by leo timms, extension dairy specialist / associate professor · here are 5 tips for storing corn...
TRANSCRIPT
By Leo Timms, Extension Dairy Specialist / Associate Professor
Barely into fall but a little snow, a few freezing temps, and
some crazy wind chills have raised questions and concerns
about winter teat problems! We’re there again, and the same
old question pops up: To dip or not to dip? If so, with what?
And what else can we do to stop winter teat problems? Let’s
start with why dip?
The purpose of teat dipping is to provide a germicide that will
kill mastitis germs and apply skin conditioners that keep teat
skin and ends healthy. These are both essential to minimize
mastitis risks! In winter, we want these same things but want
to make sure that when we dip, we don’t compromise one for
another (frozen teats, more germs on teats). So initially (not
just winter) you need a dip that has a proven germicide and
excellent skin conditioning. We need to start and be here all
the time. But now, winter is coming? Here’s the choices!
Use the same good germicide, skin conditioning dip you’ve
been using!
- Most days, it’s not cold enough to freeze the drop on the
teat end so tally ho!
- In situations (cold wind chills and/or direct exposure
post milking), dab or wick the drop off the end with a
cloth towel. This takes very little time and effort. DO
NOT DRY THE TEAT as it removes the dip / condition-
ers. This has been proven to work!
- Never add extra conditioners to dip! It screws up the for-
mulation!
What about barrier dips?
- Not recommended in very cold weather and exposure
situations since they take 20+ minutes to dry, thus increas-
ing risks for teat end problems!
What about the winter formulation dips? High emollients
and/or powder dips?
- Designed to be used only during cold weather and high
risk situations where teats will freeze or dehydrate quick-
ly (like your fingers cracking)!
- Usually cost 2X your regular dip ( but evaluate potential
returns, not just investment!)
- High emollient dips: (usually > 50% skin conditioners):
Minimizes initial freezing risk post milking due to slow
evaporation; Make sure germicide is proven!; Teats stay
wetter and oily longer so may increase risks with pro-
longed cold exposure or dirty conditions (sticky teats!)
- Powder based dips: Function to keep teats dry (no liquid).
New formulations have germicide and skin conditioners.
Stalls, etc must be clean / dry, to avoid wicking on teats.
Need to get adequate (full teat) coverage so dip properly!
What about salves?
- NOT THE BEST CHOICE! High risks unless germicide
and skin conditioning are proven!
- Most germicides can be overcome by contamination!
- Greasy hands, greasy teats, greasy equipment! A mess
and a great way to spread things!
- Can coat / trap infections; grease attracts (dirt, etc.!).
- Research shows minimal or no effect ( some detrimental)
when more fluid salves are used.
- If you decide to use, use sparingly (only on the risky area
– teat end!)
FIELD FEEDLOT What about quitting dipping /doing nothing else?
- POOR CHOICE OR NOT EVEN A CHOICE!
- Teats are still wet after milking; teat skin conditioners
milked off; increased dehydration and cracking risks; Plus
no contagious mastitis germicides!
So there’s the dip choices! It’s a sure thing that winter will
come, a sure thing that teat end problems will occur (none of the
above can totally stop everything), and a sure thing that the best
way to deal with it is manage the risks. Weigh out the options
above and pick the one that you can manage the best. Couple
this to other management strategies such as minimizing direct
wind exposure post milking, clean dry stalls to prevent chilling
and organism growth, and excellent milking techniques and
properly functioning milking equipment that minimize other teat
stressors.
Joel DeJong, Crop Specialist
The Annual ISU Extension and Outreach Crop Advantage Se-
ries is designed to provide the latest information to producers
and helping them make profitable decisions for the upcoming
growing season. Each location has a variety of topics, including
crops, pests, soil fertility, and farm management. Locations and
dates of Northwest Iowa sessions include Jan. 5 in Sheldon, Jan.
6 at Okoboji, Jan. 12 in Storm Lake, Jan. 26 at Le Mars, and
Jan. 28 in Carroll.
Extension and Outreach Economists Chad Hart or Alejandro
Plastina will address “Managing Margins in 2016 and Beyond”
as a keynote address at Northwest Iowa conferences. In addi-
tion, each location features a full agenda of workshops that at-
tendees can choose from, developing a personalized meeting
agenda. Program topics that focus on local needs and production
issues are selected by the ISU Extension and Outreach field
agronomists for each meeting.
Each year I hear from attendees that they wish there were more
breakout sessions during the day. They are interested in many of
the topics and can’t be at every workshop. The topics are in de-
mand. It’s a great problem to have.
The Crop Advantage Series provides a statewide message on
important issues yet retains local input on topics for that specific
area. Crop and pest management issues are different for each
area of the state and these meetings are tailored to fit the needs
of producers in that area.
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Launched in 2002, the meeting series has impressive at-
tendance numbers. We’ve seen tremendous growth in at-
tendance for the series. Response from producers has been
very positive. In addition to receiving the latest research
information from the university, the meetings have been a
valuable way for producers to provide input back to ISU
researchers and specialists on what their needs are. I also
find it to be a great opportunity to talk with crop producers
and agronomists from around northwest Iowa at each of
these sessions about how the season affected them, and
what issues of concern they have for the next year.
Each of the meetings is approved for Certified Crop Advis-
er continuing education credits. Every location also offers
the opportunity for private pesticide applicators to receive
continuing education credits, a kind of “value added” pesti-
cide training day.
Early registration for each location is $50 and includes
workshop materials, lunch, and refreshments. This year the
registration cost includes the price of the Private Pesticide
Continuing Education and Certified Crop Advisor credits.
Registration less than one week prior or at the meeting in-
creases to $60. Additional program details, registration
forms and online registration is available at
www.cropadvantage.org or from local ISU Extension and
Outreach offices. Check out the agenda for each site – they
do vary!
Kris Kohl, Ag Engineer
2015 was a near perfect year for growing crops in North-
west Iowa. With a record crop and low prices some farmers
will need to keep this crop beyond July. The 2015 corn crop
had excellent quality and should store exceptionally well.
Here are 5 Tips for storing corn longer than a year.
1. Test Weight
2. Moisture
3. Level & Core Bin
4. Bugs
5. Temperature Management
Test Weight
High test weight indicates good storage properties. Most of
the kernels will have few or no cracks that provide a place
for mold to start, with corn testing above 58 lb. per bushel.
Fewer fines and dryer corn are also associated with high
test weight. Grain that dried down in the field will often
have higher test weight. When choosing a bin of grain to
store over a year, choose the highest test weight, exceeding
58lb/bushel.
&
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Moisture Dryer grain keeps longer. For corn that is going to be kept
over a year we need 14%. Try not to over dry the grain be-
yond the 14% mark because you are reducing the weight you
get to sell. Low moisture prevents mold from starting to
work on exposed cracked kernels.
Level & Corn Bin
By January 1, bins should be cored and leveled so that fans
can manage the temperature. Coring should be done to take
half of the peak out of the bins and then leveled. This re-
moves the foreign material that will spoil first and reduce air
flow through the center of the bin. When the bin is leveled
the fan will push a more uniform warming or cooling front
through the bin. If the cored loads taken to town are still of
high quality, then the rest of the bin is one that will keep.
Bugs
Corn is food for livestock, people and insects. Long-term
storage provides an environment that bugs often exploit.
Grain temperatures below 20 degrees will kill insects and
eggs. While management of the grain in the bin below freez-
ing is most critical, we would advise chilling the bin below
this level in January and February to kill the insects and eggs
that may be present in the grain and foreign material below
the floor. Choose days with no precipitation to chill the bin
completely.
Temperature Management Temperature is the most important tool we have to manage
and store grain for the long-term. After we have killed any
insects by chilling grain to below 20 degrees, we will need to
warm it up above freezing in April. For long-term storage we
will want to warm it below 40 degrees and try to keep it there
through the summer. Covering the fan will help prevent the
convection currents that will develop with cool core tempera-
tures and hot outside conditions that will occur in July and
August. The bin should be monitored twice a month through
winter and spring, and weekly during the summer.
Bins should be checked on top to be sure no crust is develop-
ing due to moisture migration. Fan covers should be removed
and the fan run for a minute to smell the grain, assuring it
smells pleasant.
This will require
two people, one
in the bin and one
at the fan control.
If the corn does
not have that clean, pleasant
smell then there is
a problem.
Good luck storing
your 2015 high
quality corn.
FIELD FEEDLOT & Dave Stender, Swine Specialist
The Swine industry is in consistent transition and will contin-
ue to face several issues. First, the abundance of market hogs
this fall pressed prices down. These prices have been relative-
ly poor compared to the past several years. According to the
Iowa State University budget, producers have been in nega-
tive profit territory. For instance, carcass prices in the sum-
mer of 2014 were up to $1.30/lb., this fall prices were just
over $.50/lb. The extreme change in the industries profit is
due mainly to the new swine disease called PEDv, killing
around 8 million pigs in the winter of 2014. Fortunately, the
disease did not cause a trade issue, U.S. pork products re-
mained the safest in the world. However, record profits from
2014 have turned to losses in 2015 because the pig death loss
from the disease in 2015 was dramatically lower. A larger
number of pigs reached the market and pressured prices
down. Death loss from PEDv was lower in 2015 due to many
factors, including the industries implementation of many new
procedures and technologies to reduce disease transmission.
The vaccine producers are using, especially on herds that
once contracted the disease, is very effective. Additionally,
one good exposure to PEDV induces immunity in sows.
In addition to financial stress, next year producers will be
facing FDA’s implementation of guidance papers 209 and
213. It states that medically important antibiotics will no
longer be used for growth performance, many over the coun-
ter medications will transition to prescription or a Veterinary
Feed Directive (VFD) medication. This will be a relatively
complicated change for producers. Upcoming Regional Pork
Conferences will address this issue along with other topics.
Meetings will be held on February 22 at NCC in Sheldon
from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. and February 23 at the Carroll Exten-
sion office from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Another issue facing swine producers is The Common Swine
Industry Audit (CSIA). Since the official booklet came out in
October of 2014 there has been a pilot training for audi-
tors. This pilot training revealed areas in the audit that need-
ed clarification. The committee forwarded the recommenda-
tions to the certification board for approval, once approved,
the training will begin and the program will be officially
rolled out. Until then the packers utilize the tool with their
own auditors. The ‘official’ Professional Animal Certifica-
tion Organization Inc. (PAACO) certified common swine
industry audit will be finalized and implemented sometime
during 2016. Workshops are being scheduled to help swine producers develop and keep records essential for the audit.
The Iowa Pork Producers will be mailing postcards with
workshop dates and locations, contact your county Extension
or local swine specialist for more information.
Windbreaks 101 SHELDON, Iowa – Do you have a windbreak on your farm or acreage? Do you need one? How do you start?
Are there any financial incentives to help with the cost?
Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach is sponsoring an informational meeting on windbreaks at
Northwest Iowa Community College, Building A, Room 117 in Sheldon, Iowa on Monday, Jan. 25, 2016 from 9:30
a.m. to noon. The address of the college is 603 West Park St., Sheldon, Iowa 51201.
Dr. Jesse Randall, ISU Extension Forester, will conduct the meeting. Participants will learn about the value of
windbreaks, how to design and select trees for a new windbreak, how to plant and maintain trees, and what to
look for in old windbreaks in terms of disease and insects. Randall will demonstrate ISU Forestry’s new online
windbreak program that takes a lot of the guess work out of new windbreaks. Attendees are encouraged to bring
photos of their existing windbreak and Randall will answer questions as time allows.
The meeting is free and open to the public but we ask that you pre-register by Jan. 21. For more information
and to pre-register contact Margaret Murphy at [email protected] or at the ISU Extension and Outreach
office in Lyon County at 712-472-2576.
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Lyon County Leadership 2016 ROCK RAPIDS – Registrations are currently being accepted for Lyon County Leadership 2016, a program
designed to maximize the strengths and skills of current and future community leaders.
Lyon County Leadership 2016 will include six weekly training sessions focusing on topics that include
understanding ourselves and others, dealing with controversy and conflict, and leading effective meetings. The
sessions will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on six consecutive Thursdays, beginning Jan. 14, at the
Rock Rapids Public Library. Sessions will be taught by ISU Extension and Outreach staff members affiliated with
the Community and Economic Development program.
The program is being sponsored by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach – Lyon County.
Registration is $50 with a Jan.7 registration deadline. Lunch is included in the program. Enrollment is limited to
just 30 participants, so sign up early to reserve your spot in the class.
Newly-elected and appointed officials are encouraged to register for the program, as well as long-time leaders
interested in polishing their skills, and individuals interested in getting more involved in their community.
Registration forms may be picked up and returned to the ISU Extension and Outreach Lyon County office,
710 N 2nd
Ave. E, Suite 103, Rock Rapids; or obtained from Lyon County Leadership planning committee
members Laura Beyenhof, Scott Heibult, John Hulshof, Angie Jager, Cassie Radtke, Steve Simons, Chuck
Sjogren, or Cheryl Van Beek.
For more information about the program, please contact: Jane Nolan Goeken, ISU Extension Community
Development Specialist at [email protected] or 712-240-2504; or Lyon County Extension at
[email protected] or 712-472-2576.
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If no one calls to schedule an appointment, the DVD will not be shown