Wednesday July 31 Ag News

 Heat stress factor tradeoffs
Alfredo DiCostanzo, NE Extension Beef Systems Educator

Sometime ago, Dr. Terry Mader University of Nebraska Professor (retired from Haskell Lab), developed a Cattle Comfort Index (CCI) that is based on temperature, wind speed, relative humidity, and solar radiation. This index is used in the United States and other countries as a measure of the stress the environment is imposing on cattle. It resulted from several years of work both at Concord, NE and in Australia, where cattle also experience heat stress.

Index values are expressed on the temperature scale and are transformable between degrees Celsius and Fahrenheit. Cattle Comfort Index above 95 degrees represent severe heat stress while indices between 86 and 94 degrees represent mild heat stress.

I recently had the opportunity to study this index and work with it to test a database that is maintained at the University of Nebraska. It gave me the opportunity to create a few possible scenarios cattle may experience in high temperature and high humidity environments common to Northeast Nebraska.

For this exercise, I fixed solar radiation at the maximum, no cloud cover, and permitted relative humidity to vary from 50% to 99% at temperatures between 75 and 95 °F (5-degree increments) with wind speeds changing from 2 to 16 miles per hour. Using the threshold for severe heat stress index (95 °F), I set out to determine tradeoffs between these factors to prioritize heat stress abatement strategies.

· Heat stress will become severe at 85 °F when wind speeds are below 8 mph even at low humidity. Blocking 66% (or 66% cloud cover) or more solar radiation will permit air cooling from wind speeds below 8 mph.

· When temperatures are at or above 90 °F with wind speeds even as high as 16 mph and 50% humidity, heat stress will be severe if no solar radiation is blocked.

· At 70% humidity with temperatures in the 90’s under shade or 100% cloud cover, wind speeds of 6 mph or better reduce CCI below the severe threshold. Under shade or cloud 100% cover at 95 °F, however, wind speeds must be faster than 10 mph to reduce CCI below the severe threshold.

Prioritizing use of shades reduces radiation protection while breezy days and nights contribute to cooling cattle even at single digit speeds.

Using this approach, one can also prove how high nighttime temperatures prevent cattle from cooling from the effects of daytime temperatures, particularly in still nights.

· A 75 °F still night with 85% humidity keeps the CCI within the moderate stress range by preventing cattle from cooling themselves before facing another hot day.

This is when alternative management approaches may be used. Wetting concrete surfaces, such as bunk aprons or slopes may help cattle cool faster at night when temperature and humidity are high in still nights.

I am grateful that this information was generated, in our own backyard by one of our scientists, to be able to devise and discuss strategies to minimize heat stress. This approach is straightforward and requires no access to experimental animals or facilities.

It is my sincere hope that you and your crew have had an uneventful heat event. Please reach out to me if you have any additional questions.



ADDING GRASS TO THINNING ALFALFA
- Jerry Volesky, NE Extension Pasture & Forage Specialist

Do you have a thinning and low producing alfalfa stand; but are not quite ready to do a complete reseeding?  These stands can be rejuvenated by interseeding grasses to increase hay production in subsequent years or to convert them to pasture.

Most alfalfa fields start to lose stand and production potential after cutting hay for several years.  Orchardgrass is the grass most commonly interseeded into alfalfa, but other grasses like endophyte-free tall fescue, smooth or meadow brome, festulolium, and wheatgrasses also can be used.  If the field will be used as pasture, a mixture of several grasses may be best since it adds diversity to your animals' diet.

Whether irrigated or dryland, interseeding after a mid-August to early September hay harvest can be excellent timing.  There is always some risk for dryland fields because several rains will be needed to start the new grass seedlings.  The seeding should be done as sone as that August or early September harvest Is complete. If your alfalfa is relatively thick, you probably will need to take another cutting in about four weeks, or as soon as the alfalfa starts to form a full canopy.  This allows sunlight to continue to reach new grass seedlings below the alfalfa.

The seeding rate of the grasses will vary depending on the species that is used and how thick the existing alfalfa is.  With orchardgrass for example, as little as 3 lb/acre might be adequate in a relatively thick alfalfa stand or up to 6 lb/acre in a very thin alfalfa stand.

Next spring you will need to judge how well established the new grasses have become.  If they seem a little weak, cut hay early to open the canopy for better light penetration.  



BEEF Showcase Educational Sessions at HHD

Here is a sneak peek of what we have in store for beef producers at the new BEEF Showcase. You can find these sessions and more in the BEEF Building, located in the Northwest Quadrant off West Avenue.

Daily at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. | Cattle Chute Demos Experience live demos first-hand and get your questions answered as industry experts show the latest in chute tech and techniques.

Tues. Sept. 10 at 10 a.m. | Coaching Cowboys Hosted by Chad Engle, United States Meat Animal Research Center. In this session, Engle will discuss ways to build, manage and ensure the success of a team in a livestock operation setting.

Wed. Sept. 11 at 12:30 p.m. | Where’s the Cattle Market Headed? | Sponsored by Ever.Ag. Hosted by Dr. Lee Schulz and Dr. Dan Thomson, Iowa State University. Join us as Dr. Schulz, associate professor and one of the most prominent ag economists in the livestock sector, along with Dr. Thomson, professor emeritus of animal science, talk cattle markets with a look at what’s likely ahead.

Tues. Sept 10 and Wed. Sept. 11 at 2:30 p.m. | Low-Stress Cattle Handling | Sponsored by Arrowquip Hosted by Steve Langrell, Arrowquip. This presentation will shed light on how livestock think and what motivates and demotivates their behavior. Learn how to work with your cattle, rather than against them, which will produce a better-finished product in the end.

Details about Husker Harvest Days 2024 can be found online at www.huskerharvestdays.com.  



‘Fearless Farm Finances’ selected for Nebraska Women in Agriculture Book Club

The Nebraska Women in Agriculture program and Annie’s Project have announced “Fearless Farm Finances: Farm Financial Management Demystified,” as the choice for their third quarter Book Club, which will conclude with a virtual discussion on Sept. 23, at 1 p.m. Central time.

“Fearless Farm Finances,” written by Jody Padgham, Paul Dietmann and Craig Chase, presents the complex subject of farm financial management in a straightforward and readable style, with numerous tips and examples from working farms. The content is relevant for both small- and large-scale operations and includes sample farm data sets, which highlight how equations, formulas and analysis are done. Discussions about financial ratios, pricing strategies and ways to assess and improve profitability can help farmers improve the sustainability of their operations.

The book club discussion will be led by Dietmann, one of the book’s co-authors. He is an emerging markets specialist with Badgerland Financial, a member-owned rural lending cooperative and Farm Credit System institution serving southern Wisconsin. Dietmann leads the coop’s beginning farmer program and its Emerging Markets Loan Program, which provides loans to farmers who are marketing their products direct to consumers. Before joining the staff at Badgerland, Dietmann served as Wisconsin’s Deputy Secretary of Agriculture in 2010. In 2004 he was selected as the national winner of the Excellence in Farm and Ranch Financial Management Award presented by the National Association of County Agricultural Agents.

Registration is free and can be found on the Nebraska Women in Agriculture website, https://wia.unl.edu, or by clicking here. The first 20 registrants will receive a complimentary copy of the book mailed to them.  



Carbon Intensity Calculator Can Help Farmers Determine Their CI Score

Farmers who want to gain a better understanding of their Carbon Intensity Score can take advantage of a simple calculator developed by an economist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

The calculator relies on just five input numbers, according to Alejandro Plastina – corn acres, nitrogen use and corn yield with current farming practices, change in nitrogen use and change in yields under new farming practices.

See the calculator here: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/articles/plastina/PlaJul24.html.

The score is a calculation of how much carbon is used per bushel of crop production and is an important measurement used for selling grain to certain ethanol plants that plan to participate in the federally incentivized Carbon Intensity Score program.

Beginning in 2025, certain participating ethanol plants will receive tax credits for accepting crops produced with less carbon, according to Plastina. Some may also offer incentives to farmers for delivering lower-carbon crops.

The tax credit that grain buyers will receive is called the Federal Tax Credit 45Z, or the “Clean Fuel Production Credit.” It consolidates and replaces several fuel-related credits scheduled to expire at the end of 2024.

Plastina hopes farmers will take advantage of the calculator to understand their current score – and ways they could make changes that result in a lower score.

“The farmer could potentially get an extra payment if the carbon intensity score is lower than the buyer’s threshold,” he said. “We don’t yet know how much, if any, of the credit will pass through to the producer, but the potential is there.”

Plastina explains the significance of the score and his calculator in a recent article in the Ag Decision Maker. Although private calculators exist, he said this one is free to use and convenient.

Plastina said the calculator gives farmers a good understanding of where they’re at today, and what they need to do differently in the future if they want to obtain a lower score.

However, he reminds farmers that the rules and the model for the program will not be finalized until 2025, and that final decisions could affect how the calculation is determined.

For more information, Plastina can be reached at 515-294-6160 or plastina@iastate.edu



Officers elected to lead Iowa Farm Bureau Young Farmer Program

The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmer Advisory Committee elected officer positions for 2024-25:
    Chair: Zac Preston, Warren County
    Vice Chair: Megan McAllister, Dubuque County
    Secretary: Mitchell Sievers, Buena Vista County
    Public Relations Co-Chairs: Alyssa Preston, Warren County and Ashley McEnany, Story County

Together with the committee, the officers plan the Iowa Farm Bureau Young Farmer annual conference, which brings together 500 attendees from across Iowa for learning and networking. Additionally, they organize educational opportunities and family-friendly events in their local communities.

Zac and Alyssa Preston raise corn and soybeans. Zac is a shop manager for Reynolds Ag Solutions in Indianola. He is the Warren County Farm Bureau board president and an Iowa Farm Bureau Ag Leaders Institute graduate. Alyssa is a district field manager for Iowa Corn. The Prestons have two children and enjoy being involved in their community, particularly the county fair.

Mitchell Sievers grows corn and soybeans, raises hogs and does custom work for a local co-op. His wife, Bradi, is a teacher at a local elementary school, and together they have three children. Sievers is an Ag Leaders Institute graduate, has held various positions on the Buena Vista County Farm Bureau board and served on Iowa Farm Bureau's Swine Advisory Committee.

Megan McAllister raises dairy cattle with her husband, Ted. She is active on the Dubuque County Farm Bureau board and with state and local dairy promotions. She is an Ag Leaders Institute graduate and a 2021 Iowa Farm Bureau Young Farmer Leadership Award recipient. The McAllisters also enjoy using social media to connect with people on animal care.   

Ashley McEnany raises cow-calf pairs and direct markets beef with her husband, Michael. She works for Iowa State University and at Whatcha Smokin,’ a popular barbecue destination located in Luther. She serves on the Story County Cattlemen’s board and supports the local food pantry through yearly produce donations from her garden.



Cattlemen’s Beef Quarters Introduces New Menu Items

The Cattlemen’s Beef Quarters, a beloved staple at the Iowa State Fair, is excited to announce the addition of two menu items for this year’s fair: the Salt Beef Bagel and the Brisket Burnt End Link.

Salt Beef Bagel
Featuring tender, slow-cooked corned beef sliced thick and layered generously on a fresh bagel. Accompanied by crisp sweet pickles and a dollop of tangy mustard, this sandwich promises a savory experience that perfectly balances flavor and texture.

Brisket Burnt End Link
For those craving something smoky and satisfying, this creation offers convenience in a delectable treat that captures the essence of barbecue in every bite. Grilled to perfection and paired with a tangy, crunchy, sweet pepper slaw – a must-try for meat lovers.

“The Cattlemen's Beef Quarters has been a favorite at the Iowa State Fair for years, known for its commitment to quality and its passion for showcasing delicious beef dishes,” said Kylie Peterson, spokesperson for the Cattlemen’s Beef Quarters. “These new additions are expected to be a big hit among fairgoers, adding to our already diverse and delicious offerings.”

Visitors can savor these new items from August 8 to August 18, 2024, at our iconic location. Located north of the Horse Barn and east of the Walnut Center, look for the black steer on the roof. Our hours of operation are 6:30 AM to 9:30 PM. Breakfast is served daily until 10 AM. The Salt Beef Bagel is only available during breakfast. Learn more about the Cattlemen’s Beef Quarters and find a full menu at www.cattlemensbeefquarters.com.



U.S. Pork Producers’ Biosecurity Practices Virtually Eliminate Trichinella, Proving Safety of Pork
 
At the urging of the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), a newly published U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) study found zero Trichinella positives in more than 3.2 million pork samples, demonstrating to domestic and global consumers the safety of U.S. pork.
 
“USDA scientists have confirmed that U.S. pork producers’ rigorous biosecurity efforts to keep pigs healthy are working,” said NPPC President Lori Stevermer, a pork producer from Easton, Minn. “Because of decades of pork industry research and hard work on the farm, consumers can continue to be confident that the pork on their dinner table is safe to eat.”
 
U.S. pork producers participate in the robust Pork Quality Assurance® Plus (PQA Plus) certification program for continuous improvement, including biosecurity practices to prevent on-farm exposure to wildlife and rodents, the main sources of Trichinella in pigs.
 
Trading partners have long restricted access for U.S. pork because of Trichinella concerns, as the U.S. did not have surveillance data to prove there was a negligible risk for Trichinella in the domestic swine herd. As a result of NPPC’s persistence over the past decade, this USDA study validates the safety of U.S. pork.
 
USDA conducted the first comprehensive survey of pigs produced under the PQA Plus program. USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) surveyed 3,208,643 samples of pork from 12 processing plants in 23 states over 54 months.
 
Key takeaways include:
    PQA Plus biosecurity measures are effective mitigations of risk for Trichinella in U.S. pig herds.
    Results are consistent with international guidelines for having a negligible risk to public health.
    Findings permit NPPC to leverage this data with trading partners using Trichinella as a barrier to trade, allowing for trade without extensive testing and further processing.
    U.S. pork is safe to eat.

This study was conducted by USDA ARS and the Department’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.



Council’s Summer Meeting Continues Tuesday with Focus on Sorghum and Barley Outlooks and Agricultural Sustainability

The U.S. Grains Council’s (USGC’s) 64th Annual Board of Delegates Meeting in Salt Lake City, UT, continued Tuesday with commodity sector meetings, panels regarding sorghum and barley market outlooks and the Council’s efforts to promote U.S. agriculture’s sustainability practices.

The day began with attendees splitting into sector meetings based on the industries they represent: agribusinesses, barley, corn, general farm organizations and sorghum.

The morning wrapped up with a general session that included a sorghum panel moderated by USGC Vice President Cary Sifferath; an update on the Council’s sustainable corn exports (SCE) platform from USGC Director of Global Sustainability Carlos Suárez; and the latest news on geopolitical factors affecting agricultural markets from Lloyd Day of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture.

“One of the big drivers that we are seeing today [in sustainability] is government regulations and you’ll see that it’s becoming a criteria for market access,” said Suárez. “Regulatory bodies are demanding more scrutiny of sustainability claims that a corporation makes on the package of the product or within their financial statements, and they want to have more visibility into their emissions that a particular company is saying that they have.”

The afternoon’s general session featured a panel on U.S. barley production and use applications moderated by USGC Senior Director of Global Strategies Kurt Shultz and a deep dive on market factors in Mexico from AGON Partner Kenneth Smith Ramos.

“You see that people want to buy from people and want a relationship,” said barley panelist Nathan Boll of the North Dakota Barley Council and USGC barley sector director. “You see what that does for trade, especially for barley. Seeing people working all over the globe and the dynamics of what it takes to make trade happen is mind-blowing.”

The meeting concludes today with elections for USGC officer, Advisory Team (A-Team) and sector leadership positions.



Pasture and Rangeland Condition Update
Will Secor, Ph.D.
Extension Livestock Economist
University of Georgia

Pasture and rangeland conditions in the U.S. remain close to year-ago levels this week. Approximately 30 percent of pasture and rangeland are in poor to very-poor conditions. However, these conditions are not uniform across the U.S. Drought gripped the Southeast U.S. starting in June and has continued into July. More than 60 percent of the Southeast (AL, FL, GA, NC, SC, and VA) is experiencing drought. These drought conditions have hurt pasture and rangeland conditions in the Southeast. According to the USDA in mid-July, about 30 percent of the pasture in the Southeast (AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV) are in poor or very poor condition.

Some drought conditions exist in other areas of the country, as well, including approximately half of Texas, 60 percent of Oklahoma, 70 percent of Tennessee, and over 90 percent of Wyoming and Montana. Approximately 25 percent of Oklahoma and Texas pasture and rangelands are in poor or very poor condition. The Great Plains states are in better condition with around 20 percent of pasture and rangelands in the same condition.

These stable pasture and rangeland conditions year-over-year set the groundwork for a rebuild. With improved forage availability and lower feed costs, the ability of producers to expand their herds profitably increases. However, there are many factors that will play a key role in these rebuild decisions on an operation-by-operation basis, including expected future profitability, interest rates, land availability and other input cost changes.

Drought in certain areas and improved conditions in other areas creates uncertainty to the feeder cattle and calf price outlook for this fall. If drought incentivizes producers to bring more calves to market compared to normal, calf prices may see a more pronounced seasonal dip this fall in those areas, while still remaining high compared to recent history. However, in areas with good conditions, calf supplies may remain tight this fall, pushing prices higher than expected.



FFA Student Leaders Convened in Washington D.C. for the Future of Agriculture

FFA State Officer leaders from all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands convened in Washington, D.C., July 22-26 to advocate for agriculture at the federal level during the National FFA State Officer Summit.

State Officer Teams met virtually with their representatives to share the importance of agriculture and agricultural education while advocating for the extension of funding for FFA through the Farm Bill and inviting legislators to join the Congressional FFA Caucus.

The National FFA State Officer Summit took place at the Omni Shoreham Hotel. The five-day training focused on serving as an advocate for agriculture and FFA, as well as developing clear and consistent messages related to agriculture and FFA.

INVITATION TO JOIN THE CONGRESSIONAL FFA CAUCUS
When meeting with their state legislators, FFA student leaders shared about the Congressional FFA Caucus and invited them to become a member. The bi-partisan caucus was founded and is co-chaired by Representatives Tracey Mann (R-KS) and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) in the House of Representatives and Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Senator John Boozman (R-AR). It has representation from both sides of the aisle from the House and Senate and advocates for strong career and technical education legislation, maintaining a youth perspective in agriculture and nutrition policy, and strengthening relationships between Congress and agricultural education teachers and FFA members. Elected officials interested in joining can reach out to a Caucus co-chairs’ offices for further information.

ADVOCATE FOR THE REAUTHORIZATION OF THE YOUTH LEADERSHIP GRANT IN FARM BILL
FFA Members also asked for the reauthorization of a grant in 7 U.S.C. 7630(d)(2) that supports youth organizations including National FFA, the National 4-H Council, Boy Scouts of America, and Girls Scouts of America as part of the U.S. Farm Bill. National FFA asks for support in extending the sunshine date of this grant to coincide with the next reauthorization of the U.S. Farm Bill.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that the industry of agriculture contributes more than $1.5 trillion to America’s gross domestic product, and funding will provide consistent support for organizations working to prepare the next generation of global leaders in agriculture.