Wednesday December 18 Ag News

Numbers reflect strong first semester for Nebraska Agriculture in the Classroom

Nebraska Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC), a program of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation, headed back to school this fall with new, grade-specific lessons and activities for Nebraska teachers. AITC has a long history of creating resources tied to state education standards to assist teachers in connecting students to their source of food, fiber, and fuel – agriculture!

“Sensing a growing demand for our programming in the last couple of years, we added an educator to our team last summer,” said Megahn Schafer, executive director. “This fall, we had the opportunity to test that demand, and we are thrilled with the response to our increased offerings.”

Classroom visits provide students with opportunities to develop an awareness that agriculture is their source of food, clothing, and shelter. In the first semester of 2019-2020, 4,058 students from 208 classrooms participated in a hands-on lesson, up from 120 classrooms in the entire 2018-19 school year.

Teacher Lori Gladson at Belleaire Elementary in Omaha reported, “The (classroom visit) program encouraged interest and curiosity about agriculture and careers in agriculture. Engaging!”

Students learned more about their connection to agriculture during Virtual Field Trips (635 students from 31 classrooms), ag festivals (4,427 students at 5 festivals), and school and community events (1,373 students at 6 events).

Teacher engagement is another priority for Nebraska Agriculture in the Classroom. To date this school year, 200 current and future teachers have participated in the workshop led by the foundation’s director of outreach education, Courtney Schaardt. Schaardt led training at Doane University, the Nebraska After-School Conference, Peru State College, Creighton University, York College, and the University of Nebraska-Kearney.

Participant Kristin Collins said, “I am going to be a first-year social studies teacher and this course gave me a lot of great resources to work into the curriculum. I plan to use the lesson plans, interactive maps, and AgMag.” Collins now teaches fourth through sixth grade at Bayard Public Schools.

While classroom participation the first semester has exceeded expectations, the Nebraska Agriculture in the Classroom team aims for more growth this spring. New projects include “Hello, Gus,” a contest for classes to submit a photo of them with a paper steer showing how they are incorporating agriculture into their classroom. Signup for the Agriculture Reading Hour program is now open, and hundreds of volunteers will read and donate the book “Right This Very Minute” in local schools. For National Ag Week in March, staff have created book marks, placemats, and a coloring page for distribution across Nebraska. This summer, foundation staff will team up with Lincoln Public Schools to host a national expert on new science education standards for a teacher workshop that will include farm tours and the creation of new agriculture-based lessons for high school.

“For our team, it is a privilege to bring awareness to Nebraska agriculture. In a year when many rural Nebraskans are facing extraordinary challenges, we know it is more important than ever for all Nebraskans to understand the work of farm and ranch families and their contributions to our great state,” said Schafer.

Agriculture in the Classroom® is a program coordinated by the United States Department of Agriculture through the National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization. In Nebraska, the Agriculture in the Classroom program is managed by the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation.



Land transition workshop set in Fremont

The Center for Rural Affairs is hosting a free workshop for aspiring farmers, people who own or co-own more than 40 acres, may have inherited farmland, or are experiencing transition with farmland they own.

“Managing for the Future: Beginning Farms and Land Transitions” will be on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2020, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at the Presidential Dining Rooms in the Midland University Dining Hall, 900 N. Pebble St., Fremont, Nebraska 68025.

“The workshop is designed for landowners and beginning farmers who are experiencing a variety of decisions on topics that will impact the long-term futures of both their families and finances,” said Justin Carter, project associate at the Center for Rural Affairs. “These decisions are overwhelming and the answers are not always easy to find, so we’ve created this workshop to help connect resources.”

Presentations and landowner discussions will be facilitated by Dave Goeller, retired deputy director of North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and resource provider at Nebraska Rural Response Hotline.

Beginning farmer discussions will be led by Kirstin Bailey, project associate at the Center for Rural Affairs.

Refreshments will be provided. To register, contact Carter at justinc@cfra.org or 402.687.2100 ext. 1018. Visit cfra.org/events for more information.



Dry Manure Applicator Certification Workshops Offered in February

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, in cooperation with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, will offer manure applicator certification workshops for dry/solid manure operators on six different dates and locations in February. These workshops meet manure applicator certification requirements for both confinement site manure applicators and commercial manure applicators who primarily apply dry or solid manure.

“The information in this workshop will benefit not only those needing certification, but anyone using dry or solid sources of manure as a nutrient resource,” said Dan Andersen, ISU Ag and Biosystems Engineering assistant professor and coordinator of the manure applicator certification program.

Register for one of the workshops by calling the number listed with the selected site. All workshops begin at 1 p.m.
    Feb. 10, Adair County, Warren Cultural Center, Greenfield. Call 641-743-8412.
    Feb. 11, Wright County, Heartland Museum, Clarion. Call 515-532-3453.
    Feb. 17, Washington County Extension Office, Washington. Call 319-653-4811.
    Feb. 18, Sioux County Extension Office, Orange City. Call 712-737-4230.
    Feb. 19, Buena Vista County Extension Office, AEA Office, Storm Lake. Call 712-732-5056.
    Feb. 24, Hamilton County, Kamrar Lions Community Building, Kamrar. Call 515-832-9597.

The workshops are free to attend and open to all. Applicators will be required to submit certification forms and fees to the Iowa DNR to meet manure applicator certification requirements.



Indonesia: Latest Country to Get ASF
National Pork Board

The spread of African swine fever (ASF) continues across much of Asia. The minister of agriculture for Indonesia announced the confirmation of the country’s first outbreak of ASF in its North Sumatra province (far northwest part of multi-island nation) on Dec. 12. The official announcement is not unexpected since reports of increased pig mortality have come from this province and others since late September. Even though the majority of Indonesians practice Islam, more than 80% of the people living on the tourist island of Bali identify as Hindu and consume pork.

The United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is coordinating with Indonesia’s directorate general of Livestock and Animal Health Services. The nation’s animal health director requested that the FAO provide recommendations on containment and control of the virus, which the organization is doing.

U.S. Research Shows Promise in Race to Create Effective ASF Vaccine
In a recently published research paper, a team of USDA researchers at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center reported new-found optimism that the long road to an effective ASF vaccine is getting shorter.

Douglas Gladue, a senior USDA researcher, is among the group of researchers working on developing an ASF vaccine. He says this vaccine candidate was made by using a mutation of the wild 2007 ASF virus isolate from the Republic of Georgia, which is the origin of the current ASF outbreak in Asia and Europe. The breakthrough came when he and the other researchers deleted a single gene in the virus’ genome, known as I177L. By doing so, the live virus offers full protection against the current outbreak strain.

Gladue reported that pigs receiving the experimental vaccine remained clinically normal during a 28-day observation period. Also, infected animals had low levels of viremia titers, showed no virus shedding and developed a strong virus-specific antibody response. Most importantly, vaccinated animals were protected when challenged with the virulent parental strain of the Georgian virus, the only candidate to ever show this ability.

While admitting there’s still much work to do before government approvals and commercialization could happen, Gladue says the next step is to locate a commercial partner to do additional vaccine testing in larger sample sizes.

ASF Present in Over 50 Countries
When it comes to African swine fever (ASF), today it seems it’s almost easier to say where the virus isn’t present. According to the World Health Organization (OIE), more than 40 countries have reported the deadly virus either in wild or domestic pigs during the past five years (It’s over 50 countries without this caveat). Of course, not all of these countries are significant pork producers, but the diversity of ASF’s geographic spread shows how easily the virus can spread.

Countries where ASF has been found:  Belgium, Benin, Burkina Faso, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Congo, Cote D'Ivoire, Czech Republic, Estonia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Kenya, Laos, Latvia, Lithuania, Madagascar, Malawi, Moldova, Mongolia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nigeria, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Korea, Slovakia, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Uganda, Ukraine, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe.



November Milk Production in the United States up 0.5 Percent

Milk production in the United States during November totaled 17.4 billion pounds, up 0.5 percent from November 2018 according to USDA.  Production per cow in the United States averaged 1,869 pounds for November, 15 pounds above November 2018.  The number of milk cows on farms in the United States was 9.33 million head, 27,000 head less than November 2018, but unchanged from October 2019.



DAP Leads Retail Fertilizer Prices Lower

Retail fertilizer prices continue to be lower, according to prices tracked by DTN for the second week of December 2019, continuing a trend that's been in place for several months.  All eight of the major fertilizers were lower in price from the month earlier, but none were statistically notable. DTN designates a significant price change as a move of 5% or more.

DAP had an average price of $445/ton, down $12; MAP $463/ton, down $2; potash $378/ton, down $4; urea $380/ton, down $8; 10-34-0 $470/ton, down $3; anhydrous $489/ton, down $7; UAN28 $241/ton, down $5; and UAN32 $276/ton, down $8.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.41/lb.N, anhydrous $0.30/lb.N, UAN28 $0.43/lb.N and UAN32 $0.43/lb.N.

Retail fertilizers are mixed in price from a year ago. MAP is now 13% less expensive, DAP is 12% lower, anhydrous is 11% less expensive, UAN32 is 9% lower, UAN28 is 8% lower and urea is 7% less expensive from last year at this time. In addition, potash is 1% higher and 10-34-0 is 3% more expensive compared to last year.



Corn Farmers to Congress: Pass USMCA!
   
National Corn Growers Association members this week traveled to Washington, D.C. to make a final push for passage of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in the House of Representatives. House passage before the end of the year would provide some certainty to farmers facing challenging times and instill confidence in other important trading partners that the United States is open for business.

NCGA members shared with lawmakers the importance of USMCA for corn farmers. Mexico and Canada are the U.S. corn industry’s largest, most reliable market. In 2018, 21.4 million metric tons of corn and corn co-products were exported to Mexico and Canada, valued at $4.56 billion.

The NCGA members also met with members of the U.S. Senate, urging they quickly consider and pass USMCA in the new year. Corn farmers cannot afford to lose this North American market which is why it is so important USMCA be ratified.



Biodiesel, Soybean Leaders Ask President to Improve 2020 RFS Rule

Today, 24 state and national trade associations representing soybean growers and biodiesel producers delivered a letter to President Donald Trump, asking that he direct the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to do more in the 2020 Renewable Fuel Standard final rule to repair the harm done by small refinery exemptions.

The associations write in the letter, "EPA's small refinery exemptions dealt a severe blow to the biodiesel industry; the agency should therefore help the industry recover. The industry is capable of continued sustainable growth of several hundred million gallons every year. We ask that you direct EPA in the forthcoming final rule to expand the requirement for biomass-based diesel for 2021 and include the best estimate of exempted gallons, based on an average of actual past exemptions."

The EPA granted 85 small refinery exemptions for 2016, 2017 and 2018, exempting more than 38 billion gallons of petroleum fuel from the RFS requirements. The exemptions destroyed demand for more than 4 billion gallons of renewable fuel -- including biodiesel and renewable diesel -- which undermines demand for soybean oil and price support for soybeans. Ten biodiesel producers have closed or slashed production due to the loss of demand.

"The reality is that farm income this season is still one-third below what it was in 2013. Soybean prices and sales continue to fall due to the market disruptions," the associations write. "EPA's proposal for the 2020 RFS and estimate of small refinery exemptions is not a strong enough signal to the crop market. Increased biodiesel and renewable diesel production could help put the soybean market back on track by adding significant value – around 11% – to every bushel of soybeans."

Kurt Kovarik, NBB's VP of Federal Affairs, adds, "The EPA must ensure that the biomass-based diesel volumes set in annual rules are fully met. The agency should include in the annual standard the best estimate of future exemptions, based on an average of the 38 billion gallons exempted over the past three years. But the agency can do more to help the industry rebuild and support markets for U.S. agriculture. EPA should include increased volumes for advanced biofuels and biomass-based diesel."



Weekly Ethanol Production for 12/13/2019

According to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association for the week ending Dec. 13, ethanol production decreased 8,000 barrels per day (b/d), or -0.7%, to 1.064 million b/d—equivalent to 44.69 million gallons daily. However, the four-week average ethanol production rate increased for the ninth consecutive week, rising 0.8% to 1.064 million b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 16.31 billion gallons.

Ethanol stocks edged 0.1% lower to 21.8 million barrels. Inventories were 8.7% lower than the same week last year. Stocks declined in all regions except the East Coast (PADD 1) and Rocky Mountains (PADD 4).

There were zero imports of ethanol recorded after 66,000 b/d hit the books the prior week. (Weekly export data for ethanol is not reported simultaneously; the latest export data is as of October 2019.)

The volume of gasoline supplied to the U.S. market popped 6.0% higher to 9.411 million b/d (395.26 million gallons per day, or 144.27 bg annualized). Refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol followed, up 6.3% to 912,000 b/d—equivalent to 13.98 bg annualized.

Expressed as a percentage of daily gasoline demand, daily ethanol production declined to 11.31%.



RFA Technical Expert to Lead Safety Coalition
   
Missy Ruff, director of safety and technical programs for the Renewable Fuels Association, was selected to chair the executive committee of the National TRANSCAER Task Group, the managing body for initiatives undertaken by TRANSCAER, a national outreach effort that has focused on assisting communities prepare for and respond to possible hazardous material transportation incidents. She assumes this key leadership role on January 1.

“This is a well-deserved honor for Missy, and she will be an outstanding chair for the National TRANSCAER Task Group executive committee,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “The fact that she was elected to this position by her peers is a real tribute to Missy’s character, leadership abilities, and expertise. Missy’s efforts continue to play an instrumental role in ensuring the ethanol industry maintains its impeccable safety record. We are very proud of her accomplishments and her service to the industry.”

At RFA, Ruff leads the association’s award-winning safety initiatives and assists with numerous technical and regulatory initiatives, including rail issues. In addition to her work with TRANSCAER, she has planned and executed hundreds of ethanol safety seminars and workshops across the country, training thousands of attendees. Ruff also works closely with state and federal agencies, industry partners, emergency responders, consumers, petroleum marketers and retailers among others.

In June, she received the 2018 TRANSCAER Chairman’s Award, given to a TRANSCAER team member who has contributed above and beyond the normal call of duty to advocate, demonstrate and implement TRANSCAER’s principles.

TRANSCAER members include volunteer representatives from the chemical manufacturing, transportation, distribution, hazardous material storage and handling, emergency response and preparedness, and related service industries as well as the government. The TRANSCAER acronym stands for Transportation Community Awareness Emergency Response.



Colorado State University establishes innovative Sustainable Livestock Systems Collaborative

In a move to address the dramatic global demand for safe, high-quality protein-based food sources, Colorado State University has announced the creation of a first-of-its-kind collaborative to support profitable, sustainable and healthy livestock production.

The Sustainable Livestock Systems Collaborative is designed for CSU livestock and animal health experts to work alongside industry, government and other stakeholders in addressing 21st-century challenges as well as training current and future livestock industry professionals.

Spearheaded by the College of Agricultural Sciences and the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, the collaborative will look at enhancing sustainable and healthy livestock systems through the examination of new technologies and disease treatments as well as soil, plant, animal and atmospheric microbiomes, among other areas.

CSU has tapped into expertise from across the university as well as industry in the design of the Sustainable Livestock Systems Collaborative. This includes the Colorado Beef Council, Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, Colorado Farm Bureau and the Colorado Livestock Association as well as the Warner College of Natural Resources, the School of Global Environmental Sustainability, and CSU Extension.

As part of the initiative, CSU has launched a national search for a director who will lead a cadre of new faculty members in areas such as epidemiology, meat science, infectious disease, diagnostics, nutrition and livestock production. The new director, who will oversee the collaborative, is expected to be on board this summer, with as many as a dozen faculty members to be hired over the next four years.

“This new university center of excellence represents a unique collaboration between multiple areas within the university, government and industry partners to help support advances in livestock health and sustainability,” said CVMBS Dean Mark Stetter. “We recognize that agriculture is a key economic driver in Colorado and that, as the state’s land-grant university, we need to be a national leader in discovering new ways to help feed the nation and the world.”

James Pritchett, interim dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences, added that the Sustainable Livestock Systems Collaborative works hand-in-hand with the 21st-century land-grant mission.

“The collaborative is an intentional and impactful collection of scientists, educators and industry professionals all aligned to meet society’s greatest challenges,” he said. “We are using innovation and creativity to pose important questions, co-create science with diverse partners at the table, and then ensure that all have an opportunity to enjoy the benefits of our shared endeavors. It’s knowledge creation at its best. Success is not only answering the questions of today but is also building a nimble and adaptive collection of talent to meet tomorrow’s challenges.
 
21st-century challenges
With the United Nations projecting a global population of 12.3 billion people by 2100, the Sustainable Livestock Systems Collaborative will take aim at finding sustainable and profitable solutions for feeding the world.

Dr. Susan VandeWoude, associate dean for research in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, said the collaborative will produce practical research and training into how agriculture will be conducted in the next century while also taking into consideration environmental and production stresses and technological advancements.

“CSU is committed to contributing evidence-based knowledge in support of sustainable livestock production because it’s critical for the future of the livestock industry,” said VandeWoude, a leadership team participant who has spearheaded the collaborative’s development. “We are very committed and open minded to using all of the resources of the land-grant university.”

The committee that helped take the Sustainable Livestock Systems Collaborative from a recommendation to reality is composed of more than two dozen individuals.

“CSU is committed to contributing evidence-based knowledge in support of sustainable livestock production because it’s critical for the future of the livestock industry,” said VandeWoude, a leadership team participant who has spearheaded the collaborative’s development. “We are very committed and open minded to using all of the resources of the land-grant university.”

The committee that helped take the Sustainable Livestock Systems Collaborative from a recommendation to reality is composed of more than two dozen individuals.

In addition to Pritchett, Stetter and VandeWoude, the steering committee includes Keith Belk, head of the Department of Animal Sciences; Jan Leach, associate dean for research in the College of Agricultural Sciences; Wayne Jensen, head of the Department of Clinical Sciences; and Ajay Menon, the former College of Agriculture dean who now serves as president and CEO of the CSU Research Foundation.

“We’re trying to envision what society’s problems will be,” said Belk, who is leading the search for the collaborative’s director. “As the population continues to grow and as land and water become more valuable resources, we have to figure out how we are going to still produce enough food for up to as many as 12.3 billion people by the year 2100.”

Both Belk and VandeWoude stressed the importance of closely working with the livestock industry to provide research and training that meets its needs.

VandeWoude said CSU Extension will play a critical role in providing outreach and engagement with the livestock community in sharing research and information from the collaborative. She added that the collaborative will bolster educational opportunities for students interested in livestock and equine sciences — animals which the profession of veterinary medicine is rooted in serving.

“This is going to be a significant expansion of our expertise in livestock and production systems,” VandeWoude said.

Potential focus areas for Sustainable Livestock Systems Collaborative
    Veterinary epidemiology
    Spatial modeling of disease transmission and spread across landscape levels
    Livestock and dairy systems analysis for productive efficiency, animal health and environmental sustainability
    Risk management and profitability analysis for livestock and dairy at the enterprise, farm, and macroeconomic levels
    Innovation in livestock and dairy production and health monitoring using novel technologies
    Innovative training programs for undergraduate, veterinary professional, and post-graduate students
    Microbiome interactions at the soil, plant, animal, and atmospheric levels
    Food safety and livestock and dairy production system interactions
    Livestock and dairy welfare and behavior in production systems



A strong finish to the year
Stephen R. Koontz, Dept of Ag and Resource Economics - Colorado State University

Without a doubt, the cattle markets are closing the year far stronger than I expected. Live cattle futures have pushed into new highs and cash fed cattle prices are back to tracking the price levels and seasonal patterns of last year. There were some unique market drivers that I discussed last month. Most are still present, are not typical, and are worth talking through again.

The market has handled the steady seasonal climb in fed animal dress weights, continues to move fed animals in a timely manner, the packing sector continues to run substantial Saturday slaughter, and we are on the cusp of Tyson's Holcomb facility returning to substantial operations. Packer margins are softer but remain above $400 per head and atypically retailer beef margins continued to shrink. I see the retailer and food service as driving the strength into this cattle and beef market.

The boxed beef composite value increased almost $30/cwt in a three-week period prior to Labor Day and repeated that performance in the five weeks prior to Thanksgiving. The composite value at both peaks was an impressive $240/cwt. Loin prices barely moved but ribeye and tenderloin prices were a third higher than summer. Chucks, rounds, and lean hamburger trimming prices were also very strong. And all this in September, October, and November when beef supplies are substantial as are supplies of other proteins. Almost all news was positive except for the Choice-Select spread which showed its first weakness of the year declining to a seasonally strong $17/cwt. Again, this is the first real decline of the year. This is after spending most of the summer and fall above $22/cwt. The Choice-Select spread has normal seasonal strength in spring months when Choice supplies are tightest and then as supplies increase over summer the spread will decrease. The recent decline is the only weakness in a beef product market that has shown much atypical strength in the last two quarters of the year.

Cash fed cattle prices have returned to price levels observed in the fall and early winter last year along with expected seasonal patterns. Feeder cattle on the other hand have not followed behavior in downstream product markets with the fall run of animals. Only recently have feeder animal and calf prices creeped above that of the spring. Optimism is rather abundant though.



R-CALF USA To Cattle Producers: Congress and the President Are Failing America's Ranchers

At a meeting held yesterday, R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard told Polo, South Dakota area cattle producers that both Congress and the President are failing America's ranchers by supporting the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which he said is certain to accelerate the destruction of the American cattle industry as we know it today.

In a presentation titled "Why America is Losing Its Ranches," Bullard provided detailed charts produced from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data that show that the 25-year-old NAFTA has systematically dismantled the industry's competitive marketing channels, meaning the critical infrastructure needed to sustain industry competition.

He cited unsettling industry trends that developed under NAFTA as specific evidence that NAFTA has seriously weakened the U.S. cattle industry, which is the largest segment of American agriculture. He cited the fact that NAFTA eliminated 20% of America's cattle producers, eliminated about 7 million cattle from America's cattle herd, eliminated 25% of U.S. livestock auction yards, eliminated 48 meatpacking plants, eliminated 75% of all U.S. cattle feedlots, and created a $1.4 billion annual trade deficit in the trade of cattle and beef with Canada and Mexico.

"This means the U.S. cattle industry has lost the critical mass of critical market infrastructure it needs to absorb the shocks of another bad trade agreement. America's cattle industry is now far more susceptible to price depressing, cheaper and undifferentiated imports than it was when NAFTA was first implemented.

"This means the passage of the USMCA will likely be the straw that breaks the camel's back, and in this instance, the straw that breaks the one industry that is most important to America's rural economy," Bullard said.

Bullard explained that this is the reason the USMCA will have a far more disastrous impact on the U.S. cattle industry than was caused by the original NAFTA.

Just prior to the meeting, R-CALF USA issued an action alert to its thousands of cattle-producing members urging them to call their U.S. Representatives to tell them to vote "No" on the USMCA unless Congress first affords them with the reinstatement of mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL) for beef.

Bullard said that only with mandatory COOL can America's ranchers even begin to compete with the growing volumes of price-depressing, cheaper and undifferentiated foreign cattle and beef that the USMCA will cause to be imported into the U.S. market.

"This is serious, and we must tell Congress that they must now choose to either continue supporting the financial interests of self-serving, multinational corporations by supporting the USMCA, or begin supporting American consumers and American ranchers. So far they are failing us all," Bullard concluded.



Three must-haves to minimize fresh cow stress, help build immunity
Michele Barrett, DVM, U.S. Dairy Technical Services, Zoetis

It’s no secret that keeping fresh cows healthy can help improve production, but managing cow comfort can prove challenging in stressful environments.

During the fresh period, cows’ energy requirements often exceed their dry matter intake, creating a negative energy balance that can impact their immune system. Pen moves, especially to the hospital pen, also can affect fresh cows’ health by exposing them to disease-causing pathogens and prompting stress-related decreases in appetite.

While these stressors are hard to avoid, they can put fresh cows at a greater risk for developing metritis, infectious mastitis and Salmonella. A higher rate of disease in fresh cows can affect your bottom line by negatively impacting milk production and increasing treatment expenses.

Use these tips to help support fresh cows’ immune systems and minimize stress during the fresh period:
-    Maintain a healthy environment: Keep pens clean and dry to minimize vulnerable cows’ exposure to disease-causing pathogens. Also consider decreasing stocking density in the fresh pen and allow greater access to the feed bunk to help cows get the nutrition and energy they need to support immune function.
-    Reduce social stress: When cows change pens, it can take up to three days for them to re-establish social structure.4 In the meantime, sick cows impacted by social stress spend less time laying down, which can reduce their overall comfort. One way to avoid pen moves when fresh cows become sick is to choose an antibiotic with zero milk discard. This will help keep milk in the bulk tank while helping to minimize social stress.
-    Train employees to spot disease sooner: Treatment success improves when sick cows are identified earlier in the disease process. Help improve health outcomes by training your staff to watch for early signs of illness:
-        Decreased dry matter intake — check the temperature of cows that might be hanging back from the bunk to detect a possible fever
-        Dehydration — “depressed cows” with sunken, dull eyes or poor rumen fill
-        Drop in production or reduced udder fill — fresh cow udders should be full and tight