Friday October 14 Ag News

NE Beef Industry Scholars Summit is Nov. 17th in Lincoln

The Nebraska Beef Industry Scholars senior class, in cooperation with Nebraska Cattlemen, has been working diligently to bring this Summit to you. A variety of topics will be discussed at this year's event.....
Veterinary Feed Directive: Coming into Action
Foreign Markets: Where they are going and what to expect
Legislative Update: Ag Policy Changes
Panel Discussion: Technology- Making You More Efficient
 Panel Discussion: Risk Management- Stabilizing Your Operation
Succession Planning: Leaving your Legacy Behind

The Summit will be held Thursday, November 17th in the Animal Science Complex on East campus at UNL. The seminar will begin with registration at 8:30 a.m. and conclude at 4:30 p.m. Lunch will be catered on site and is included in the registration fee. Keeping with the tradition of past annual summits, the senior Beef Scholars have developed a program of strong speakers addressing current industry issues. You are invited and encouraged to attend this important event, where guest speakers will share their knowledge and encourage us to expand our thinking.

Space is limited, so please send us your registration form by November 10th to secure your place.... http://nebraskacattlemen.org/CMDocs/NebraskaCA/Summit%20Registration%20Form%202016.pdf.  The cost of this program is $50 and will cover lunch, speaker costs and other expenses for the event. After receiving your completed registration, we will send you additional event information. Parking permits are needed for lots on campus and will be provided at registration. We look forward to seeing you on November 17th!



Ag Land Management Workshops at ARDC on Nov. 22
There are two workshops being held at the University of Nebraska Agricultural Research and Development Center near Mead on Nov. 22.  In the morning there will be a Landlord/Tenant Cash Lease Workshop and in the afternoon there will be a Flexible Cash Lease Workshop.

The Landlord/Tenant Cash Lease workshop will be offered from 9 a.m. – 12 noon.  It is designed to help landlords and tenants put together a lease that is right for both parties, and help maintain positive farm leasing relationships.

Topics for discussion at the leasing workshop include:
-  Latest information about land values and cash rental rates for the area and state;
- Lease communication, determining appropriate information sharing for both the tenant and landlord;
-  Lease termination, including terminating handshake, or verbal leases;
- Review of common lease provisions with emphasis on common provision questions;
- Legal issues related to land ownership – basic ownership structures and what they mean;
- Business structures/entities and how they affect ownership – quick look at how entity ownership affects legal and financial risk management;
- Ownership transition;
- State/federal resources for beginning farmers and ranchers – basically the NE Beginning Farmer Program and the federal direct and grant farm ownership program;
- Other topics, like irrigation systems, hay rent, pasture rental agreements, and grain bin rental will be covered as time allows.

The Flexible Farmland Lease Workshop will be offered in the afternoon from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.   Flexible leases provisions are gaining popularity.  The goal is to give participants information and education about:  What a flex lease is, how to set up a flex lease, and review common flex lease provisions. 

UNL Extension Educators will present these workshops.  It is very helpful if both the tenant and landlord can attend together.  It is also helpful if the spouse attends.   Everyone is welcome to one or both workshops.

The free workshops are sponsored by the Northcentral Risk Management Education Center.  Registration is requested.  To register, call 402-624-8020. Register by Monday, Nov. 21 to ensure that there are enough handouts and refreshments.

The workshops have been held extensively across Nebraska for the past few years with over 3,300 attending.  The vast majority of both landlords and tenants find the information to be very helpful in improving communications, setting rental terms, and learning about the use of flex lease provisions.  As crop budgets tighten, it is even more important to attend and listen to the latest discussion about leasing issues.

For more information or assistance, please contact Allan Vyhnalek, Extension Educator, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Extension in Platte County.  Phone: 402-563-4901 or e-mail



NDA ANNOUNCES AVAILABILITY OF ORGANIC CERTIFICATION COST-SHARE FUNDS FOR NEBRASKA PRODUCERS AND HANDLERS

The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) is accepting applications until Nov. 1, 2016, from eligible producers and handlers in the state wanting to participate in USDA’s National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program. Producers and handlers who are currently certified organic under the National Organic Program (NOP), and whose certified land is located in Nebraska, are eligible to receive a 75 percent refund (up to $750) for expenses associated with each of their 2016 certifications.

“The USDA created this program to encourage and support organic farmers who have become officially NOP certified,” NDA Cost-Share Program Manager Steve Martin said. “Our department administers the program for USDA and has been allocated $115,300 in funds for 2016. We strongly encourage our eligible NOP-certified growers and handlers to take advantage of this program.”

Martin said that USDA listed 217 NOP-certified organic operations in Nebraska in 2014. USDA’s Organic Survey indicates Nebraska’s value of sales of organically-produced commodities in 2014 was nearly $76 million. That compares to $48.6 million in value of sales in 2008.

Applications for the National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program can be found at www.nda.nebraska.gov or by calling 800-422-6692. Applications are processed as they are received and will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are expended.

The USDA National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program was part of the 2014 Farm Bill and will be funded for the next two years.



BE ALERT TO HEALTH RISKS WHEN GRAZING TURNIPS
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist

               Many summer planted turnips are ready to graze.  This wonderful resource is not without potential health hazards, however.

               Turnips may be the best grazing option available for late fall and winter.  But, like everything else, they can cause problems.

               Turnip leaves can cause a blood mineral disease called hemolytic anemia, a brain disorder called polioencephalomalacia that is characterized by twitching and incoordination, a breathing disorder called pulmonary emphysema, and even bloat.  These problems generally occur during the first couple weeks of grazing.  Turnips can be high in nitrates and also affect function of the thyroid gland and, thus, are goiter-genic.

               Now this may all sound scary, but most problems are rare and are reduced or eliminated with careful management.  To begin, don’t shift cattle onto turnips suddenly.  Adjust them by feeding high quality hay or pasture for a couple weeks before grazing turnips to prepare their rumen for the high energy and protein in turnips.  Giving them just a few hours access to turnips at the start also helps.  Make sure they have access at all times to a dry roughage like corn stalks or a palatable hay.  This also helps reduce diarrhea, which is common with turnips.  Strip grazing that forces cattle to eat both roots and tops reduces problems and increases carrying capacity.  And finally, always provide an iodized salt-trace mineral mix.

               Many folks worry about choking.  It’s not very common but it does happen.  Growers who have experienced this problem tell me that they usually can remove the plug using a stick or by hand.

               Don’t be afraid to graze turnips; they’re a wonderful resource.  Just manage carefully and be alert so problems don’t affect you.



Chinese Delegates, Top Iowa Officials Gather in Des Moines for U.S. Soy Contract Signing Ceremony

Six weeks ago, Chinese buyers committed to purchase nearly $1.8 billion worth of U.S. soy, totaling 146 million bushels of U.S. soybeans. Friday, Chinese buyers made an even larger commitment, signing contracts worth $2.1 billion of U.S. soy, or 5.1 million tons.

The new commitments were signed at a ceremony held in Des Moines and attended by seven of the top Chinese buyers of U.S. soy, Chinese commerce officials, top Iowa state officials and representatives from the U.S. soy industry. The signing ceremony was hosted by the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) and the Iowa Soybean Association. Governor Terry Branstad, Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey were in attendance.

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad talked about the trust, honor and respect that have helped foster the long relationship between Chinese president Xi Jinping and U.S. soybean farmers, sharing a photograph that shows the Chinese leader’s first visit to Iowa in 1985. “It’s pretty neat to have the president of China call you an ‘old friend,'” he stated.

This year, U.S. soybean farmers are projected to export a record amount of soy and soy products, up from 62.88 million metric tons of soy and soy products, valued at $27.7 billion, in 2015. International buyers are turning to U.S. soy for a variety of reasons, including its quality, sustainability and reliability, to name a few.

China Chamber of Commerce for Import & Export of Foodstuffs, Native Produce and Animal By-products (CFNA) president Brian Zhenhu spoke about the trade collaboration between the U.S. and China. “This signing ceremony is just one manifestation of our cooperation,” he said.

These sentiments were echoed by the U.S. soy industry. “We were honored to be joined by a group of Chinese provincial officials and crush company representatives, who traveled 7,000 miles to meet with U.S. exporters to sign 16 purchasing agreements,” said Jim Miller, USSEC chair, American Soy Association (ASA) director and Nebraska soybean farmer. “These agreements are an example fo the strong partnerships between the U.S. soy value chain and the international buyers who purchase our crop.”



STATE SENATORS DISCUSS PAST AND FUTURE OF RENEWABLES IN NEBRASKA

On Monday, November 7 at 8:45am Nebraska State Senators Ken Haar, Heath Mello, John McCollister, Patty Pansing Brooks and Ken Schilz will discuss what has happened in the Legislature regarding wind and solar energy legislation, and what needs to happen in the future to advance those industries.

Senator Haar was elected to the Nebraska Legislature in 2008 and re-elected 2012, where he served on the Natural Resources committee for a number of years and most recently the Appropriations Committee.  He received a bachelor of science in education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, as well as a masters in educational administration. Senator Haar has been a vocal advocate for renewable energy in the state of Nebraska and has sponsored many legislative bills to help advance it.

Senator Mello was elected to the Nebraska Legislature in 2008, and re-elected in 2012. For the past two years he has served as the chair of the Appropriations Committee, and he is term limited. Senator Mello received his bachelor of arts in political science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He has been very supportive and has sponsored bills dealing with energy efficiency and renewable energy.

Senator McCollister was elected to Nebraska Legislature in 2014 and received his bachelor of science in business administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. This past session, he sponsored legislative bill 824 which eased some of the restrictions on wind and solar development in Nebraska while also protecting the interests of public power.

Senator Pansing Brooks was also elected to the Nebraska Legislature in 2014, and received her juris doctorate in 1984 from the University of Nebraska College of Law in 1984.  She serves on the Education and Judiciary committees, and has become involved in recent legislation to help further the development of renewables in Nebraska.

Senator Schilz who was elected to the Nebraska Legislature in 2008 is term limited. He is currently the chair of the Natural Resources Committee and has been an integral part of legislation supporting wind and solar energy development in Nebraska. He received his bachelor of science in business administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

“This is a great opportunity to not only hear from but meet the State Senators who have been instrumental in the legislative changes made in recent years to improve the competitiveness of Nebraska wind and solar energy,” said Adam Herink, conference co-chairman. “These State Senators will be in key positions of leadership on renewable issues in the next four years   This panel is always one of the most popular sessions of the conference,” he added.

This year’s conference will kick off with a site tour of Lincoln Electric System’s SunShares Community Solar Project, Sunday, November 6 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The tour will leave from the Cornhusker Marriott Hotel and the fee is just $10. Registration for the conference is $150, and $175 for walk-in registrations the day of the conference. Student registration is only $65. Visit our website at www.nebraskawindandsolarconference.com to register for the conference and solar project tour and to make your hotel reservations. Also check out this year’s conference agenda.



Red Color in Cherokee Co. Stream Traced to Feedlot

DNR investigators tracked down red color in Bear Creek about four miles west of Larrabee to runoff from an earthen basin at a cattle feedlot owned by Nathan Tentinger of Tentinger Farms.

Apparent over-application and a leaking pump caused runoff, turning the small creek red. Investigators found high ammonia levels in Bear Creek but no dead fish.

The red color reached Mill Creek Wednesday night. DNR staff checked Mill Creek this morning and found no dead fish.

The DNR is considering appropriate enforcement action.

The Cherokee County Sheriff's office reported the stream contamination Wednesday afternoon.



USDA’s Action on Long-Awaited Farmer Fair Practices Rules a Win for Family Farmers and Ranchers, NFU Says

Following months of progress on the long-awaited Farmer Fair Practices Rules from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA), which would provide needed contract protections for livestock producers and poultry growers, National Farmers Union (NFU) was pleased by today’s administrative step forward in the process towards publishing the rules later this year.

USDA plans to publish an interim final rule and two proposed rules this year that would help balance the relationships between producers and meat packers in the concentrated livestock and poultry industries.

“Livestock producers and poultry growers have been waiting too long for much needed protections against the fraudulent, anti-competitive practices they fall victim to in the marketplace. We applaud USDA for staying committed to publishing rules that seek to protect producers, growers, consumers and the industry alike,” said NFU President Roger Johnson.

The 2008 Farm Bill sought to mitigate abusive contracting and marketing practices in the highly concentrated livestock and poultry sectors. However, lawmakers repeatedly blocked USDA from fully implementing the law through an annual appropriations rider until late last year when that rider was omitted from the congressional appropriations omnibus bill.

USDA worked for the last several months to extensively review past comments and consider economic impacts as they updated the previously proposed regulations. Though some have disagreed on the policy, Johnson explained that both producers and consumers “benefit from the competitive, transparent markets that these rules will help protect.”

“We support USDA’s approach to provide an interim final rule that will provide certainty for family livestock producers and poultry growers. We look forward to seeing these rules published following review by the Office of Management and Budget, and we look forward to an opportunity for the public to review, understand, and offer feedback,” he added.

Earlier this year, NFU was appalled by the House Appropriations Committee attempt to stall the progress made by USDA by adding a rider into their Fiscal Year 2017 budget bill that would block final implementation of the rules. While the Senate Appropriations Committee did not include the provision in their spending bill, Johnson explained that NFU will be closely monitoring the development of the appropriations omnibus bill.

“Last year, Congress made the right decision to eliminate the GIPSA provision from the final budget bill, supporting family livestock and poultry farmers who have long-waited for the protections of these rules. We urge Congress to take the same action this year and keep the GIPSA rider out of the omnibus bill,” Johnson concluded.



USDA Moves Forward with Flawed GIPSA Rules
 
In a letter to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, USDA acknowledged that the agency would continue the rulemaking process on the 2010 Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Act proposed rules. The proposed rulemaking was initially undertaken in 2010 and quickly defunded by Congress which recognized them as a flawed concept that limits producers’ marketing options while adding layers of bureaucracy and opening the door to litigation. NCBA President Tracy Brunner said these provisions were troubling in 2010 and remain a major concern six years later.

“The GIPSA rules, as they pertain to cattle producers, are extremely troubling to our industry at a time when we are already grappling with volatile futures markets and a fragile cash market,” said Brunner. “Rather than working to help ensure producers have accurate price information in a productive way, like ensuring Mandatory Price Reporting is a critical government function, unaffected by future government shutdowns; USDA is expending time and resources to push forward outdated rules to regulate an industry that never requested their assistance. These rules were flatly rejected by cattle producers six years ago and a strong bi-partisan majority in Congress expressed their continual disapproval through a half-decade of defunding.”

USDA has announced the GIPSA rules include an interim final rule on competitive injury and two proposed rules to address undue preference and the poultry grower ranking system. The agency has said they will provide additional opportunity for public comment on all the rules and will announce if any amendments will be made.

“NCBA and our members have been engaged with USDA, even while the implementation of these rules was defunded,” said Brunner. “Unfortunately, once again, this Administration has disregarded producer input and moved forward with regulations that would cause irreparable harm. USDA’s opportunity for future comment is a hollow offer when they should have engaged with the industry before moving forward.”

While USDA notes they will exclude marketing arrangements from these rules, these provisions are outweighed by the competitive injury provisions of the GIPSA rule that do not require a showing of injury in order to claim a violation of the Packers and Stockyards Act.

“We know that regulation and legislation always come with unintended consequences,” said Brunner. “We don’t see any changes that could be made to the competitive injury and undue preference provisions that wouldn’t diminish marketing opportunities for producers. The fact is that value-added programs have supported higher prices and premiums for producers even when markets are weak. The GIPSA rules would jeopardize the future of these programs and add litigation costs. Absent a required showing of economic harm to claim preference, these rules disregard a central tenant of our legal system and set out a regulatory framework for harassment based solely on the subjective appearance of preference.”

In 2010, NCBA submitted comments on the GIPSA rules citing concerns. These concerns remain as relevant today as they were six years ago.

“These rules are not about fairness, and to call them ‘Farmer Fair Practices Rules’ is nothing but political spin to disguise the real intent,” said Brunner. “These rules are another government solution in search of a problem. They will limit producer marketing options, compel buyers to offer lower bids across the board to avoid the appearance of preference and create an environment ripe for baseless legal challenge. We have always said that the GIPSA rules set out a trial lawyer’s bonanza and that is as true today as it was in 2010.”

NCBA calls on USDA to immediately withdraw the GIPSA rules and work with the industry to address the Administration’s concerns with livestock marketing.



NPPC Concerned About Rules On Livestock Contracts

The National Pork Producers Council today expressed concern about U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations on the buying and selling of livestock and poultry. USDA today sent to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review three rules – the “Farmer Fair Practices Rules” – that, according to the agency, would “help balance the relationships between livestock producers, swine production contract growers, and poultry growers and the packers, swine contractors, and live poultry dealers with whom they interact.”

Issued by USDA’s Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) as an interim final rule and two proposed rules, the regulations are supposedly revisions of rules first proposed by GIPSA in 2010 to implement provisions Congress included in the 2008 Farm Bill.

The 2010 rules, however, went well beyond the congressional mandates of the Farm Bill and would have had a significant negative effect on the livestock industry, according to an analysis conducted by Informa Economics, which found they would have cost the U.S. pork industry more than $330 million annually. (An update of the analysis found that today it would cost the pork industry $420 million a year to comply with the rules.)

As a result, tens of thousands of comments, including 16,000 from pork producers, were filed in opposition to the 2010 rules, and Congress several times included riders in USDA’s annual funding bill to prevent the agency from finalizing the regulations. But no rider was included in the fiscal 2016 agricultural funding bill, and USDA earlier this year indicate it would move forward with new rules.

“Pork producers are concerned that, like the 2010 proposed rules, the ones sent to OMB would have a negative effect on the pork industry, from producers to packers and ultimately consumers,” said NPPC CEO Neil Dierks. “While the specifics of the actual rules are not yet clear, we’re worried about their impact on the ability of producers to secure financing and to innovate and about them potentially leading to greater vertical integration without offering positive advantages to the industry and consumers.”

Of particular concern, Dierks said, is the interim final rule on the “scope” of sections of the Packers and Stockyards Act (PSA) related to meat packers using “unfair, unjustly discriminatory or deceptive practices” and giving “undue or unreasonable preferences or advantages” to producers. While NPPC has yet to see the language of that rule, the 2010 version was overly broad, and most of the cost of complying with the 2010 rules would have come from that regulation.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, in a letter sent this week to NPPC and to other agricultural organizations, said the interim final rule will “establish our interpretation of the [PSA] statute, which will then be entitled to judicial deference.”

NPPC’s fear is that the interpretation apparently will be that producers no longer will need to prove that a meat packer’s action injured or diminished competition in a “marketplace.” They only will need to show that a practice was “unfair” to them or that an “undue” or “unreasonable” preference or advantage was given to another producer or producers.

The Senate considered and rejected such a “no competitive injury” provision during debate on the 2008 Farm Bill. Additionally, eight federal appeals courts have held that it must be proved that competition in a marketplace was harmed for an action to be a violation of the PSA.

“The interim final rule will create legal uncertainty for producers and packers,” said Dierks, who pointed out that because the regulation is “final,” it will become effective as soon as it’s published in the Federal Register.

USDA will accept public comments on the interim final rule and on the two proposed rules once they are published in the Federal Register.



Vetter, Gustafson to Receive USMEF’s Michael J. Mansfield, Distinguished Service Awards

The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) has announced the recipients of its Michael J. Mansfield Award and Distinguished Service Award. Both will be presented at the USMEF 40th Anniversary & Strategic Planning Conference, Nov. 2-4 in Carlsbad, California.
Darci Vetter and Mark Gustafson

The 2016 Mansfield Award recipient is Ambassador Darci Vetter, chief agricultural negotiator for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). The award is presented in honor of former U.S. Senate Majority Leader and U.S. Ambassador to Japan Michael J. Mansfield, a Presidential Medal of Freedom honoree whose five decades of government service formed the foundation for advancement of U.S. trade relations throughout the world.

USMEF’s Distinguished Service Award is presented to individuals who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in the pursuit of USMEF’s export goals. This year’s honoree is Mark Gustafson, a longtime meat industry leader and international trade specialist. Prior to launching the consulting firm Gustafson & Associates, he spent 38 years working to advance red meat exports for JBS, Swift and Company, ConAgra International, USMEF and Monfort of Colorado.

Vetter is the U.S. government’s lead agricultural negotiator in all multilateral and bilateral trade negotiations, where she has spearheaded efforts to eliminate trade barriers and advance trade liberalization. In this role, she was a lead negotiator for the Trans-Pacific Partnership – an agreement that includes very favorable terms for the U.S. beef and pork industries. Vetter also played a key role at USTR earlier in her career, where she was responsible for facilitating NAFTA implementation and resolving agricultural trade issues with Mexico and Canada. Between her terms at USTR, Vetter helped advance agricultural trade at USDA and as a Senate Finance Committee staff member.

Being honored with the Michael J. Mansfield Award struck a chord with Vetter on several levels.

“I first became familiar with Mike Mansfield’s career when I worked for Sen. Max Baucus, a fellow Montanan,” she said. “When you work in the international trade arena, you look to people who were true statesmen and who knew how to build and foster relationships for the long haul. So receiving the Mansfield Award is an honor in itself, but the fact that it’s coming from USMEF is tremendous. I have so enjoyed working with USMEF – whether it’s with their senior staff in Denver, the overseas directors or their great economists, USMEF really helps connect the dots for those of us in government so that we can figure out what the agreements and protocols that we negotiate on paper will actually mean in terms of our exporters’ commercial experience.”

Vetter added that USMEF is also an important resource when it comes to implementation and enforcement of trade agreements.

“USMEF can be our eyes and ears on the ground to tell us whether protocols and negotiations that we’ve completed are actually working,” she explained. “They help us identify problems before they become major trade issues, so we see USMEF as a critical partner, and a very reliable one, to help us get all the details right.”

Throughout his career, Gustafson has been active in addressing trade barriers and shaping the meat industry’s approach to international marketing. He has chaired the USMEF Exporter Committee and served on the USMEF Executive Committee, the Agricultural Trade Advisory Committee for Animals and Animal Products, the USDA Advisory Committee for Meat and Poultry Inspection and the North American Meat Institute’s Trade Committee.

“I started to get involved in international trade in the late 1970s and early 1980s, almost from the inception of USMEF,” Gustafson said. “So having worked in the export field for so long and with so many outstanding industry leaders, it’s truly a great honor to be recognized by them and to be selected for the Distinguished Service Award.”

As a longtime champion of global market access for U.S. meat, Gustafson said it is gratifying to look back at the strides the industry has made over the past four decades.

“Keep in mind that in those early days, many of these markets were closed in one fashion or another,” he said. “Japan, for example, was still state-traded and wasn’t truly an open market. In Mexico there were licensing programs – each country had some sort of structural impediment that didn’t allow us free market access. So I felt that I could contribute to the meat industry’s growth and success by focusing on gaining meaningful access to these key markets.”

Looking to the future, Gustafson sees opportunities for further export growth – not only because of the growing population and buying power in foreign countries, but also due to changes in the product needs of international customers.

“As labor becomes more expensive in the international markets, I believe there will be an opportunity to do more processing back here in the United States and deliver a more user-friendly product to the global marketplace,” he explained. “That’s one area where I would like to see the U.S. industry increase its focus and capitalize on key growth opportunities in the future.”



Research from Kansas State University shows that daily exercise helps dairy cows reduce effects of heat stress

For several days a week during the summer, a handful of Kansas State University faculty and students took a couple dozen dairy cattle to a small paddock north of the Manhattan campus.

The reason? Exercise. Early-in-the-morning, get-your-heart-pumping exercise before breakfast — for the dairy cows.

"We are doing a project where we are looking at the effect of exercise on heat stress in dairy cattle," said Tim Rozell, a professor of animal sciences and industry. "This is a real problem for dairy animals; they have a lot of struggles when it gets hot out, and we have hot summers in Kansas."

Project technician Phil Steichen, a teaching associate in the animal sciences and industry department, and the rest of the team have built a circular exercise device with moving panels that gently keep the animals on their walking routine.

The project includes a control group that doesn't exercise; a low-intensity exercise group that walks at a slow pace for an extended period of time; and some heifers that receive high-intensity interval-type training with alternating periods of fast and slower walking at increasing rates, Rozell said.

Ashley Rhodes, teaching associate professor in the Division of Biology, and Abi Wilson, master's student in biology from Alpharetta, Georgia, record weekly measurements of the cattle. They monitor their weight, take blood samples, and track their heart rate before and during exercise.

"At the beginning and end of each trial, we take muscle biopsies," Wilson said. "We are looking at specific enzymes, hormones and any changes in the skeletal muscle that may enhance their tolerance to heat, pregnancy rates and milk production."

Muscle characteristics are being evaluated in a collaborative effort with John Gonzalez, an assistant professor of animal sciences and industry.

"If we improve these heifers' fitness, we hope that they can tolerate the heat much better," Wilson said. "Therefore, farmers can yield higher reproductive rates and greater milk production rates."

Rozell said the connection with the university's Division of Biology is a good one. Rhodes has had an interest in the physiology of heat stress in wildlife and its increased severity because of global climate change. Dairy cattle serve as a model for heat stress in other large animals.

Rozell said the university has conducted similar research trials for three years. Preliminary results from earlier tests conducted by Jessica Johnson, who was a doctoral student in animal science at the time and is now a teaching assistant professor of biology, show that cattle that exercise regularly spend less time in an elevated temperature, so they are less susceptible to the negative effects of hot days, according to Rozell.

"We see increased protein in milk from exercised cattle," he said. "Last year, for example, we exercised pregnant heifers up to three weeks before they underwent parturition, and even 15 weeks or so into milk production, we saw increased protein in their milk, elevated lactose and other improvements in milk production."

The exercise routines for the high-intensity group are similar to those followed by athletes.

"We've used a lot of human research in developing our exercise protocols," Rozell said. "We've looked at something called lactate threshold in dairy cattle. We know about where they switch over their metabolic system from aerobic to anaerobic metabolism, and so we are trying to exercise them around that point, and that's based on human research."

Wilson treats the cattle as a coach would treat her athletes. She whoops, hollers and whistles to encourage them during their daily routine.

"They're all very unique," she said. "We give them names and they all have their own personality. In the morning, some of them skip down to the exerciser, excited, kicking up their heels.

"I enjoy getting up in the mornings and hanging out with cows," Wilson said. "They're fun to be around. Dairy cows are exceptionally friendly. They'll kiss on you and play with you. Just getting out and watching the sun come up in the morning and exercising with them is really fun. It's really rewarding."

Now that the team has shown exercise has positive effects on heat stress and milk production, Rozell said the university is moving toward developing recommendations that would help dairy producers incorporate sensible exercise protocols for their own herds.



Deere to Further Expand Choices in Planter Market

Deere & Company has reached an agreement to enable Ag Leader, a precision agriculture competitor, to offer products currently sold by Precision Planting. The agreement is contingent on Deere completing the acquisition of Precision Planting from The Climate Corporation, a subsidiary of Monsanto Company.

The agreement will provide Ag Leader the technologies and licenses necessary to manufacture and sell the Precision Planting SpeedTube and related technology, including vSet, vDrive, and DeltaForce, once the acquisition of Precision Planting is completed. The agreement enables Ag Leader to further develop these products and continue delivering innovative solutions for precision agriculture.

It also further enhances competition and innovation in the market and expands customers' choices for planting equipment, whether they are buying new machinery or retrofitting older planting equipment made by various manufacturers with the latest innovations in planting technology.

The agreement will expand competition and the availability of various planting solutions as Ag Leader will be allowed to sell Precision Planting products using the current names that farmers have come to trust. Importantly, Ag Leader remains a completely independent competitor to Deere and Precision Planting.

In November 2015, Deere signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Precision Planting, LLC. equipment business. In August, the U.S. Department of Justice challenged the transaction, delaying its completion, and Deere announced it would contest the DOJ action.

For generations, Deere has helped American farmers successfully compete globally. The proposed acquisition would accelerate the development of new precision equipment solutions to help farmers improve productivity and increase yields to help feed a growing global population.