MINER INSTITUTE FARM REPORT

From the president’s desk

We just completed our ye= ar-end review of programs and activities at Miner Institute for 2007. As I look ba= ck over the accomplishments of the Institute staff and their programs, I am am= azed at what we are able to accomplish and I’d like to share some of the highlights with you.

<= span lang=3DEN style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-ansi-language:EN'>Our educational p= rograms remain the essential reason we exist. The Advanced Dairy Management program (ably coordinated by Wanda Emerich) monopolizes our efforts during spring semester with dairy management studen= ts spending an entire semester in residence at the Institute. These are primar= ily students who have spent two years at Vermont Technical College and have transferred to the University of Vermont for their final two years. Our hope is that most of these students return to dairy farming or closely allied agribusiness when the program is completed. In 2007 we were able to mix in two= University of Connecticut students as well.=

<= span lang=3DEN style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-ansi-language:EN'>During fall semes= ter, the focus shifts to our Agriculture and the Environment course (coordinated by = Steve Kramer) and students primarily from SUNY Plattsburgh with little or no agricultural background. The contrast in stud= ent backgrounds, experiences, and expectations between spring and fall semester= is a significant part of what makes it stimulating to work here.

<= span lang=3DEN style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-ansi-language:EN'>Our Summer Experi= ence programs in crop/dairy, equine, agricultural research, and Heart’s Delight History remain vibrant and highly competitive, attracting students = from across the U.S. and occasionally internationally (for example, = Ireland in 2007).<= /span>

<= span style=3D'mso-arabic-font-family:Arial;mso-cyrillic-font-family:Arial;mso-de= fault-font-family: Arial;mso-greek-font-family:Arial;mso-hebrew-font-family:Arial;mso-latin-fo= nt-family: Arial;mso-latinext-font-family:Arial'>The research group (directed by Katie Ballard) conducted numerous studies in 2= 007 on topics ranging from evaluating low-starch diets with distillers grains to t= he effects of copper sulfate on plant and soil characteristics. An enormous on-farm study consumed much of 2007 and focused on appropriate nutritional programs for shortened dry periods.

<= span lang=3DEN style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-ansi-language:EN'>Student projects = are a significant portion of our research and educational programs, providing our students with a glim= pse into the research process and simultaneously generating useful, practical k= nowledge. In 2007, 11 students conducted research projects ranging from the effects of stocking density on cow behavior (a Ph.D. student) to the effect of forage source on chewing and milk yield. Along with improving reproduction, the eq= uine program (directed by Karen Lassell) began to conduct research in carbohydrate nutrition.

<= span lang=3DEN style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-ansi-language:EN'>Industry outreach consumes substantial amounts of all staff time, and this reaches back to the Institute’s core mission of application of the latest technological advances to solve problems confronting North Country agriculture (or, in fa= ct, national and global issues). Over 2000 people attended over 20 workshops/seminars held at the Institute in 2007.

<= span lang=3DEN style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-ansi-language:EN'>The Farm Report c= ontinues to be, by far and away, our outreach effort with the single greatest impact= . In the past two years The Stable Sheet has also provided timely information to= the equine industry. Increasingly= , our web site is an important vehicle for delivering information to a global aud= ience. Over 2000 people per month visited the web site in 2007 with the Farm Report and Stable Sheet being most frequented.

<= span lang=3DEN style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-ansi-language:EN'>The InstituteR= 17;s most visible demonstration program continues to be the dairy herd, managed = by Steve Couture. The dairy staff brought the her= d to new heights in 2007, breaking the 30,000-pound rolling milk production mark= . A high level of dairy herd performance is necessary for our research results = to be applicable to the modern dairy industry, for relevant educational progra= ms, and for effective demonstration of the latest technology in a dairy-crop system.

<= span lang=3DEN style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-ansi-language:EN'>Obviously, I̵= 7;ve skipped over many other significant accomplishments and programs, but I did want to provide a quick glimpse of the breadth and vigor of our educational, research, and demonstration programs. As I travel, I find that many folks have heard of Miner Institute, b= ut usually their impression is one-dimensional. If this brief overview stimula= tes interest on your part in learning more about the range of Miner Institute programs for any reason, feel free to contact us. Best wishes for 2008!

—Rick Grant, grant@whminer= .com

Cows’ Response to Stroking Dependent on = body Location

Due to the close working quarters shared by dairy workers and cows, a positive relationship between = the two is one important aspect of ensuring the cows’ welfare. Researchers from Austria and France took an interesting lo= ok at one way of promoting the cow-human bond in an article published in the most recent edition of Applied Animal Behaviour Science.&nb= sp; These researchers investigated the behavioral and physiological resp= onse from dairy cows to the stroking of their withers, neck and side by a human handler. This research objective was based on previous research demonstrati= ng that gentle handling decreases the fear of humans in a variety of livestock species, and that the heart rates of isolated cows who were brushed by huma= ns were lower than isolated cows who were not brushed. The research staff at M= iner Institute will often scratch cows in the area between their pins and tailhead ligaments or along the udder when collecting= a sample of blood, manure, or rumen fluid to help keep the cow being sampled calm.

Sixty cows (30 Brown Swiss and 30 Austrian Sim= mental) from the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna were used during the research. The locations on the cows that were stroked = by the researchers were selected to include two areas (withers and neck) licked frequently during between-cow social grooming and one area (side) that is rarely licked during social grooming. The selection of these regions allowed the researchers to determine if cows would respond more positively to human contact if it was similar to social contact from another cow. Behavioral observations (focused mainly on movement and position of the head) and heart rate were recorded during an initial 10-min session and second 10-min sessi= on after 3 weeks of treatment. During the treatment phase, cows were separated into four equal groups that were stroked for 5 min per day for 5 days each = week on a) the withers, b) the neck, c) the side, or d) not stroked. The non-stroked cows were used as a control group and a researcher stood next to each of these cows for the same time duration and number of days as those that were stroked.

During both sessions, cows stretched their nec= ks and relaxed their ears for a greater length of time when either their withe= rs or necks were stroked compared to their chests. The duration of each behavi= or was greater during the second session relative to the first. Additionally, = the cows remained in contact (either rubbing or pressing of the head) for longer when their withers or necks were stroked compared to their chests. Finally, more cows shook their heads during the stroking of their withers or necks compared to their chests. The average heart rate was higher during both sessions than a baseline measurem= ent recorded before the start of stroking.

The researchers concluded that stroking differ= ent regions of the cows’ bodies resulted in differences in the behavioral response. The heart rate data suggests that the stroking did not have the calming effect found in previous research. These results conflict with our observations of a positive cow response (defined as remaining still during sampling, licking of bedding, wall, or air, or lifting or curling of the ta= il) to stimulation of the area surrounding the base of their tail or the side of their udder during research protocols (collection of blood from the tail ve= in, cleaning cannulas, or collection of a fecal sam= ple) that result in discomfort. The differences in the reported results and our experience at Miner Institute suggest that mimicking social grooming may no= t be the best method of generating a calming effect during handling.<= /span>

—Peter Krawczel, krawczel@whminer.com

Ve= t’s Corner: Regular Bulk Tank MUN Testing

Last month a local milk buying cooperative invited my partner Stephen Wadsworth = and me to participate in a discussion about providing routine bulk tank MUN tes= ting in milk quality reports. Since the Coop’s purchase of a Delta Lactoscope, the MUN test can be added onto the present array of milk solids and quality milk tests. Cornell research estimates routine monitoring of MUN has a financial reward of 10 to 1 when added to monthly DHIA reports. So this coop intends to improve the profitability of = all patrons willing to use the new information.

MUN testing has lost some of its popularity recently, but still remains a valuable tool for veterinarians and feed comp= any reps. Even though it is reasonably priced, MUN testing has been perceived a= s an unnecessary added cost and is usually used sporadically for support of the diagnosis of suspected nutritional problems. <= /span>

Due to the individual cow’s variability = in MUN results, it’s best to test a group of cows and interpret on the b= asis of the group’s average instead of individual cow results. In the case= of the proposed bulk tank test, each farm will establish a baseline level over= a 4-6 month period and keep an eye on deviation from the baseline. This = will change the perception of the test from the current support role to an early indicator of problems.

Deviation of MUN test can be responsible for s= ome common problems that can have a large effect on the profitability of a dairy farm:

1. Poor conception r= ate is a major problem that veterinarians associate with= a high MUN; over 16 mg/dl. If 21 day preg rates d= rop into single digits, over-feeding of rumen soluble protein as indicated by a high MUN is one of our first rule-outs.

2. Low milk protein.= Financial compensation can result from underfeeding c= rude protein. A low MUN test (under 11mg/dl) in association with low milk protein can lead to making the proper ration adjustment.

3.&n= bsp; Over-feeding expensive protein supplements or underfeeding inexpensive energy sources can be indicated by a high MUN test. Knowledge of high= MUN can lead to creating a lower cost ration that will maintain production and components.

—Kent Henderson, hu= gamoo@comcast.net

DVM, Northwest Veterinary Associates, Inc

PEST CO= NTROL IN FIELD CROPS MEETING

There will be a pest control meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 19^th, = from 1:00 to 3:00 pm in the auditoriu= m at Miner Institute (on Rte 191, ½ mile W. of exit 41 of I-87). Ev will be discussing the latest insect control recommendations including the relative advantages of soil insecticides, seed treatments, and genetic traits. As usual we’ll have several custom pesticide applicators there, including Charlie Hesselt= ine, Ron DeBeer and Kevin Hollister, harassing Ev as well as discussing the particular weed problems they’re encountering in the field and what herbicides are working bes= t to control them.

This meeting has been appro= ved by NY State DEC for 2 Pesticide Applicator Recertification credits in categori= es 1a, 10, and 21. If any Vermon= t farmers attending the meeting need pesticide credits we’ve always been able to make this work, too—but check with us in advance if possible.= As always, there’s no charge for the meeting and registration is not necessary. = Corn Congress won’t have pesticide credits this year, but will have Certif= ied Crop Advisor CEUs.

FOL= IAR FUNGICIDES FOR CORN

You might have read a= bout foliar fungicides increasing corn yields this past year in the Midwest. About 3 million acres were sprayed in Iowa, with the g= oal to reduce foliar diseases and stalk rot. Overall yield response in 26 locations was +3.3 bu/acre (equivalent to about half a to= n of corn silage), with 77% of the fields involved in the testing program showing positive yield response. However, because of the costs of fungicide plus application, only in about 1 in 4 fields was the result economically beneficial.

<= span lang=3DEN style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-ansi-language:EN'>For the time bein= g this is all a moot point for farmers in this area. The fungicide should be appli= ed mid-season, after the corn is much too tall for even big “high boy= 221; sprayers. In 2007 the fungicide wasn’t approved for aerial applicatio= n in NY, which wasn’t a problem since we don’t have an aerial applic= ator in the region. At least for now our best bet is to watch what happens in ot= her areas as university researchers and company reps figure out how and where—and indeed, if—this practice is economical.

Ev= er wonder what happened to forage soybean silage?

Researchers at McGill= University (Vargas-Bello-Perez et.= al. JDS 2008, 91:229) conducted a trial comparing forage soybean silage (SS) to= 4^th cut alfalfa silage (AS) for dairy cows. The forage soybean, cultiva= r Kodiac, was harvested at full pod stage just at yello= wing of the lower leaves. Diets were balanced for nitrogen, 48:52 forage: concentrate ratio with either SS or AS as 72% o= f the forage and corn silage providing the remaining 28% of the forage. Twenty ea= rly lactation Holstein cows were used in a switchback design. Results are listed in Table 1.

The = data indicate that the soybean silage diet resulted in lower DMI and lower milk production compared to the 4^th cut alfalfa silage diet, yet similar fat and energy corrected milk yields and milk efficiency.

Here at Miner Institute, 4^th= cut alfalfa (well, mixed mostly alfa= lfa) silage has rarely been the great milk maker that its low fiber, high protein forage analysis might lead one crops guru to believe. So, with that in mind, these results do not bode well for forage soybean silage. The NDF level was= a bit higher in the SS (46.9 vs. 42.5%) and also had lower in situ NDF digestibility (31.2 vs. 40.6%) than the AS. This explains the decreased DMI on= the SS ration. It also explains w= hy we have not heard much about forage soybean silage lately.

Friday Morning Musing<= /o:p>

<= o:p>

Each Friday, Commander Couture, Ralph, Anna an= d I along with an occasional guest, meet with our nutritionist to discuss ratio= ns, herd health, feed inventories, etc. We also tend to chat about current events and why we’re not ov= er 30,000 lbs of milk…yet.

A re= cent chat centered on how some farms that seemingly break all the rules of over-crowding cows to the point of not being able to see the pen floor beca= use of so much bovine tonnage in the pen are able to maintain a RHA of over 30,000 lbs of milk along w= ith good components, good repro and overall cow health. How do they do it? Obviously these farms tend to have excellent forage quality, and excellent consistency of their high quality forage. These farms also tend to have sand bedding, at least the ones we are thinking of. But still, does sand and forage ac= count for everything? What about be= havior and the stress of overcrowding? Maybe the upbringing of the calves and heif= ers has something to do with “how well adjusted” the mature cows ar= e to crowded conditions. Sort of like how city kids are used to the tight confin= es of city life compared to country kids favoring open spaces. Hence, we surmised that calves and heifers raised in tight confines are accustomed to their limited personal s= pace and are well adjusted for their lactating lifestyle in an overcrowded facil= ity. Just as there are city people, there are city calves and country calves, ea= ch accustomed to their own lifestyles. Something to think about regarding anim= al behavior, including our own.

—Kurt Cotanch, cotanch@whminer.com <= /span>

STR= ANGE STUFF

People sometimes ask where we get some of the strange items appearing here. Here and there, but = at least to our knowledge true. We don’t make stuff up, in part because there are so many nutty people in the world that we don’t have to. The latest was gleaned from the New Hampshire Weekly Market Bulletin, about a new group of food faddists first reported in New Zealand: = Vegansexuals. These are vegans who not only refus= e to eat meat or animal products, but won’t have sex with people who eat m= eat, claiming that their bodies are made from dead animals. Nooo problem: Sex with a fire-breathing vegan isn’t at the top of our pers= onal “to do” list anyway.

CHECKLIST FOR FIVE PRIORI= TIES OF A DAIRY FEEDER

The start of a new year is good time evaluate your dai= ry feeding program. To conclude The Feeder’s Job series, a checklist of = the main points from the series has been generated and included in this issue of the Farm Report.

<= span lang=3DEN style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-ansi-language:EN'>For each of the f= ollowing items determine who is responsible and how often

FIRST PRIORITY: Mixing correctly=

4&nb= sp; Standardize names of feed and/or storage spaces<= /o:p>

4&nb= sp; Determine if feed is good enough to feed

4&nb= sp; Determine the range for each feed ingredient

SECOND PRIORITY: Maintaining the mix she= et

4&nb= sp; Determine sampling schedule for all feeds<= /span>

4&nb= sp; Determine dry matter measurement schedule for all fee= ds

4&nb= sp; Take feed samples and run feed dry matters=

4&nb= sp; Collect current information for mix sheet:=

4&nb= sp; Ration(s)? Dry matter(s)? Batch size(s) or cow number= (s)? Feed analyses?

4&nb= sp; Update and deliver new mix sheet

4&nb= sp; Maintain records

4&nb= sp; Decide when new ration is required<= /p>

THIRD PRIORITY: Observing and Plannin= g

4&nb= sp; Determine storage capacities

4&nb= sp; Calculate current feed inventory and project supply at current rate of use

4&nb= sp; Monitor water supply for each group: quality and quantity

4&nb= sp; Monitor animal intake, body condition, locomotion, rumination, and manure

4&nb= sp; Deliver information to the ration balancer (feed anal= ysis and animal description)

4&nb= sp; Notify when problems and changes occur

4&nb= sp; Make changes and fix problems

FOURTH PRIORITY: Delivering feed properly

4&nb= sp; Evaluate and remove (or reuse) orts=

4&nb= sp; Sets fill sequence and mixing time for loads

4&nb= sp; Practice good bunk and silo management during feedout

4&nb= sp; Confirm proper ration was delivered=

FIFTH PRIORITY: Measuring dry matter intake (DMI)

4&nb= sp; Measuring what the cows eat each day. Only meaningful when the above are satisfied.

4 Collect input for= DMI equation calculation for groups: (Pounds of feed offered)x(DM% feed offered/100) – (pounds of feed refused)x(DM% feed refused/100) / numb= er of cows

4 Calculate DMI for groups

4 Evaluate DMI

4&nb= sp; Check accuracy of scales

4&nb= sp; Keep records and communicate information

More Details in The Feeder’s Job Series in Miner Farm Report at www.whminer.org/farmreport.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>

The Miner Feeder Tools will be updated to Version 2 in March 2008. Some of the requested changes incl= ude a bigger font on the batch sheet, dry matter calculation sheet based on wet plus pan, dry plus pan and empty pan weights, and some improvements to the inventory calculators. If you have any = other requests, send them to Steve Mooney at mooney@whminer.com and we will see if we can accommodate your request. The Miner Feeder Tools, V1 can be downloaded at www.whminer.org .

DIF= FERENT STROKES

A recent study of over 1300 Wisconsin dairy farmers concluded that farmers who practice intensive pasture management are no more (or no less) satisfied with life than those = with large confinement operations relying primarily on stored feed and hired lab= or. This suggests that there’s more than one way to skin a cat—or m= ilk a cow—while being happy doing so. Respondents rated their quality of life, satisfaction with life, and satisfaction with aspects of both farming= and household life. In no case was there a significant difference between the t= wo groups.

<= span lang=3DEN style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-ansi-language:EN'>There were signif= icant differences, however, for dairy farms practicing non-intensive pasture management (moving cows once a week or less) and small confinement operatio= ns relying primarily on family labor. These farms rated their quality of life, both on the farm and in the home, significantly lower than did the two previously cited farm types. This is consistent with other trends on America= ’s dairy farms: Large freestall operations continu= e to represent an ever-larger proportion of milk production, while well-managed rotational pasture operations allow smaller-scale dairy farms to remain competitive. Small and midsize confinement operations, however, continue to represent the largest percentage of farms exiting from dairying.=

ORD= ERING GRASSES FOR ALFALFA-GRASS SEEDINGS

For many farmers, gra= ss is a rather boring topic but you might want to pay attention anyway. At the same stage of maturity there are only small quality differences <= span style=3D'mso-arabic-font-family:Arial;mso-cyrillic-font-family:Arial;mso-de= fault-font-family: Arial;mso-greek-font-family:Arial;mso-hebrew-font-family:Arial;mso-latin-fo= nt-family: Arial;mso-latinext-font-family:Arial'>within a grass species. In other words, at the boot stage most timothy varieties have similar quality. There are greater differences between speci= es at the same stage of maturity, which is why several years ago we switched f= rom reed canarygrass to tall fescue for our alfalfa= -grass seedings.

However, within some species there are big differences in maturity between varietie= s. For example, in a Cornell University timothy variety trial, Summit headed on May 27^th while Climax didn’t head until June 16, a difference of almost three weeks. Similarly, in a Cornell orchardgrass trial, Potomac headed on May 14 and Intensiv headed on May 26^th. While the difference isn’t always this great, in three years of testing Potomac always headed well before Intensiv. (The within-species maturity differences for tall fescue and reed canarygrass are almost nonexistent, so if you’re using either of these species simply choose the highest-yielding variety you can find.)

If you’re seeding straight grass or mostly grass, you can use the above information to greatly extend your “quality harvest” window. Choosing the earliest<= /span> orchardgrass and the latest timothy for different fields can res= ult in a difference in the ideal harvest date of weeks, not days! But if you’re seeding 5 lbs or less of grass with 12-15 lbs of alfalfa per a= cre, keep it simple: First choose the grass species you want to seed, then choose the latest-maturing variety wi= thin that species. This is especially important if you’re brave (or foolish) enough to use orchardgrass—have I mentioned lately that I hate orchardgrass?—since our experienc= e is that even a late-maturing orchardgrass variety = often heads out just as the alfalfa is reaching full boot stage. You do not want fully-headed grass in your alfalfa-grass fields!

Marvin Hall, Penn State Forage Specialist, rep= orts that like orchardgrass, tall fescue and clover = seed supplies will probably be in short supply. Seed production fields are being taken out of production at the same time that foreign demand for forage see= ds is increasing. Current seed prices reflect this shortage (likely to persist= for a couple of years), with orchardgrass seed at o= ver $4 per pound. If you’re going to be making any seed= ings this spring you’d be wise to order early—we did.

—Ev Thomas, thomas@whminer.com

WH= AT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM

Well, the vacation is over (if you got to take one at all); today our entire farm crew was back to work just in time to shovel, plow and trudge through the several inches snow that fell on New Year’s Day. We had a quiet Christmas at the fa= rm. Our close-up cows took a 4-day break from calving during Dec 21^=
st to Dec 25^th—co= mpletely unplanned, but very convenient. Most of us were tired on New Year’s D= ay, having stayed up too late just to say that we made it to midnight.

So begins a new year, and whether or not you= make New Year’s resolutions, January seems like a good time of year to evaluate performance (personal or business) and consider the current positi= on and direction of the farm. This year at the dairy farm we want to do a litt= le better at everything – to fine-tune things so that just like an engine, we a= re running smoothly and efficiently.

There are several areas of the farm that need = to go to the “shop” for a tune-up, and not to the Crops Shop where Jake and Henry are busy fixing up equipment for spring-time. While our cows= are milking pretty well, their body condition is not where it should be –= our New Year’s resolution for the cows is to help them gain weight – now that’s a new one! Milk quality, specifical= ly somatic cell count, is an opportunity for progress in 2008. Staying on top of maintenance hoof trimming is an important part of our priority on herd heal= th. In the maternity pens we would like to see fewer calves born dead on arrival this year. Another area of management that is always in need of fine tuning= -- communication and teamwork. More frequent employee meetings will help us sh= are ideas for improving farm management, more quickly address challenges that arise, and will help keep us all be on “the same page”. =

Hope that this winter you will have time to get your equipment ready for spring planting, but also fine-tune areas of your dairy farm so that it is running like a well oiled machine!

—Anna Pape, pape@whminer.com

—Steve Couture, couture@whminer.com

Ru= minal Temperature Measurement May Help Detect SARA

Ruminal acidosis usually is observed in lactating cows and is classified as either subacute or acute. Currently, subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) appears to be more prevalent than acute acidosis in dairy c= ows and typically occurs between calving and 5 months post-calving. Subacute ruminal acidosis= is estimated to cost U.= S. dairy producers at least $500 million a year as a result of lost milk production and other associated disorders such as lameness.

Subacute ruminal acidosis is characterized by periods of depressed rumi= nal pH (5.0 to 5.5). Clinical signs of SARA are often varied and ambiguous, but= can include decreased or fluctuating intake, decreased rumination, low body condition score, diarrhea, nosebleeds, unexplained deaths, high cull rates = due to vague health problems, milk fat depression, poor milk production, lamene= ss, laminitis, rumenitis (inflammation or irritatio= n of the rumen wall), liver abscesses, and pulmonary bacterial emboli (clumps of bacteria blocking a blood vessel).

In the field, common methods to diagnose SARA include rumenocentesis (collection of ruminal fluid using percutaneous= needle aspiration) and oral stomach tubing. In general, rumenocentesis is preferred over stomach tubing because of saliva contamination associated with the stomach tubing method. However, rumenocentesi= s is invasive and may cause a slight disturbance and discomfort to the cow.

=

In the future, there may be a noninvasive diagnostic method to detect SARA in dairy cows, according to a recent artic= le in the Journal of Dairy Science (J. Dairy Sci. 91:202-207). Researchers from the University of Guelph, University of = Manitoba, and University of Georgia teamed up to investigate the relationship between= ruminal pH and ruminal temperature in dairy cows fed either control or SARA-inducing diets. Each c= ow was fitted with an indwelling electrode and a data logger in order to measu= re ruminal pH and temperature simultaneously and continu= ously every minute for 4 days. The results showed that rumin= al temperature within the range of 39 to 41°C was inversely related to ruminal pH nadir (the lowest point) within a range of= 5.0 to 5.6 for each day. The predictive equation was pH =3D (16.9 ± 2.04= ) + (-0.29 ± 0.052) ´ temperature (°C); R² =3D 0.77.

Thus= , it appears that ruminal temperature many have the potential to predict ruminal pH and thus detect= SARA. The authors suggested two applications of their research in the field. For = the first application, veterinarians could collect ruminal= fluid with an oral stomach tube 2 to 4 hours after a cow consumes the main grain meal in a component-fed herd or 4 to 8 hours after feeding in TMR-fed herds and measure the temperature of the ruminal fluid and then use the predictive equation for pH. Rum= inal fluid cools quickly once it is removed from the cow so a temperature measurement needs to be made immediately. Also, drinking bouts should be avoided when the ruminal fluid is collected. Wa= ter and diet consumption can result in a low ruminal temperature.

=

The second application is continuous monitorin= g of ruminal temperature with an indwelling bolus wi= th a temperature sensor. This application depends on the development of practical and cost-effective intraruminal wireless teleme= try temperature sensing devices. This technology should be available in the near future. Over the last couple of years, Purdue University researchers have b= een working on automatic temperature recording systems that may be used for dai= ry management and allow early detection of disease, estrus, heat stress, pregnancy, and the onset of calving. The automatic temperature recording systems are composed on a biologically inert bolus equipped with a temperat= ure sensor that resides in the reticulum, a panel reader located at the parlor entrance or exit to query the bolus, and a software package to collect, analyze, and view data (Cattle Temperature Monitoring System; MaGiiX Inc., Post Falls, ID). With some modifications= to this system or a similar type of system, it should be able to be used routi= nely on dairies to identify cows with high ruminal temperatures and aid in the detection of SARA.

—Heather Dann, dann@whminer.com =

<= o:p>

THE BEST LAID PLANS…

One of the things I’ve been emphasizing this past year is the importance of proper corn silage maturity; that 30% DM is not the idea= l, and farmers should shoot for at least 32% DM. Not only does 32% DM corn sil= age have better quality than 30% CS, but if actual field DM is slightly less th= an you thought it was, you’ll still be about 30% DM and therefore minimi= ze silage effluent.

<= span style=3D'mso-arabic-font-family:Arial;mso-cyrillic-font-family:Arial;mso-de= fault-font-family: Arial;mso-greek-font-family:Arial;mso-hebrew-font-family:Arial;mso-latin-fo= nt-family: Arial;mso-latinext-font-family:Arial'>Well, it all sounded good at the time. When we harvest corn we never let our Koster Tester cool off, continually testing samples as we chop, haul and pack. We had eight fields planted to the same BMR hybrid (F2F485), seven planted May 3-6 and one plan= ted May 10. Therefore when we started chopping we expected to see relatively li= ttle difference in dry matter, and sure enough, every Koste= r Tester sample was between 32 and 34%. Just to be sure we had our “Lab Guy” Kurt Cotanch do oven-dry samples from four fields, and oven drying has long been conside= red the Gold Standard for dry matter determination. Kurt’s DMs came back 31 to 33%. Just what we expected, consi= dering that not only were all fields planted about the same time, but all were harvested Sept. 14-18.

<= span lang=3DEN style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-ansi-language:EN'>Therefore, imagin= e our consternation when two of the fields—the last two we harvested, total= ing over 800 tons of silage—both came back from the UVM ag testing lab at 28.2% DM! (The others UVM did were all in good agreement with our tests, 31-33% DM) And sure enough, when our feed company consultant Rus= s Saville took a sample of the silage a month after fil= ling, it was 28% DM. As Charlie Sniffen would say, “Well, dog my cats!” Not that Russ was complaining: When I asked about the low DM% he didn’t seem concerned at all, he said it was the highest quality corn silage analysis he’d seen.—73% NDFD and 41% starch (NIR analysis), so it sure didn’t test like immature corn silage.. And Rick said that with the rations we’re currently feeding, slightly lower DM corn silage may actually b= e an advantage. Say what? I will begin to understand Eminent Ruminant Nutritioni= sts right after I understand women. (And don’t hold your breath on that o= ne.) To further muddle the issue, this silage produced a moderate amount of effluent, and any amount of effluent is too much. Some days you're the dog, some days you're the hydrant. On the bright side, we’ve been feeding this silage since the second week of October, DM is now 30-32% and the cows have been increasing in milk with improved componen= ts. Even a quick bout of pneumonia, which even the ERNs can’t blame on our corn silage, didn’t faze them for long.

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That said, there are still unanswered question= s:

1.&n= bsp;       We carefully composite samples for forage analysis, taking handfuls fro= m a number of loads from each field. So why the DM difference between the Koster and the oven tests vs. the UVM tests?

2.&n= bsp;       If there really w= ere DM differences, why was the corn 4-5% lower in DM in two fields when all fields were planted to the same hybrid within a couple of days of each other, and = all harvested within a few days? We’d expect a 1-2% difference due to soil type, etc., but 5%?

3.&n= bsp;       If those two fiel= ds were immature, why were starch levels in the fresh chopped corn so high at 43-45= %? Was the forage analysis measuring plant sugars instead of starch?

<= span lang=3DEN style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-ansi-language:EN'>As Alice in Wonderland said as she started= growing larger after polishing off the Eat Me cake, things get curiouser and curiouser.

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NOB= ODY ASKED ME, BUT…

4      Do you ever wonde= r why Plattsburgh Motor Service uses its initials (in big letters) on its trucks = and ads? They just= do, OK? You got a problem with that? Oh…sorry…n= o, not really.

4      If you had trigonometry in school, have you ever used= anything you learned in that class? Do you ev= en remember what a cosecant is? I sure don’t. Of course, this was before electronic calculators were available and we had to use slide rules, surely= an invention of the devil. Skilled slide rule users could calculate = pi to several decimal places, while the closest I could come was that i= t was somewhere between 2 and 4, which was good enough for me if not f= or my teacher.

4    If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? And why is the word “bra” singular but “panties” plural?

4      The growing trend toward eating local foods has resul= ted in a new dietary classification, the “locavore”. Locavores believe that consuming locally produc= ed foods (organically grown, to be sure) reduces fuel consumption and preserves small farms. It’s spelled locavore, not locovore.

4&nb= sp;     Even though footballs are often called “pigskins”, it reportedly takes 3000 cows to supply the NFL with enough leather for a year's supply of footba= lls. Thinking that 3000 cows seems pretty far-fetched, I tried to chase this “fact” down on Google, in the process learning that it takes 9 yards of material to make a Scottish kilt (I always wondered about that), b= ut nothing about footballs per cow.

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RES= EARCH PROJECT APPROVAL

Miner Institute was recently informed that the proposal we submitted to the Northern N.Y. Agricultural Development Program, “The Effect of Silage Fermentation = on Johnes Disease Organisms”, was approved for fun= ding at a cost of $18,000. This will be our second year of this research: In 200= 7 we conducted a preliminary study, concluding that there is potential to decrea= se the contamination of M. = paratuber= culosis (MAP), the pathogen causing Johnes Disease, in grass silag= e. The objective of the new study is to determine how long grass-alfalfa should be ensiled to eliminate MAP DNA from the fermented forage. We’ll test the manure from cows in our own herd, using manure from the cow with the highest concentration of MAP DNA to inoculate the forage prior to fermentation. We’ll test MAP-inoculated forages 30, 45, 60, 75 and 90 days after ensiling. Therefore, the results will be both practical and applicabl= e to regional farm situations. Our eve= ntual goal is to be able to advise farmers about the effectiveness of fermentatio= n on killing MAP, and also how long they should wait from ensiling to feeding.

<= span lang=3DEN style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-ansi-language:EN;mso-bidi-font-weig= ht:bold'>This project is one of 23 projects NNYADP is funding totaling $388,250, all addressing the needs of Northern N.Y. agriculture. One of the other projects being funded is “Management of Brown Root Rot of Alfalfa and Forage Grasses", which in part continues= the research at Miner Institute mentioned in the December Farm Report.

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HAIL STORM

The devastating hail storm that hit just north of P= lattsburgh in mid-August resulted in the county being declared a disaster area. (A pho= to of the tattered corn was on the cover of our September issue.) Unlike many = hail storms that simply strips leaves from the plants, this hail came in sideway= s at speeds high enough to blow holes through vinyl siding.

<= span lang=3DEN style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-ansi-language:EN'>Too often we let = stories like this drop without letting readers know how things turned out, but not = this time. Cooperative Extension organized a field meeting of affected farmers shortly after the storm, and at the meeting my advice to farmers was not to= do anything rash, to wait and see how much of the corn crop was ruined vs. what was damaged but which would continue to mature. Fortunately, most of the farmers in attendance followed my advice. Remarkable perhaps, but of course doing nothing is always a rather easy sell.

<= span lang=3DEN style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-ansi-language:EN'>We recently saw a= copy of a forage analysis of corn silage from one of the worst-hit fields, and whil= e it wasn’t premium silage it wasn’t half bad: 9 % protein, fiber le= vels a few percentage points higher than normal and energy a few points lower. However, the crop ensiled just fine, with the pH getting down to 4.0. Dry matter was 30%, certainly a lot better than if they’d harvested right away, with lactic and acetic acid concentrations just right. Last time I checked the farmer hasn’t started feeding this silage yet, but proper= ly balanced it should feed just fine…something that looked like a real l= ong shot in mid-August.

—E.T.

<= o:p>

TAL= L FESCUE RUMINATIONS

Forage grasses seeded with legumes tend to resemble the Three Bears’ unacceptable porridges: This one is too hot, this one is too cold. We thought we had the ideal companion to alfalfa in reed canarygrass, a gre= at producer that sucks up manure like it’s going out of style. One probl= em, especially for farmers wanting to take a fall harvest, is that canarygrass tends to go to sleep for the winter quite early, turning an unhealthy-appearing orange with the first frost. And as we’ve seen more forage quality data, reed canary= grass doesn’t look nearly as good as do several other grass species. Last b= ut not least, canarygrass seedlings are slow to establish, more sensitive to frost damage than most other grass seedlings, = and it seems that as we get more alfalfa in an alfalfa-reed canarygrass seeding, we get less canarygrass. We tried pere= nnial ryegrass, but it grew so fast in the fall that it smothered the alfalfa. We= did a strip seeding of alfalfa with both ryegrass and timothy; by the second ye= ar the alfalfa-timothy was mostly alfalfa, while the alfalfa-ryegrass was almo= st entirely ryegrass.

<= span lang=3DEN style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-ansi-language:EN'>Enter tall fescue= , a species that’s been around for a long time but which has had animal performance problems dogging it. However, the “anti-quality” fa= ctor (an endophyte) has now been bred out the newer varieties of tall fescue. In Cornell University trials, = tall fescue has yielded as much or more than other species, and there are many varieties to choose from. Alfalfa-tall fescue seedings= haven’t been trouble-free: Several alfalfa-tall fescue seedings we made this past spring—14 lbs alfalf= a + 3 ½ lbs tall fescue per acre—have excellent stands of alfalfa but variable amounts of fescue, from a lot to not much at all. The wetter parts= of the fields have more fescue, but we never were really wet this year, nor we= re we particularly dry. (Our weather was like that third porridge—just right.) Time will tell though, and reports = from farmers in the area are generally positive.

<= span lang=3DEN style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-ansi-language:EN'>What does look te= rrific is 4 acres of pasture we seeded in 2004, using a commercial pasture mix containing a bit of this and a bit of that but mostly tall fescue. There wasn’t any alfalfa to compete with the fescue, so it established uniformly and well. We pastured the field for a year, since then have been harvesting it as hay crop silage. In 2007 we mowed it on the late side—thus only two harvests—but what harvests they were! Over 2 tons of dry matter each harvest, 4.4 tons/acre for the year. This fall there was a great crop of fescue and white clover, well over a ton of DM per acre. Tall fescue is quite frost-tolerant, and well into November the forage was green and lush. In fact, when I hear Midwest beef farmers talk about “stockpiled” forage for fall and winter grazing, this field is just what I think of. Why the clover stuck around for fo= ur years is a mystery, but we’re not complaining.

If you haven’t tried = tall fescue, either for a straight grass seeding (though I suggest including slightly less than a pound of Ladino clover per acre) or alfalfa-grass, you might give it a try. It has a rugged root system, more like that of canarygrass but with better forage quality, and it do= es well in moderatel= y wet sites.

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CRITTER NEWS

4    Judy is a homing pigeon released for a 600-mile race between France and England but she apparently decided that “home” was no longer England, eventually turning up 5000 miles = away on a Caribbean island. Two expatriate Br= its found and adopted Judy, I.D. confirmed by her leg band. When found she was = in fine shape, just tired and thirsty. Since a homing pigeon can’t fly 5= 000 miles, the assumption is that she landed on a south-bound ship and made the rest of the trip in comfort. Judy appears very happy in her new home; can y= ou blame her?

4&nb= sp;   A man in rural India stoned two dogs to deat= h 15 years ago and has been paralyzed ever since. An astrologer told him that marrying a female dog was the only way to cure his maladies, so he did. The bride wore an orange sari and a flower garland. After the wedding the groom= and his family had a feast, while the dog got a bun. One lousy bun? We don̵= 7;t know if the man’s condition has improved, but if it was up to the dog…

4&nb= sp;   It’s good to see the Australia Zoo, started by Steve Irwin’s father on Australia’s Sunshine Coast in 1970, is still going strong in spite of the untimely (but given his lifestyle, not altogether surprising) death of the “Crocodile Hunter”. Ev spent a day at the zoo two years ago and was impre= ssed by the amount of space allowed for the animals and for the care given by the several hundred employees. (It’s a BIG zoo.) Australia Zoo celebrated Steve Irwin Day on Nov. 15. As Ev’s Aussie friends would say, “Good on ya, mate!R= 21;

4      If you find an African grey parrot that says “H= i, Mommy, how are ya?” with a Brooklyn accent, hang onto it because there’s a $10,000 reward for its safe return. “Franklin” disappeared from a NY City pet boarding facility. Franklin is 18 years old but that’= ;s not old for parrots, which often live for over 50 years.

WIN= TER IS FARM MEETING TIME

The new year always brings in a fresh batch of farm meetings. Some farmers atte= nd meetings because of a thirst for knowledge, others because of a hunger for = new ideas, still others simply because they’re hungry and thirsty and there’s a free meal involved. But don’t just go to meetings, plan on taking something away from them (in addition to a door prize if you’re lucky). Eric Clifford, a Vermont dairy farmer we’ve traveled the Western U.S. with several times along with our Advanced Dairy Management students, says that = if he goes to a farm meeting or on a business trip and doesn’t bring bac= k at least one new idea that he can put into action on his farm to increase profitability, it’s been a wasted trip. On these trips he’s occasionally said something l= ike “There, that’s something I can use; now this has been a worthwh= ile trip.”

<= span lang=3DEN style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-ansi-language:EN'>That’s a go= od way to look at it. If the speaker is discussing weed control programs, do any of the new herbicides sound like they’d be an improvement over what you’ve been using? If someone is beating his gums about reducing star= ter fertilizer rates on highly fertile soils, does this apply to your farm? Far= mers have survived only by continually getting more efficient, and they’ve done so by implementing new ideas and new technologies. The next few months will give you the opportunity to see and hear about who’s selling wha= t, both stuff and ideas. Make the most of these opportunities.

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CAL= ENDAR EVENTS

<= span lang=3DEN style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-ansi-language:EN'>http://www.whminer.org/calend= ar.html

CLO= SING COMMENT

Treat each day as your last= ; one day you will be right.