Kddcnewsletterjulyaugust

KENTUCKY

July - August 2016 w w w. k y d a i r y. o r g

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Milk Matters What Do Mothers of Puppies and Calves Have in Common Find out more on page 6 Dr. Bob Harmon Retires from UK Find out more on page 16

Young Dairy Producer Tour Set for October 5-8 Find out more on page 18-19

The Future is Bright!

KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

2016 KDDC Board of Directors & Staff Executive Committee President: Richard Sparrow Vice President: Charles Townsend, DVM Sec./Treasurer: Tom Hastings EC Member: Tony Cowherd EC Past President: Bob Klingenfus

Board of Directors District 1: Freeman Brundige 731.446.6248 District 2: Josh Duvall 270.535.6533 District 3: Don Kinslow 270.646.0086 District 4: William Crist Sr. 270.590.3185 District 5: Tony Cowherd 270.469.0398 District 6: Mark Williams 270.427.0796 District 7: Greg Goode District 8: Jerry Gentry 606-875-2526 District 9: Dwight Leslie 859.588.3441 District 10: Richard Sparrow 502.370.6730 District 11: Stewart Jones 270.402.4805 District 12: Larry Embry 270.259.6903 Equipment: Eric Risser 423.368.7753 Milk Haulers: Alan Wilson 606.875.7281 Genetics: Dan Johnson 502.905.8221 Feed: Tom Hastings 270.748.9652 Nutrition: Dr. Ron Wendlandt 502.839.4222 Dairy Co-op: Fabian Bernal 859.351.0610 Veterinary: Dr. Charles Townsend 270.726.4041 Finance: Michael Smith Former Pres.: Bob Klingenfus 502.817.3165

Employee & Consultants Executive Director: Maury Cox 859.516.1129 DC-Central: Beth Cox 859.516.1619 • 270-469-4278 DC-Western: Dave Roberts 859.516.1409 DC-Southern: Meredith Scales 859.516.1966 DC -Northern: Jennifer Hickerson 859.516.2458

KDDC 176 Pasadena Drive Lexington, KY 40503 www.kydairy.org KY Milk Matters produced by Carey Brown

July - August 2016 • KDDC • Page 2

President’s Corner Richard Sparrow

I

t looks like we are going to see some milk price improvement for the last part of 2016.

The supply and demand dynamics that I watch do not indicate a return to the levels of 2015. However, any improvement on the first half of the year will be a welcomed relief. I recently traveled to Minnesota land, then you should not own land. His 80 for the annual Brown Swiss meeting. As acre farm was neat and weed free. Now, you I drove through Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and might think that mowing 80 acres was no big Minnesota, the corn and soybean fields looked deal. However, when you learn that he lost great. I visited with several dairymen from his left leg at the age of two, and mowed with the Midwest, and they all say the same thing; a team of horses, well into his sixties, you can their barns are full, milk production is up, and see how it impressed me then and still does. they have plenty of heifers. The interesting On the other hand, when I was a student thing to me is that on both the crop side and at the University of Kentucky, I had a course milk production side, everything I saw and in Field Crops taught by Ken Evans. Dr. Evans knew I was from Owen County, and heard supports the USDA forecast.

I just finished mowing my pastures, and as I when he passed out tests in class, he always mow various fields, I remember two opposing put his hand on my shoulder and said, “In philosophies that influence the direction of Owen County, there are old farmers and my tractor and bush hog. As a youth, I bold farmers, but there are no old bold spent many of my summers on my maternal farmers.” Well, I have mowed all my grandfather’s Madison County farm. He fields with no incidents, and I am happy preached to me that if you did not mow your about that.

SUDIA Announces New General Manager The Southeast United Dairy Industry Association, Inc. (SUDIA) has announced that their Board of Directors has appointed Doug Ackerman as their new General Manager, effective January 1, 2017.

Ackerman will succeed General Manager Cheryl Hayn, who will retire after more than 28 years of service with SUDIA. “After a comprehensive search process which included reviewing over 150 résumés, the board is pleased to have found the best individual to represent our Southeastern dairy farmers,” said South Carolina dairy farmer and SUDIA board president Glen Easter.

“Once we spoke with Doug we knew he was the right person for the job due to his passion for the agriculture industry, extensive experience in retail and marketing and a proven history of leadership.”

Ackerman is an Austin, Texas native who earned his Bachelors in Business Administration at Sam Houston State University and Masters of Business Administration from the University of Tampa. Ackerman has a unique background, with experience in retail, marketing, consumer packaged foods, state government, and over 22 years of leadership and service through the National Guard, including two deployments in the Global War on Terror.

Ackerman’s career has been heavily involved in the agriculture and food production industries, working for chain-restaurant Pizza Inn, Florida-based supermarket Publix and most recently as the executive director for the Florida Department of Citrus.

“I am looking forward to working on behalf of our Southeastern dairy farmers and promoting delicious dairy products,” Ackerman said. “There are lots of exciting opportunities in the dairy industry and I am eager to continue helping our dairy farmers meet the needs of consumers in the Southeast.”

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KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

Executive Director Comments Maury Cox

Many of you have probably seen the latest from Chipotle with their soda cup design.

Below is a portion of an article written by Amanda Radke in BEEF Daily.

There’s a reason most self-respecting farmers and ranchers choose places like Culver’s instead of Chipotle when they are looking for a quick meal on the go - Chipotle chooses to spread falsehoods and perpetuate fairy tales to make a buck while Culver’s supports modern food production and how sound science, technology and commonsense help feed a growing planet.

Most recently, Chipotle has stirred up some backlash on social media when a photo of a soda cup from the fast food chain went viral. The cup is covered from top to bottom in propaganda that reads: “When we think of dairy cows, most of us picture a vast countryside, rolling hills and cows happily grazing about. Sadly, most cows in the U.S. spend their days on concrete without access to pasture. In fact, they rarely go outside in general, making their chances of seeing a double rainbow pretty much impossible.

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July - August 2016 • KDDC • Page 4

cream from farms and suppliers that follow through on the pastureraised promise, giving our friends (with dairy benefits) access to shelter and all the grazing they can handle, without antibiotics or growth hormones.

What can we say? We like cows that dare to dairy differently.

What a bunch of BULL!!!

I don’t know about you, but seeing this type of propaganda makes me want to visit a Chipotle with my muck boots on having just walked through a spring pasture.

Recently the KDDC held four Merck Dairy Care 365 meetings across the state. Fabian Bernal, DFA National Animal Care Director updated us on the Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program to address issues that might arise from folks with “bone headed” ideas just like this or those that believe such nonsense.

The focus of these meetings was to provide Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) templates to KY dairy farmers regarding how you provide animal care on your farms. These meetings were in no way structured to tell dairy producers how to go about providing care.

Rather, they were fashioned to assist you in designing your own SOPs so you can display them in your business setting, defining the expectation of care you have for your animals while helping to protect you from people that create such misleading narratives just to sell their products.

The KDDC dairy consultants are available to assist producers with this effort by helping develop your own SOPs if you so desire. They also will have other supportive material as well such as a FARM Antibiotic Residue Manual, a “Rite in the Rain” dairy health record book and a waterproof antibiotic withholding chart for the milking parlor. If you have interest in this program please contact your regional Consultant. If you do not have their number contact KDDC at kddc@kydairy.org or 859-516-1129.

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KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

What Do Mothers of Puppies and Calves Have in Common?

By Donna M. Amaral-Phillips, UK Extension Professor and Dairy Nutritionist

B

ack in late February, my husband and I became the owners of two English Mastiff puppies, each from a separate litter. We had known the breeder of these puppies for some time and were able to be present when the second litter was born by caesarian section at our local vet clinic. Since it was just after Christmas, they were in need of extra people to “rub” puppies after they were born as the breeder was helping the vet with the operation. I am still amazed that these puppies were born totally black and could fit in the palm of my hand, considering they would become a light fawn color and will be close to 180 lbs. at maturity.

palatable, for the mother of the puppies to better match her nutritional needs as a lactating mother. He worried that this dog was a good candidate for eclampsia, a fancy term for what we refer to as milk fever or hypocalcemia and other metabolic diseases in the next few weeks. As I listened, I could hear the similarities between this discussion and those I have had with producers regarding feeding and management programs for dairy cows around the time of calving.

In the dairy industry, we understand all too well that dry cow and pre-f reshening feeding and management programs directly impact post-calving health, production, reproduction, and profitability. We are even learning that these feeding and management programs can affect the fetus and the fetus’s future performance. Thus, gone are the days when we just put the dry cows out on the back forty and let them fend for themselves until after they calve.

Today, feeding programs for dry dairy cows and cows transitioning back into the milking herd are as high of a priority as those for the milking herd. These programs are built around the following key practices:

In the dairy industry, we understand all too well that dry cow and pre-freshening feeding and management programs directly impact post-calving health, production, reproduction, and profitability.

While I was waiting for my puppy to “rub”, I couldn’t help but overhear the conversation between the breeder and veterinarian.

During the procedure, the breeder disclosed that the mother of the puppies, now undergoing major surgery, had gone off-feed. The dog would only eat “Mac n’cheese” and previously had been fed chicken necks. Being a nutritionist, I quickly understood that the consumption of chicken necks could cause mineral and vitamin imbalances which could affect the mother’s health. Also, the mother of these puppies was overweight. As the vet was removing the puppies, he preceded to give the breeder a nice, but firm lecture regarding her food choices for the dog. The vet was

very upset that the dog was fed an inappropriate diet before whelping and had gone off-feed. He even sent her home with a small bag of puppy food, higher in calories and more

July - August 2016 • KDDC • Page 6

Don’t have fat dry cows: Cows need to go dry at the proper body condition (3.0 to 3.25, but no greater than 3.5 for individual cows) and maintain this body condition and not gain body condition during the dry period. After calving they should not lose more than 0.5 body condition score. This loss in body condition score is less than we previously recommended.

Cows which lose little to no body condition after calving rebreed quicker and result in an embryo with an improved survivability this next lactation. Minimizing mobilization of protein stores (i.e. muscle) before and after calving also may help improve dry matter intakes after calving.

Don’t overfeed energy, but feed enough protein: Feeding adequate, but not excessive, amounts of energy throughout the dry period is important to keep cows on-feed as they transition back into the milking herd. Thus, rations should be balanced to 0.60 to 0.62 Mcal NEl/lb dry matter in the far-off dry period. To achieve this energy density, watch the amount of corn silage and/or grain being fed. For closeup cows that will not be fed a special fresh cow diet after calving, energy density can increase up to approximately 0.66 to 0.68 Mcal NEL/lb dry matter. Close-up diets should provide adequate amounts of metabolizable protein (protein reaching intestines) (1200-1400 g MP/day) and not just adequate amounts of crude protein. Thus, what occurs in the

KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

rumen is important when determining protein needs.

Feed Proper Minerals and Vitamins: Minerals and vitamins are important for both the far-off and close-up dry cow and, as such, an appropriate mineral and vitamin mix should be force-fed through the grain to ensure adequate intakes. For close-up dry cows, low potassium forages should be fed. Generally, diets for close-up dry cows should contain anionic salts to minimize not only clinical milk fever where we see the classic disease symptoms, but as importantly subclinical milk fever or hypocalcemia, where no symptoms are detected. To determine if adequate, but not excessive, amounts of anionic salts are consumed, pH should be measured in urine collected mid-stream for a number of cows after they have been fed anionic salts for at least 1 week, but no longer than 2 to 3 weeks. The amount of calcium supplemented will be determined by whether or not anionic salts are included (higher concentrations and amounts of calcium with anionic salts). Concentrations of magnesium and other minerals are also important in these cows and should be balanced appropriately. Trace minerals and vitamins are important to improve immunity and fight off infections after calving.

Limit stress: Social, environmental, and metabolic stresses can negatively impact not only feed intake, but also overall productivity and health of cows before and after calving.

Providing shade and sprinklers for all dry cows, both faroff and close-up, can minimize environmental stress and improve health and milk production the next lactation.

Close-up dry cows should be provided with 36 inches of bunk space, adequate resting space (1 stall per cow in freestalls or 100 sq. feet of bedded pack space), and cows should not be added to this group more often than once weekly. If possible, springing heifers should be housed separately from older cows.

The next time you see a puppy, I hope you are reminded of my story about the similarities of how we need to feed and manage not only mothers of puppies, but also your or your client’s dry dairy cows. Taking time to review these programs can pay financial dividends in heathier and more productive “foster mothers of the human race”. By the way, that puppy I got to “rub” at birth is now a resident at our home with her cohort-in-crime from the litter born 5 days earlier. All I can say is, I still have my calf-sized animals to care for and see grow-up!! The only difference, Merlot and Annabelle can be a lot more destructive when left unsupervised than dairy calves!!!!

The way we feed milk replacer with antibiotics will change Jan.1st, 2017.

A VFD for milk replacer with antibiotics will have to follow label directions. A veterinarian cannot, legally, write a VFD for milk replacer with antibiotics for the 60 days that a calf is on milk. If the label directions state for 7-14 days, treatment dose, and then that’s all we can write the VFD for. So what can we do: Burkmann Nutrition: 

Provide a high quality milk replacer with non-antibiotic ingredients to fight intestinal infections in the calf; such as moss, yeast/probiotics, vitamins/minerals.



Provide a quality milk replacer with antibiotic for the calves that get diarrhea.

Dairyman: 

Assure the calf gets the proper amount of quality colostrum. One gallon of quality colostrum within the 1 st 6 hours after birth and then an additional 2 quarts within the next 12 hours. So, that’s a total of 1 ½ gallons of colostrum within 18 hrs. of birth.



Feed quality milk replacer



Feed proper amount of milk replacer. Feeding 2 qts. twice a day is not enough anymore. Calves should be consuming at a minimum of 3 qts. twice a day by 10 -14 days of age and most Holsteins should be at 4 qts. twice a day within 1 month. Remember if you are feeding jerseys these amounts should be cut by ¼.

Feeding a high quality milk replacer at the proper amount will stop 85-90% of calf illness before weaning, along with the added benefit of additional milk for the lactation life of the cow.

July - August 2016 • KDDC • Page 7

KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

Use Manure as a Valuable Resource By: Macy Fawns

M

anure can be a valuable fertilizer if used correctly.

Having a nutrient management plan (NMP) can help you understand how much manure is produced on your farm, pinpoint where the manure is needed, and identify crops that can best utilize the nutrients without losing nutrients by leaching or runoff.

According to the KY Ag Water Quality Plan, anyone who has animals in confinement for 45 days (can be non-consecutive) or more in one year is required to have a NMP. There are two types of NMPs. A Kentucky Nutrient Management Plan (KyNMP) can be written by the producer or with assistance from the local Conservation District or Extension Office. The University of Kentucky publication ID-211 Kentucky Nutrient Management Planning Guidelines is available to help producers create their own plan, or they can use an online tool found at http://www.bae.uky.edu/awqpt/calculators.htm. The second type is a Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP).

Your local NRCS can help you find a technical service provider to write the plan and possibly provide funding for the service.

You will need a CNMP when applying for technical or financial assistance for manure-related practices such as a waste lagoon or covered manure stack pad.

To get started with either type of NMP you will need a representative manure sample and soil samples. This will help you understand the amount of nutrients you have available and which fields need it most. Soil samples are also required for every field, including rented property, where you plan to apply manure.

Your local Extension agent can help you with collecting samples and sending them to the University of Kentucky testing lab.

Soil test phosphorus values and planned crops are two of the most important considerations when applying manure. For

July - August 2016 • KDDC • Page 8

example, if you plan to apply manure to a field with a soil test phosphorus value of 75 lbs/ac and you plan to plant soybeans, this would be a poor utilization of the manure. Any field with a phosphorus value above 60 lbs/ac does not need P unless noted in the soil test results. So what about nitrogen? Soybeans are a legume which means when inoculated they can create their own nitrogen. Another field on your farm has a soil test phosphorus level of 30 lbs/ac and you plan to grow corn silage. Since corn is not a legume it will need nitrogen and could benefit from the manure application, but how much manure should be used? You should follow the soil test recommendations and use University of Kentucky publication ID-211 Kentucky Nutrient Management Planning Guidelines as a guide.

Timing of manure applications should be based upon the plant’s needs, not when you run out of storage. In spring, manure is best utilized on row crops. Summer applications result in a loss of nitrogen but if needed warm-season grasses will use the nutrients. During the fall manure applications can be applied on cover crops, small grains, or cool-season grasses. By applying manure to cool-season grasses in the fall there should be less weed pressure. Manure should not be applied during winter months and you should have enough storage to hold the manure until the plant can utilize the nutrients. If manure storage is not available during winter months guidelines and regulations from University of Kentucky publication ID-211 Kentucky Nutrient Management Planning Guidelines should be followed.

If long-term fall manure applications occur and the crop is not harvested, soil test phosphorus levels will increase over time.

By having a nutrient management plan you will properly utilize when and where manure should be applied, and spend less money on commercial fertilizer. If you need a nutrient management plan please contact your local Natural Resource Conservation Service, Conservation District, or County Extension office.

KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

It’s been a privilege working with the Compton and Chaney Dairy Farms!

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July - August 2016 • KDDC • Page 9

KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

Dixie Dairy Report

By Calvin Covington

August 2016 U.S. milk production up, Southeast production down. ationwide, milk production for the first half of this year versus last year is up 1.6%.

The increase is due to more cows, 7,000 more head than a year ago, and about 1.5% more milk produced per cow compared to last year. Almost all of this increase in milk is east of the Mississippi and north of the Mason-Dixie Line; the Great Lakes region and Northeast.

According to the Northeast Market Administrator report, 41 million lbs. of milk was dumped or went into animal feed in June, compared to 22 million lbs. a year. The Northeast Administrator reports a record milk volume for the month of June, and the lowest June Class I usage in history. June was the 18 th consecutive month for lower milk production in the nation’s largest dairy state, California.

Across the pond, in Europe, milk production is finally starting to retreat. Milk production for the first four months of this year compared to

N

July - August 2016 • KDDC • Page 10

the same period last year is up 4.4%. However, May production was only up 0.2% compared to last May. The European Union is implementing a plan which gives dairy farmers an incentive to reduce milk production. Forecasts project EU milk production for the last half of the year to be below year ago production levels. However, the EU still has mountains of milk powder inventories.

Unlike the Northeast and Great Lakes, June milk production in the Southeast is down 1.8% for the first half of 2016 compared to the same period in 2015. As shown in the table below, Georgia is the only Southeast state showing increased milk production. All other states are producing less milk. Less milk in the Southeast is a combination of 11,000 fewer cows and slower growth in milk produced per cow. For the first six months of the year, milk produced per cow in the Southeast is up less than one-half percent, while nationwide milk per cow is up 1.6%.

Mailbox prices. Mailbox prices may provide some explanation for regional differences in milk production.

For the month of April, the New England area reported the highest mailbox price at $16.30/cwt. The lowest was in California at $13.27/cwt. Mailbox prices in the Southeast: Florida - $15.69/cwt., Appalachian states - $15.11/cwt. and Southeast states - $14.68/cwt.

Cheese prices keeping moving up. This past Friday, August 5, CME blocks and barrels closed at $1.8150/lb.

KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

Milk Prices FMMO 5

www.malouisville.com July 2016 Class I Advanced Price (@ 3.5% BF) $17.10 August 2016 Class I Advanced Price (@ 3.5% BF) $18.47

FMMO 7 www.fmmatlanta.com July 2016 Class I Advanced Price (@ 3.5% BF) $17.50 and $1.88/lb., respectively. We have to go back to later part of 2014 to find higher cheese prices. Since July 1, blocks and barrels have advanced about $0.20/lb. Marketing experts attribute lower American cheese production, and strong demand for the price increase. June American cheese production in June was 0.2% lower than a year ago, but 2.4% lower in California and 4.6% lower in Idaho. Over the past few months, some cheese makers switched production from American to other cheese varieties, especially Italian, thus lowering the supply of fresh American style cheese.

Butter and powder. In spite of June butter production 6.4% higher, and inventories over 27% higher than a year ago, the butter price is holding, closing at $2.27/lb. on August 5. In addition to increased butter consumption (up 8.2% so far this year), we continue to credit growing whole milk sales for supporting higher butter prices. On the powder side, the July AMS nonfat dry milk powder was $0.84/lb., the highest powder price this year.

Fluid milk sales only slightly down, but up in the Southeast.

Through May, total fluid milk sales are only down 0.3% compared to a year ago. Separating conventional and organic, conventional sales

August 2016 are down 0.6% while organic is up Class I Advanced Price 5.4%. Whole milk sales continue (@ 3.5% BF) to grow with conventional whole $18.87 milk sales up 5.0% and organic up 16.4%. In the Southeast, total fluid milk sales, in all three federal orders, are up about 0.5% through May. Higher blend prices. We project July blend prices in the three southeast orders to be about $1.00/cwt. higher than June. As shown in the table below, we project prices to continue increasing through September, and then stabilizing before starting to decline in December.

I am temporarily suspending publication of the Dixie Dairy Report. The reason is my acceptance of an interim position in the dairy industry. This position will consume most of my time for the near future. My plan is to re-continue publication when this position ends.

July - August 2016 • KDDC • Page 11

KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

Bilingual Workshop

By Sam Schwoeppe

B

urkmann Feeds in Glasgow, was the host site for the first bilingual dairy skills training held in Kentucky. Peter Sook, from Lallemand Animal Nutrition, along with Dr. Charles Townsend, DVM and the KDDC worked together to facilitate this educational event held on July 20.

Ron Medeiros, DVM, led training in Spanish and English covering topics such as: cow movement, correct milking procedure, calving assistance and general health assessment. It is his belief that every person on a dairy needs to understand the personality of a cow, what a healthy cow looks like, and how milking equipment works. He stressed the people who are milking the cows are not the milkers, the machines that are milking the cows are the milkers. We need to understand the machines because a malfunctioning machine can harm 10-20 or more cows a day, and even more over a period of

Low Stress Dairy Handling and Lameness Prevention UK Dairy Extension and KDDC are happy to host Dr. Neil Chesterton for two meetings in September. Dr. Chesterton is a veterinarian from New Zealand. He will be presenting on Low Stress Dairy Handling and Lameness Prevention. Programs will be Tuesday, September 20 at the Community Center in Penchem and Wednesday, September 21 at the Adair County Extension Office. Details will be forthcoming. Contact Jeffrey Bewley at 859-6992998 for additional details.

July - August 2016 • KDDC • Page 12

days.

Dr. Medeiros stressed the knowledge of cow flight zones and correct handling to load the milk parlor efficiently while keeping cows in a calm, relaxed state so they enter the parlor ready to be milked. The milking parlor should be viewed as a sanctuary where the cows feel good coming in and they feel good going out. Cows are creatures of habit and will learn what we teach them. It is critically important cows remain calm to promote oxytocin production to enable cows to milk quickly and completely. Nervous cows produce adrenaline which will stay in the cow’s system for 20-30 minutes working to prohibit correct milk out by starting and stopping milk flow. Poor udder health and high somatic cell count will result. When looking at Somatic Cell Counts, Dr. Medeiros stated, “200,000 is the lucky number, the customer is happy and the cow is healthy.”

Cow handling with instruction on the proper use of a cow sled along with general health guidelines for assessment of temperature, heart and breathing rates as they relate to health challenges such as left displaced abomasum, right displaced abomasum, hardware and pneumonia were useful take-home additions for everyone’s dairy cow care tool kit.

Dr. Medeiros finished his presentation with an emphasis on the importance of developing a fresh cow protocol with your veterinarian to optimize cow health and milk production on your farm. He once again emphasized the veterinarian/ client relationship and stated “If you don’t know the answer to a problem, he is trained to help you find it through the process of elimination. There is a team of people here ready to help you on the farm, your FSA, nutritionists, KDDC consultants, field staff and veterinarians are here to help you to help yourself; support them and use their services.

Work as a team, when you don’t work as a team, you have problems.”

KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

Southland Dairy Farmers Mobile Dairy Classroom at the Kentucy State Fair

S

outhland Dairy Farmers and the Mobile Dairy Dairy Farmers and the Mobile Dairy Classroom is to educate Classroom made their debut at the 2015 Kentucky audiences about the safety and nutritional value of dairy State Fair. Michaela Sanders brought her cows, products. With advertisements that promote soy, rice or almond “milk” as healthier, dairy producers continue to fight her expertise, and her enthusiasm to the patrons at for their share of the market. Our message helps promote all the fair. Over 10,000 people stopped by to hear about the nutrients found in each serving of dairy and why those the nutritional value of dairy products, the safety of nutrients are necessary for good health. dairy products, and to see the cows. Included in her Southland Dairy Farmers and the Mobile Dairy Classroom are proud to be in Kentucky and excited to bring this unique presentation was information about what happens on educational experience to the Kentucky State Fair! Milking America’s dairy farms every day from cleaning, care demonstrations were held daily at the Fair (August 18 – 28) for the animals, care for the land and the environment, hourly from 10:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. and 5:00 P.M. and 6:00 along with the hard work America’s dairy farmers have to P.M. Remember “Milk, a part of everything that’s good!” do every day to produce the quality products everyone To schedule the Mobile Dairy Classroom for your school or loves! Each presentation concluded with a milking event, please visit our website – www.southlanddairyfarmers. demonstration as the trailer is a fully, self-contained com. milking parlor.

Southland Dairy Farmers is supported by dairy producers in the areas we serve.

There are also kiosks with game type questions about dairy to engage children and their parents.

A fiberglass cow shows the digestive system of a dairy cow and helps provide a visual backdrop to the presentation, along with the Power Point presentation given by the instructor.

The goal of each Mobile Dairy Classroom instructor is to help audiences at fairs and livestock shows, students and staff at Mobile Dairy Classroom trailer with kiosks schools, and others at different community events understand the need for dairy products in a healthy diet. The presentations are made at no charge to a school or event so the message can be taken to as many people as possible. For schools that face budget issues and less resources for field trips, this educational experience is a way to bring the field trip to the school. Many students have never seen a milking demonstration or a cow “up close”.

They understand, after seeing the program, the milk in the grocery store comes from dairy cows on America’s dairy farms.

Michaela Sanders speaking to a group of children Another goal of Southland

July - August 2016 • KDDC • Page 13

KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Fund MPP Development Indemnity

Payments

W

isconsin, Minnesota and Iowa dairy producers will receive about half the Margin Protection Program for Dairy (MPP-Dairy) indemnity money paid out for the May-June period, according to a state-by-state list released by USDA. Of the $11.17 million distributed nationwide, $5.71 million will go to producers in those three states (Table 1).

It’s no regional conspiracy, just simple math.

Payments are based on the level of coverage and the pounds of milk production enrolled in MPPDairy in 2016.

With a calculated U.S. average margin over feed costs of $5.76 per cwt for the May-June period, MPP-Dairy paid indemnities on margins insured at $6.00 per hundredweight (cwt) or higher at the following rates: • $6.00: 24 cents • $6.50: 74 cents • $7.00: $1.24 • $7.50: $1.74 • $8.00: $2.24 Wisconsin farmers led the nation in selecting margin insurance coverages in the $6, $6.50, $7, $7.50 and $8 per cwt ranges at 1,465, and protected the largest volume of milk production.

Minnesota was second, with 999 producers selecting coverage in those ranges, and was second in milk volume covered.

Pennsylvania had more farmers (369) selecting coverage in the $6-$8 per cwt range, but Iowa had more milk covered at the top levels three levels ($7, $7.50 and $8 per cwt), which provided the higher indemnity payments.

Eligible farmers receive payments on onesixth of the annual milk production history.

Payments are subject to a 6.8 percent federal budget sequestration reduction. Stronger milk futures prices have improved forecasted MPPDairy margins for coming months, making future payments less likely.

July - August 2016 • KDDC • Page 14

KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

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Dr. Bob Harmon Retires from University of Kentucky

D

r. Bob Harmon’s excellent skills have given him a strong reputation among producers as a go-to person for solving problems mastitis related issues in Kentucky and Southeastern dairy herds. In addition to being available to answer individual producer questions, Dr. Harmon has participated in dozens of producer conferences including the Kentucky Dairymen’s Conference where he not only provided content, but participated in the organizing committee at least 15 times. Dr. Harmon has been equally adept at assisting small family owned dairies in Kentucky and large corporate dairies in the U.S. Dr. Harmon has worked closely with colleagues in Extension to produce fact sheets and other publications to assist dairy producers and county agents. He has been a frequent contributor to Kentucky Dairy News and he has also contributed to Hoard’s Dairyman and other industry publications.

For more than 14 years, Dr. Harmon served as chair of the Department of Animal and Food Sciences at the University of

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Kentucky, just stepping down in early 2015. Budget cuts, faculty retirements and faculty reassignments devastated the dairy group in the early 2000s.

However, Dr. Harmon refused to let the dairy program whither. Extremely atypical for a department chair of a large department, Dr. Harmon continued to be active in undergraduate and graduate education.

Although his appointment was solely administrative, he continued to teach the Milk Secretion course. He also lectured in the senior level Dairy Science course and provided guest lectures in other classes whenever necessary to support the undergraduate and graduate students with a dairy emphasis. Realizing that the dairy science program at the University of Kentucky could not go forward without an infusion of new blood, Dr. Harmon convinced the department that the hiring of a new faculty member in dairy science should be a high priority. With the strong support of the department, he then successfully lobbied the college administration to open a position. Finally, he recruited, hired and later mentored a young energetic dairy scientist (Dr. Bewley) who is leading the program into the future. He has played an important role in the participation of Kentucky in the leadership of DaireXNET and the national dairy eXtension community of practice.

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KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

THIS FALL ALL ROADS LEAD TO WISCONSIN That’s right it’s time to get prepared and registered for the upcoming 2016 Young Dairy Producer Tour, October 5th through October 8th. You don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to meet and build relationships with producers and other representatives in the dairy industry. You will be given the opportunity to gain educational insight into different practices that other dairy producers are utilizing to be successful in their operations.

This year will be another great trip with stops in Milford, Indiana at the Beer Dairy Farm, and the Olbrich Dairy Farm located in Harvard, Illinois. There will also be a full day of stops at various dairies located in the southern part of Wisconsin and don’t forget the World Dairy Expo which is celebrating its 50th year this year. With only ONE bus this year you want to be sure to get your registration in SOON! The tour is open to everyone but priority will be given first to young dairy producers (45 years or younger, must have been involved in management decisions on the farm for 10 years or less), KDDC board members and dairy farmers and then industry representatives.

All hotel expenses, most meals and transportation cost from Elizabethtown to Madison are covered by the registration fee.

Young Dairy Producer- $100 each, $50 is non-refundable, limit 2 per farm at $100 additional members $300 each.

KDDC Board Members- $100 per person, $50 is non-refundable All Other Dairy Farmers and Industry- $300 per person, $50 is non-refundable

We need to hear from you soon as possible to reserve your space on the bus.

For more information please contact: Eunice Schlappi, Ky Dept. of Ag – email Eunice.schlappi@ky.gov or cell 502-545-0809. Or contact your KDDC consultant: Dave Roberts 859-516-1409; Beth Cox 859-516-1619; Meredith Scales 859-5161966 or Jennifer Hickerson 859-516-2458.

July - August 2016 • KDDC • Page 18

KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

July - August 2016 • KDDC • Page 19

KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

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July - August 2016 • KDDC • Page 20

he wet August and healthy corn crop are great for tonnage, but will present challenges for determining when to harvest the corn crop for silage. Whole plant moisture is the most important factor for deciding when to harvest corn. Ideal whole plant moistures are 65 to 70% for bunker silos, 62 to 65% for uprights and 62 to 68% for silo bags. Moisture at harvest determines how well the chopped crop will pack which directly impacts the quality of silage when fed-out. Silage harvested too wet will undergo an unwanted fermentation and could limit feed intake and hurt the health of dairy cattle. Plant growth stage is another consideration, but it secondary to whole plant moisture.

In a “normal year” August is hot and dry such that corn drydown in the field is relatively easy to predict. This is not a normal August or a normal season to estimate plant drydown. Based on the way August has progressed, we would expect whole plant drydown to be slower than normal. In addition, different hybrids seem to have different rates of drydown. They also have differences in leaf greenness relative to kernel maturity. We would guess that most corn will be past blacklayer before it reaches proper whole plant moisture this year. With the expectation of corn being more mature at harvest this year, properly adjusting kernel processors will be critical to high quality silage.

Simply looking at milkline or blacklayer is an inaccurate method for determining whole plant moisture. Of all the methods used to estimate whole plant moisture, the Koster™ tester is probably the most accurate on-farm device. A microwave can be effective, but it may worth the money (and your marriage, coworkers, etc.) to have a microwave in the barn to make these measurements. You can send fresh samples to some labs for NIR spectroscopy readings. Regardless of which method used, an accurate sample from the field and a chop size representative of your chopper are necessary to get a representative reading.

Pulling a corn sample from the outer edge of the field is a bad idea.

Getting samples from inside the fields and running those samples through the chopper is probably the best way to get representative samples. Having multiple samples will provide a better estimate of the whole plant moisture in the field.

The following guidelines are adapted from our colleague, Joe Lauer, at Wisconsin: 1. Sample 3 to 5 plants in a row that is in the field, not at the edge, and representative.

2. Put the sample in a plastic bag.

3. Keep the plants cool. (very important) 4. Chop as quickly as possible.

5. Measure whole plant moisture on-farm by drying on-farm with a Koster ™tester or microwave or by sending to a lab for NIR spectroscopy.

Testing some samples over several days will allow you to make some estimates on how quickly the corn plants are drying. You can use that rate of drydown to better estimate when to begin harvest.

For more information about corn for silage, contact your local county extension agent.

KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

National Dairy Leaders Coalition Meeting, Bowling Green, KY

Y

ou are cordially invited to the National Dairy Leaders Coalition Meeting, November 15-16, 2016 in Bowling Green, Kentucky at the Holiday Inn, University Plaza Hotel. The NDLC, facilitated by the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin (PDPW) will be hosted by The Kentucky Dairy Development Council.

We are excited to have the meeting in Kentucky and we appreciate the support of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and dairy industry sponsors in helping make this possible.

Quality milk responsibly produced. This is our common brand, no matter the size and type of your dairy, or where you are located. Created by the PDPW, the NDLC is a growing network of dairy producers and leaders across the country who can mobilize quickly to protect our brand.

The NDLC is all about producers sharing ideas and resources that help dairy producers succeed.

The NDLC meeting format will include two halfday meetings to help accommodate travel and enhance

networking among the group. The meeting will begin at 2:00 p.m. Central Time on Tuesday, November 15 and will be followed by a reception and dinner and a time to relax and network with group members. On Wednesday morning we will jump right into the discussion at 8 a.m.

C.T. and wrap up the Coalition meeting by 12 noon. Box lunches will be provided before we load the bus to tour Chaney’s Ice Cream Bar and Dairy. After touring Ballance Dairy and Elkins Dairy we will enjoy a KY Farm to Table dinner at 6:00 p.m. C.T. The bus will return to the hotel after dinner. Event registration will be $100 and will include reception, dinner both nights and the tour. The block code for NDLC is KD3, the rate is $104 with 1 breakfast voucher, and reservations can be made by going to the KDDC website: www.kydairy.org and filling out the registration form then submitting. You will have two options for the event; attending the meeting plus taking the farm tour or meeting only. You can submit payment online using a credit card or send your registration and payment to KDDC, 176 Pasadena Drive, Lexington, KY 40503. If you have questions you can contact the KDDC office at kddc@kydairy.org or 859-516-1129.

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July - August 2016 • KDDC • Page 21

KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

What is the Driving Force behind Robotic Milkers?

Jennifer Hickerson

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n 2014 Kentucky saw the first robotic milker in the state installed for Eddie Gibson in Kenton County.

Two years later we have 6 robots located across the state and a strong interest among other dairy producers alludes to the likely possibility that the growth of robotic milkers within the state of Kentucky will continue.

So what is the driving force behind the growth? Though each operation and dairy producer is different there seems to be a common thread when it comes to a robotic milker -TIME- one thing you can’t make more of.

For some that time is so they can spend it fulfilling family obligations more easily and more frequently. While for others its time that they are free to pursue other sectors of their farming operations such as crops, value added product marketing and agri-tourism venues. This gives the operation an opportunity to become more valuable and productive.

Time efficiency is not the only beneficial aspect of a robotic milker. Cows are for the most part more relaxed when being milked at their convenience resulting in an increase in production per cow along with a decrease in cell counts can often be seen. However the increase in production may notTable 1. Estimated hours happen or at least not be astems at four herd sizes. prominent in herds that are already milking 3X. Labor savings and accuracy is another reason some look towards robotic milkers. With robots the cows are milked the same way each time a consistency that is rarely found with human labor.

Dependability of that robot being there is also higher than that of employees. This can allow for better milk production, better quality and less hassle for managers and owners that have to oversee employees.

A robotic milking operation is a big decision and even though they are successful on various size and types of dairy operations they may or may not be right for yours. This past July the University of Kentucky Extension Service hosted two

July - August 2016 • KDDC • Page 22

workshops in Barren and Adair Counties that explored what robotic milking options were for dairymen.

The workshop featured Jack Rodenberg with DairyLogix of Ontario, Canada and covered an array of topics including, “Should I Buy a Robotic Milker?” and “Economics of Robotic Milking.” More information from Jack Rodenberg can be found on his website www.dairylogix.com.

There was discussion on labor being the largest cost for a dairy farm with milking figured to represent about 40 percent of the daily labor expense on a dairy farm. Rodenberg presented the graph below that is an excellent visual of how robots can make a dairy operation time efficient.

He ended the meeting with the following take home messages: • Measure and compare your labor consumption, and work at decreasing it.

• Look for robotics to reduce labor, and improve productivity.

• Investing in robots makes the most sense at the moment

when you have to invest in new milking equipment.

• If you get more milk…..and you should…..It will pay very well.

of daily milking labor with three different milking sys-

KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

Allied Sponsors

S P E C I A L

Platinum AgCentral Alltech Arm & Hammer Animal Nutrition Bluegrass Dairy & Food Burkmann Feeds Dairy Farmers of America Dairy Products Assoc. of KY Farm Credit Mid-America IDEXX IMMVAC, Inc. Kentucky Department of Agriculture Kentucky Farm Bureau Kentucky Soybean Board Mammoth Cave Dairy Auction MultiMin USA Organic Valley Prairie Farms Whayne Supply Zoetis

T H A N K S T O

Gold Ag Central Animal Health Management Services Arm & Hammer Animal Nutrition CPC Commodities DeLaval IDEXX Kentucky Nutrition Service Land O’Lakes Mid-South Dairy Records Select Sires MidAmerica (KABA) Smith Creek, Inc.

O U R P L A T I N U M S P O N S O R S

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Dairy Express Services Elanco Grain Processing Corp.

Kentucky Veterinary Medical Assoc.

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July - August 2016 • KDDC • Page 23

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2016 Dairy Calendar of Events September 2016 September 8 CPC Fall Field Day, Fountain Run, KY September 17 Chaney’s Agriculture Night Bowling Green,

4- 8 P M

October 2016 October 5-8

October 22

KDDC Young Dairy Producer Bus Tour, World Dairy Expo, Madison, WI Dare to Dairy, University of Kentucky Coldstream Dairy, Lexington, KY

November 2016 November 4-8

Nov 15- 16

Nov 16-17

November 18

North American International Livestock Exhibition, Louisville, KY National Dairy Leaders Coalition Conference, Sloan Convention Center, Bowling Green, KY Southeast Quality Milk Conference, UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center, Tifton, GA KDDC Board Meeting TBA

December 2016 December 7-10 Kentucky Farm Bureau Annual Meeting, Louisville KY Milk Matters July - August 2016