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The Agri Post

January 25, 2013

The Agri Post

Affordable Colour Sorting

Don Campbell, centre, is sure that the colour sorting equipment offered by AMVT will change the seed business in western Canada. He will manage a facility with the equipment at Oakville and has the Canadian distributorship. He is flanked by David Liang and Gary Zhu of AMVT China.

By Les Kletke

make it reasonable to upgrade any crop,” said Campbell, a long time member of the seed A sorting process until now trade. He will manage the reserved for only the highest value crops will be available to Oakville facility that will be upgrade just about any crop by built this summer. He expects equipment to be in place to this fall. process the 2013 crop. Don Campbell is with Intell Colour sorting is not a new Seeds who are building a facility at Oakville, which will process for cleaning seed but technology from AMVT, a have the new colour sorting Chinese firm, has made it equipment, and he said it will be affordable for just about any affordable for all crops. It has been used for bean plants and crop. for processing food grains “We believe that this where it was justified by the technology and the price that higher value of the crops. we will make it available will

“Now we will be able to apply it to just about any crop,” said Campbell. “It could be used to upgrade wheat or any cereal crop.” He expects that customers will take their higher crop home or find other markets but he expects that most of the screenings will be marketed locally in Oakville. He said his company will be in negotiations with the local elevator and is hopeful an arrangement can be reached but the firm is not connected to any elevator company.

Campbell is so convinced of the technology that his company has obtained the Canadian distribution rights for the AMVT technology and expects to be selling it across Canada. David Liang is with AMVT and he said the technology uses optical colour for precise cleaning based on seed colour. “We believe it can be used on any crop,” said Liang. “It will better maximize the processing and is higher capacity than previous options. It is cost efficient.” The company already has two units in Canada. He said the Oakville plant, when in operation this summer, will be functional in adding value to crops but will also be a show case for the equipment allowing possible customers to see it in operation. Liang is confident the machinery will have three main applications, cleaning pedigree seed, upgrading low quality grain, and processing food grade crops. Intell Seeds expects to begin construction on the Oakville site as soon as weather permits and be fully operational by fall.

January 25, 2013

Manitoba ’s KKemp emp Wins Manitoba’s National 4-H YYouth outh Judging Competition

It was an eventful week for Megan Kemp at the Canadian Western Agribition. Kemp won Grand Aggregate in the 2012 Canadian National 4-H and Youth Judging Competition. Kemp of Pilot Mound representing the Manitoba Youth Beef Round-Up Team received a $2,500 scholarship, an opportunity to judge at the First Lady Classic and a buckle. Fifty-seven youth competed in the Canadian National 4H and Youth Judging Competition. Competitors judged multiple species of livestock by examining, analyzing and explaining the market qualities of the livestock. Kemp was one of three young 4-H stars who were presented with a scholarship in November.

January 25, 2013

The Agri Post

Ranchers Raise Money for New Scholarship By Joan Airey Manitoba Youth Beef Roundup organizers held a ticket auction to raise money for a new Manitoba Youth Beef Round-Up Scholarship program. The winning ticket was purchased by Steppler Charolais, Miami. Their farm name will be featured on the Manitoba Youth Beef Round-Up T-Shirts for 2013. Breeders supported the auction by buying ten-dollar tickets donating $3,040 in total to the scholarship fund. The sixth Annual 2013 Manitoba Youth Beef Roundup is from August 2- 4 in Neepawa. Roundup is an all breeds Junior Event where, along with a cattle show, juniors participate in marketing, showmanship, grooming sales talk, quiz bowl and other competitions. “This educational fun weekend is a unique opportunity for juniors to participate in an all breeds nationwide event. The goal in mind for this event is to meet new friends and learn about the livestock industry,” said Lois McRae, an organizer of the event.

Maintaining Our Social License There is much talk these days in academic and bureaucratic circles (I don’t hear the words coming from the ranch much) about the “social license to operate.” While this is likely not something that has come up at your supper table it likely should. “Social license” is not something we get from MPI or need to buy before an upcoming wedding reception. The term refers to society’s general acceptance of what we do on our ranches and farms. Our social license is based in the beliefs, perceptions and opinions held by your local community as well as in our towns and cities. Don’t miss the words “perceptions” and “opinions” in that last sentence. Society’s view is not always based on reality or science. When society shapes its view from misinformation, or a lack of information, we get regulations and marketing campaigns that have a negative impact on your ability to do business. This is why it is part of our job as producers to ensure that consumers have access to the best science-based information we can provide. Until recently, agriculture has really not paid a whole lot of attention to its social license because society was mostly content to simply go to the local Co-op or Safeway for groceries with little thought of what happened before food got to the store. There is that old line about school kids (or sometimes 20 year olds) thinking their milk comes from Sobeys. This is changing and we need to pay attention. There are examples all around us of what happens to an industry when it loses its social license. Seal pelts generated good income for decades until the industry lost the acceptance of consumers. Hog and poultry producers are being pushed to adjust their practices, not because of new government regulations but because their customers and consumers have demanded change. More and more consumers are asking, “Where does my food come from?” They care about the answers. As a consequence, retailers and restaurants, our customers, are paying attention. So should we. Animal welfare is a big part of our social license. It is critical that the general public has confidence that those of us in animal agriculture take proper care of our livestock while they are under our control. In the years ahead our customers will no longer just be taking our word on this issue-they will want some verification of our practices. This can be achieved through adherence to a sound, science-based code of practice. Voluntary codes of practice like this exist in many professions and industries, from your local TV station to your family doctor. Since September 2010, the National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) has been reviewing and revising the Code of Practice for the Handling and Care of Beef Cattle. The Council is made up of a broad cross section of society and includes regulators such as vets from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, beef producers and the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. On January 8, the council opened up the draft-revised code to the public for comment. You can find this draft at nfacc.ca. I welcome the renewal of the beef code of practice. In many ways, the revision of the beef code of practice can be viewed as our industry renewing its social license to operate. The code’s revisions are based on the current scientific understanding of animal welfare and care, and not the latest whim from the internet. While I know that not all beef producers will be comfortable with everything the code suggests, I feel that the committee has done a good job of ensuring best practices that are practical for producers to implement in their operations. In fact, you are almost certainly carrying out these practices today. The broad cross section of views on the committee means that the scientific understanding and research had interpretation from a wide variety of viewpoints. This is critical if we are to achieve acceptance of the code from society at large. “Acceptance from society at large” is the stage we are at in the beef code’s revision. The draft has been posted on the council’s website for you and the public to review. It is critical that as many beef producers as possible participate in this process and submit comments to the committee. Please call Manitoba Beef Producers if you want help with this. There is a very small minority of people in Canada who feel that animal agriculture should not exist and that your operation should disappear. I would prefer if these points of view did not dominate the commentary on the code. The beef code of practice is not a regulatory issue for producers. You don’t need to fear government inspectors arriving on your ranch to confirm you compliance. But, you can expect buyers writing compliance into contracts before they purchase your animals and they might even be willing to pay a bit more for that. Producer participation in the process, through comments on the code, will insure that down the road you and your kids have contracts that fit your operation and that our industry keeps its social license to operate.

The Agri Post

Year of the Goat? No, it is not the Year of the Goat on the Chinese calendar, it is the Year of the Snake but I don’t like snakes and I am not going to write a column about them. In my opinion, snakes have two uses, boots and handbags that is their only value. If you are an animal rightist and care about reptiles as pets, you can send your comments to someone who cares, not to me. It is the time of the year when most of our New Year’s Resolutions have fallen by the wayside, and we are back on the couch instead of working out, and those who enjoy smoking are back at it even if they do have to go outside to enjoy their habit. It is also the time of year that we are finalizing plans for the on-farm operation. Harvest was the ideal time to plan crop rotations. There is no better time to select crops for a field than when you are scouting them from the cab of the combine, but markets and weather have a way of changing what gets planted where and when. But as Yogi Berra said, “How are you going to know where you’re going without a map?” At least if you have a plan you can change your mind. Things will change and that is a part of this great business. It might rain in the US Midwest this spring and prices will change or it may not and these prices might be realistic. People born in the Year of the Goat in the Chinese calendar are mild mannered and pessimistic. They are creative, dependable and calm. They are happy when left alone and enjoy being at home. That sounds like a perfect farmer. “Pessimistic?” you ask. Well I think farmers are the most optimist people in the world and a dash of pessimism would bring a balance of reality. The pessimist also prepares for some things to go wrong and that is essential in our business. We know that things will go wrong and we have to prepare for them. The year of the goat would not be a bad sign for a farm venture to be born under, and as you plan for the next year consider it those traits of calm and preparing for a few downturns would not be a bad thing to include in the plans. People born in the year of the goat tend to be reserved and quiet spending time in their thoughts, and that indeed makes a good farmer because our business has become much more of a thinking than a doing business. The image of big shirt, small hat is a thing of the past. Good luck with your plans in the Year of the Goat because I don’t like snakes.

Prevent Choke in Horses Horse Sense

Even when things seem to be perfect something can always go wrong. By Cora Hohenberg With the cold weather we’ve been having, we’ve been putting the horses in the barn at night to give them a break from the temperatures. In the winter, we feed a mixture of beet pulp and other feeds as an evening ration to help keep the horses weight on and to be nice by giving a warm feed on a cold evening. One of my concerns with feeding beet pulp however is how much it expands once it has been soaked. I always worry about the horses potentially getting a condition called choke. Basically, choke is exactly as it sounds a blockage in the esophagus, usually caused by feed. I have read studies that say you can feed beet pulp dry but after experiencing choke I will never take that chance, I make sure our pelleted feeds are well soaked. Choke is fairly easy to recognize. The horse will usually show no interest in its feed, will stand with its head in a lowered position, and will display a discharge through its nostrils and mouth. It may cough and flex its neck as it’s trying to get rid of something from the back of its throat. If you notice, these symptoms do not hesitate. Call your vet and remove the feed and water from the stall until the vet arrives, just in case the horse tries to eat and further block itself up even more. Once the vet arrives, he will generally give the horse a sedative and then pass a tube through its nose to its stomach. When he encounters the blockage, he will gently encourage it to move to the stomach. Sometimes they will need to flush water through to help break up the blockage. This can get a little messy. Ultimately, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. For horses that like to gulp their food, we have heard of placing a few large rocks in the feeder to help slow them down and again wetting down and soaking the feed goes a long way for peace of mind and a healthy horse.

Anti-GM Activist Discovers Science “I’ve had enough. So my conclusion here today is very clear: the debate [about genetically modified (GM) food] is over. It is finished. We no longer need to discuss whether or not it is safe. After over a decade and a half with three trillion GM meals eaten there has never been a single substantiated case of harm. You are more likely to get hit by an asteroid than to get hurt by GM food.” These are strong words. You might think they come from the CEO of a big biotech company. But they don’t. The speaker is author, columnist, and radical environmentalist, Mark Lynas. At the annual Oxford Farming Conference on January 3, Lynas offered this public confession and apology: “I apologize for having spent several years ripping up GM crops. I by Rolf am also sorry that I helped to start the anti-GM movement Penner back in the mid-1990s, and that I thereby assisted in derolfpenner@agripost.ca monizing an important technological option which can be used to benefit the environment.” What changed Lynas’s mind? He discovered science and, as he says, “In the process I hope I became a better environmentalist.” He concedes that those who are opposed to GM crops are part of an anti-science movement. At one time, he was proud to be part of such a group and of its success in getting GM crops banned in places all over the world. He now realizes what a mistake he’s made and is trying to make amends for having made a villain out of such an important technological advance. Lynas has also apparently discovered logic, at least one particular logical fallacy known as “argumentum ad hominem.” Instead of refuting the content of an opponent’s reasoning, you attack him or her personally. In response to Lynas’ final anti-GM article in the newspaper, The Guardian, someone wrote, “So you’re opposed to GM on the basis that it is marketed by big corporations. Are you also opposed to the wheel because it is marketed by the big auto companies?” This simple, sensible argument threw Lynas for a loop. He went looking for more fact-based arguments, started reading peer-reviewed papers, and slowly discovered that many of his most strongly held beliefs about GM were little more than “green urban myths.” He details his journey from a position of raw emotion to one of real-world knowledge on his website, at marklynas.org, where you can read a transcript of, or watch, his 50-minute Oxford speech. Through this apostasy, Lynas discovers a “depressing irony,” that the anti-biotech campaigners complain about GM crops only being marketed by big corporations when this is a situation they have done more than anyone to help bring about.” Because of all the endless negative campaigning done by environmentalists it now costs “tens of millions to get a crop through the regulatory systems in different countries.” This, in his words, makes it “prohibitively expensive to all but the very biggest corporations.” Lynas has a great analogy about his former activist friends who go around destroying research trials of new crops, which have yet to be finished. It comes from British National Farmers Union President Peter Kendall, who says it’s akin to “burning books in a library before anyone has been able to read them.” In his closing remarks, Lynas drives the point home, “The risk today is not that anyone will be harmed by GM food, but that millions will be harmed by not having enough food because a vocal minority of people in rich countries wants their meals to be what they consider natural.” Mark Lynas is to be applauded for his vocal, public turnaround on genetically modified crops. Given that, he had surrounded himself with so many people who likely now regard him as a turncoat; it was a difficult thing to do. Let’s hope some of them will follow his example, put passion and prejudice aside, and finally take an unbiased look at the facts about genetically modified crops. The world would be a better place if they did.

Penners Points

Manitoba Youth Win Purebred Heifers Jared Preston, a 17-year-old from Ste. Rose du Lac, Kolton McIntosh, a 17-year-old from Eriksdale and Rachel Howatt, a 15-year-old from Manitou, were the 2012 recipients of the Grant Moffat Herdbuilder Award. Each of the three youth was awarded up to $2,000 toward the purchase of a heifer calf

MAFRI to Host Farm Succession Seminar Take the anxiety out of farm succession planning with a workshop that offers a group of experts including a lawyer, accountant, financial planner and Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiative (MAFRI) staff. On Friday, February 8, at the Steinbach Legion located at 294 Lumber Avenue, from 8:30 am to 1 pm. Cost is $20 per person and includes lunch. Topics for discussion are the Farm Suc-

January 25, 2013

cession Planning Process, Legal Considerations in Farm Succession, Tax Considerations in Transferring the Farm, Financial Planning and Using Your Money to Achieve Your Goals, and an Advisory Panel. Pre-registration is required by February 1 by contacting the Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives Steinbach GO Office at 204-346-6080 or Beausejour GO Office at 204268-6094.

selected from a Manitoba purebred sale. Jared Preston purchased a Charolais heifer, Kolton McIntosh a Simmental heifer and Rachel Howatt a Red Angus heifer. Grant Moffat, of Holmsyde Charolais, Forrest, went missing in August 2006. The funds generously donated by cattlemen, friends and relatives across the country were offered as a reward for tips leading to his whereabouts. After a year, a committee handling the funds made a decision to channel the money to Manitoba youth for starting their own purebred herd in memory of Moffat. More funds were raised at auctions during a couple of

Manitoba Beef Producer’s Annual Meetings in 2010 and 2011 making it possible to continue this worthwhile cause in his memory. Grant invested a lot of energy in actively helping youth get started in the business and this seemed the most fitting way to utilize the funds. Over 20 applicants submitted essays, making the selection exceptionally difficult. The participants were evaluated on desire, need and previous expression of interest in the industry. The Grant Moffat Herdbuilder Awards will be presented again in 2013, with the application deadline being September 1. For application and donation information visit grantmoffat.com.

January 25, 2013

The Agri Post

Growing Local Conference Covers Local Food from A to Z From Aquaponics to Zesty Salads, the popular Growing Local Conference will have it all. The annual event will bring together Manitobans from all walks of life for two inspired days of learning and sharing about healthy, sustainable and fair food in our province. There’s something for everyone at Growing Local. If you want to turn your fences, lawns, and ornamental gardens into a thriving food-producing oasis, Do not miss “Edible Landscaping” with Mark Klassen of Urban Eatin’. In Need of tips for incorporating healthy local foods into your weekly meals, then three nutrition students will show you how. Wondering what life is like on small Manitoba farms these days? Come hear “Stories from the Farm” from local food producers. The conference kicks off on Thursday, February 28 with a screening of the acclaimed film “To Make a Farm” at 7 pm. Described as “exceptionally hopeful” by the Vancouver International Film Festival, the documentary follows the lives of five young people who have decided to become smallscale farmers, including Manitoba’s own Wes Huyghe of Little Path Farm. Conference participants can then take in two full days of hands-on workshops, discussions and displays, plus delicious lunches and snacks, on March 1 and 2. The conference will take place at the Marlborough Hotel and is expected to attract well over 500 participants. Organized by Food Matters Manitoba and their planning partners, Growing Local is made possible thanks to the generous contributions of presenters, volunteers

and sponsors such the Marlborough Hotel, Health Canada, Province of Manitoba, CBC Manitoba, Assiniboine Credit Union, Manitoba

Alternative Food Research Alliance, Manitoba Cooperator, Heifer International Canada and Assiniboine Community College.

For more information and to register visit foodmattersmanitoba.ca or call 204-943-0822.

January 25, 2013

The Agri Post

January 25, 2013

The Agri Post

January 25, 2013

The Agri Post

January 25, 2013

The Agri Post

January 25, 2013

The Agri Post

January 25, 2013

She Sees it Coming By Les Kletke Alana Epstein knows what the first question is going to be when a customer approaches her display at a trade show. “About a mile,” she said, smiling, as a customer approaches. Epstein has been attending trade shows for eight years and is on the road 27 weeks of the year for Rostech. Epstein is based in Montreal. She said the company began in the stereo business 47 years ago, now the wireless cameras are the most popular item on its sales page and people want to know the capabilities. “The wireless camera will work for about a mile, if there are no obstructions,” said Epstein and then waits for the customer to ask questions about their particular application. She said the most popular application for the cameras is security. “People live off the farm or want to be able to see what happens when they are not there,” she said. The camera is not tied to any alarm system but does provide a recording of what happens in site of the camera. “The next question is, can they monitor on their smart phone? Everyone

“You don’t have to save too many trips to the calving barn in -30 to make that worthwhile.”

Directors and Officers Insurance PPolicy olicy

Alana Epstein of Rositech explains the applications of a wireless camera to a customer on the trade show circuit.

wants access to it from their phone, and that works so it is an easy answer.” The system begins at under $500 and she said that makes it very attractive for barn monitoring, “You don’t have to save too many trips to the calving barn in -30 to make that worthwhile. There are all the benefits of being able to monitor the animals at any

time, but removing the need to go outside in the middle of the night is a prime one for the farmer.” Epstein said the ability to have the camera interface with a phone has been a huge factor and the company is moving to other innovations. “We have an option with a joy stick and people can change the picture on the screen and split it to use up to four

cameras at a time,” she said. “We work with the individual to design the system that fits their needs. Most people start with one camera and then add more as they get familiar with the equipment and its applications.” She estimates her customers are an equal split between barn monitors and security applications.

Directors and Officers of a corporation are responsible for their actions, the actions of the corporation and in some instances the actions of other directors. The courts have assessed damages against directors of corporations for wrongful actions. While some people believe that, a LTD. or INC. company creates a legal veil leaving limited liability behind. This is not true. Directors and officers can be held liable for improper conduct to shareholders or members for the management of funds, creditors for breach of trust or misappropriation of funds, knowledge of illegal or improper acts, making improper loans, fraudulent acts and transactions or decisions which are not authorized by the bylaws of the corporation, employees and volunteers for unpaid wages and unsafe working conditions. The D&O policy is designed so that the insurance company is responsible to defend the directors and officers from legal action due to a wrongful act and to pay the costs and damages including the cost to defend. The D&O policy can be compared to an errors and omissions policy that protects the business, except in this case the directors and officers’ liability insurance protects the directors. Remember, the allegations do not have to be true. The mere fact that allegations exist will result in significant defense costs on the part of the director. Some questions to ask: - Are you following the provincial and federal legislation? - Are your premises well protected from burglary or theft by dead bolt locks, and alarms? - Are your procedures such that they will discourage, prevent or reduce the possibility of fraud, errors and mismanagement? - Do you avoid conflict of interest situations? - Do you hire competent experts? - Do you have clearly defined job descriptions? Be sure to seek advice and purchase insurance from those who understand your business! Andy Anderson is an Associate Insurance Broker specializing in General, Life and Group Benefits for Farm, Commercial/Agribusiness Ph: 204-746-5589 Tf: 866 765 3351 andya@rempelinsurance.com /rempelinsurance.com / valleyfinancial.ca.

January 25, 2013

The Agri Post

January 25, 2013

The Agri Post

January 25, 2013

Beef Cows Need Good Feed After Calving By Peter Vitti Good winter post-calving feeding programs, which contain a higher plane of nutrition compared to those fed during the previous state of gestation, can be tailor-made for beef cows for about 80-90 days after calving. These new diets are geared for helping the cow produce lots of milk for the next few months and prior to the grazing season in order to help produce heavier and healthier calves by weaning time. Furthermore, new firstcalf mothers are going to need extra nutrients for continued growth. It’s also important to raise this bar of good cowherd nutrition even a little further for good reproductive performance that extends from calving time to well into the breeding season. We want cows and heifers to repair their reproductive tracts and resume a normal estrus cycle as soon as possible once they drop their calves. University field trials conducted on post-partum cows

that quickly return to a reproductive life proves higher conception rates than similar cows that cycle later. This is because the early cows can have one or two more estrus cycles and thus have more chance of getting pregnant, particularly in a limited breading season. The calves of these same early-cycling cows are shown to be older, heavier at weaning time and more uniform, which holds better weaning weight value and revenue. Unfortunately, reproduction takes a lower nutrient priority compared to other demands during the post-partum period. When all nutrients from the diet and body reserves are accounted and partitioned, nature dictates that lactation and growth take precedent. For example, many cows fed an inadequate diet can temporarily milk well, because they breakdown their own body fat for nutrients, but often they do not get rebred. Therefore, it is important to achieve all the nutrient requirements of the postpartum beef cow into the breeding season. According to National Research Council (NRC) estimates, most post-calving beef cows, which maintain an adequate body condition of 2.53.0 (1 = emaciated and 5 = obese) and are nursing newborn calves; typically need about 50 percent more dietary energy and 10-15 percent more protein over early to mid-gestation stages. Such mature beef cows (i.e.: 600-700 kg) can only receive

their nutrient requirements by consuming about 2.0-2.5 percent of their body weight per day in good quality feed on a dry matter basis. Under normal circumstances, it’s not that difficult to make-up respective winter lactation feeding programs as long as we remember that energy and then protein are the first and second limiting nutrients for all post-calving beef cows. Of the two nutrients, dietary energy is the largest and the nutrient often difficult to meet, Post-partum beef cows require about 60-62 percent TDN (total digestible nutrients) and about 11-12 percent crude protein in their diet by the time they are milking at their highest levels (re: 10 litres per day). First-calf heifers do not eat and do not milk compared to older mature cows, but their dietary concentrations are very similar because they need extra nutrients required for growth. It is also important to keep in mind that all cows that calve out in early February to April may need 20-30 percent more dietary energy just to keep warm, which is added to their most basic maintenance needs and supersedes all milk production and reproduction requirements. Essential cattle minerals such as calcium, phosphorus and other essential macrominerals along with A, D and E vitamins should also be provided in post-partum cow diets. They need to compliment whatever min-

eral levels are found in postpartum forages and other supplemented feeds. In a similar fashion, trace mineral requirements of beef cows nearly double since the start of the winter season, and respective bio-available sources of copper, zinc, manganese, iodine, cobalt, and selenium need to be fed. Unlike above the dietary energy, protein, minerals and vitamins provided in dry or semidry diets, if we do not have enough fresh, clean water for post-calving cows even the best dietary intensions can go astray. Optimum feed consumption, adequate feed digestibility and good nutrient absorption by beef cows of any post-calving diet relies upon substantial water intake. It is often recommended that up to 50 litres of good quality water per nursing beef cow be provided on a daily basis. Whether water comes from waterers or a snow-pack, most sources are often well established before the cows calve out. Likewise, putting together post-calving diets should not be much trouble. Since forages make up 90 percent or more of many gestation diets, many of these same forages are going to be supplemented with high energy and/or protein feed to increase their plane of nutrition to lactation/breeding status. To start, adequate quality grass hay, grass-alfalfa mixtures, or cereal/corn silage with a TDN of 56-60 percent and 9-12 percent protein make an excellent foundation for post-calving beef cow diets. In contrast, low quality forages such as grain straw and poor quality grasses are often too low in dietary energy (high in fibre) and protein content to make up a substantial portion of a well-balanced postpartum beef cow diet.

The next step: even the best quality beef forage is likely to be shy of dietary post-partum energy. Therefore, 0.5-2.5 kg of grain such as barley, corn distiller’s grains (extra protein) or a commercial 13-14 percent cow-pellet should be added. Keep in mind, if the cold winter winds blow; another 0.5-1.0 kg of energy concentrates should be fed in order to help cows keep warm. Lastly, a commercial beef mineral (with vitamins) should fed at 50-100 grams per head per day along with salt, usually placed by any given water source. With these primary steps

covered, given today’s commodity prices for forage, grain, protein supplements and cattle mineral, the cost of sound post-calving beef cow rations should be in the range of $1.75-$2.00 per head per day. These couple of dollars should provide good winter-feed during a significant winter portion of the postcalving period until the late spring or summer, which assures that the cowherd can rebound quickly after calving and they are ready to get rebred with next year’s calf crop and revenue.

The Agri Post

Good Dairy Manure Equals Good Nutrition It might not be an exact science, but the barnyard and boot study of manure is a simple reflection of the dairy diet being fed, how it is consumed, digested and finally pushed out onto the alley. When dairy cows defecate, we can get a pretty good idea as to their nutritional status by observing manure colour, consistency and content. If one of these parameters is out of line, necessary changes might be made to their dairy cows’ diet for better manure, which can lead to improvements in overall dairy health and performance. A 600-kg milk cow in lactation produces up to 70 kg of fresh manure per day, which contains both digested and undigested feed that pass through the rumen and the rest of gastro-intestinal tract. It also contains a mixture of digested rumen microbes, rumen fluid, bile and other digestive juices together with large volumes of drinking water as well as recycled body-tissue water before it is finally excreted. During a barn-walk, one of the first general rules of manure evaluation is that given a group of dairy cows, which are eating the same dairy diet, most of them should produce manure of similar colour, consistency and content. We should also know that a small fraction of cows (less than 5 percent), for various reasons, will have significantly different looking manure compared to the general cowherd. Regardless of our initial impression, what manure we actually see will most likely come from a relatively modest sample of dairy cows. It is recommended that we look at the manure of between 5-10 percent of the cows to make our observations and draw some conclusions. For example, we should choose 1520 cows from a 200-cow dairy to get this general consensus. It is also a good idea to move along the fresh pies and poke a few with a boot to get a good idea of manure content. For many dairy producers and specialists, the first observation of a freshly dropped cow pie is its consistency. Manure consistency is a good indicator of the digestion status in dairy cattle. It is dependent upon feed type, nutrient and dietary fibre content, water intake (and quality) and digestive passage rate. A normal manure consistency should be porridge-like and when the animal defecates should produce a slightly dome-shaped pile. Relatively loose manure can range from a slightly rapid passage of manure through the cow to extreme water-like diarrhea. At the other end of the scale, thicker manure can look firmer, drier and possibly make taller piles.

In cases of loose manure, some of its origins often start with dairy diets that are formulated with too much soluble protein or diets that do not contain enough effective forage-fibre in order to produce a good “forage fibre mat” in the rumen. These are two of the more common conditions from a possible longer list of causes that speed up the passage of feed throughout the gut and cause loose manure. To correct these common situations some producers either decrease the soluble protein of the diet by lowering the amount of high quality forages fed or adding ½ kilo of straw, accordingly. Other cases of loose manure are far more serious and their actual causes seem to be harder to pinpoint. For example, subclinical acidosis (SARA) causes loose manure consistency to vary amongst herd members as well as other multiple changes over time for each suffering cow. Unlike high dietary protein diets, which can cause loose manure in all herd members, manure from SARA cows is equally loose, but pasty, shiny (re: intestinal sloughing) and contains small bubbles. As each affected cow goes through a typical “off feed-on feed” cycle, its SARA manure may disappear and can be temporarily replaced by more solid looking manure. Unfortunately, as the SARA conditions return rumen acid levels start to rise, water is then brought back into the gut in order to neutralize them and the shiny loose manure begins again. It is this state of manure inconsistency that dairy producers might identify a prevalent SARA problem in the herd. In similar acidosis and extensive hindgut fermentation situations, mucin casts (fibrintissue) may also be found in such abnormal manure. They are secreted into the gut in order to cover up extensively damaged areas. It should be recognized that sloughed-off mucin casts might be found in manure of any consistency. Just as manure consistency can tell how feed is being digested in the cow, the contents of manure can also tell producers what is working or may not be working in the dairy diet.

Manure that is produced from dairy cows fed a wellbalanced nutritious ration (with adequate effective fibre) is very uniform. It contains digested feed particles with the majority of processed forage fibre no greater than 0.5", and with little escaped grain. If a cow pile is littered with long-stem fibre or large amounts of grain, it could be a sign of inadequate dietary effective-forage fibre, unprocessed added grain, or even the possibility of forage (i.e. silage) harvested in an extreme state of maturity. Compared to cow pie observations of consistency and content, the “normal” colour of manure offers some, but limited, valuable information as to how feed is being digested. Manure colour usually reveals the type of diet being fed to the cows. As expected, high hay or haylage diets tend to produce dark green manure, while corn or barley silage produces brown manure. Likewise, rations with high grain content tend to produce relatively light-coloured manures. When feed is going through the animal at a particularly high rate, it may turn into an unusual green/brown-gray colour. A rapid colour change may signal that something is amiss with the cows’ present ration. Whether it is observations of colour or manure consistency and content that catches our eye (or boot), good dairy manure is a result of feeding a well-balanced diet to lactating dairy cows. Consequently, good dairy manure that is dropped on the ground by these healthy cows is likely rewarded with good milk production going into the bulk tank.

January 25, 2013

By Les Kletke

The Whole Goat Handbook Is Exactly What it Claims Janet Hurst has written a consummate book on goats. Admittedly, there is more information available on any specific area of goats and goating, (yes, she makes it into a verb) but for a beginner or moderate goat enthusiast she provides all the information you might need. Hurst begins with her involvement with the animals and moves through breeding programs and breed selection before getting into the usage of goat products and every part of the goat can be used in some way. She discusses the production of cheese, soap and fiber products at length. If there is a shortfall of the volume, it is in the lack in the area of management of goatherds, which she would be qualified to discuss since she tends to have one of the largest goat milk herds in the U.S. She is not a veterinarian but has studied cheese making at the Vermont Institute of Technology and Guelph University, which perhaps explains why only the first two chapters deal with the animals themselves and the rest of the book delves into uses of goat products for everything from cheese to scarves. The book is an easy to read and well-designed issue that holds your attention whether you are a goat devotee or not. I particularly enjoyed the chapter on meat goats and the recipes that included every part from the choicest chevron to the marginal cuts of goat. Hurst does a good job on the whole spectrum and includes a few concoctions that have me waiting for the barbecue season more eagerly than usual. She does not spend a lot of time on the history of the animal or get preachy about it being the most consumed meat in the world. She does not leave the impression that her intention is to convert the world to Goatism or whatever devotees of the animal are called. She provides a good amount of information in a clear easy-to-read format that has some great pictures and provides a bit of fun along the way. I have to admit that I did have a penchant for goat cheese before picking up this volume and the description of the process of making cheeses and their possible uses did have my mouth watering. She stops short of recommending the wine pairings for a goat cheese and wine event but the reader is left with the feeling she would know and after reading, I would trust her recommendation.

Will it change your life? Probably not, but that is not what the Whole Goat Handbook was intended to do. It is about information in an entertaining format and it does that.

The Agri Post

January 25, 2013

The Agri Post