Wednesday April 1 Ag News

Implanting Nursing Calves - Adds Pounds and Money
Steve Tonn, Nebraska Extension Educator – Beef Systems
April 2015 Issue 6  Eastern NE Cow Calf e-newsletter

Implanting nursing calves with a growth stimulant is one of the most economically justifiable practices available in the beef industry.  Implanting returns more revenue per dollar invested than any other management practice.  Despite being approved for more than 50 years, only 33 percent of cow/calf producers use growth-promoting implants.

Implants have shown to increase weaning weights of nursing calves in hundreds of research trials.  Implants have been proven to improve gains by 4 to 5 percent, according to research from Oklahoma State University. This could translate to an additional 18-20 pounds of weaning weight. Put another way, it means every $1 - $2 spent on implants will result in approximately a $54 to $60 return for producers selling calves at weaning.

Implants can be quickly administered at branding, castration and along with calfhood vaccinations.

None of the implants approved for nursing calves are approved for calves less than 30-45 days of age. One implant between 2 months of age and weaning has been shown to have little impact on future productive performance of heifers. However, little benefit has been shown as well. Therefore, any heifers identified for replacements prior to branding should not be implanted. Bull calves should not be implanted, as it can negatively impact reproductive development. Calves destined for a natural or organic market should not be implanted.

Calves must have adequate nutrition to realize improved daily gains from an implant.  Spring born calves nursing good milking cows and on good nutritious grass pasture should have sufficient nutrition for optimum implant response.

The best way to realize the benefits of an implantation strategy is to read and follow label instructions and recommended guidelines. Implant strategies should always start with the least aggressive implants for nursing calves.  Ralgro®, Compudose®, Encore®, Component E-C®, and Synovex C® are low potency implants approved for nursing calves.  Choose the correct implant for your situation.

Proper placement and handling of the implant is imperative for the correct payout to occur. Implants should be placed in the middle third of the ear between the skin and the cartilage, making sure to avoid hitting the blood vessels in the ear. The needle should be disinfected (Nolvasan® is a good example) after each use to prevent abscesses which will reduce the implant response. If the ear has dirt or fecal matter it should be wiped clean prior to implant insertion. For best results avoid crushing or bunching the implant pellets in the ear and make sure the implant is placed in the ear before pulling the needle out so part of the implant is not lost.

Implants complement good management but do not compensate for poor management.  They do not make up for poor genetics, poor management or improper nutrition.  Implanting nursing calves is a safe, economical management tool available to cow/calf producers to maximize returns.



PESTICIDE CONTAINER RECYCLING PROGRAM ENTERS 24TH YEAR

2015 marks the 24th year of the Nebraska Extension Pesticide Container Recycling Program. The program recycles 1- and 2.5-gallon plastic pesticide containers and 15-, 30- and 55-gallon plastic crop protection chemical drums.

      "In 2014, the program recycled close to 35 tons of plastic containers," said UNL pesticide safety educator Clyde Ogg. "In 23 years, we've recycled about 2.3 million pounds of plastic pesticide containers in Nebraska, more than 1,100 tons."

      "These are farm and ranch pesticide containers that could otherwise end up stored in barns or sheds or be improperly disposed of by casting them aside on creek banks or burning them," Ogg said. "The program's goal has always been to provide a cost-effective, cooperative and environmentally responsible way to properly dispose of and reuse these containers."

      Plastic from collected containers is turned into industrial and consumer products like shipping pallets, drain tile, dimension lumber and parking lot tire bumpers.

      The program accepts pressure-rinsed or triple-rinsed 1- and 2.5-gallon plastic pesticide containers. They must be clean and drained, inside and out. Caps, labels, booklets and slipcover plastic labels must be removed since they cannot be recycled as part of the program. Those items should be disposed of as normal, solid waste. Glued-on paper labels can be left on the container. Rinsate should be returned to the spray tank.

      Drums must be thoroughly rinsed before delivery to collection sites and should not be cut or opened in any way. Mini-bulk, saddle tanks and nurse tanks, which can be made of fiberglass or plastics not compatible with the recycling program, are not accepted.

      A full list of recycling sites, guidelines and program information and details is on UNL's Pesticide Safety Education Program website at http://pested.unl.edu/recycling.

      Program funding is by a national coalition of agri-chemical manufacturers through the Agricultural Container Recycling Council, Lexington, Virginia. 

      County collection sites, by category, are listed below. Sites accepting 15-, 30- and 55-gallon plastic drums are noted.

COLLECTION SITES YEAR-ROUND:
      BUFFALO: Kearney Recycling Center, Kearney, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
      CUMING: West Point Transfer Station, West Point, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to noon, 1 to 5 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
      DAWES: Solid Waste Association of Northwest Nebraska, Chadron, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
      LINCOLN: City of North Platte Transfer Station, North Platte, Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
      SCOTTSBLUFF: Gering Landfill, Gering, normal business hours, accepts drums.
      WASHINGTON: Washington County Recycling Center, Blair, Saturday 8 a.m. to noon, accepts drums.

COLLECTION SITES MAY-AUGUST:
      ANTELOPE: Central Valley Ag, Tilden and Royal; both sites accept drums.
      BURT: Helena Chemical Company, Oakland.
      CASS: Wiles Bros., Plattsmouth, accepts drums.
      DAKOTA: Central Valley Ag, South Sioux City, accepts drums.
      DAWSON: All Points Cooperative, Lexington, accepts drums.
      HOLT: Central Valley Ag, O'Neill, accepts drums.
      KEARNEY: Cooperative Producers Inc., Wilcox.
      MADISON: Central Valley Ag, Tilden, accepts drums.
      OTOE: Midwest Farmers Cooperative, Nebraska City and Syracuse, accepts drums.
      SARPY: Farmers Cooperative, Gretna, accepts drums.
      SAUNDERS: Frontier Cooperative, Mead, accepts drums, Reid's Farmacy, Ashland.

COLLECTION SITES OPEN SPECIFIC DATES:
      CASS: Midwest Farmers Coop, Greenwood, July 1-31, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., accepts drums.
      CLAY: Cooperative Producers Inc. (CPI), Sutton, Aug.13-14, accepts drums.
      DAKOTA: Central Valley Ag, South Sioux City, June and July, Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to noon, accepts drums.
      HAMILTON: Cooperative Producers Inc. (CPI), Aurora, July 27-31, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Cooperative Producers Inc. (CPI), Giltner, July 30-31, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
      LANCASTER: Midwest Farmers Cooperative Co., Bennet, July 24, 9 a.m. to noon, and Midwest Farmers Cooperative, Waverly, June 26, 9 a.m. to noon; both sites accept drums.
      OTOE: Midwest Farmers Coop, Nebraska City, July 27-31, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., accepts drums.

COLLECTION SITES BY APPOINTMENT ONLY:
      BURT: Tekamah Transfer Station, Tekamah, 402-374-2929, accepts drums.
      CUSTER: Custer County Recycling Center, Broken Bow, 308-870-0313; accepts drums.
      GAGE: Crop Production Services, Beatrice, 402-223-5102, accepts drums.



2015 NEBRASKA PROSPECTIVE PLANTINGS
Nebraska corn growers intend to plant 9.30 million acres this year, unchanged from 2014, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Soybean planted acreage is expected to be 5.10 million acres, down 6 percent from last year’s record high.

All hay acreage to be harvested is expected to total 2.7 million acres, up 5 percent from a year ago.

Winter wheat seeded in the fall of 2014 are estimated at 1.60 million acres, up 3 percent from last year.

Dry edible bean acreage intentions are estimated at 150,000 acres, down 9 percent from 2014.

Sorghum growers in Nebraska intend to plant 200,000 acres, down 5 percent from a year ago.

Oat intentions are estimated at 125,000 acres, up 39 percent from last year.

Sugarbeet acres are expected to be 55,000 acres, up 15 percent from a year ago.

Sunflower producers expect to plant 37,000 acres, up 3 percent from 2014. Oil type varieties account for 22,000 acres, down 12 percent from a year ago. Non-oil varieties made up the balance of 15,000 acres, up 36 percent from last year.

Estimates in this report are based on a survey conducted during the first two weeks of March.


NEBRASKA MARCH 1, 2015 GRAIN STOCKS

Nebraska corn stocks in all positions on March 1, 2015 totaled 824 million bushels, up 2 percent from 2014, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Of the total, 430 million bushels are stored on farms, down 2 percent from a year ago. Off-farm stocks, at 394 million bushels, are up 7 percent from last year.

Soybeans stored in all positions totaled 108 million bushels, up 25 percent from last year. On farm stocks of 32.0 million bushels are up 83 percent from a year ago, and off-farm stocks, at 76.0 million bushels, are up 10 percent from 2014.

Wheat stored in all positions totaled 36.5 million bushels, up 43 percent from a year ago. On farm stocks of 2.30 million bushels are up 53 percent from 2014 and off-farm stocks of 34.2 million bushels are up 42 percent from last year.

Sorghum stored in all positions totaled 3.51 million bushels, down 44 percent from 2014. On farm stocks of 650,000 are down 28 percent and off farm holdings of 2.86 million are down 47 percent from last year.On-farm oats totaled 650,000, up 63 percent from 2014.



2015 IOWA PROSPECTIVE PLANTINGS

The annual Prospective Plantings report published by the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service isbased on the voluntary responses from approximately two thousand Iowa producers. This report provides anindication of the acres farmers intend to plant for the 2015 crop year. Actual plantings will depend uponweather, economic conditions and the availability of production inputs at the time producers must make theirfinal planting decisions.

Iowa farmers intend to plant 13.6 million acres of corn for all purposes in 2015, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Prospective Plantings report. This is a decrease of 100,000 acres from2014.

Producers intend to plant 10.1 million acres of soybeans in Iowa this year. This is an increase of 200,000 acresfrom 2014. If realized, this would be the largest acreage since 2006.

Iowa farmers intend to plant 140,000 acres of oats for all purposes, down 5,000 acres from last year.

Farmers in Iowa expect to harvest 1.15 million acres of dry hay for the 2015 crop year.

Planted acres for winter wheat, at 26,000 acres, is unchanged from last year.



IOWA MARCH 1, 2015 GRAIN STOCKS

Iowa corn stocks in all positions on March 1, 2015, totaled 1.47 billion bushels, up 21 percent from March 1,2014, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Grain Stocks report. Of the totalstocks, 62 percent were stored on-farm. The December 2014 - February 2015 indicated disappearance totaled575 million bushels, 11 percent above the 519 million bushels used during the same period last year.

Iowa soybeans stored in all positions on March 1, 2015, totaled 266 million bushels, up 28 percent from the208 million bushels on hand March 1, 2014. Of the total stocks, 41 percent were stored on-farm. Indicateddisappearance for December 2014 - February 2015 is 143 million bushels, 8 percent more than the 132 millionbushels used during the same quarter last year.

Iowa oats stocks stored on-farm on March 1, 2015, totaled 1.0 million bushels, down 9 percent from March 1,2014.



Iowa Farmland Values Went Down in Recent Months

Farmland prices in Iowa, the top U.S. corn and soybean state, are down by an average 7.6 percent over the past six months and 11 percent from a year ago, pressured by lower grain prices and firmer interest rates, according to a survey released Tuesday.

The report by the Iowa Realtors Land Institute said that the nine Iowa crop-reporting districts all showed a decrease in value, ranging from 4.6 percent in the southwest to 11 percent in the northeast, since September 2014.

Farm economists, farmers, bankers and the Federal Reserve keep a close eye on Iowa, a bellwether for the U.S. farm economy.

The twice-yearly survey, carried out in March and September, said factors contributing to current farmland values include lower commodity prices and a limited amount of land on the market, as well as lack of stable alternative investments and increasing interest rates.

Highest prices for top-quality crop land averaged $11,619 an acre in the northwestern district of Iowa, down from $12,385 six months earlier. Lowest prices for high quality grain acreage were in the south central district at $7,775, down from $8,267. Highest pasture prices were in the southwest district at $3,400, up from $3,394. Pasture land prices ticked higher in all but two districts, buoyed by livestock farm demand.

U.S. farmland values have set records in recent years following the strength in grain prices amid short supplies and the booming demand for biofuels and food exports.



BIVI Awards Second $50,000 in Grants for PED Data Sharing Programs

For the second year, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. (BIVI), has awarded $50,000 in Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED) research grants. This year’s grants will again be shared by the University of California, Davis, Iowa State University and University of Minnesota to further the work on PED disease BioPortal, a collaborative web-based monitoring system that provides real-time or near-real time access to local, regional, and global disease information and analytical data.

Last year’s inaugural BIVI PED research grants were awarded to the three universities to develop and launch both PED BioPortal and “PED News,” which aggregates disease information from around the world, summarizes it in English, and sends the information to subscribers with a link to the original source.

Greg Cline, DVM, technical manager for enteric disease at BIVI, says the success of “PED News” in collecting, coordinating and distributing important, timely information on PED has proved useful in helping veterinarians and producers better monitor, track and understand the dynamics of the disease.
“As a result of what was accomplished last year, we are awarding the 2015 PED grant to the three universities to further expand PED BioPortal as an effective surveillance network and leading source of timely information on PED for pork producers, researchers and veterinarians,” Cline says.

Developed and maintained by the Center for Animal Disease Modeling and Surveillance (CADMS), BioPortal includes an interactive temporal-spacio visualizer and provides access to publicly available databases, as well as to private data through secure routing and sharing mechanisms.

“We saw a need for this type of content-rich information sharing service to help the North American swine industry stay as current as possible with the all the PED-related information,” says Cline. “The PED research grants will make it possible for the three universities to provide even more disease information, tools and resources available via ‘PED News’ and BioPortal.”



EPA to Require Herbicide Resistance Management Plans for Glyphosate

U.S. regulators will put new restrictions on the world's most widely used herbicide to help address the rapid expansion of weeds resistant to the chemical, Reuters has learned. The Environmental Protection Agency confirmed it will require a weed resistance management plan for glyphosate, the key ingredient in Monsanto's immensely popular Roundup weed-killer.

The agency has scheduled a conference call for next week with a committee of the Weed Science Society of America to discuss what the final plan for glyphosate should entail, said Larry Steckel, a Tennessee scientist who chairs the committee.

An EPA spokeswoman declined to give specifics of the plan, but told Reuters that its requirements will be similar to those placed on a new herbicide product developed by Dow AgroSciences, a unit of Dow Chemical Co., reports Reuters.

Requirements for the Dow herbicide include weed monitoring, farmer education and remediation plans. The company is required to provide extensive reporting to the EPA about instances of weed resistance and to let "relevant stakeholders" know about the difficulties of controlling them via a company-established website.

Monsanto spokeswoman Charla Lord would not discuss whether the company was negotiating a plan with regulators, but said Monsanto "will continue to work with the EPA to ensure proper product stewardship as we move through the regulatory process."

At least 14 weed species and biotypes in the United States have developed glyphosate resistance, affecting more than 60 million acres of U.S. farmland, according to data gathered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. weed scientists. The herbicide-resistant weeds hinder crop production and make farming more difficult and expensive.



Beef Checkoff Introduces the Protein Challenge

Are you up for a challenge? Americans currently consume two-thirds of their total daily protein intake at dinner - that doesn’t leave much room for protein at other meals or snacks. Introducing: the beef checkoff’s 30 Day Protein Challenge!

For some time now, research has shown that consuming protein in balanced amounts at each meal is beneficial to improving overall health. Some of the more remarkable benefits of distributing protein throughout the day include feeling satisfied after a meal or snack that features protein, which helps reduce mindless eating. Additionally, meals with high-quality protein help to build muscle and reduce body fat.

The 30 Day Protein Challenge is a step-by-step way to get an optimal amount of protein throughout the day.

“It’s simple: work your way up to eat 30 grams of protein every meal, and feel the difference,” says Jo Stanko, co-chair of the checkoff’s Nutrition and Health Subcommittee, and producer from Steamboat Springs, Colo. “Whether consumers are seeking to maintain and/or build muscle, looking for craving control or simply striving for better overall health and wellness, the Protein Challenge can help them take control of their appetite and kick start the benefits from balancing protein consumption.”

Interested in joining the challenge? Visit BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com/ProteinChallenge to sign up for daily inspirational emails, tools to help you succeed and beefy recipes with plenty of protein!

Challenge accepted.

For more information about your beef checkoff investment, visit MyBeefCheckoff.com.



USDA Announces Commodity Credit Corporation Lending Rates April 2015

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) today announced interest rates for April 2015. The CCC borrowing rate-based charge for April is 0.250 percent, unchanged from 0.250 percent in March.

The interest rate for crop year commodity loans less than one year disbursed during April is 1.250 percent, unchanged from 1.250 percent in March.

Interest rates for Farm Storage Facility Loans approved for April are as follows, 1.875 percent with seven-year loan terms, up from 1.750 percent in March; 2.125 percent with 10-year loan terms, up from 1.875 percent in March and; 2.250 percent with 12-year loan terms, up from 2.000 percent in March.



Special issue of Groundwater Monitoring & Remediation focuses on agricultural impacts to groundwater quality

The National Ground Water Association’s technical journal, Groundwater Monitoring & Remediation®, has published a special issue focusing on the monitoring and remediation of agricultural impacts to groundwater quality.

Agricultural land use represents the largest nonpoint source threat to groundwater quality on a global scale. As a result of decades of fertilizer application and surface spreading of animal manure, chronic increases in nitrate concentrations have been documented within the shallow and deep groundwater environments, and with increasing frequency in both private and public supply wells.

Beneficial management practices (BMPs) designed to reduce the risk of groundwater quality impacts are being adopted worldwide, yet very little data are available to assess the performance of these BMPs.

The special issue, which comprises the Groundwater Monitoring & Remediation Winter 2015 issue, is a coordination of recent research results from a team of more than 40 authors who have expertise in the area of agricultural BMP design, performance assessment, and field monitoring in the agricultural landscape.

Their collective research findings “…highlight the understanding that can be gleaned from careful monitoring of field sites where nutrient BMPs have been implemented, and demonstrate the necessity of long-term monitoring programs in these settings,” says Neil Thomson, Ph.D., the editor-in-chief of Groundwater Monitoring & Remediation.

The guest editor of this special issue was David L. Rudolph, Ph.D., PE, who presented the 2013 National Ground Water Research and Educational Foundation’s Henry Darcy Distinguished Lecture in Groundwater Science, “Managing Groundwater Beneath the Agricultural Landscape.”

The special issue focus issue of Groundwater Monitoring & Remediation can be found at OnlineLibrary.Wiley.com.

Since its inception in 1981, Groundwater Monitoring & Remediation has been the leading publication in the field of groundwater monitoring and cleanup. It contains a mix of original columns authored by industry leaders, industry news, product and equipment news, and peer-reviewed papers.



Ethanol Stocks Drop to 10-Week Low

U.S. ethanol supplies plunged 800,000 barrels (bbl), or 3.8%, to a 10-week low of 20.5 million bbl during the week-ended March 27 while 29.4% higher versus a year ago, the Energy Information Administration reported Wednesday, April 1.

Plant production eased 1,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 952,000 bpd while up 3.25% year over year.

Blender inputs, a proxy for ethanol demand, increased 3,000 bpd to 869,000 bpd last week, while up 2.2% year over year.

EIA also reported implied demand for motor gasoline surged 816,000 bpd to 9.435 million bpd while up 8.3% year over year.



NFU Reiterates Support for Mandatory GMO Labeling

National Farmers Union (NFU) delegates recently reiterated their support for the mandatory federal labeling of food products containing GMO traits at its annual convention. As such, NFU opposes the voluntary standard set out in Congressman Pompeo’s, R-Kan., Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015 (H.R. 1599).

“Consumers increasingly want to know more information about their food, not less,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “NFU policy supports mandatory labeling for food products throughout the processing chain, seeking to reduce consumer confusion and allowing producers to differentiate their products.”

Johnson noted that the bill has changed from the one introduced last Congress. “NFU appreciates Congressman Pompeo’s efforts to reduce consumer confusion and standardize a GMO label, but cannot support a bill that lacks mandatory labeling. We now call on Congress to bridge the numerous proposals that are currently pending for the benefit of producers and consumers.” said Johnson.



NFU Concerned by Omission of RFS from President’s Plan to Cut GHG Emissions

National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson today expressed concern over the exclusion of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) in President Obama’s formal submission of a plan to the United Nations to cut United States greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution.

“The RFS offers America a cleaner, more environmentally friendly fuel sector with its support for biofuels,” said Johnson. “The president is ignoring agriculture’s great potential to help the country cut GHG emissions and mitigate climate change by excluding the RFS from his plan.”

Johnson noted that climate change poses a great risk to agriculture. Family farmers and ranchers are willing and able to help build climate resiliency.

“America’s family farmers and ranchers are already feeling the impact of increased weather volatility, resulting in fewer workable field days, increased potential for soil erosion, and increased crop insurance claims,” said Johnson. “The RFS provides these farmers and ranchers with a tool to help the country cut GHG emissions and mitigate the climate change that directly impacts their livelihoods.”

Johnson also noted that the president’s plan, in addition to excluding the RFS, did not include any other ways agriculture or rural communities can be involved in reducing GHG emissions.

“While GHG emissions from agriculture can not be regulated, voluntary conservation and production practices can cut GHG emissions and sequester carbon in working soils,” noted Johnson. “The president missed an important opportunity to provide for systems that reward farmers for mitigating the great threats posed by climate change.”



“EPA approves Enlist Duo™ herbicide for use in additional states”

Today, the EPA announced its approval of Enlist Duo herbicide for use in additional states. A key component of the innovative Enlist Weed Control System, Enlist Duo with Colex-D Technology is the only herbicide to combine the proven performance of glyphosate with new 2,4-D choline for exceptional weed control in corn and soybeans.

The label for Enlist Duo now includes federal registration in many of the key corn- and soybean-producing states. The newest additions include Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Dakota and Oklahoma. The originally approved states – Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin – were included on the federal label when the EPA registered Enlist Duo for use with Enlist corn and soybeans in October 2014. Dow AgroSciences will continue to work closely with state regulatory authorities to obtain local approvals. Regulatory approvals are pending for Enlist cotton.

Susanne Wasson, commercial leader for Dow AgroSciences’ crop protection business, highlights the significance of today’s announcement.

“Today, there’s more than 84 million acres of farmland that are infested with glyphosate-resistant weeds.1 And, that number climbs every year, making this decision by the EPA very critical. Growers need access to this much-needed, effective weed control solution.”

According to Wasson, recent feedback from growers from on-farm trials overwhelmingly rated the weed control with Enlist Duo higher than their current weed control system. In addition, growers were impressed by the lack of drift and volatility. The proprietary Colex-D Technology in Enlist Duo helps ensure the herbicide lands and stays on target with minimized potential for drift and volatility.

Josh Lloyd farms in Kansas – one of the new states added to the federal label.

“Reduced off-target movement is important on our farm. I want a product that will stay exactly where we spray it. And, with this new formulation, Enlist Duo with Colex-D Technology gives me that peace of mind. And, I think it’s a tool that will help many Kansas growers manage tough weeds.”

Dow AgroSciences will launch Enlist Duo in conjunction with a stewarded introduction of Enlist corn and seed production of Enlist soybeans in 2015. The company continues to work with the EPA to further expand the list of states on the federal label.



Research Shows Supplementing Pig Diets With A High Quality Antioxidant Optimizes Growth And Meat Quality

Diets containing oxidized fats severely and negatively impact swine growth, carcass quality and oxidative stress. Recently, researchers at Virginia Tech, in conjunction with Novus, conducted a study to evaluate how adding a dietary antioxidant affects growth and meat quality. In general, they found the inclusion of AGRADO® Plus feed ingredient in swine diets, with its proprietary blend of antioxidants, counter-balanced several of the negative effects of feeding fatty acids by alleviating oxidative stress.

"Oxidative stress occurs when there is an imbalance between the amount of free radicals produced and the animal's ability to keep them under control," said Dr. Junmei Zhao, Executive Manager of Monogastric Nutrition Solutions at Novus. "The free radicals cause a chain reaction that causes tissue and cell damage."

Dr. Allan Harper, Professor Emeritus of Animal Science at Virginia Tech, and his research team supplemented different types of antioxidants to pigs fed diets high in oxidants. The team designed a dietary model that imposed a relatively high level of oxidative stress on the pigs, and then attempted to remediate the performance, carcass quality and physiological aspects of the oxidative stress with either vitamin E or a commercial antioxidant. This oxidation model was used to mimic Yellow Fat Disease, a disease resulting from a diet high in unsaturated fatty acids and deficient in Vitamin E.

Overall, Yellow Fat Disease symptoms occurred in pigs fed high oxidant diets, without antioxidant supplementation. The addition of AGRADO® Plus alone, or the combination of AGRADO® Plus with vitamin E, reduced the negative effects of oxidation in the feed. This prevented Yellow Fat Disease symptoms and proved to be effective in improving animal growth performance and carcass meat quality, when compared to Vitamin E alone.

The results of the university's research are summarized in two studies published in the December 2014 issue of the Journal of Animal Science. The first study examines the effects of antioxidant supplementation on pig growth, liver function and oxidative status. The second study examines the impact on carcass characteristics, meat quality and fatty acid profile.

"Supplementing pig diets with a high quality antioxidant is important, not only to prevent feedstuff oxidation, but also for the positive systemic effects antioxidants provide," Zhao added.