Animal Welfare

Goodbye, La Niña? Eric Snodgrass Dissects What the Shift Means for Weather This Spring and Summer

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 12:23:44 GMT

La Niña is weakening, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) expects neutral conditions to develop in the next month . But even with La Niña fading, meteorologists are still concerned about drought this spring and summer.

NOAA this week said forecasters expect ENSO-neutral conditions to develop in the next month and persist through the Northern Hemisphere’s summer. According to NOAA, La Niña’s signature is cooler-than-average surface water in the east-central tropical Pacific, stronger-than-average trade winds, and drier conditions over the central Pacific.

ENSO-neutral means conditions could be close to average, but Eric Snodgrass, Nutrien’s principal atmospheric scientist, says that doesn’t mean the weather will be normal this spring and summer.

“I do expect changes,” Snodgrass says. “Think about it like this: The previous winter was an El Niño winter, and it was very mild and very wet. So, we got into spring ’24 with tons of moisture. I mean, Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota flooded out. Then we had this incredibly dry fall as the La Niña began, and it reached a peak twice. It actually hit a peak in December, and then a secondary peak about a month later at the end of January. It’s been fading ever since. The big question is, as we go into neutral conditions for this upcoming growing season, is it going to be one that paints a picture of precipitation extremes? Did it leave us with any sort of kind of problems from winter that are carrying over?”

Snodgrass says the severe weather outbreaks on Friday, that brought high winds, dust storms and wildfire warnings across the Plains, is a reminder how dry it is in the Southwest.

“We’ve got major pockets of the country that are still dealing with some pretty big drought conditions. It is fading, and that is a signal we have to pay attention to,” Snodgrass says.

USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey is also concerned about what impact the shifting pattern will have on farmers this spring. But it’s not just the dryness. It’s also the fact areas are getting inundated with rains that could pose problems.

“With this stormy weather pattern in place, that is going to create some difficulty for spring field work in some areas. It looks like the primary storm track may be through parts of the middle of the country extending into the lower Midwest and eventually the interior northeast. That is one area where we already have fairly wet conditions,” Rippey says.

How sea surface temperatures in the Niño-3.4 region of the tropical Pacific changed over the course of all La Niña events since 1950 (gray lines) and 2024-25 (black line). This shows the traditional calculation for Niño-3.4, the monthly temperature compared to the most recent 30-year average (1991–2020 for the 2024 line). By this measure, the La Niña threshold was crossed in December 2024, but La Niña remains weak.

(NOAA)

La Niñas and El Niños Are Strongest in the Winter
Snodgrass points out La Niñas and El Niños are always strongest in Northern Hemisphere’s winter, which means they fade in spring and summer.

While La Niña-like conditions were a trademark in late fall, we didn’t reach the official definition of La Niña until January.

“The atmosphere way back in November was already treating our winter timeframe like a La Niña,” Snodgrass says. So, we were getting the influences of it as it comes in and goes out. And now the question is, what’s it going to do?”

February 2025 sea surface temperature compared to the 1985-1993 average. The surface of the east-central tropical Pacific is slightly below average temperature, but much of the global ocean remains warmer than average.

(NOAA )

“This is a great map to look at,” Snodgrass says, referencing the map above. “If you focus right in the middle, you see the large area of the cooler colors. Our line is now shifting to the central and West Pacific and behind it over by South America. All of the warmer water is beginning to emerge. And that’s what’s killing it because there’s a trade wind across that area from the east to the west. We’re going to watch this fade carefully during the spring. But the question is: Do we get winter’s leftovers?”

What Fueled the Dryness This Winter?
During the winter, Snodgrass points out there was no subtropical jet. That’s what fueled drought in the Southwest and Northwest.

“I’m actually kind of worried about the beginning of April having another shot at cold air after what we’ve been experiencing in March, which has been so very, very mild. Then you say, well, we’ve had so much dry air in place. Are we still worried about more dry air coming back? To be honest, these big storm systems coming through the central U.S., if we could get four, maybe five more of those by early April, we’re going to hate it. It’s nasty weather. It’s not fun, and it’s dangerous, but it returns moisture. That could be part of the mix of things, including the fading of La Niña that could help bring us away from these major early season drought risk scenarios.”

55% of corn production, 46% of soybean production, 33% of the cotton growing area and 27% of the winter wheat production are currently experiencing drought.

(U.S. Drought Monitor )

Growing Drought Concerns
What if it doesn’t? What if we don’t see more of this severe weather hit the Southwest and Plains, and moisture remains absent as we get into the height of spring? Well, the area will enter into the height of the growing season dry and reduce their chances of seeing moisture this summer.

“That’s a box we check every spring,” Snodgrass says. “If the drought monitor saw a reduction in drought over winter, then that gives us a different look for spring. But what we see here is two-thirds of the country in some stage of drought, including the abnormally dry category. But it’s the epicenters of drought that are so concerning. Look at the Western Corn Belt. Look at the Southwest. We just wonder if that funnels into the Mississippi Valley as we go forward.”

At the same time some areas are seeing drought, Kentucky, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, Tennessee, Arkansas and the boot heel of Missouri are all experiencing heavy rains and flooding.

“By May 11, I want to know what the drought monitor map looks like. If it looks no different, then I’m going to be sounding alarms going into summer with concerns this will start to creep and move because as soon as we get into the summer weather, all we get is convective storms pop off. And what do they do? They just locally deliver rain - not big broad swaths of it,” Snodgrass says.

Tale of Two Weather Scenarios
He says the forecast leading up to May 11 is a tale of two weather patterns, with the Mississippi River being the dividing line for moisture.

“If you are along it and east of it, I think we’re going to have tight windows to plant. You could include a little bit more of Missouri, Iowa and Minnesota in that as well,” Snodgrass says. “I think we’re going to see repeated storm systems. The best moisture is east. It keeps avoiding that southern plains area.”

What to Watch: Where the Storm Chasers End Up
Snodgrass says if storm chasers are busying chasing severe weather across the Ohio Valley, the mid-south and the southeast, but not in Kansas and the Plains, that’s a key indicator there’s a problem with the moisture getting back into the plains.

“If it’s not there by the time we start June, it’s very difficult to rely on the atmosphere to return it once you get into the summer months if you live in the central plains, which is where they could build from,” he adds.

To watch the complete discussion with Snodgrass, visit Farm Journal TV and take advantage of the free trial.

Your Next Read:
Ag Meterologists Worry More Drought Lies Ahead For Spring

Antibiotic Use Calls for Collaborative Approach

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:36:26 GMT

Source: National Institute for Animal Agriculture

The message emerging from the “A One Health Approach to Antimicrobial Use & Resistance: A Dialogue for a Common Purpose” symposium, Nov. 13-15, in Columbus, Ohio, was clear: Antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance are the responsibility of all communities—human health, animal health and environmental health—and solutions will require collaboration of these health communities.

At the end of the three-day symposium, which was coordinated by the National Institute for Animal Agriculture, presenters and participants agreed on numerous points:

• Antibiotics dramatically improve human, animal and plant health, and increase life expectancy.

• Antimicrobial resistance is not going to go away.

• A historical look at antimicrobial resistance shows antimicrobial resistance is not a new phenomenon but existed before mankind.

The topic of antimicrobial resistance can be subtle, complex, difficult and polarizing. It is more than science and evidence. It’s about politics, behavior, economics and conflicting opinions.
Antimicrobial resistance is not merely a consequence of use; it’s a consequence of use and misuse—and each community—animal health, human health or environmental health—is responsible for antibiotic stewardship.

The finger pointing and blame for antimicrobial resistance need to end. The time has come to work together. “Finding a solution is not about compromise; it’s about reaching agreement,” stated Dr. Lonnie King, Dean of The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. “We (animal health, human health and environmental health communities) need to focus on interests and not positions and initiate options for mutual gain. We need to find common ground—something we all can agree to when we disagree on other issues.”

The National Institute for Animal Agriculture provides a forum for building consensus and advancing proactive solutions for animal agriculture—the beef, dairy, swine, sheep, goats, equine and poultry industries—and provides continuing education and communication linkages for animal agriculture professionals. NIAA is dedicated to programs that work toward the eradication of disease that pose risk to the health of animals, wildlife and humans; promote a safe and wholesome food supply for our nation and abroad; and promote best practices in environmental stewardship, animal health and well-being. NIAA members represent all facets of animal agriculture.

Pew Livestock Report Biased, Say Animal Scientists

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:19:25 GMT

The Federation of Animal Science Societies (FASS) has analyzed the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production’s report “Putting Meat on the Table: Industrial Farm Animal Production in America” as well as the American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) response to the report. After a review by FASS’ Scientific Advisory Committees, FASS agrees with AVMA that there are significant flaws in the Pew report.

As an organization dedicated to sound science as the foundation of any policy recommendations, FASS is concerned that the process utilized by the Pew Commission to ensure an unbiased work product was insufficient. As pointed out by the AVMA, the process for gaining scientific expertise in the technical reports was biased and did not incorporate the findings and suggestions of a significant number of participating scientists. This represents a fundamental problem in the way the report was constructed.

In addition to procedural deficiencies, there are substantive problems with many of the recommendations in the report. For example, the Pew report recommends restricting the use of antimicrobials in food animal production to reduce the risk of antimicrobial resistance to medically important antibiotics. Banning the use of antibiotics before science-based studies and risk based evaluations are done to determine if there is an actual risk to human health would be detrimental to animal and human health. Additional research is needed to determine what, if any, policy changes to antibiotic use are appropriate.

In the area of animal welfare, the Pew report seems to assume that all intensive farming operations are inherently inhumane. It is possible to have good animal welfare in both small and large scale production systems and there are positive and negative trade-offs when choosing among different production systems. FASS also believes that housing type cannot be considered in isolation from other important factors that influence animal welfare, including management, feeding systems, environmental features, and animal type.

FASS encourages policy makers and other interested parties to consider both the Pew report and AVMA response when looking at policies for animal agriculture. FASS appreciates that both Pew and AVMA recognize the value of more research. It is important to maintain a continued dialogue on these issues and increase support for additional research in the area. Science must be the foundation as animal agriculture looks to the future.

The Federation of Animal Science Societies (FASS) was formed in 1998 by the three founding Member Societies: the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA), the American Society of Animal Science (ASAS), and the Poultry Science Association (PSA). The mission of FASS is to strengthen the common interests and collective good of member societies through a unified science-based voice that supports animal agriculture, animal products, and food systems globally.

Vouching for Cow Care

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 18:44:12 GMT

California will soon be able to prove its cows really are happy. Over the next year, the state’s 1,750 dairies will participate in an animal well-being evaluation developed under the new National Dairy FARM (Farmers Assuring Responsible Management) Program.

The evaluations are required by California’s major producer-owned dairy processors, who want to demonstrate to buyers and consumers that their products come from dairies that take good care of their cows.

“We had been approached by a number of animal welfare programs, but FARM was something the entire California dairy industry could get behind,” says Eric Erba, director of producer and government relations for California Dairies, Inc. (CDI). “Our customers are aware of FARM, and they accept it.”

Launched in 2009, FARM is designed to demonstrate that U.S. milk producers provide excellent animal care. CDI, Dairy Farmers of America, Land O’Lakes and Hilmar Cheese Company have been educating producers and field staffs about the evaluation and verification process.

Workshops have been held across California to let producers know what to expect as the program unfolds. “Attendance was so good, we are providing additional sessions,” says Denise Mullinax of the California Dairy Quality Assurance Program, which organized the workshops.

Most of California’s on-farm evaluations will begin in July and be completed in mid-2011. These “second-party” assessments involve a series of questions for the dairy owner and animal observations by the evaluator. Each dairy will be evaluated once every three years.

In most cases, the processor’s field staff will conduct the evaluations. Each processor will bear the financial cost. Evaluators will be trained for consistency and uniformity.

In March, Jamie Bledsoe volunteered to be the first California producer to undergo a FARM evaluation.

“It went smoothly,” says Bledsoe, who milks 1,000 cows west of Fresno. “It’s a very simple process. It’s not pass/fail. It helped us get an accurate picture of the care we provide our ani-mals, so our customers can be assured we’re committed to high standards.”

Each evaluation should take two to four hours, says Jim Reynolds of the University of California’s School of Veterinary Medicine. Reynolds conducted Bledsoe’s evaluation.

“Producers should take these evaluations seriously and be positive about them,” Reynolds says. “It’s a good opportunity to see how management and labor are taking care of the animals, and that’s key to success in the industry.”

FARM’s final step will be third-party verification, beginning in 2011. That will include only randomly selected dairies from a national pool of FARM participants.

Bonus content:

California Dairies Inc., Land O’Lakes Put FARM Into Action

Is FARM Too Stringent?

National FARM Progrm manual

Good Husbandry Grants Available for Farmers

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:37:02 GMT

Grants up to $5,000 are available to farmers in the Animal Welfare Approved program.

Source: Animal Welfare Approved news release

Animal Welfare Approved’s annual Good Husbandry Grants program has launched and is now accepting project proposals aimed at improving farm animal welfare.

Grants up to $5,000 are available to farmers already in the Animal Welfare Approved program and to farmers that have submitted an application. Grant applications must be submitted by Oct. 1, 2013.

The Good Husbandry Grants program is in its sixth year and has funded over 100 projects in the U.S. and Canada to improve farm animal welfare. Past projects included mobile housing, breeding stock and on-farm processing equipment. Slaughter plants working with or seeking to work with AWA farmers are also eligible for funding. The program is ideal for established farmers interested in implementing new farming practices.

“The grants program is great for that farmer who has a creative idea for improving farm viability, but might just be a few dollars short. We believe that supporting our farmers and the implementation of the latest sustainable practices is crucial to the development of agriculture,” says Program Director Andrew Gunther.

The 2013-2014 funding priorities include welfare improvements in the slaughter process, improved genetics, increased outdoor access and non-lethal predator control. A primary goal of the program is to facilitate the growth and success of high-welfare, pasture-based systems by providing nontraditional funding resources.

Gunther says, “Consumers are increasingly demanding high-welfare, sustainable products. We’re working to help our farmers meet that demand and access new markets as this sector grows.”

True and Essential Meats, a slaughter plant in Harrisonburg, Va. was awarded a Good Husbandry Grant last year. Owner Joe Cloud says, “This grant gave us just the edge we needed to improve our facility, which is dedicated to processing services for independent family farms.”

“These grants are an invaluable tool for small farmers and ranchers in improving the sustainability of their agricultural operations. Without this support it would not be possible for many of us to afford the costs to improve the welfare of our animals. By funding these grants, AWA enables the farmer to improve the conditions of his operation for the benefit of his animals,” says Anthony Koch, a previous grant winner.

For more information on past winners and the application process, click here or contact Grants Coordinator Emily Lancaster at Emily@AnimalWelfareApproved.org or 202-618-4497.

Animal Welfare Approved audits, certifies and supports farmers raising their animals according to the highest welfare standards, outdoors on pasture or range. Called a “badge of honor for farmers” and the “gold standard,” AWA is the most highly regarded food label in North America when it comes to animal welfare, pasture-based farming, and sustainability. All AWA standards, policies and procedures are available on the AWA website, making it the most transparent certification available.

Animal Welfare Approved’s Online Directory of AWA farms, restaurants and products enables the public to search for AWA farms, restaurants and products by zip code, keywords, products and type of establishment. In addition, AWA has published Food Labeling for Dummies, a regularly updated guide to commonly used food claims and terms, available free for download here .

Purina Launches Cool Cow™ Mobile App

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:39:24 GMT

Source: Purina Animal Health

The new Cool Cow™ mobile app from Purina Animal Health puts the tools dairy producers need to monitor and address heat stress at their fingertips. Research shows that cows can begin to show the effects of heat stress at a Temperature Humidity Index or THI of 68. Reproduction can be impacted at a THI of 55.

Heat stress and an associated 10 percent to 35 percent milk production lossmay cost a dairy producer $1.60 to $5.60 per cow per day. These losses can continue to mount when reductions in reproductive performance and increased days open are added into the equation.

“With the new Cool Cow mobile app, dairy producers will know when temperatures have reached levels that are stressful to the cow,” says Elena Lindemann, lactating livestock marketing director with Purina Animal Nutrition LLC. “This new tool is designed to assist dairy producers in mitigating the negative financial impacts of heat stress.”

The mobile app features an easy to use heat stress calculator for inputting the current temperature and humidity readings. The temperature and humidity is then translated into a THI reading that shows the severity of heat stress, ranging from mild to extreme risk; providing dairy producers insight on the current conditions inside their barn. In addition to the heat stress calculator, the mobile app offers tips on mitigating heat stress from management to nutrition.

The Cool Cow™ mobile app is available to download for Android phones here.

For more information, click here .

Global Alliance Will Promote Regenerative Agriculture

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 03:01:51 GMT

Eight agricultural companies will be part of Farming for Generations, a global collaboration to support dairy farmers to adopt regenerative agricultural practices that preserve and renew environmental resources, respect animal welfare and ensure the long-term economic viability of farms for the next generation.

Recognizing that the food system needs to change to address a range of environmental and health challenges, the alliance is convinced that agriculture is a solution, and that dairy farming specifically has a key role to play in building the sustainable food systems of tomorrow.

Led by Danone, Farming for Generations draws on the expertise of leaders from the agricultural value chain: animal health and welfare companies MSD Animal Health, Neogen and FutureCow; animal nutrition and health company DSM; crop nutrition company Yara; crop science company Corteva Agriscience; and artificial intelligence agri-food start-up Connecterra. Netherlands-based Wageningen University and Research, will be a research and advisory partner. WWF (World Wildlife Fund) France, a national organization in the WWF Network, will also provide guidance to help the project reach its goals.

Farming for Generations will initially work hand-in-hand with 25 dairy farms in the USA, EU and Russia to identify best practice solutions and innovations across different farming models, farm sizes and geographies. Viable and replicable solutions will be shared and scaled up within the full network of the alliance partners.

People are increasingly conscious of the environmental and social impacts of their food choices. New scientific studies are working to define “sustainable diets” that can provide healthy and nutritious food to the growing world population while respecting environmental limits. Regenerative agriculture has a lead role to play in delivering this ambition, by protecting soil, water and biodiversity; respecting animal welfare; and empowering farmers.

Farming for Generations will help identify and scale up solutions across the farming system: growing
feed, choosing the best animals for breeding programs, nurturing and rearing animals, and
producing milk. It will explore regenerative agricultural practices that seek to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions, protect soil and biodiversity while providing the best quality feed for dairy cows; support
animal health and wellbeing, ensuring cows have a healthy, stress-free life; and empower farmers
with workable solutions to economic, social and environmental challenges.

Over the next three years, the alliance will gather cross-sector insights, refine best practices and
develop new approaches, which will be shared in a practical toolbox. Farmers will be involved each
step of the way, ensuring that practices are viable and suited to local geographies.

Video Monitoring Adds Another Layer of Security for Animal Welfare

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 03:30:48 GMT

New technology is an important tool in food safety, and now it’s being used to measure animal well-being. Tyson Foods says it will be using video surveillance to help improve efforts to monitor bird welfare . The company currently employs a team of animal well-being specialists across all its beef, pork, and poultry operations as part of its commitment to sustainable food production.

In August 2016, Tyson fired 10 workers after an animal rights group released a secretly recorded video showing workers swinging chickens around by their legs and wings. A year later, the company terminated a farmer’s contract after another group videoed workers breaking birds’ necks by standing on their heads. Rather than allowing similar instances to occur in the future, Tyson will be recording its operations itself, keeping an eye on the daily proceedings of its processing plants and contract farms.

In a similar vein this past year, Hormel Foods hired third party auditors to review its hog farms after animal rights videos showed overcrowded conditions and a worker slamming a pig to the floor. As video monitoring is implemented in the poultry industry, it could spread to other animal production systems to combat the ever-growing amount of footage being circulated by animal rights groups.

How the Process Will Work

Tyson has installed third-party remote video auditing (RVA) systems to monitor live bird handling in 33 of its poultry plants. These RVA systems have been equipped using Arrowsight, a company that provides RVA technology and data analytics services for monitoring manufacturing settings, including livestock production facilities. Trained auditors from Arrowsight analyze footage from Tyson’s chicken plants, providing feedback for improving management on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Similar RVA systems will be used for evaluating the on-farm catching of birds prior to transporting them to processing facilities.

In addition to video monitoring, Tyson also intends to launch controlled atmosphere stunning methods in two of its poultry processing plants, and will be researching changes to chicken house lighting and enrichment that could further improve bird welfare.

Tyson is not the first to test out RVA auditing, as Cargill pioneered the program in its beef-harvest facilities back in 2008. But as more companies embrace new technology, production standards for farmers and ranchers could start to follow this trend as well.

Stakeholders Summit Finishes Strong in Kansas City

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:01:39 GMT

“Every time you open your doors and go outside your comfort zone, the opportunities are endless,” said Brad Scott, a fourth-generation dairy farmer whose operation appeared on a 2013 episode of the reality television show “Undercover Boss.” Scott spoke at the 2015 Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit in Kansas City, Mo.

During his remarks, Scott discussed the challenges and benefits of allowing a reality television crew to have full access to his family’s 1,000-cow dairy farm to film the episode, which featured the CEO of Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt. Scott’s farm, Scott Brothers Dairy, supplies milk to Menchie’s. The CEO was able to witness the delivery of a calf during his visit, and said that his time on Scott’s farm was the most exciting part of his undercover excursion.

“After this experience, our farm and the Menchie’s marketing team have a much better connection and understanding,” Scott said. “When they have questions about animal handling, we’re the first people they call.”

Other speakers repeated Scott’s call for increased transparency within animal agriculture, with Gary Cooper, COO of Cooper Farms, Inc., commenting, “At Cooper Farms, we are opening up our barn doors more and more every day. It’s certainly a risk, but I feel that if you aren’t at least a little uncomfortable, you aren’t being truly transparent.

Transparency is a crucial tool to building consumer trust, making a logical transition into the Summit’s final sessions, which focused on crisis and reputation management.

Helen Wojcinski, science and sustainability manager at Hybrid Turkeys, shared her advice for attendees in times of crisis based on her experience with an undercover video released by an animal rights activist group.

“You have to have a strong record of animal care,” Wojcinski said. “Be open and public about your commitment to animal care every day, and make it a part of the culture among supervisors and employees.”

Wojcinski also shared tips for interacting with the media, including being proactive by being the first to break a story even if its negative.

“By facing the situation head-on and releasing our own press release first, we were able to achieve a more balanced story in the media,” she said.

The final Summit speaker was Kimberly Keller, senior director of reputation management at Charleston|Orwig. Keller shared that food brands are struggling in developing positive reputations, with fewer and fewer food-related brands faring well in studies measuring consumer trust.

“Reputation translates to financial success,” Keller said. “Your reputation has an impact on your business and your bottom line.”

Source: Animal Agriculture Alliance

Cargill Helps Cows Avoid Heat Stress During Hot Summer Months

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:01:39 GMT

Cargill’s animal nutrition business today shared new data proving the effectiveness of its customized feeding solutions that help customers manage heat-stressed cows during heat waves. With summer in full swing in the northern hemisphere, heat stress generally begins to affect a cow’s performance when the Temperature Humidity Index (THI) reaches 68, and can significantly reduce their appetite, fertility and milk production levels.

“Our proprietary feeding solutions, called I.C.E.™ and Cooling Pack™, which are tailored to meet customers’ specific needs and the environment in which they operate, help protect cows from heat stress effects at the cellular level,” said Ercole Zerbini, Cargill’s global ruminant technology director. “Adding key nutritional ingredients such as an osmolyte can help cows stay hydrated, avoid dramatic increases in overall body temperature, recover faster after high heat and humidity, and improve pregnancy and fertility rates.”

Recent trials prove effectiveness

Commercial farm trials in Texas, U.S., demonstrated an increase in conception rates of 7.1 percent in multiparous cows (cows that have had more than one calf) and 8.1 percent in primiparous cows (cows that are calving for the first time).
A trial in Brazil indicated a 13 percent increase in fertility rates.
Another study in Brazil showed better protection against the depression in milk fat concentration often seen when cows are exposed to heat.
Heat stress is known to bring increased risk of ruminal acidosis. Work at the Cargill Innovation Center in Velddriel, The Netherlands demonstrated improved maintenance of rumen pH.

“A customer in the U.S. was able to maintain 70 pounds (32 kilograms) of milk with 4.6-to-4.7 percent butterfat and 3.6 percent protein through the whole summer,” says Noah Hughes, Cargill sales consultant. “Previously, milk production at this dairy farm would drop to 60 pounds (27 kilograms) per day in the peak summer heat.”

Cargill’s heat stress feeding solutions, marketed under I.C.E.™ and Cooling Pack™, are now available in the U.S., Brazil, France, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Russia, Canada and Peru. For optimal results, Cargill and Provimi brand nutritionists recommend implementing this technology before a heat wave begins. Contact your local sales representative to learn more about which heat stress solution would best suite your needs.

Source: Cargill

Animal Welfare at the Negotiating Table

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 21:29:42 GMT

Animal rights activists have pushed the discussion on animal welfare to a point where it has become a real concern for consumers who enter grocery stores and restaurants.

Initiatives like the National Dairy FARM Program are assisting in changing those perceptions by sitting across the table with retailers to help address the issue of animal care and telling dairy producers’ stories to consumers.

FARM, or Farmers Assuring Responsible Management, managed by the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), sets national standards for dairy animal care and the production of wholesome milk. FARM is designed to create a culture of continuous improvement to inspire dairy farmers to do things a little better day after day.

“Animal care is quite frankly one of the most difficult challenges facing our industry,” says Jim Mulhern, NMPF president and CEO. He spoke last week at Dairy Today’s Elite Producer Business Conference in Las Vegas.

Farms are being put under the microscope as their practices are being watched not only by animal rights activists, but by retailers and shoppers.

“It is on the minds of consumers all around the country. People buying our products want to know where their food came from and how it was raised,” Mulhern says.

The American Humane Association indicates nearly 95% of respondents in a recent study are “very concerned about farm animal welfare.” That’s up 7% from last year’s survey.

Tail docking is the number one animal welfare complaint expressed to retailers and processors by consumers, says Mulhern. The recent announcement to move up the phase-out date of tail docking is key to addressing that concern.

“Really, [the ban on tail docking] came about because it wasn’t a practice that could be supported or defended in the industry,” Mulhern says. Various university research studies show tail docking provides no improvement in milk quality.

“The American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Association of Bovine Practitioners have both taken positions opposing the routine use of tail docking,” Mulhern adds.

In 2012, NMPF’s board originally set the timetable to eliminate tail docking by 2022. When the deadline was first set, it was intended to provide time to phase out the practice.

This fall, NMPF’s board decided to move up the effective date to end tail docking to January 1, 2017. That was because major dairy product customers were already setting their own deadlines. And that could have created a situation where some processors and cooperatives would not accept milk from farms using tail docking.

Dairies participating in the FARM Program will, after January 1, 2017, be evaluated to see if they are tail docking. If they are, it will trigger a corrective action plan and follow up evaluations to help keep the farm in compliance.

Since 2009, the FARM Program has aimed to promote best management practices with producer education and assessment via 2nd party evaluations. Currently, more than 93 percent of the nation’s milk supply has enrolled in the program with almost 34,000 on-dairy evaluations completed. Third party evaluations confirm the results.

The FARM Program has also moved from voluntary to mandatory. That will help assure retail partners and customers that dairy producers have the utmost respect for doing what is best for their cattle.

“What we can’t have is animal care becoming a competitive issue in the countryside,” says Mulhern, with different programs run by different organizations and vendors. “To try and use this as a competitive issue is a race to the bottom.”

The FARM Program has partnered with the Beef Checkoffs’ Dairy Beef Quality Assurance certification program and Merck’s Dairy Care365 initiative to help in employee training and producer outreach.

New Video Tells Positive Story of Dairy Farmers

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:29:59 GMT

Source: Merck Animal Health

A new video, “U.S. Dairy Farmers Care,” tells the story of dairy farmers and their commitment to their animals, the environment, local communities and consumers. Merck Animal Health, a company committed to the success of dairy farmers, created the three-minute, animated video to help dairy farmers share their positive stories with non-agricultural audiences.

“This video pays tribute to the more than 55,000 dairy farm families dedicated to providing our country and the world with high-quality, nutritious milk and dairy foods,” said Rick Cozzitorto, dairy marketing manager for Merck Animal Health. “And, they do so while caring for their animals, reducing the environmental footprint of dairy production and contributing to our local economies.”

The U.S. Dairy Farmers Care video includes more than 20 facts about the dairy industry, including information about animal care, the carbon footprint of dairying, the financial impact of dairies on their local economies and the industry’s role in feeding the world. The video also serves as a library of facts that dairy farmers can reference in talking to consumers about the dairy industry.

“In a world where people want to connect with local farmers, we believe this video can help bridge the gap with consumers who want to know how their food is produced,” Cozzitorto said. “We encourage dairy farmers and fellow dairy-industry supporters to share this video with their friends, family members, neighbors, social networks, business contacts and others.”

The U.S. Dairy Farmers Care video is posted on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vS_PhiYmNJg .

To request a DVD, contact a Merck Animal Health representative or e-mail info@DairyFarmersCare.com .
About Merck Animal Health .

Today’s Merck is a global healthcare leader working to help the world be well. Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside the United States and Canada, is the global animal health business unit of Merck. Merck Animal Health offers veterinarians, farmers, pet owners and governments one of the widest ranges of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services. Merck Animal Health is dedicated to preserving and improving the health, well-being and performance of animals. It invests extensively in dynamic and comprehensive R&D resources and a modern, global supply chain. Merck Animal Health is present in more than 50 countries, while its products are available in some 150 markets. For more information, visit www.merck-animal-health.com

Novus Launches C.O.W.S. Program

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:24:06 GMT

Novus Launches C.O.W.S. Program

Source: Novus International, Inc.

Novus International, Inc., is introducing an innovative program to help dairy producers enhance the comfort and well-being of their herds so they can better maximize productivity and enrich dairy industry sustainability.

“While dairy producers have been the model of efficiency and productivity over the past six decades the industry is under increasing pressure to produce more high-quality output with fewer inputs. With a growing world population, more improvements are vital to the continued success of the industry,” says Stephanie Gable, Novus Global Marketing Manager, Ruminants.

“C.O.W.S. is an exclusive program that has been tested to work. We are confident it will help our dairy customers – and the industry as a whole – achieve even greater levels of efficiency and productivity that will enhance overall sustainability.”

C.O.W.S. stands for Comfort, Oxidative Balance, Well-Being and Sustainability. Each of these four key pillars of the program play an integral role in the objective, systematic approach Novus takes in helping dairy producers evaluate the major factors that impact productive efficiency.

“Overall comfort is critical to health and productivity. Housing plays a key role, but comfort and oxidative balance are closely linked. Cows stressed by environmental factors can show signs of oxidative stress,” says Gable. “The C.O.W.S. program provides perspectives on environmental factors that affect overall comfort, including free-stall design and management, and feeding areas.”

According to Gable, oxidative balance – the O in C.O.W.S. – is a linchpin for the other three pillars. Sound nutrition and proper oxidative balance are crucial in keeping cow immunity levels high for optimum health and performance. Oxidative stress can be induced by disease challenges, physiological conditions, environmental conditions and diet.

“Oxidative stress is displayed through a number of costly clinical signs that reduce profitability, from mastitis to reproductive inefficiency,” says Gable. “Dealing with that stress requires energy that cows could use for milk production, growth, longevity and overall productivity. A good nutrition program, with an antioxidant, can reduce stress and maintain oxidative balance, negate the effect of dietary fat on rumen microorganisms, and improve milk production and milk fat levels.”

Comfort and oxidative balance intertwine with well-being. C.O.W.S. evaluates well-being on the basis of gait scores that measure lameness, hock lesions and body condition scores. Lameness can mean less feed intake, reduced milk production, reproductive inefficiency and early culling.

The final pillar of the C.O.W.S. program is sustainability. Increasing the productive longevity of a herd by enhancing the overall health and well-being of the cows within that herd goes right to the core of improving the sustainability of individual dairy operations and the industry as a whole, says Gable. The C.O.W.S. program can be a valuable management tool to help producers achieve greater levels of productive efficiency and sustainability within their own operations.

“Novus products are geared towards maximizing output and minimizing waste. By leveraging our broad product portfolio, we take a comprehensive approach to optimizing health,” says Gable. “We can fortify cows against disease and lengthen their productive lives while also delivering higher quality milk production.”

Dan Meagher, Novus Vice President of the Americas views the C.O.W.S. program as a perfect complement to the company’s vision of helping feed the world affordable, wholesome food.

“Sustainability is a critical cornerstone of our corporate vision,” Meagher says. “The C.O.W.S. program is a shining example of our belief that through innovation, education and collaboration we can not only enhance sustainability but improve quality of life for people around the world.”
The C.O.W.S. program will be offered to individual key Novus customers as a complementary, value-added service. Confidential farm evaluations will be performed by Novus specialists and include:

Cow lying time measured with electronic data loggers;
Gait scores and hock health;
Facility design and management measures that affect cow comfort including bedding frequency, stall dimensions, neck rail placement, feed bunk space and more.

A customized report is provided to each farm, along with benchmarks of other operations in the region, so producers can gauge whether they have problems that should be addressed.
U.S. program benchmarks are currently being established through the evaluation of 140 dairy operations in California, New Mexico, New York, Vermont, Pennsylvania and Texas. The program is based on a recently completed study by the University of British Columbia Animal Welfare Program that analyzed on-farm cow comfort assessment with 43 free-stall dairies in that province.

Dr. Bob Stoltzfus, with Lancaster Veterinary Associates in Salunga, Pennsylvania, encouraged several of his client dairy farms to participate in the benchmark herd analysis that Novus initiated in the Northeast region in the latter part of 2010.
“We had five farms participate in the C.O.W.S. program, ranging in size from 200 cows to 800 cows. All of the operations had a very positive experience,” Stoltzfus says. “From my point of view cow comfort is crucial both from the perspective of dairy profitability but also from the perspective of animal welfare, which is becoming an increasingly important issue for producers and the industry as a whole.

“The C.O.W.S. program is so valuable because it applies objective, concrete measurements to a range of aspects of cow comfort that have a direct impact on profitability on a dairy farm,” Stoltzfus adds. “The C.O.W.S. program provides producers with information they need to identify bottlenecks in their operations that they can then address to improve their efficiency, productivity and profitability.”

One of Stoltzfus’ customers who experienced the C.O.W.S. program firsthand is Steve Harnish, co-owner of Central Manor Dairy of Washington Boro, Pennsylvania. Harnish and his family partners milk approximately 200 cows three times a day in an operation that features both free-stall and compost bedded pack housing.

“I’ve found the C.O.W.S. program to be very effective in measuring metrics on the farm that directly affect cow comfort and operational profitability,” Harnish says. “As dairy farmers I think we all tend to be a bit biased towards our own facilities and management. We assume this is as good as it gets, or this is all I’m capable of. But the C.O.W.S. program provides us with an independent unbiased perspective that’s important to help us identify areas of improvement that we might not recognize on our own.

“I would definitely recommend the C.O.W.S. program to other producers,” Harnish adds. “It can verify strengths but it also identifies problem areas that can be addressed to achieve higher production and greater efficiency and profitability.”

More information about the C.O.W.S. program can be obtained through Novus representatives or by visiting www.NovusCows.com . Learn more about oxidative balance in dairy cows by visiting the web site www.dairybalance.com .

Novus C.O.W.S. Program Q&A

What is the C.O.W.S. program?
The C.O.W.S. program is a joint collaboration between Novus International, Inc., and the University of British Columbia Animal Welfare Program.

The aim of the program is to provide U.S. dairy producers with an objective, systematic approach to improving management systems in order to optimize cow comfort, well-being and productive efficiency. C.O.W.S. is based on a recently completed University of British Columbia Animal Welfare Program project that analyzed on-farm cow comfort in 43 free-stall dairies in that province. The ultimate goal is to achieve greater herd productivity and industry sustainability.

Why is Novus offering the C.O.W.S. program?
Sustainability is one of the cornerstones of our corporate vision of helping feed the world affordable, wholesome food. The U.S. dairy industry has been the model of efficiency and productivity over the past six decades, but sustainability is critical to its ongoing success.

The total U.S. dairy herd decreased from 25 million cows in 1944 to nine million head in 2007, while milk production increased from 117 to 186 billion pounds over that same timeframe. However, U.S. dairy farms are under more pressure than ever to produce even more high-quality output with fewer inputs.

We believe the C.O.W.S. program can help the dairy industry as a whole, as well as serve as a valuable tool to help producers maximize the comfort and well-being of their own animals for peak productivity and efficiency and enhanced sustainability.
What specifically is included in the C.O.W.S. program?
The C.O.W.S. program consists of four pillars that are key factors in productivity:

Comfort. Overall cow comfort is directly tied to the productive performance of dairy cows. C.O.W.S. evaluates comfort based on lameness, facility design and management.

Oxidative Balance. Sound nutrition and proper oxidative balance help keep cows healthy and productive. The program evaluates feeding and nutrition.

Well-Being. Environment and nutrition have a direct impact on the overall well-being of dairy cows. C.O.W.S. helps identify opportunities to enhance the well-being of herds.

Sustainability. Healthy cows with higher levels of productivity enhance sustainability through reduced carbon footprints and lower environmental impact per unit of milk.

Why is oxidative balance important to dairy production?
Oxidative balance is really a linchpin for the other three pillars of the C.O.W.S. program. Sound nutrition and proper oxidative balance are crucial in keeping a cow’s immunity levels high for optimum health and performance. Dealing with oxidative stress requires energy from the cow that could be used for milk production, growth, longevity and overall animal productivity. More information on oxidative balance is available at www.dairybalance.com .

What can producers expect from the program?
Each dairy farm that signs up for the program through a Novus sales representative will have an on-farm evaluation completed by Novus-trained personnel. Qualified representatives will:
Measure total lying time of cows with electronic data loggers;
Evaluate gait scores and hock health;
Perform body condition scores;
Analyze facility design and management measures that affect cow comfort, including bedding frequency, stall dimensions, neck rail placement, bunk space and more.

Each participating farm will receive a customized, confidential report that compares their operation to others in their region. Benchmarks can help producers identify whether or not they have problems that should be addressed. All individual farm information is anonymous and kept confidential.
Who can participate?
Novus is currently developing program benchmarks by evaluating 140 dairy operations in key dairy states, including California, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Texas and New Mexico. Novus representatives are currently considering operations in these and other key dairy-producing states as candidates for participating in the C.O.W.S. program. For more information, contact your local Novus sales representative.

What does it cost to participate?
We’re offering the C.O.W.S. program as a complimentary, value-added service to key customers. Consult your Novus representative for more information.

Where can I get more information or sign up for the program?
Contact your Novus representative, or visit www.NovusCows.com .

Chinese Cows Produce More ‘Human-like’ Milk

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:24:40 GMT

Chinese researchers have announced they’ve produced a bio-engineered herd of dairy cattle that produces more “human-like” milk that has 20% more milk fat and several key proteins, including lysozyme.

The story, reported today in the British newspaper The Telegraph , says commercialization of the genetically-modified (GM) cows will take another decade. But the researchers say milk from these GM-modified cows more closely resembles human milk, and could be targeted for use in infant formula.

And because these cows produce higher levels of lactoferrin, they might be better able to resist mastitis infections themselves, say scientists from the China Agriculture University.

Grazing Produces Less GHG?

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:25:44 GMT

An Agricultural Research Service modeling study of four farms hypothetically sited in Pennsylvania suggests year-round crossbred Holstein/Jerseys emit fewer greenhouse gas emissions than large framed Holsteins.

The caveat is that it takes nearly 1.5 Hojos to produce the same amount of milk solids as one large Holstein. But if they are seasonally calved and housed outside year round, they’ll produce 6% fewer greenhouse gases.

The modeling was done by ARS ag engineer Al Rotz. He compared four hypothetical herds:
85 large Holsteins and 76 replacements, producing 22,000 lb./cow/year fed in confinement; 100 moderate-sized Holsteins and 80 replacements, producing 18,500 lb./cow/year in confinement; 100 average frame Holsteins and 80 replacements, producing 18,500 lb./cow year that grazed seven months/year, and 130 HoJos and 95 replacements, producing 13,000 lb./cow/year.

All four systems were set to produce the same amount of milk, adjusted for fat and protein, on the same land base. The biggest benefits from grazing came from lowered ammonia emissions from stored manure and increased carbon sequestration as crop land was converted to pasture. In the end, a well-managed herd kept outdoors year round left a carbon footprint 6% smaller than that of a high-production herd kept in confinement, says Rotz.

The ARS study runs somewhat counter to a major, 3-year study of 540 farms by the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy . That study, which followed greenhouse emissions from feed production all the way through to the consumer’s refrigerator, showed conventional dairies had a lower footprint than grazing herds. More importantly, the study found a wide variance in footprint among dairy production systems, with the most efficient conventional or grazing dairy having the lowest footprint in its peer group.

“In our model and research, we weren’t really trying to compare the carbon footprint of various dairy practices, but we were looking at the efficiency within each,” says David Pelzer, spokesperson for the Innovation Center. The goal: To help dairy producers make informed choices on practices that will increase efficiency and profitability while reducing carbon emissions. Later this year, the Innovation Center will be releasing a " Smart Farm” calculator to do just that.

New York Dairy Welfare Program Gains PAACO Ok

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:26:08 GMT

The New York State Cattle Health Assurance Program (NYSCHAP) animal welfare review program for dairy producers is the second of its kind to be granted certified program status by the Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization, Inc. (PAACO).

Earning the PAACO-certified distinction signifies that the New York dairy program has met or exceeded all of PAACO’s minimum standards from start to finish as a rigorous, comprehensive audit program and instrument.

The initial step in the process was submission of the program materials and audit for third-party peer review. An independent panel of dairy welfare professionals made up of veterinarians and dairy scientists with welfare backgrounds reviewed the materials against 12 minimum standards that PAACO’s board of directors has established.

“More and more, we see in the animal industry a call to validate husbandry practices related to welfare through credible audit instruments, professional training and qualified auditors that our organization supports,” says PAACO Chairman David Hermes, DVM. “We are confident that the people responsible for the care of livestock and poultry do a fine job, but consumers are seeking some independent assurance that their food products come from a humane process.”

The NYSCHAP Cattle Welfare Certification module was developed by experts in veterinary medicine and animal husbandry and is exceptional among similar programs in its comprehensive review of participant farms’ facilities, programs of animal care and actual animal well-being. All criteria for evaluation are firmly grounded in current scientific literature. Producers who choose to participate in NYCHAP’s animal welfare module must be dedicated to meeting the requirements of the program, including training for any farm employees who work with cattle. Field veterinarian Melanie Hemenway, DVM, serves as the NYSCHAP program coordinator and believes PAACO brings additional recognition to the NYSCHAP program and the high standards it promotes. NYSCHAP’s website is http://nyschap.vet.cornell.edu .

PAACO is an organization of five animal industry organizations with extensive expertise on best management practices and current science in animal agriculture. The organization’s purpose is to promote the humane treatment of animals through education and certification of animal auditors as well as the review and/or certification of animal audit instruments, assessments and programs. Founding and current organizations that comprise PAACO are the Federation of Animal Science Societies, American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists, American Association of Swine Veterinarians, American Association of Bovine Practitioners and American Association of Avian Pathologists. PAACO’s website is www.animalauditor.org .

On-Demand Webinar for Drug Residue Avoidance

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:26:22 GMT

Source: American Farmers for the Advancement of Technology

American Farmers for the Advancement and Conservation of Technology (AFACT) has posted a free webinar on avoiding drug residues in dairy cattle.

The 58-minute webinar features: Mike Lormore, director of U.S. Dairy Operations for Pfizer Animal Health; Jennifer Garrett, a farmer and nutritionist; Greg Jans, a Minnesota dairy producer, and Jim Misna, a veterinarian and Wisconsin dairy producer.

Simply click here to view the webinar at your convenience. It’s a good review and refresher for every dairy producer and dairy employee who administers antibiotics to cattle.

New Brochure Showcases PA Dairy Families

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:26:34 GMT

Source: Center for Dairy Excellence

A new educational brochure available from the Pennsylvania Center for Dairy Excellence showcases the many contributions dairy farm families make to their local communities and economy.

“We are excited to offer this new brochure to help educate our non-farm neighbors about the treasures they have in Pennsylvania’s dairy farm families,” said John Frey, executive director of the Center for Dairy Excellence. “The piece demonstrates the vital role dairies play in Pennsylvania’s rural communities through economic revenue, environmental stewardship and as a local food source – points that are important to the public.”

The full-color “Pennsylvania’s Dairy Farmers: Something to Treasure in Your Community,” funded through a grant from the Pennsylvania Dairyman’s Association, is available at no cost to Pennsylvania farmers, agribusiness members, civic leaders and others who want to educate the general public about the dairy industry.

Ideal for distributing to community leaders, economic planners and general consumers, the brochure could be used at farm tours, dairy princess promotions, community events or as part of scheduled presentations. It could also be made available at visitor centers and other community meeting places.

To view the brochure, click here .

Dairy Care Initiative Rapidly Being Adopted

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:26:54 GMT

Nearly 50% of U.S. milk supply now under FARM umbrella.

Source: National Milk Producers Federation

Today’s consumers want to know that the food they purchase is safe, wholesome, nutritious, and produced with integrity.

U.S. milk producers are demonstrating that commitment by enrolling at a rapid pace in the National Dairy FARM Program: Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM). In fact, since enrollment began in September 2010, 45% of the nation’s milk supply now comes from farmers, cooperatives, and proprietary processors implementing the FARM program.

Voluntary and open to all producers, FARM is a national dairy animal care, third-party verified program designed to demonstrate dairy farmers’ commitment to outstanding animal care and a quality milk supply. Independent dairy producers, proprietary processors, and cooperatives are quickly coming on board.

“Telling this story is essential at a time when consumers want to know how their food is produced,” said John Miles, Land O’Lakes FARM implementation leader. “The FARM program helps us reach out to customers, consumers, and the entire marketing chain. It sends a strong message that Land O’Lakes member producers work hard caring for their animals and producing quality milk.”

FARM was created by the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), along with support from Dairy Management, Inc. FARM provides thorough animal care education for producers, on-farm evaluations, and objective third-party verification, giving customers and consumers the assurances they deserve.

“Dairy farmers are passionate about the care they provide to their animals and have an excellent track record of responsible management practices,” said Jamie Jonker, Vice President of Scientific and Regulatory Affairs at NMPF. “This program quantifies that passion and allows them to speak with one voice as they market nationally and internationally. The pace of participation has surpassed our expectations.”

Developed in partnership with producers, veterinarians, and animal care experts, FARM is a comprehensive program that incorporates the latest innovations in animal care from birth to marketing.

Participating producers are provided comprehensive training materials and undergo an on-farm evaluation conducted by a trained veterinarian, extension educator, co-op field staff member, or other FARM-trained professional. Evaluators then provide a status report and, if necessary, recommendations for improvement.

To protect the integrity and credibility of the program, a certain number of participating dairy farms will be randomly selected for objective third-party verification. Validus, an Iowa-based certified auditing company with more than 10 years of experience verifying on-farm animal care, has been selected to conduct all third-party evaluations and will begin that process this summer.

In addition to Land O’Lakes, participating cooperatives and proprietary producers include Agri-Mark, Inc., Hilmar Cheese Company, Foremost Farms USA, and Maryland and Virginia Milk Producers (MDVA) Cooperative.

“In today’s society we have to prove that animal care is important to all dairy farmers in a manner that our neighbors and customers can understand and respect. The best solution is FARM,” said Kevin Satterwhite, a dairy farmer and MDVA member from Newberry, S.C., who is an active participant in the FARM program.

A complete list of participants and all training materials in both English and Spanish can be found at www.nationaldairyfarm.com .

The National Milk Producers Federation , based in Arlington, VA, develops and carries out policies that advance the well being of dairy producers and the cooperatives they own. The members of NMPF’s 31 cooperatives produce the majority of the U.S. milk supply, making NMPF the voice of more than 40,000 dairy producers on Capitol Hill and with government agencies.

Dairy Management Inc., based in Rosemont, IL, is the domestic and international planning and management organization that builds demand for dairy products on behalf of America’s 60,000-plus dairy producers. DMI works with state and regional dairy promotion organizations to integrate marketing, promotion, advertising, public relations, nutrition education, and nutrition, product and technology research programs.

Cattle Transportation White Paper

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 04:43:14 GMT

The goal of the 2015 transportation symposium was to provide clarity regarding cattle well-being, research, the current state of the industry, and the future of cattle transportation in North America.

To that end, the Professional Animal Scientist has made the checkoff-funded symposium paper open-access. You can read the paper here. ( http://live-ccms.pantheonsite.io/sites/default/files/pdf )

Myths vs. Facts

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 04:43:14 GMT

Myth: Farmers and ranchers leave their cattle to fend for themselves in frigid winter conditions, such as the polar vortex.

The Facts: Winter is tough on all of us - every living thing is struggling to stay warm in the sub-zero temperatures that the polar vortex has caused across the nation. However, there are several steps farmers and ranchers take to ensure the best care possible for their livestock.

We know it’s cold across the country. Read more about how livestock producers take care of their cattle during the winter. ( factsaboutbeef.com/2014/01/07/how-are-farmers-and-ranchers-taking-care-of-their-cattle-during-winter-storm-ion/ )

Purdue Wraps Up Air Emission Study

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 05:56:56 GMT

Source: Purdue Universtiy

Purdue University researchers have delivered data to the Environmental Protection Agency on a two-year National Air Emissions Monitoring Study that gives a look at air quality on and around livestock farms.

Al Heber, a professor of agricultural and biological engineering and leader of the study, said he will now move to the next phase of his work: studying and publishing the dynamics and causes of the emissions and “mining” the extensive data for more information. At the same time, EPA is using the data to develop formulas that could be used by animal feeding operations or agencies to estimate their emissions.

“What we collected is baseline data,” Heber said. “The quantity of emissions depend on how waste is collected, treated and stored; the number and type of animals; and the weather.”
Heber and his team collected data from more than 2,300 sensors at a total of 38 barns on 14 farms in North Carolina, Iowa, Indiana, Oklahoma, California, New York, Washington and Wisconsin. For barns, there were five dairy sites, five pork production sites, three egg-layer sites and one broiler ranch. Outdoor swine and dairy manure lagoons were monitored at nine farms. A dairy corral in Texas also was tested.

The team measured for emissions of ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, three sizes of particulate matter and volatile organic compounds. Emission rates were calculated every minute.

“The dataset is very extensive,” Heber said. “If we were to analyze 1 million data points per day, it would take us seven years to analyze - and that’s just for the barns.”

Heber said that estimates for these compounds at given types of farms will most likely be calculated from barn temperatures, animal density in the barns and barn airflow rate. Farm type is a major factor. For example, greater amounts of hydrogen sulfide are emitted from swine barns than from dairy freestall barns. And the type of manure collection systems, such as flushing versus scraping manure from barns, influences the numbers.

The National Pork Board, National Chicken Council, National Milk Producers Federation and American Egg Board funded the research through the nonprofit Agricultural Air Research Council. The EPA Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards oversaw the work and is currently developing emissions-estimating models from the data.

Purdue researchers collaborated with others at Cornell University, Iowa State University, North Carolina State University, Texas A&M University, the University of California-Davis, the University of Minnesota and Washington State University.

Nice Neighbors New York dairies get great grades

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 18:44:12 GMT

Do neighbors grumble about your farming practices when you’re out of earshot? Those who had a chance to anonymously register their complaints recently in a New York State survey didn’t—much.

This past spring, the New York Animal Agriculture Coalition, with grant support from the New York Center for Dairy Excellence, surveyed more than 600 state residents living within six miles of an active dairy farm in six farming communities. On the whole, respondents recorded a high level of trust in “their” dairy farmers to produce a safe, healthy and abundant supply of food.

Key consumer attitudes identified in the survey include:

Most respondents (85%) have a very favorable impression of dairy farming in New York.
Between 85% and 96% agree that dairy farms have a positive impact on the state and provide residents with many benefits. More than half cite the “availability of local products” as the top benefit.
Support for the local economy is frequently cited as a primary benefit. Secondary benefits include adding to the quality of life, creating jobs, practicing environmental stewardship and helping young farmers get started.
Nearly half view dairy farmers as the most effective vehicle for communicating messages about dairy farming in New York.

A billboard and television campaign featuring New York State farmers preceded the survey. More than three-quarters of participants who had seen the ads considered them to be believable. Almost as many said the campaign helped improve their image of dairy farming in the state.

Bonus content:

More on New York Animal Agricultural Coalition

DFA Advances Its Animal Well-Being Program

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:18:35 GMT

Source: Dairy Farmers of America news release

As animal welfare issues gain prominence in the consumer and agriculture communities, Dairy Farmers of America, Inc.'s (DFA) board of directors and management are taking a series of proactive steps to emphasize its commitment to proper treatment of animals.

“Animal welfare is a critical issue for our members and is vitally important to producing high-quality milk,” said David Darr, vice president of sustainability and public affairs. “We have a responsibility to clearly articulate our expectations regarding animal well-being and, equally important, to help educate consumers about those standards.”

A key initiative is the second round of DFA’s Gold Standard Dairy quality assurance program. DFA introduced the program in 2007 to proactively address the concerns of consumers, retailers and processors who are interested in how food is produced. The on-farm review includes animal well-being, environmental stewardship, employee training, and milk safety and quality. More than 90 percent of DFA member farms have participated in the Gold Standard process.

When the second round of the Gold Standard Dairy process begins in 2010, the program will incorporate measurement criteria from the National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) program, a nationwide, verifiable animal well-being program that demonstrates U.S. milk producers are committed to producing high-quality milk in a high-quality environment.

Further demonstrating its commitment to animal welfare, at its March meeting, DFA’s board approved a resolution affirming that the public image of dairy, including animal housing and care, is of utmost importance to DFA and its dairy farmer members. The resolution states that DFA will continue to emphasize an expectation of proper and caring treatment of animals through individual dairy farm quality programs, the Gold Standard Dairy program, and participation with other dairy industry organizations to establish animal well-being standards for the U.S. dairy industry.

In addition, the board welcomed special guest Charlie Arnot to its March meeting to discuss the growing consumer interest in animal welfare issues, and how consumer perceptions influence demand and consumption. Arnot is chief executive officer of the Center for Food Integrity and president of CMA, a consulting company that works with companies across the food chain on issues management, communications and public relations.

Nutrition Reduce carbon footprints

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 18:44:12 GMT

(Farm Journal)

Rick Lundquist

The dairy industry was addressing global warming long before that was cool. We’re producing 59% more milk with 64% fewer cows than in 1944. We use 77% less feed, 65% less water, 90% less land, produce 76% less manure and have a 63% smaller carbon footprint per gallon of milk produced than we did 66 years ago.

We did it by improving production efficiency, which encompasses all inputs and outputs of a production system. One part of that is feed efficiency, defined as pounds of milk produced per pound of dry matter consumed.

What influences feed efficiency (FE)?

More digestible forages increase FE.
Rumen acidosis reduces FE; a stable rumen environment promotes higher FE.
Heat and cold stress use more energy and reduce FE.
Feed additives, ionophores and buffers improve FE.
BST improves FE.
Cow comfort, walking distances and pen or pasture conditions.
Days in milk, age and growth.

The numerator in the equation, milk production, has the biggest influence. The higher the production in most cases, the greater the FE. All the listed items affect milk production.

Optimizing feed intake results in more milk. That’s what a properly balanced and mixed total mixed ration does—it optimizes the nutrients used for milk production.

Depending on age and stage of lactation, an FE of 1.4 to 1.8 is a good benchmark. First-lactation animals may be less efficient because they’re still growing, and very fresh and late-lactation cows will have lower FEs.

Papers presented at the 2009 Cornell Nutrition Conference and 2010 Florida Ruminant Nutrition Conference do a great job of defending the dairy industry and dispelling the often quoted and highly inflated figures on the livestock industry’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.

The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization reports that livestock are responsible for 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions. But 48% of this is attributed to cutting down forests to grow feed. We don’t do that here in the U.S. Our forestlands are actually increasing. The EPA’s estimate for the U.S. in 2009 was that 3.4% (not 18%) of emissions were attributable to all livestock. That’s not bad—and we’re improving.

Bonus content:

Efficiency of Dairy Production and its Carbon Footprint

Demystifying The Environmental Sustainability of Food Production

Minnesota Dairy Permit Pulled

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:17:50 GMT

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Citizens’ Board voted unanimously yesterday to pull the permit of Excel Dairy, Thief River Falls, Minn., according to a report in the Minneapolis Star Tribune . It is the first time MPCA has taken such an action against a dairy under its jurisdiction.
Excel Dairy has had numerous odor violations over the past several years, though owners contend the original problem began when MPCA ordered a lagoon emptied in summer to check for leaks in the pit’s clay liner. None were found, but exposing the sludge at the bottom of the pit to air caused the first major odor incident. Numerous incidents followed. The 1,545-cow dairy has since been depopulated.
Last year, MPCA revoked the operating permit but then re-instated it immediately if Excel met certain clean-up and operating criteria. Excel owners have challenged the legitimacy of that temporary permit in court, and it is still unresolved.
In addition, yesterday’s MPCA Board action was an interim order. Excel Dairy owners have filed a request for a contested case hearing on the interim order. As such, an Administrative Law Judge will hold another hearing and then make a recommendation to the MPCA for a final decision on the case. That process could take three to four months. Even then, if the case is decided against Excel Dairy, owners still have the right to appeal the decision in court. An appeal could take another year.

Wisconsin Dairy Odor Study Completed

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:17:10 GMT

A recently completed study by the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and the Department of Natural Resources has increased the understanding of air emissions and odors on larger-sized livestock farms, and lays the groundwork for future studies in this important area, officials say.

The multi-year project to study odor and air emissions from Wisconsin dairy and livestock farms was supported by a Conservation Innovation Grant from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

Larger livestock farms volunteered to be part of the study. Five dairy farms and one heifer raising operation were selected. The farms ranged in size from 400 to more than 2,500 head of cattle. Four manure management practices were evaluated: anaerobic manure digesters, an impermeable cover placed over manure lagoons, a permeable manure lagoon cover, and a solids separation and aeration system.

“The project evaluated the air emissions and odor levels from six dairy and livestock operations and then compared the odor levels both before and after the installation of best management practices that were intended to reduce odor or emissions,” said Steve Struss, project co-manager with the state agriculture department.

More than 2,000 air samples were collected during the project. The samples measured odors and the airborne concentrations of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, two compounds most likely to be present on livestock operations.

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

While the number of farms within the study was limited, it appears that impermeable covers significantly reduce ambient concentrations of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide. Not surprising, when stored manure was agitated or pumped, higher concentrations of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide were detected. The project will also provide some valuable data for the existing livestock facility siting rule.

“The siting rule uses a model to predict the amount of odor that might be produced from new or expanding livestock operations. One goal of this project was to compare the levels that the model predicts with actual odor levels measured on farms,” Struss said. “The study gives us some real world data that we can consider in evaluating the odor model.”

Based on sampling results, it appears that the odor model used in the DATCP siting process accurately predicts the odor from covered manure storage lagoons and the amount of odor from manure lagoons between two and four acres in size. However the model appears to underestimate the amount of odor from small manure lagoons and manure digesters.

The findings of the study suggest options for farmers who wish to reduce odors from their farm, among them:

Minimize surface agitation of waste storage lagoons to limit exposure to the air including the use of submerged inlet pipes and mixing below the surface of the lagoon.
If a manure digester is used, maximize the time manure is kept inside the digester to reduce odors from the manure lagoon. A high quality flare with a reliable igniter to burn off gas also avoids unintentional releases of digester gas.
Installation of new manure storage lagoons would benefit greatly from an impermeable cover which can reduce odors by 100 percent.
Existing manure storage lagoons would benefit from a permeable cover which can reduce odor by about 70 percent.
Keep stored feed clean and dry. Wet feed produces odors and reduces feed quality.
A solids separator can be used to produce bedding materials and reduce odor by approximately 25 percent.
Keep animal densities low on open feedlots as high stocking rates increase odors as well as runoff and erosion.
Separation distance from neighbors is a simple, but effective tool to reduce odor impacts, place new livestock housing or manure lagoons as far as possible from nearby residents.

“The entire project illustrates what can be accomplished when public agencies work cooperatively toward a common goal. This project was a great effort by staff from our agency and the Department of Natural Resources over a three year period,” said state agriculture secretary Rod Nilsestuen. “We’re grateful to our federal partners at NRCS for their financial support and to the farmers who participated in the study.”

Al Shea, DNR Air and Waste division administrator said, “The strong partnership and excellent work by both our staff and DATCP staff benefitted greatly from the Conservation Innovation Grant. This effort produced a greater understanding of management practices on odors and air emissions on Wisconsin farms.”

“This project is exactly the type of work that Conservation Innovation Grants are for,” said Pat Leavenworth, State Conservationist for the USDA NRCS in Wisconsin. “Testing new technology on the farm, and tackling the big environmental issues like air quality on livestock operations are important topics.”

The final report and farm specific data is available on DATCP web site at www.datcp.state.wi.us/arm/agriculture/land-water/odor/index.jsp .