in the rural community. Although Chris is a proponent of solar—the creamery has an array on its roof—he says digesters have an edge.

“Biogas has the advantage of reliability, producing power 24/7 instead of when it’s windy or sunny,” he says. He says such power is meaningful to provide baseload power to supplant fossil-fueled plants.

The digester saves the dairy $100,000 annually in energy costs.

Liquids from the digestion process are applied as fertilizer to the farm’s crops, which produce feed for the dairy cows. This process also reduces the smell of manure. “It helps with our community relations,” Chris says.

The digester can’t function optimally on manure alone, which created an opportunity to work closely with retailers and food manufacturers. Each day, the digester is fed a liquid mix that consists of 65% manure, 25% dairy products and 10% food scraps.

Dairy farmer Skip Hardie has known Chris from birth and serves with him as head of the state’s Dairy Promotion Advisory Board.

He has taken family enterprises and “shaped them into long-term, economically viable, socially responsible and environmentally friendly operations,” Hardie says.

Scrappy Setup. A cold phone call led Chris into what is now Natural Upcycling, a company whose fleet of four vehicles collects pre-consumer food scraps from 33 Wegmans locations and numerous other for-profit and nonprofit businesses.

His now-business-partner, Harry Cohen, had called the dairy to ask about partnering for a trial run with six Wegmans stores, and the venture led to a booming market. The two forecast more opportunities to expand as New York looks to impose foodwaste bans to reduce methane emissions from landfills.

On a recent winter day at the Noblehurst Green Energy facility, located near the dairy, a worker unpackaged mounds of outdated blackberries for processing. Inside, workers opened boxes of flavored coffee syrup. Bottles are thrown into a machine that squeezes the liquid out for use by the digester.

The Noblehurst Green Energy digester receives roughly 10 tons to 15 tons of food scraps daily, though other locations used by the company handle additional volumes.

As part of his responsibilities, Chris must provide documentation to retailers that the food leftovers have been destroyed—not repackaged and sold under a different name. The operation leaves plastic food-scrap bins at Wegmans and other retailers and collects them multiple times every week for processing. The businesses pay a fee to Natural Upcycling to pick up and process those materials. He admits it’s risky to be “a jack of all trades and master of none,” but Noblehurst Farms sees value in these businesses in light of regulatory trends.

His business partner, Cohen, notes Chris isn’t one to brag about his accomplishments growing the food-scrap business, which will soon add up to 10 more Wegmans locations.

“I didn’t know I was working with one of the greats,” Cohen says. “He’s so humble.”

Cream Of The Crop. Although food-scrap collection involves more interaction with retailers and organizations than farmers, Chris’ work at Craigs Station Creamery is centered around neighboring producers.

At peak daily capacity, the creamery processes 1 million pounds of milk and handles up to 15 trucks, each of which holds up to 8,000 gal. of milk. Eight local farms located within a 30-mile radius sell milk through the facility. Noblehurst Farms is positioned just 1,000 ft. away.

The main dairy facility at Noblehurst Farms has 1,800 Holstein cows, which are milked three times daily. The cows eat 100 lb. of feed and drink up to 50
gal. of water per day, each producing an average of 85 lb. of milk per day.

Chris notes the farms’ close proximity and careful monitoring of milk supply tells a story of farm freshness and traceability to consumers who buy products made by milk processors.

The creamery produces skim milk, standardized milk and cream. Dairy Farmers of America runs the $12 million plant and cuts checks. “It was the first example in the country of a dairy cooperative investing in a facility alongside its member-owners,” says Chris, who is liaison to the seven other farms participating in the site.

Generational Growth. In many ways, Chris is much like his great-grandfather, an entrepreneurial man who started Noble Farm Service, a former John Deere dealership that now specializes in lawn-care equipment, and sold blue Harvestore silos that dotted the landscape in the 1960s and 1970s. “He knew the direction he was going,” Chris says. “He was a very convicted and faithful man, and a leader in the industry.”

Chris’ grandfather continued the tradition of passing on management expertise, even though a farm accident ended his life abruptly just two years after John became president of the dairy. “It was a strong lesson of the importance of farm succession planning,” Chris says. “Had he and others in the business at that time not had the foresight to cultivate young leaders, I would not have been afforded the same opportunities.”

Chris plans to continue shoring up leadership and innovating new revenue streams. It is, after all, part of the legacy that has kept his family in business for generations.

About Chris Noble

Chris and his wife, Jennifer, have three daughters: Emilie (left), 4; Adelaide, 2; and Isla (not pictured), born Feb. 1.

Operation: Noblehurst Farms is the umbrella company for multiple profit centers and for which Chris Noble, 34, holds the title of vice president. The corporation includes an 1,800-cow dairy with 2,800 crop acres; and investments in Craigs Station Creamery, a milk processing facility that includes eight farms; Noblehurst Green Energy, a company that produces electricity; and Natural Upcycling, a food-scrap collection business. Other entities are Linwood Commodities, which sells feed commodities as well as fresh alfalfa hay to East Coast dairies; Linwood Turf Equipment; and Synergy, a 1,900-cow dairy in which Noblehurst Farms is a partner.

Team: Collectively, the individual businesses employ dozens of workers from the local community, including about 40 at Noblehurst Farms.

Technology: The operation includes a $3.5 million anaerobic digester for processing manure, milk products and food scraps into a liquid applied to crop fields; a state-of-the-art $12 million creamery, which serves as the front end of operations for milk processors; and four trucks collecting food scraps from more than 30 Wegmans grocery stores and other businesses.

Leadership and Community: Chris is a member of the New York Dairy Promotion Advisory Board, the state’s dairy checkoff, which decides how to use 15¢ of every hundredweight of milk sold. He also helped form New York Cow Power, a group that is lobbying legislators to incentivize construction of digesters on farms for electricity production.

Dairy Consumer Trends in 2016

Among the trends New York producer Chris Noble sees shaping the dairy industry are aseptically packaged products—such as organic milk sold at Starbucks and other retailers—that are sterilized and designed to maintain freshness for months. Specialty packaging for on-the-go consumption also is gaining popularity.

Specialty European-style cheeses including Gouda and Havarti also are growing in prominence, Chris says. As the nation’s Hispanic population grows, cheeses native to Latin America also are becoming more popular. Yogurts with international origins are popular, though they can be risky; an Australian variety for which the creamery sold milk is no longer made locally because U.S. consumers didn’t buy it.

He points out 15% of U.S. milk is exported on a milk solids basis as cheese, whey protein, milk powder and a host of other products. He thinks New York milk has potential in overseas markets as his family’s operation looks at expansion opportunities in the years ahead.

“’I Love New York’ has a global cachet,” Chris says.

Power Couple

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 16:23:57 GMT

Husband-and-wife team builds dynamic business capitalizing on market needs

Right place. Right time. Right people. These are the words Cheri and Donald De Jong use when describing their 25-year dairy career. But their astonishing success goes far beyond luck.

Donald is CEO and Cheri serves as CFO of their multi-state dairy operation. Their complementary personalities have helped expedite long-term business plans and risk-management strategies.

“If you have a good CFO, it makes the CEO work much better,” Donald says. “I just happened to get lucky and married up.”

“Donald is the dreamer,” Cheri adds. “He is the one who will make the deal and thinks we can step over those boundaries. I’m the one who comes in and figures out how we’re going to pay for it and operate it.”

The De Jongs are business-minded dairy farmers and laser-focused entrepreneurs. But above all, the 2016 Top Producer of the Year winners are people managers and mentors. Their Texas Panhandle operation employs 400 team members. Through their focus on talent development, they’ve been able to grow to 20,000 milking cows, producing organic and conventional milk through three operations.

Scale-Up Start. The couple entered the dairy industry with an ambitious plan. After earning agribusiness management degrees from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, the California natives headed east. With funds from Donald’s work brokering commercial real estate in southern California, and financial support from his father, the couple bought an existing 1,000-cow dairy operation in Dublin, Texas, in 1989.

Donald and Cheri steadily grew the operation in partnership with one of Donald’s brothers. They doubled their herd and built equity. But state regulations did not support their growth plans.

“After 12 years, we knew that if we really wanted to grow to the levels we wanted to achieve, central Texas was not the place,” Cheri says.

They looked north to the less-populous Panhandle. In 2001, they started raising heifers close to Dalhart. The next year, they started Northside Farms, a 2,500-cow conventional dairy in nearby Hartley. The businesses quickly boomed, but Cheri and Donald lived six and a half hours away.

“It was our first exercise in managing from afar,” Donald says. “We thought we could do it, but we couldn’t do it effectively.”

When a prospective buyer made an attractive bid for the central Texas dairy, the De Jongs sold it and moved their three daughters and all of their dairy cattle north.

That allowed them to expand Northside Farms’ footprint to a 5,800-cow conventional milking herd. The move north also led them to a new consumer market and a higher level of professionalism. Through his involvement with dairy cooperative Select Milk Producers, Donald knew large milk buyers were seeking ways to fill customers’ growing thirst for organic milk. They studied the market and negotiated a business deal.

“We knew this opportunity would be wrought with risk, so we asked our buyers to share the risk with us,” Donald explains. “For our first contract, we engaged in long-term commitments so we could make the large financial investment.”

The De Jongs learned of some virgin land near Hartley, and they worked with the landowner to certify it for organic production.

A New Opportunity. Their goal was to start small with 500 head and learn the ropes. They applied best practices from their conventional operation and vice versa. “My eyes have been opened,” Donald says. “Our usage of antibiotics is down on the conventional side, and animal welfare is better for both conventional and organic. Without the tools available, everyone has to be hyper-vigilant about prevention. At scale, organic works great.”

Today, their milking herd includes 8,600 conventional cows and 13,000 organic cows—a ratio based on opportunity. “We generally don’t produce milk to sell on the open organic market,” Cheri says. “We are strictly filling a market need.”

The multi-year commitments the De Jongs have secured help them be strategic about expansion.

“Such forethought is the reason why they have been able to weather the cycles and challenges the dairy industry presents,” says Dave Bellows, CEO of Pedestal Commodity Group and director of risk management for AgriVision Farm Management, the company that oversees the dairy operations.

The De Jongs’ business plan also lends perspective on both sides of a sometimes heated debate about organic versus conventional production. “It is not us against them,” Donald says. “You can’t say one is better than the other. It is a big market basket with a lot of consumers, and we need both.”

Focus On Management. Because of their farm size and varying enterprises, the De Jongs created AgriVision, which controls accounting, human resources, purchasing and inventory controls. At the office headquarters, they also have a stockpile of supplies known as the AgriVision Store. “We have one purchasing person, and we can bulk buy and get better deals,” Cheri explains. “We keep track of inventories and don’t over-purchase.”

This arrangement keeps vendors away from the farms and saves employees from extra trips to town.

AgriVision’s structure and professionalism also help the De Jongs attract the best employees.

“Borrowing lessons from corporate America, AgriVision utilizes modern human resource, leadership and training techniques to develop all the employees within the organization,” explains Pete Nanninga, vice president and senior relationship manager with Wells Fargo.

Employees can pursue 16 career tracks. “We no longer have conversations about compensation,” Donald says. “It is all laid out in their personal development plans. Everyone can control their destiny.”

It takes foresight to invest in people, adds Noel Clark, director of human resources for AgriVision. “But it is paying dividends,” Clark says. “Our average turnover rate is decreasing and our goal is 10%.”

Every entity has goals plotted on a scorecard. Half are based on production levels; 25% on financial metrics; and 25% on human-resource factors such as turnover rate and team development. Managers do quarterly financial deep dives. Cheri obtained an MBA and has developed strict financial covenants for debt ratios and a purchase-approval process. This level of detail, along with audited financial statements, has built trust with business partners.

“The De Jongs not only track more information than most in the industry, but they are able to provide that information weeks in advance of others,” says Michael Lynch, the De Jongs’ CPA.

At AgriVision Farm Management’s headquarters in Hartley, Texas, Donald (right) and Cheri De Jong make mentoring their 400 employees a top priority.

© AJ Randolph Photography via Kuker Films

From Doer To Manager. As the operation has evolved, so have its leaders’ roles. “The most important thing we can do here is to mentor and coach,” Cheri says. “I’ve spent a lot of time in the last year thinking about the things I don’t need to be doing on a day-to-day basis.”

“It is a scary thing to quit being a doer,” Donald adds. “But with systems in place, you find a comfort level. I find myself reverting back to old roles. You have to push yourself out of your comfort zone and say that’s not your role anymore.”

This change in mindset has allowed the De Jongs to look for opportunities in other locations. By the fall of 2018, they plan to have a satellite dairy online in Indiana.

As for the future, Donald and Cheri have three nephews working with them and are hopeful a few of their daughters, who are pursuing college degrees, might be involved in the farm operation at some point in the future. “The dairy sector is consolidating, and we know that our growth and size is what will enable us to remain viable in the industry for many years to come for our family,” Cheri says.

About Donald and Cheri De Jong

Operation: Donald and Cheri De Jong own and operate three dairies, Natural Prairie Dairy, Northside Farms and Jersey Gold Dairy, which produce organic and conventional milk. Their herd includes 8,600 conventional cows and 13,000 organic cows, and they grow 85% of their feed needs on 50,000 acres of farmland in Texas and Colorado.

Family: Donald serves as CEO and Cheri as CFO. Their three daughters, Ashley, Allison and Alexandra, are in master’s and undergraduate degree programs.

Human Resources: The De Jongs employ 400 team members. Employees receive competitive salaries, detailed career paths, English as a second language courses and training. For employees’ children, the De Jongs offer tutoring, a summer-school program and aide with college applications.

Community: Donald serves as vice chairman of Select Milk Producers and is on the board of directors for fairlife and the Greater Southwest Milk Marketing Agency. He is a trustee for the Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity Foundation. Cheri is a member of the Farm Foundation Round Table and serves as a trustee of the Sigma Kappa Foundation, in addition to being involved with many local organizations. Together, they launched the De Jong Foundation to empower dairy farmers worldwide.

View From The Top: Q & A with Beth Ford, Executive Vice President and COO, Land O' Lakes, Inc.

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 02:09:05 GMT

What is your connection to farming?
I grew up in Iowa but was not from a farm family. That said, like many of my older siblings (I have seven brothers and sisters) when I turned 12 or 13, I detasseled corn in the summer and also walked the beans.

Attending Iowa State University meant that I was exposed to many children of farmers. As I attended during a particularly challenging time for those in agriculture, many friends struggled to pay tuition and had families in positions to lose their farms. It gave me even more respect for the grit and commitment of farmers and helped me realize farming is not just a livelihood but a way of life.

Company: Farmer-owned cooperative Land O’Lakes, Inc. is a Fortune 200 business with a portfolio of dairy goods, feed and crop-protection products. Its annual revenues top $15 billion.

Education: MBA from Columbia University Business School, BBA from Iowa State University

One book managers must read: I tell managers to read The Economist, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times and New York Times for a broad view of global political and economic issues.

Business leader you admire the most: Our CEO, Chris Policinski, because he is a role model in how to lead, grow a company and stay focused on critical issues while developing key talent.

Favorite leadership quote: From John Buchan: “The task of leadership is not to put greatness into people, but to elicit it, for the greatness
is there already.”

What are your responsibilities at Land O’Lakes?
I am the group executive vice president and chief operating officer for Land O’Lakes, responsible for the Purina Animal Nutrition and U.S. Dairy Foods businesses. I also oversee all Land O’Lakes supply chain, operations, IT and research and development functions. Prior to joining the Land O’Lakes team in 2011, I worked for International Flavors and Fragrances, PepsiCo/Pepsi Bottling Group, Mobil Oil and Scholastic Corporation.

What are the top three challenges facing your agribusiness sector in 2016?
The biggest challenge facing agribusiness is talent. Although the industry is growing, the talent pool has not kept up with the needs. The second, more global challenge, is feeding the world in a sustainable way. And finally, agribusiness is facing considerable market headwinds that will require better thinking, better planning and better execution to meet them.

What tools or strategies is Land O’Lakes using to recruit best-in-class talent?
Land O’Lakes is unique in that we have developed several ways to connect to top universities. We average more than 300 intern positions each year. Our Global Food Challenge program, in particular, asks interns to deliver ideas to solve emerging global hunger. We use programs, like our Talent Acceleration program, which targets promising supply chain employees and exposes them to different experiences in a condensed timeframe, to build talent within our organization. We focus on advancing specific segments of employees with networking and education opportunities with internal organizations like the Women in Leadership Network.

What food trends do you see surfacing in the next five to 10 years?
I think the single-most significant trend is consumers’ surging desire for information and transparency around their food. I think this trend will only escalate in coming years, and that’s good news for all of us. At Land O’Lakes, we see consumer interest as an opportunity to tell our story more broadly and more deeply.

What are some of the best business practices you’ve learned during your career that farmers could apply to their operations?
I would encourage farmers, as I’ve encouraged employees over many years, to ask themselves, “Are we in touch and in alignment with what’s going on in the market?” Once you’ve answered that question, you can identify points of weakness and turn them into business opportunities by
bringing data-driven solutions to your problems.

What are your top keys to motivate employees?
When I have the opportunity, I try to give actionable advice. I encourage them to get broad experiences, especially as a leader, early in their careers. Don’t be afraid to go sideways in a career move to get that experience. Continue to invest in yourself with your education. Demonstrate intellectual curiosity. Be a positive partner and realize a career is a journey; it isn’t a zero-sum game. Success comes when others succeed with you.

What grade would you give agribusiness in terms of recognizing and promoting women leaders, relative to other industries?
I really don’t think recognizing and promoting women leaders in agribusiness is the issue. There
is nothing but opportunity for women in agribusiness.

We have the tremendous and exponential growth in technology. And, we have big ag getting
bigger—consolidation at every level in the industry—supplier, cooperative, retailer, grower. These may seem like challenges, but they are truly opportunities for the best and brightest—women and men. If women perform and manage their careers well, they will get the recognition they have earned.

How do you balance your family life with a career with a major company?
I am very lucky to have three middle-school children and an exciting, demanding job. Like most working mothers, I’m too busy to think about balance; we just figure it out as we go along.

Time For Change? The Beef Checkoff Needs Your Input

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 18:44:12 GMT

The beef checkoff, now 20 years, is considering increasing fees to $2 per
head.

As a dairy producer, Lucinda Williams understands the frustration of paying the beef checkoff program $1/head for a bull calf that’s worth only $5.

But she wants dairy producers, who fund 14% of the checkoff program, to do more than grumble.

Williams is also vice chairman of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB), which administers the checkoff program. She is urging dairy producers to speak out this summer on the bull calf issue – and more – as part of a process to improve the 20-year-old checkoff program.

“It’s the role of producers to convey what’s important to them and how to make the program better for all in the industry,” Williams says.

Prompted by USDA, CBB is soliciting comments from beef and dairy producers and industry organizations for possible improvements to the beef checkoff program. CBB will sift through its findings and make internal recommendations by Nov. 30, 2008. Any recommended changes are expected to reach the USDA Secretary by February 2009. Significant changes, such as an assessment increase, would require a referendum vote by producers.

The information-gathering process comes amid hard times for livestock producers distressed by rising costs for everything from feed to advertising. This has led to impassioned producer debates about budget cutbacks in the checkoff program, whose primary goal is to increase demand for beef.

The next few months of soul-searching are an opportunity for the checkoff program to better serve producers, says Dave Bateman, CBB chairman and a farmer-feeder from Oregon, Ill.

“Any changes should reflect the atmosphere of today’s environment, compared to 20 years ago, to make the program more realistic, effective and responsive,” he says.

While beef board members like Bateman and Williams can’t lobby for any particular changes, they can suggest improvements and report what they’re hearing from producers.

One key discussion area, they report, is a possible increase in the assessment. Since the checkoff program began in 1988, it’s required a $1/head assessment for each animal sold in the U.S. and from imported cattle, beef and beef products. But that amount isn’t enough to adequately fund advertising and other program efforts, some say, and doubling the assessment to $2/head may be necessary.

“Dairy producers are producing more milk with fewer animals,” says Williams, who milks 100 cows at her dairy in Hatfield, Mass. “It’s the same in beef: more meat from fewer animals. That’s reduced the number of dollars coming into the program.”

The assessment has built a $41 million checkoff budget for 2008; next year’s revenue is expected to drop sharply.

“Over the years, as the checkoff budget has decreased and all media advertising costs have risen dramatically, it has become increasingly difficult to invest in a “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner” advertising program that has enough reach and frequency with consumers to be effective,” CBB Communications Manager Diane Henderson blogged on the CBB Web site in May.

“That quandary has reached a degree where [CBB members] have to make painful cuts in other checkoff programs that are integral parts of the overall checkoff strategy toward building demand for beef -– or cut advertising back to a degree that it might no longer be viable,” she noted.

Other areas of checkoff discussion include:

Concern about the roles of the various beef segments. “Some fed-beef producers are concerned that the dairy segment isn’t putting enough emphasis on the beef side of its business,” Williams reports. “Beef makes up only about 4% of a dairy’s operation, so we tend not to pay much attention to it. If we did, we could receive higher value for our beef, and we might not be as unhappy paying that $1 on a bull calf.”
Looking for ways to alter how many times the assessment is collected over the animal’s life cycle;
Collecting the assessment based on weight rather than per head;
The option of combining neighboring states that don’t have their own beef councils into a regional one;
Changing the order’s wording to allow new contractors to do business with CBB. The original order stipulated that only industry-governed organizations existing when the checkoff program was established in the 1980s could work with the beef board;
Better defining the qualified nominating organizations that propose candidates for the beef board.

Formally known as the Beef Promotion and Research Act and Order, the beef checkoff program was formed as part of the 1985 farm bill. Key CBB budget areas are promotion, research, consumer information, industry formation, foreign marketing and producer communications. USDA oversees the program.

Producers who want to weigh in on the beef checkoff program can send comments to:

beefboard@beefboard.org or Cattlemen’s Beef Board 9000 E. Nichols Ave., Suite 215 Centennial, Colo. 80112

Bonus content:

Learn more at: www.beefboard.org .
Listen to two audio reports from the Livestock Marketing Association at: www.lmaweb.com/memberinfo.html . Under “LMA on the Air,” click on “Beef Check-off Survey” and “Beef Checkoff Enhancements.”
Read the views of R-Calf United Stockgrowers of America at: www.r-calfusa.com/News%20Releases/2008/080515-members.htm and www.r-calfusa.com/Checkoff/checkoff.htm .
Additional Web links:
- http://beefboardmeeting.com/ .
- http://www.beefusa.org/

North Dakota’s Last Cheese Plant to Close

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 18:44:12 GMT

The last cheese plant in North Dakota is closing, according to state news reports Wednesday.

Saturday will be the last day that Dakota Country Cheese in Mandan, N.D., will pick up milk, and the last cheese will be made on Monday, June 28.

Dwindling supplies of milk have made it difficult for the cheese plant to operate, and the cheese market also has gone in the tank, said owner and manager Virgil Johnson.

About two dozen employees work at the 35-year-old plant.

The closure will leave 32 farmers looking for a new market for their milk, according to the Associated Press.

A group of investors who had considered purchasing the facility have also given up their plans, the Bismarck Tribune reported Wednesday.

“The volume that seemed to be readily available for that plant was troublesome,” said Pat Downs, a cooperative specialist who had been assisting a group of dairy producers studying the feasibility of purchasing the plant.

Milk production in the area has been going down, and the cheese plant no longer looked like a good investment, the Tribune noted.

Even so, it’s not all gloom and doom, said Gary Hoffman, executive director of the North Dakota Dairy Coalition.

“While that was the only private cheese plant, major co-ops are still looking for milk,” Hoffman said.

Both AMPI’s Cass Clay division and Dairy Farmers of America operate cheese plants just over the border in South Dakota, said Hoffman. “We still have milk flowing into those cheese plants,” he said.

Efforts are ongoing to expand dairy production in North Dakota, Hoffman said. “We’re still interested in people moving here to dairy,” he said. “We’re working with several folks from Canada, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.”

A Canadian family built a 1,500-cow dairy in North Dakota about a year ago, he added. Another family from Canada recently purchased an 800-cow facility.

“There’s plenty of room to grow here,” Hoffman said. “We have advantages over other areas, including abundant, low-cost feed and cheap land.”

Catherine Merlo is Western editor for Dairy Today. You can reach her at cmerlo@farmjournal.com .

Crossbreds on a Roll Gain in number is based on USDA estimates

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 18:44:12 GMT

Crossbreeding is picking up steam. According to estimates based on Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA) records, the number of crossbreds in USDA’s Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory database jumped from 2.8% of the national herd in 2000 to 6.6% on Jan. 1, 2010. That’s nearly 600,000 cows in “mixed breed” herds, and might actually be an underestimate since many large, commercial herds aren’t in the database.

The bulk of these are Holstein-Jersey crosses, and 95% of those are being bred back to one of the parent breeds. Only about 5% are being bred to a third breed.

In 2009, however, 48% of the 278,537 units of semen imported was from breeds other than Jersey and Holstein. Producers appear to be trying to come up with a three-way cross that optimizes heterosis.

Data from California DHIA, which includes cattle from eight Western states, shows that Holsteins still out-produce crossbreds by 2,675 lb. of milk (23,466 lb. versus 20,791 lb.).

But when you look at feed efficiency, that advantage dissipates. Holsteins have about a 1.5 feed efficiency ratio. Jerseys shine, with 1.66, and crossbreds are intermediate at 1.57.

Selling into a cheese market, Jerseys have a 17% greater cheese yield per ton of dry matter fed. Crossbreds have a 6% advantage over Holsteins.

Alan Vander Horst started crossbreeding seven years ago, primarily to breed smaller cattle for a small parlor on one of his dairies. He now milks several thousand crossbreds at his dairies in the Stephenville, Texas, area and says profitability is substantially higher.

The crossbreds, particularly those with Jersey blood, are far more heat-tolerant. And he’s able to achieve pregnancy rates of 24% to 28%.

But Vander Horst also has a warning: “There’s a lot of crossbred junk out there—guys who use Jersey bulls for calving ease and just get rid of the calves. The best animal is the intended cross using the best bulls of their breed. They make fabulous cattle.”

Bonus content:

Train for the Worst Crisis scenario seems all too real

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 18:44:12 GMT

The crisis management team of thefictional Classic Co-op works through the details of a food-borne illness affecting its dairy products.

I had to keep reminding myself: “This is only a drill.” Yet the scenario of a national, dairy foodborne illness sickening hundreds and even killing several individuals seemed all too real in the make-believe crisis management drill I was participating in.

The frantic pace, with updates coming in every few minutes—amid questions from reporters, farmers, plant managers, even union reps—made the drill an adrenaline-pumping, what-do-I-do-next blur of information and demands for both answers and action.

The drill was sponsored by Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) and funded by dairy producer checkoff dollars to train not only media specialists but also dairy company executives and plant managers on how to handle a crisis. The drill, one of several conducted around the country, was held in Minneapolis this past fall.

I was playing the role of an embedded reporter assigned to the fictional Classic Co-op (CC)—a small, Midwestern co-op serving 1,500 dairy farm families. Products range from fluid milk and cheese to infant and adult nutrition products and long-shelf-life dairy products. A number of CC products were implicated in the illness outbreak. I was reporting on the actions taken by the Classic management team of 15 individuals.

The scenario for the drill was that more than 1,200 people across the country had become severely ill with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Five had succumbed and one baby was hospitalized with liver failure.

The Food and Drug Administration had issued a Class I recall for baby formulas containing dairy ingredients. It was also advising the public to stop eating all American-style natural and processed cheeses and any prepared foods containing these types of cheeses.

As soon as the CC team entered its crisis-management center, the pace of the exercise exploded:

The editor of a farm blog got past CC security and burst into the room, taping everyone with a Flip Video camera. He demanded that company officials explain how CC was involved in the outbreak and what it was doing to stop it.
A text message was received saying that a chain of convenience stores that CC supplies was pulling all dairy products from its shelves.
The union steward from the CC manufacturing plant came in, wanting to know what the symptoms of the illness were, if workers were in danger and whether CC’s insurance policy would cover health costs.
CC’s receptionist called in next to say the company’s phone system was being overwhelmed with panicked consumer calls. Reporters were also calling, asking for comments on the financial impact of the crisis. And a board member called to demand an immediate conference call with top management to get information out to farmer owners.
CC’s chief executive officer came in to say she was scheduling a conference call with her farmer board in 15 minutes and needed all pertinent details from the crisis team.
She no sooner left than CC’s dairy transportation and logistics manager got word that all of the company’s tankers of milk were being returned to their shippers of origin and that CC should prepare to reaccept the milk back into its storage silos.
An Associated Press reporter rushed into the room, saying he was on a 15-minute deadline for his syndicate of several thousand newspapers and needed an immediate interview with the highest-ranking executive available.
Another message said that federal health agencies had issued an order requiring schools, hospitals and nursing homes to recall and stop feeding all dairy products.
Within minutes of that notification, CC’s international sales manager received word that Mexico and China were halting all U.S. dairy product imports and that other exporters were demanding confirmation of product safety. And all of this was happening within the first 90 minutes of the exercise.

Remember, this was only a drill. Yet the way the crisis unfolded was very real. “There is no room for complacency. There is no room for believing something like this couldn’t happen to the dairy industry,” says Eric Pehle, executive vice president of Weber Shandwick, the public relations agency that worked with DMI to develop the crisis management training. “As an industry, we have to be ready and we have to be prepared to respond to such a crisis.”

The drill taught Jerry Messer how fast and how serious a crisis can get out of control. Messer is a North Dakota dairy producer and Midwest Dairy Association chairman. “They were hitting us from every single angle, and it made you feel really uncomfortable about dealing with the scope of the situation,” he says.

“We [as an industry] are very much at risk because we have a very perishable product,” Messer adds. “It’s important that we protect the health and safety of the consuming public, and it’s important that we get such a crisis behind us as fast as possible.”

If processing plants are paralyzed by a foodborne outbreak, producers won’t have anywhere to go with their milk. Food safety is always the first imperative, and recovering from a crisis as quickly as possible is the next priority, Messer says.

For Joan Behr, director of communications for Foremost Farms USA in Baraboo, Wis., the crisis drill taught three lessons. First, even though Foremost has crisis management plans in place, the co-op has not regularly practiced to implement those plans.

“We will develop a drill schedule so our employees understand their roles and can react quickly and appropriately during a crisis,” she says.

Behr also appreciated that DMI’s crisis management team has contacts in the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Both agencies sent representatives to the drill. “We have contacts with USDA and state ag departments, but we don’t have established connections with federal agencies such as CDC or the FBI,” she says. “Both might be needed in such a crisis.”

The third lesson was the power of social media in spreading news about the crisis, she says. Blogs, tweets, Facebook, e-mail and cell phones provide instantaneous communication to everyone in the country, but whether the information is accurate is a whole other story.

And that probably is the biggest lesson of the drill, says Weber Shandwick’s Pehle. Having a crisis management plan in place is the first step.

But knowing who you can call for additional resources and help is key. Since many dairy companies market nationally, even internationally, they can be quickly overwhelmed if such a crisis ever hits.

Dairy checkoff organizations are planning three more regional crisis drills in 2010, the first taking place at the end of March in Seattle.

Bonus content:

Who you gonna call?

How will you respond?

What will you say?

Software to assess farm vulnerability to terrorism

Repro Monitors How to get more cows bred sooner

A three-year, $1.6 million project on six Wisconsin dairy operations is shedding light on management practices that control odors and emissions—and those that don’t.

The project evaluated air emission and odor levels of five freestall dairy operations and one open-lot heifer-raising facility, ranging from 400 to more than 2,500 head.

“We evaluated levels both before and after the installation of best management practices that were intended to reduce odor or emissions,” says project co-manager Steve Struss of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

The project, completed this past fall, was jointly conducted with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Dairy producers, industry officials and university engineers served as technical team members.

More than 2,000 air samples were collected from the six farms. The samples were measured for odor and for concentration of hydrogen sulfide and ammonia.

“Keep in mind that we were not measuring the amount of emissions from entire farms,” Struss says. “The samples were collected at the edge of practices, such as manure lagoons, sand separation channels or an animal feed lot.”

The abatement practices included anaerobic manure digesters, an impermeable lagoon cover, a geotextile permeable lagoon cover and a solids separation and aeration system. The results were as follows:

The impermeable cover reduced odors and ammonia emissions by 100%.
The geotextile cover was 70% effective. “The permeable cover is one-third the cost of the impermeable, yet it gave quite a bit of odor and emissions control,” Struss says. “It gave the best bang for the buck.”
Anaerobic digesters had mixed results. One reduced odors by about 15% while another actually increased odors by 15%. Both digesters reduced hydrogen sulfide levels, but ammonia levels were elevated. “The digesters didn’t provide much control,” Struss says. Longer retention times of the manure in the systems would probably result in lower emissions, but the systems would have to be redesigned, he says.
The combination of solids separation and aeration reduced odors by 25%. But concentrations of hydrogen sulfide and ammonia were increased.

The study results were also used to evaluate the odor model that the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture employs when siting dairies. “The study gives us some real world data that we can consider in assessing the model,” Struss says.

Based on sampling results, the model accurately predicts odor from covered manure storage lagoons and large, two- to four-acre uncovered lagoons. However, the model underestimated the amount of odor that is produced by small, uncovered lagoons and manure digesters.

The study also confirmed that separation distance from neighbors is a simple but effective tool for reducing odor effects. The farther from neighbors, obviously, the better.

Bonus content:

Market Watch Diary The height of possibility

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 18:44:12 GMT

Alan Levitt

Milk prices will be better in 2010, but how high will we go, and will it be enough? These are the questions dairy producers are asking themselves at the onset of the new year.

In a January report, USDA is projecting a 2010 average All-Milk price of $16.60, on par with futures prices for the year. In the same report, it projects that corn prices will average $3.70 this marketing year. Put those two together and you’ve got a respectable year, with slightly greater profitability than the 10-year average of income over feed costs.

But there are so many variables that could impact prices and profitability. Milk production will certainly be lower in 2010—we start the year with approximately 250,000 fewer cows than we had a year earlier—but will supply reductions lead to $20 milk, $16 milk or something less?

Equity has been burned and credit remains tight, so farmers’ ability to quickly expand in response to higher prices is questionable.

Overall commodity prices are rising, looking eerily like the rallies that started three years ago. By mid-January, spot prices for Brent crude oil had topped $80/barrel, a 15-month high. Prices have been increasing steadily for nearly a year, accelerating since last fall. Recent price gains for fuel are attributed to large speculators bidding prices higher after the extremely cold start to the winter nationwide.

Meanwhile, the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Food Price Index for 2009 neatly parallels the trendline for 2007 (see chart). By December, the index had climbed to 172, up 17% since July, led by runups in sugar and dairy.

For their part, large global dairy players are downplaying the possibility of another 2008-type dairy boom. Monthly prices on Fonterra’s closely watched whole milk powder auction slipped 7% in January after almost doubling in the last five months of 2009. The company calls the market more balanced now, crediting the rally to pipeline rebuilding that has been completed.

Apparently, U.S. dairy producers aren’t the only ones asking these questions and considering the possibilities. The investment research firm Variant Perception points out that Google searches for “food inflation” have more than doubled in the last three months. Most of the queries are coming from developing countries—Pakistan, South Africa, Singapore and India—where food makes up a large part of consumer spending.

The prospect for runaway inflation is there again, but at this point buyers (and sellers) are more cautious about feeding the fire.

Bonus content:

FAO food price index

Cull High-count Cows Payoff is higher premiums

Assess Cow Cooling

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 18:44:12 GMT

A simple check back in your records can give you a pretty good idea of whether your summer cow cooling practices are adequate, says Bill Thatcher, a dairy reproductive specialist with the University of Florida.

He says Israeli dairy scientists examined winter and summer reproduction records of 48 herds in their country. Herd size averaged 400 cows, which means nearly 20,000 cows were involved in the study. Most of the Israeli herds use highly intensive cooling systems.

The Israelis compared their top 24 herds for economically corrected milk to their bottom 24 herds. The wintertime milk production was identical, at 87 lb./cow/day. In summer, however, the high herds averaged 85 lb. while the low herds averaged 76 lb.

In winter, the high herds had an average conception rate of 40%, the low herds 36%. But in summer, the high herds dipped to a 27% conception rate compared to 19% for the low herds.

In other words, the high herds were achieving two-thirds of their winter conception rate in summer. But the low herds were maintaining only 50% of their winter conception rate in summer.

The above data suggest a number of conclusions for dairy producers:

Calculating the ratio of winter to summer conception rates can offer clues as to how well your cooling system is working. A drop of 45% to 50% suggests cooling is not adequate.
Well-maintained cooling systems allow cows to produce high volumes of milk during summer.
Well-maintained cooling systems allow cows to produce nearly 1,500 lb. more milk per year.
No cooling system can likely cool cows enough to sustain a high rate of reproduction during the summer.
Improperly maintained cooling systems have a detrimental effect on milk production levels and a devastating effect on reproduction rates.

Bonus content:

Interrelationships of heat stress and reproduction

Nutrition High-forage rations

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 18:44:12 GMT

*Extended comments are highlighted in blue.

One strategy used by Midwest dairy managers in 2009 when feed prices were high and milk prices were at record lows was feeding more forages.

Incorporating more forage in the ration reduced feed costs while not writing a check to purchase feed (a common banker demand). Another plus was that most Midwest dairy managers are excellent crop managers who raise high-quality legume-grass forage, small-grain forage and corn silage. Those savings lead to lower forage prices and lower cost of production.

In Illinois, dairy managers could raise high-quality alfalfa hay for less than $90/ton, while it would have cost more than $160/ton to purchase. While high-quality forages are worth the higher market price, dairy managers could “sell” high-quality forage to their dairy enterprise at production cost (similar to “selling” their labor below market price to preserve capital).

The questions and answers below can help guide you when transitioning to high-forage diets.

What is a high-forage ration?

Midwest rations range from 45% to 55% of the total ration dry matter as forage depending on forage quality and inventory. High-forage rations can range from 60% to 70% forage dry matter. Inclusion of byproducts as fiber sources (such as beet pulp, corn gluten feed, citrus pulp and wheat midds) also fit this definition.

What are the key concepts behind high-forage rations?

Consistent quality is critical to maintain a constant source of nutrients for the dairy cow. This goal may be more attainable with high-corn-silage-based rations as harvest occurs once a year with a wider harvest window. That wide window depends on planting strategies (spreading planting dates by one to two weeks) and variety selection (changing from 100-day to 115-day corn varieties).
Legume-grass forages have several risks that must be controlled or managed: weather (e.g., rain damage); multiple harvests that vary in nutrient content due to heat and moisture stress; and variation in the field due to winterkill of legumes, light soil or insect damage.
High-quality forage is a must to deliver needed nutrients to the herd (optimal protein level and form, starch levels, effective fiber and energy requirements). Nutrient requirements do not change with high-forage diets. Corn silage dry matter can range from 30% to 35% dry matter, with more than 30% starch, less than 45% neutral detergent fiber (NDF), more than 55% NDFD (NDF digestibility), pH less than 4 and lactic acid levels more than 5% on a dry matter basis. Legume-grass silage can range from 35% to 60% dry matter (depending on storage structure), with more than 18% crude protein (higher with legumes), less than 45% NDF (less than 40% with legumes), more than 50% NDFD, pH less than 4.5 and lactic acid more than 4%.
The nutritionist can be flexible in building the ration around forage types available on the farm: corn silage for rumen-fermentable starch and high yield per acre; legumes for protein and functional fiber; grasses for digestible fiber and higher intake; small grain forage for an early forage source and double cropping with corn silage; and straw for lignin and effective physical fiber if needed.
Inventory control and availability are important factors in accessing each forage needed to develop the optimal ration. Corn silage bunkers and piles allow for economic storage and fast removal while silage bags allow storage of varied forage qualities and cuttings. Balage can provide a source of long forage without baled hay weather damage risks.

What are the economic benefits?

Cornell University workers surveyed 16 herds feeding 57% to 68% forage dry matter and found milk production ranging from 68 lb. to more than 100 lb. of milk/cow/day.
Using the Spartan II least-cost computer balancing function, the table above shows a 20¢ lower feed cost/cow/day as corn silage increased in the ration. In this example, a 1,400-lb. cow produced 80 lb. of milk with 3.7% milk fat. Alfalfa hay priced at $150/ton, corn silage at $32/ton, corn grain at $3.50/bu. and a protein supplement at $350/ton were used.
Higher milk components can be achieved with high-forage, high-fiber rations due to more favorable rumen fermentation environments and microbial growth.

Bonus content:

Spanish translation

High Forage Rations for Dairy Cattle - How Far Can We Go?

Positioning Commodity Feeds in Dairy Rations

Amino Acids in the Balance An opportunity to improve

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 18:44:12 GMT

Understanding Potassium’s Role in the Ruminant Diet

All-Season Nonmarking Rubber Replacement Track Available from Bobcat Company

New Bobcat M-Series Loaders Lead Industry in Design and Performance

Dairy Innovator Powers Farm With Food Scraps

Young farmer diversifies by producing energy from food scraps

The main dairy facility at Noblehurst Farms has 1,800 Holstein cows, which are milked three times daily. The cows eat 100 lb. of feed and drink up to 50 gal. of water per day, each producing an average of 85 lb. of milk per day.

About Chris Noble

Chris and his wife, Jennifer, have three daughters: Emilie (left), 4; Adelaide, 2; and Isla (not pictured), born Feb. 1.

Dairy Consumer Trends in 2016

Power Couple

Husband-and-wife team builds dynamic business capitalizing on market needs

About Donald and Cheri De Jong

View From The Top: Q & A with Beth Ford, Executive Vice President and COO, Land O' Lakes, Inc.

Time For Change? The Beef Checkoff Needs Your Input

Bonus content:

North Dakota’s Last Cheese Plant to Close

“There’s plenty of room to grow here,” Hoffman said. “We have advantages over other areas, including abundant, low-cost feed and cheap land.”

Crossbreds on a Roll Gain in number is based on USDA estimates

Bonus content:

Train for the Worst Crisis scenario seems all too real

Bonus content:

Repro Monitors How to get more cows bred sooner

Bonus content:

Genomic Gains Will genomics live up to its hype?

Bonus content:

Crop Insurance 101 Protect your balance sheet

Bonus content:

Feed Silage Success Test Plots wrap up twin-row research

Bonus content:

Nutrition Lower protein rations

Bonus content:

Emission Control Geotextile covers show promise

Bonus content:

Market Watch Diary The height of possibility

Bonus content:

Cull High-count Cows Payoff is higher premiums

Bonus content:

The 10 Commandments Keep cows comfortable, productive

Bonus content:

Dairy Talk Innovate or die

Bonus content:

Assess Cow Cooling

Bonus content:

Nutrition High-forage rations

Bonus content:

Amino Acids in the Balance An opportunity to improve

Bonus content:

Dairy Talk A lot to like

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Dairy''s Social Media Activist California producer uses Facebook, Twitter and his own Web site

Bonus content:

Sand Preferred Cows on sand beds outperform those on mattresses

Bonus content:

Nutrition Wet, but lightweight

Bonus content:

The main dairy facility at Noblehurst Farms has 1,800 Holstein cows, which are milked three times daily. The cows eat 100 lb. of feed and drink up to 50
gal. of water per day, each producing an average of 85 lb. of milk per day.