MINER INSTITUTE FARM REPORT

Nice 4^th cut alfalfa haylage, both on paper and in the ration

Recalling our thoughts last September on whether or not to take 4^th cut alfalfa, the primary issues were the need for haylage<= /span> and removing the crop to minimize fibrous residue carry over into 2006 1st cut. We really did not think, “Oh, what a wonderful crop, so much milk potential, we need to harvest this”. Frequently, 4^th cut alfalfa looks great standing all leafy in the field, looks great on paper w= ith high CP and low NDF, but yields low and generally feeds like tissue paper without any gain in milk production. This is common in the Northeast around= the 45° latitude, where 4^th cutting growth in August and Septemb= er is achieved with dwindling hours of light and intensity, and decreasing temperatures. The plants are preparing for fall dormancy rather than engagi= ng in vigorous photosynthesis, sugar production and vegetative growth.

Well to our surprise, 2005 4^th cut alfalfa is making a solid contribu= tion to our current milk production levels.&nbs= p; We started in early January feeding the 4^th cut alfalfa as our sole haylage at 9 lbs of DM/cow, about 29% = of the ration forage DM and 16% of total ration DM.

The analysis of this crop was, DM 39.9%, CP 20.5%, NDF 42.8%, ADF 29.0%, lignin 6.0%, NDFd30 59.2%, lactic acid 4.6%, acetic acid 2.2% and total VFA 7.1%.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Historically, WH Miner 4^{th
cut alfalfa has run about ADF 28%, NDF 35-40% with minimal VFA levels ~3.0%=
.}

The growth interval between 3^rd and 4^th cuttings in 2005 = was 56 days, from August 4^thto September 29^th. August was warmer than normal with 20% more growing degree days (GDD) and 37% less rain than normal. September had 38= % more GDD than normal, but 47% more rain. So, August was warm and dry with September being warm and wet. Typic= ally warm and wet means lower NDF digestibility, but that does not seem to be th= e case with this forage. The crop yi= elded ~0.67T of DM/A with a total of 179 T being piled and packed along an open w= all in our bunker silos. A quick harvest, well packed and covered tire to tire, there is virtually no spoilage visible in this feed either along the wall o= r on the tailing ends.

The quality of our 4^th cut alfalfa haylage seemed to benefit from a warmer than normal late summer in 2005. When considering if 4^th cutting is worth the effort and expense it ma= y be advisable to consider the growing conditions it experienced to give clues a= s to its feeding value, the more GDD the better. Lastly, not= that we can plan on the weather but given the trend for warmer fall seasons, sho= uld we be considering this in our cropping schedule?

—Kurt Cotanch

cotanch@wh= miner.com

from the president’s desk

I just returned from the NRAES Silage Conference where the latest in silage technology was presented by a wide range of speakers from industry and academia. One of the best presentations was by Randy Shaver from the University of Wisconsin on the topic of starch digestibility and what factors influence it.

When it comes to predicting cow response to various corn silages (or corn grain = for that matter), the degree of starch fermentability in the rumen plays a large role. The major factors are particle size, moisture, and vitreousness. The more vitreous the starch,= the less digestible it will be in the rumen. There are good relationships betwe= en how finely corn is processed and how quickly the starch is fermented in the= rumen. Likewise, as silage (or grain) moisture decreases, the digestibility of sta= rch is reduced. As for vitreousness, more research = needs to be conducted to really nail down the relationship between vitreousness and starch digestibility. Taking advanta= ge of differences in vitreousness of corn grain could provide advantages in the future. Currently however, the greatest impact on starch digestibility in the rumen will be through manipulating moisture con= tent and particle size of the silage kernel or grain.

I presented some new information on measuring fiber digestibility and how fib= er and starch interact in the rumen. Following the presentation, one question = was: “Why can’t we do a better job of predicting milk production from NDF digestibility measurements?” I believe we do an amazing job given= the complexity of the system we’re working with. First, there’s the complexity of the microbial interaction with the forage fiber particles in = the rumen. The factors controlling hydration, microbial colonization of particl= es, and active digestion are incredibly complex. Then, we take this mixture of forage particles and rumen fluid (with the microbes) and blend them togethe= r in a test tube. After 24, or 30, or 48 hours of digestion, we measure how much fiber disappeared. Sounds simple, but the in vitro systems are complex and = vary from lab to lab. Then we apply this measure of fiber digestibility to a forage within a diet comprised of many other ingredi= ents and feed it to the cow. We know that many factors influence digestibility of feeds in a cow such as rate of passage, the feeding environment, and her physiological state.

When we add all of th= is together, we finally arrive at the cow’s milk response. It is a funct= ion of the microbial interaction with forage fiber, how that forage interacts w= ith the diet, and how the diet interacts with cow and her environment. And we expect to predict milk yield by a simple analysis at one step in this whole process! We still have a lot of research ahead of us, but I am amazed at wh= at we can predict with a simple in vitro analysis of fiber digestion.

—Rick Grant

grant@whmine= r.com

NITROGEN FERTILIZATION IN 2006

If you haven’t yet priced nitrogen fertilizer for this crop season, it’s not all that bleak. Oh, nitrogen prices are up, to be sure: The suppliers who price our fertilizer each year were up by 4, 9, and 21%. We w= ere pleased and a bit surprised to buy urea for only 4% more than last year. UA= N is up a bit more than that, but nothing extreme.

Assuming even a 10% p= rice increase, what effect should this have on your N fertilizer rates this year= ? In most cases, not very much. In the first place, few farmers are maxing out N rates on grasses. Research has shown economical responses to up to 200 lb/acre of actual N (total of two or three applicati= ons) for intensively managed grasses—that’s the equivalent of 435 lbs/acre of 46-0-0, though we certainly wouldn’t recommend straight u= rea for summer topdressing. How many of you are applying this 200 lbs/acre actu= al N to grass fields that you don’t manure? Not many, we’d bet. Figu= ring the right rate of N fertilizer to manured grass fields has to be done on a field-by-field basis since manure rate, timing a= nd nutrient analysis all influence N availability. But if you won’t be applying manure this spring, 200 lbs/acre of 46-0-0 soon after green-up certainly isn’t too much on your good grass fields.

How about N on corn? = Again, as long as you’re already following responsible fertilizer recommendatio= ns, the modest N price increase isn’t enough to cause significant changes= in rates. Some farmers are already applying too much N fertilizer, but in almo= st all cases these are heavily manured fields that don’t need much supplemental N. If you want to keep your fertilizer b= ill down, these are the fields you should look at first.

Finally, N on grass-a= lfalfa stands: Even with moderately higher N prices, we’ll apply some N to o= ur fields that have enough alfalfa to still be called an alfalfa-grass field, = but enough grass to make it economical to apply nitrogen. In the past we’= ve applied 100 lbs/acre of urea to these fields at green-up with very good results.

—Ev Thomas

thomas@whmi= ner.com

How fast should we grow our prepubertal heifers to maximize first-lactation milk production?

It’s been difficult for consultants and producers to answer this question because the prepuberty heifer growth studies published = to date have yielded conflicting information. Penn State dairy researchers Zanton and Heinrichs addressed this problem in the November issue of the Journal of Dairy Scienc= e. They used 8 published studies from the last 15 years to assess the impact o= f prepubertal growth rates of Ho= lstein heifers on first-lactation production of milk and components.

As expected, when the studies were viewed independently the recommendation for average daily gain varied. Zanton and Heinrichs combined all the studies into a large datas= et and found with the combined analysis of all the studies that there is an optimum growth rate for Holstein heifers (Figure 1). They recommended that growth of prepubertal heifers weighing between = 330 and 700 lb (~2 to 9 months of age) should be limited to around 1.75 lb per = day to maximize first-lactation milk production. Growing heifers faster or slow= er than 1.75 lb per day will result in lower milk production in the first lact= ation. After puberty, growth rate can be adjusted to meet the target body weight at calving.

—Heather Dann

dann@whminer.= com

vet’s Corner

New guidelines for vaccine selection by dairy veterinarians and producers are constantly changing vaccination protocols. In the past, many producers look= ed for the most complete nine- to nineteen-way vaccines to cover all disease possibilities. The expanding dairy industry has seen extensive cattle movem= ent nationwide, which has challenged biosecurity pl= ans. A complete vaccination plan has been a logical defense against introducing disease.

In many cases, these vaccination plans have gotten too complex and difficult to get 100% compliance. Instead of throwing the kitchen sink of vaccines at cattle, doesn’t it make more sense to spend some money on lab testing= so the dairy can focus on the diseases that are on the farm and cut down the vaccine list? For instance, if tracheal swabs don’t detect Histophilus somni or Mannheimia in the calf herd, is there any need to put= the calves under unnecessary stress with these vaccines, which carry a fair amo= unt of endotoxin? If lab tests showed that BVD was = the underlying cause of the calf problem, a specific ear notch or precolostral blood sampling with culling could help t= he dairy zero in on reducing the problem. Spot tests for = Lepto hardjo bovis, Neospora, and Mycoplasma = could also be done on an annual basis.

Anoth= er hot topic for vaccination choice is Duration of Immunity. For the next few years, exp= ect vaccine companies to promote with DOI claims. Longer numbers will indicate = that the vaccine has been licensed for a longer time; some new promising vaccines will have lower numbers because they are “a work in progress.” = And similar lengths of immunity will be attained by the new brands in the futur= e. Generally, MLV respiratory vaccines will achieve longer DOI than killed vaccines, with the goal of giving protection through the breeding and gesta= tion period, which exceeds 12 months in most high producing herds.

Dairymen can consult the herd health veterinarian when reviewing challenge studies t= hat vaccine companies use to compare their products. In the words of Iowa State= University’s Dr. Jim Roth: “Setting up a challenge study can be an exercise in selecting the correct strain and amount of pathogen, so that vaccinated cal= ves are protected and controls get sick.” Some challenge studies are set = up to study disease prevention and some are set up to produce marketing information. On the farm, we know that nature will confound studies, so the veterinarian must learn if truly strong challenges were used in vaccine tes= ts.

—Kent E Henderson, DVM

Northwest Veterinary Associates, Inc.<= /span>

cowdoc@ade= lphia.net

WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM

We could tell you that we built the perfect dairy barn but we’d be lying= and you wouldn’t believe it anyway. A recent problem involved the rubber flooring in the holding area. We have a flush system in our sloped holding area, and the water is really moving as it runs into the collection gutter. This has proved too much for the rubber flooring—water got under the rubber, pushing it up—so we removed it and are going to have grooved concrete in that area.

On a brighter note, milk production in the Institute herd continues to increas= e; daily production has topped 90 lbs and our current rolling herd average (30= 7 cows) is 27, 610. We’re once again over 1000 lbs of butterfat, at 1015 lbs.= Not coincidentally, forage quality is very good. Corn silage fiber digestibility has been running a few percentage points below that of the 2004 crop, but don’t tell that to our cows.

—Steve Couture<= /st1:PersonName>

couture@wh= miner.com

—E.T.

FARM REPORT MAILING LIST SUMMARY

We= 217;ve completed our biennial Farm Report subscription update. For those of you wondering who reads this thing besides you, here’s a summary (U.S. subscribers only):

Many of the under 20,000-lb herd averages noted that they were milking Jerseys or other “colored cows”. Note that there’s a pretty e= ven distribution of dairy farm subscribers by herd size, with the “over 300” size most common. Similar trends with crop acreage, with over 300 acres each of corn and hay crop most common.

BIOTECHNOLOGY NOTES

· Well dog my= cats (as Brother Sniffen would say) if Bill and Linda Gates haven’t joined the growing number of high profile people suppor= ting biotechnology. Their foundation has contributed almost $37 million to devel= op plants genetically modified to contain higher levels of specific nutrients. This is especially important for developing countries, where it’s oft= en hard to move vitamins and nutritional supplements from the port of entry to= a back-country village.

· Kellogg Foo= ds is using low-linolenic soybean oil, which greatly reduces those nasty trans fats. Similarly, Austr= alian plant breeders have developed genetically modified varieties that contain heart-healthy omega-3 oils.

· Out a bit f= urther on the fringe, Japanese scientists have developed a genetically modified soybean that reportedly contains a substance to promote hair growth and pre= vent hair loss. Rogaine tofu? Not quite; a substance from egg whites was transfe= rred into the soybean plant, and the resulting product expands blood vessels, promoting circulation and hair growth. We hope that they can focus this on = the head regions…

·= ; = Japanese researchers also incorporated an ed= ible vaccine in rice that supposedly alleviates allergies related to hay fever. =

· = Argentina animal scientists have developed a biotech Jersey cow that produces human growth hormones in i= ts milk. It’s estimated that only 15 Jerseys could produce enough HGH to satisfy current world demand.=

· = It doesn= 217;t stop with Jerseys: Chickens, cows and pi= gs are being used to improve human health. Scottish scientists developed a method = of producing antibodies in egg whites that can be used to treat malignant skin cancer.

SILAGE STUFF

The NRAES Silage for Dairy Farms conference was held last month in Harrisburg, PA, an excellent meeting (as are most all NRAES conferences). Herewith are some facts, ideas and other tidbits that stuck with us (with Ev, at least), not in any order of importance but as they occurred on the progr= am:

1. = Wheel traffic compaction to alfalfa—Turns out it’s not soil compaction but the actual damage that farm equipment tires do to the alfalfa stems. Therefore, dual tires are to be discouraged. The sooner you’re back on the field after harvest, the better, since W= isconsin research found a 3% yield loss for each additional day = wheel traffic is delayed after harvest. Not sure yet, but Fall Dormancy 5 varieties may suffer slightly more damage because they start regrowing sooner after harvest. There wasn’t mu= ch difference between varieties in the amount of wheel traffic damage.

2. = Molds and mycotoxins—Many of the com= mon corn pathogens, including Fusarium sp., are kil= led by ensiling. Not all, though, including the notorious Pen= icillium roqueforti. In a recent my= cotoxins survey, 64% of silages tested positive for P. roquefor= ti and 58% were positive for vomitoxin (DON). Some= mycotoxins, including DON decrease in concentration d= uring fermentation, but not roqueforti, which is high= er in silage than in fresh forage.

3. = Risk factors for mycotoxins<= span style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'>—High crop resid= ue, corn hybrids susceptible to leaf diseases, insect damage, imbalanced fertility, = and high plant populations. Obviously, you can influence most of these risk factors. Bt hybrids have a lower risk of fusarium ear rot and the formation of fumonisin. Are they less likely to have high levels of DON? Maybe, but we’re not sure yet.

4. = Binding agents for mycotoxins—Binding agent p= luses: Cheap, safe at up to 2% of the diet, and simple to use. Minuses: Not all binding agents are equally effective, not all have been tested using the preferred in vivo method, and they may impair nutrient utilization. Some clay-based binding agents improve animal performance even if mycotoxins aren’t present! Most sodium bentonite products are used at about 1.25% of the die= t, while yeasts are used at a much lower 0.005% inclusion rate. Both are effective.

5.      = Forage chopper facts and figures—A good rule of= thumb for chopper capacity: 2.5 hp hrs per ton of corn silage, 4.0 hp hrs/ton of = hay crop silage. Example: 300 hp chopper/2.5 hrs =3D capacity of 120 tons/hour.=

6.      = Silage processing—3/4” theoretical length of cut (TLC) is where it’= ;s at, not 1” or longer. Research has shown higher milk production at ¾” vs. 1 ¼”: 91.9 lbs vs. 90.4 lbs. Chopping at o= ver ¾” TLC results in a higher power requirement, accelerated processor, shaft and bearings wear, and plugged rolls. A pile of lactation trials lead to the conclusion that processing increases milk production, bo= th fat production and percentage, and protein pounds but not percentage. Processing also increases silage density by about 10%.

—E.T.

        =

THE CROP DUDE LOOKS (ONCE AGAIN) AT FORAGE QUALITY<= /p>
Histo= rically on this farm, periods of high milk production were attributed by the dairy = crew to their superior cowside management, while per= iods of lower milk production were attributed to that old whipping boy, poor for= age quality. Sometimes this was true, while sometimes it was a convenient excuse for some malady nobody could put their collective fingers on. Therefore, it= was a shock to my system when at a recent staff meeting Steve Couture commented that “forage quality was goodR= 21;, or words to that effect. After I recovered I took a look at our most recent forage analyses and by golly, forage quality is pretty good. Here’s w= hat we’re now feeding (= based on mid-January forage analyses).

=

We’re also feeding a small amount of good quality locally-grown alfalfa hay that’s a whole lot better that the high-priced Nebraska hay we bought. That stuff loo= ked (and tested) like it had already been through the cow. The forage testing g= urus tell us that this year’s corn silage is about 5 percentage points low= er in digestibility, but our cows sure don’t seem to know that (poor dumb beasts); they’re eating a lot of it. I included the chloride analysis= to show that very high forage chloride concentrations don’t hurt either palatability or cow performance. Normal alfalfa chloride concentrations are less than half what our fourth cut alfalfa tests. Nobody seems to know how = high forage chloride can get before it does become a problem, but certainly something more than 2%. We didn’t have any other place to put our 4th cut so our crops crew simply piled it on a patch of concrete, packed it wel= l, and covered it.

EQUIDAY 2006—AN EQUINE EVENT

EquiDay 2006 at Miner Institute in Chazy, New York is shaping up to b= e an outstanding program for all equine enthusiasts. An annual event, this daylong symp= osium on horse topics and mini-expo launches the spring season in the North Country.&nbs= p; On Saturday, March 18^th the doors will open at 9:00 a.m. = for free registration and refreshments. The core program will begin at 10:00a.m. with guest speakers and will conclude at 3:30p.m. with a door prize drawing. Lunch is available for purchase to benefit a local 4H club.

The words “founder” and “laminitis” strike terror into = the hearts of every horse owner and manager.&n= bsp; Katy Watts has conducted extensive research in her home state of Colorado, has be= en speaking at major laminitis conferences for years on the relationship of fe= eds to this problem, and has brought many new facts to light; many of which fly= in the face of what we’ve been practicing for years! Check out www.safergrass.org and c= ome prepared to hear it “straight from the horse’s mouth.”

Jessica Ebert, Esq. of Burlington, Vermont will cover equine law. This is not often thought of as an= issue until there is a problem, but a basic awareness of horse-owner rights and responsibilities is crucial. = She will give overviews of liabilities laws and other facts of horse ownership.=

TTouch is a blend of relationship training and physical bodywork to impro= ve performance and just plain ‘ole enjoyment of the horse. Marcy Baer of Plainfield, Vermont, a practitioner of this art started by Linda Tellington= -Jones, will speak on what exactly TTouch is and how yo= u can put it to work for you and your horse.

No matter the weather (EquiDay is famous for snowstorms), the show will go on. EquiDay is held in the Miner Center building of Miner Institute. = For more information visit our website at www.whminer.com or contact Karen Lassell at 518-846-7121 x120 or email lassell@whminer.com.

COWBOY QUOTES

·      =    Don't squat with your spurs on.

·      =    If you find yourself in a hole the first thing to do is stop diggin= g.

·      =    It doesn't take a genius to spot a goat in a flock of sheep. <= /o:p>

·      =    Never ask a barber if you need a haircut.

·      =    Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.

·      =    Talk slowly, think quickly.

·      =    Sometimes you get and sometimes you get got.

·      =    Never appro= ach a bull from the front, a horse from the rear, or a fool from any direction.

DARWIN AWARD (DIS)HONORABLE MENTIONS

After stopping to wet= his whistle at a bar, a Zimbabwean bus driver discovered that the twenty patien= ts he was supposed to be transporting from one mental hospital to another had escaped. The driver went to a nearby bus stop and offered everyone waiting there a free ride. He then delivered the passengers to the mental hospital, telling the staff that the patients were very excitable and prone to bizarre fantasies. The deception wasn't discovered for three days.

The chef at a hotel i= n Switzerland lost a finger in a meat-cutting machine and, after a little hopping around = and creative swearing, submitted a claim to his insurance company. Expecting negligence, the insurance company sent out one of its men to check out the validity of the claim. He tried the machine, and lost a finger. The chef's claim was approved.

NOTABLE QUOTES

In observance of Valentine’s Day (Feb 14^th, guys):

·  &n= bsp;      By all mean= s, marry. If you get a good wife, you'll become happy; if you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher. Socrates

·  &n= bsp;      Nobody will= ever win the battle of the sexes. There’s too much fraternizing with the enemy. Henry Kissinger

·  &n= bsp;      Marriage is= the alliance of two people, one of whom never remembers birthdays and the other never forgets them. Ogden Nash

·  &n= bsp;      My wife and= I tried to breakfast together, but we had to stop or our marriage would have = been wrecked. Sir Winston Churchill

·  &n= bsp;      Before marr= iage, a man will go home and lie awake all night thinking about something you =

·  &n= bsp;      said; after marriage, he’ll fall asleep before= you finish saying it. Helen Rowland

·         Sometimes, = when I look at my children, I say to myself, "Lillian, you should have remain= ed a virgin.” Lillian Carter, mother of former President Jimmy Carter=

CALENDAR EVENTS

http:= //www.whminer.com/calendar.html

CLOSING COMMENT

Askin= g dumb questions is easier than correcting dumb mistakes.

=

from the president’s desk

NITROGEN FERTILIZATION IN 2006

vet’s Corner

WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM

FARM REPORT MAILING LIST SUMMARY

Location

Profession

Milking herd size

Herd average

Corn acreage

Hay crop acreage

BIOTECHNOLOGY NOTES

SILAGE STUFF

EQUIDAY 2006—AN EQUINE EVENT

COWBOY QUOTES

NOTABLE QUOTES

CLOSING COMMENT