For your dairy business... 

COWS WITH A HIGH GENETIC MERIT FOR ENERGY have a significantly earlier resumption of ovarian activity after calving. That's the findings of German researchers exploring the relationship between postpartum energy status and fertility. Using regression models to assess the effect of genetic merit for energy status on different traits, and on subsequent reproductive performance of 824 high-producing dairy cows, researchers found that an energy balancer (indicator) trait should be included in future breeding programs to reduce the currently prolonged anovulatory intervals after parturition. To read their abstract, CLICK HERE. 

THE SUPPLEMENTATION OF MASTITIC DAIRY COWS with antioxidant vitamins such as Vitamin A, Beta Carotene, C and E and antioxidant minerals such as selenium, zinc and copper has been shown to help the animal recover early. After investigating the oxidative stress in dairy cows' mastitis and the roles of VA and BC, VC, VE, Se, Zn, and Cu in mastitis of dairy cows, research Feng L. Yang and Xiao S. Li found that it's important that dairy farmers have their animal feeds tested and their rations evaluated by a competent nutritionist and a trustworthy laboratory "to be sure what levels of supplementation may be warranted. In their report published in the Journal of Advanced Veterinary and Animal Research, the researchers noted that, "while inadequate intake and absorption of certain nutrients may result in a weakened immune system and perhaps more mastitis during the lactation period, unjustified supplementation can be expensive and lead to other animal health problems."

EAT, REST, RUMINATE. And, of course, drink and stand or walk in alleys. That's pretty much describes a cow's day. After reviewing numerous research trials, the Miner Agricultural Research Institute has developed a daily time budget to help dairy producers create a lactating cow environment that can positively affect dairy cows' abilities to rest and ruminate. The Miner's Institute's recommendations: 

• Eating: 5.5 hours (9 to 14 meals/day); 
• Resting, 12-14 hours with 6 hours of rumination; standing or walking in alleys, including grooming rumination and other, 2-3 hours; 
• Drinking, 30 minutes. 

OSHA & THE MIGRANT AND SEASONAL AGRICULTURAL WORKER PROTECTION ACT will be the focus of an "OSHA Inspection Preparedness" World Class Webinar scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 11. Led by DeWitt Ross & Stevens Law Firm, this webinar will discuss the federal statute as it relates to your employees and how the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act can be tied to OSHA. Be in the know so the federal statute doesn't become an issue when OSHA inspects your farming operation. The webinar, which has a Feb. 4 registration deadline, will be broadcast live Feb. 11 from noon to 1 p.m. CST. If you have a date or time conflict, you can watch a fully recorded version at your leisure-but you must register by the Feb. 4 deadline. For more information, CLICK HERE or call PDPW at 800-947-7379.

GET THE ANSWERS TO COWS + PEOPLE + SUN + AIR at one of the two upcoming Agricultural Community Engagement� (ACE) meetings: Monday, Feb. 24, Wisconsin Dells, Wis., or Tuesday, Feb. 25, Green Bay, Wis. Sponsored by the Wisconsin Towns Association, Wisconsin Counties Association and PDPW, each information-rich meeting is for community leaders, elected officials, conservation officials, dairy and livestock producers and Wisconsinites who want to grow communities that are vibrant and green. Both days of learning and important dialogue start at 9 a.m. and wrap up by 4 p.m. Speakers and sessions include:

Dennis Frame on the Yahara Pride Farms Project

• Jeff Endres, a Wisconsin dairy farmer who is active in the Yahara Pride watershed project. The project is an ongoing partnership between dairy farmers, neighbors and researchers who aim to discover the best ways to manage agricultural practices, utilize the state's natural resources, and account for soil nutrients that once were lost.
• Tucker Burch, research hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey. Burch leads the risk assessment portion of Wisconsin's nutrient irrigation study. He walks fields, studies air and water quality, and will lead a discussion about what is best for the environment in our rural communities.
• Brenda Murphy, Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board. Murphy will depict the impact Wisconsin's dairy industry has on our rural communities and on the state as a whole.
• Sgt. Mike Klingenberg, Wisconsin State Patrol, and Rob Richard, Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, will share the current status of the legislation governing agricultural equipment on roads and how these new regulations affect town and county road systems.
• Secretary Ben Brancel, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. Secretary Brancel's presentation will balance challenges and opportunities at the state level with the challenges and opportunities for rural communities.

To register for an ACE meeting, please contact the Wisconsin Towns Association at 715-526-3157. You can find a flyer on the PDPW web site by CLICKING HERE. Share the flyer with your neighbors and community leaders!

CAFO OWNERS, MANAGERS, NUTRITION MANAGEMENT PLAN WRITERS & ENGINEERS: Seven annual CAFO meetings are on tap across Wisconsin in February: Monday, Feb. 2, Jefferson; Tuesday, Feb. 3, Green Bay; Wednesday, Feb. 4, New London; Friday, Feb. 6, Dodgeville; Tuesday, Feb. 10, Fond du Lac; Wednesday, Feb. 11, Marshfield; and Thursday, Feb. 12, Rice Lake. Registration for each meeting will start at 8:30 a.m., with the meeting going from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  Attendees will be given information to improve nutrient management plan implementation and to enhance communication between plan writers, permit holders and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources-and information on regulations that may affect large farming operations. Registration fee includes lunch. To check out specific locations, topics and speakers and/or to register, CLICK HERE.   

THE GOAL: LESS THAN 4% DISPLACED ABOMASUM. To achieve this goal, however, requires careful feeding and management. To reduce the risk of a displaced abomasum, Maurice Eastridge, Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University, advises dairy producers to provide a balanced diet - especially for fiber and energy - as well as ample bunk and resting space to cows before they calve. Eastridge says, when a DA occurs after 60 days in milk, "it is best to review dietary fiber and particle size, proper operation of the feed mixer and scales and feeding procedures by employees." He adds that reducing the risk for a DA improves cow health and well-being, increases milk sold and reduces veterinary costs.

A CALF'S LYING TIME MIGHT BE A CLUE if it's feeling a bit off. Research from the University of Guelph shows that, depending on their age, calves spend an average of 16 hours to 20.6 hours each day lying down. While the older the calf, the less its lying time, calves with a fever had lying times that were 44 � 14 minutes greater than healthy calves. With a large part of a calf's daily time budget spent lying down, researchers stress that the resting surface plays an important role in maintaining calf health, adding that "effort spent to provide adequate resting space with a clean, dry surface and ventilation that removes ammonia near the bedding surface will be rewarded with healthier calves." Guelph researchers recommend that group housing system designs include resting space that enables all calves to lay down 75% to 85% of the day. In cold weather, the resting surface should not contribute to heat loss, and deep straw may be used to provide nesting sites that increase insulation. During hot weather, bedding hutches with inorganic material such as gravel or sand may help to keep calves cool because some body heat will be transferred to the bedding. Researchers point out that "understanding the amount of time that calves spend lying down should make it obvious that maintaining calf pens is not a 'minor' task on the daily list of chores. In addition, attentive calf managers may be able to use changes in lying behavior to identify sick calves early."

TO IMPROVE YOUR HERD'S REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE, vaccinate for BVD. That's the findings of a recent meta-analysis by researchers at Auburn University. Researchers found that abortion in cattle vaccinated against BVDV decreased nearly 45% compared to unvaccinated controls. Fetal infection also decreased by almost 85% in vaccinated animals, and pregnancy rate increased by approximately 5% in field trials of BVDV-vaccinated animals. Researchers concluded that "the decision to vaccinate is the most important consideration when a decrease in BVDV-associated reproductive disease is desired." They noted that vaccination in combination with a sound biosecurity program can "greatly limit the negative reproductive impact of BVDV infection." 

YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED WHAT MEASUREMENTS CAN TELL YOU. Recent research data out of Pennsylvania State suggest that calf hip height and body weight can be useful predictors of milk yield, while calf growth rate and starter feed intake can impact mature cow body weight.  Data from six different calf trials conducted at Pennsylvania State were compared to 134,469 daily milk records and 37,403 body weights to determine how heifer growth traits correlate with milk yield and mature cow body weight. Animals were classified into three categories-low, intermediate and high-according to their body weight, hip height, growth rate and starter feed intake. Calves that were classified in the intermediate-body-weight category tended to produce more milk during the first 10 weeks of lactation than cows classified as having low or high body weights as calves. Additionally, cows classified in the low-hip-height group as calves produced less milk during the first 10 weeks of lactation when compared to cows classified in the intermediate- or high-hip-height category as calves. Calves classified in either the low-growth-rate or the low-starter-feed-intake group also tended to be lighter as mature cows when compared to the intermediate and high classifications of their respective categories.

TAKE CARE OF YOU WHEN WORKING IN THE COLD. The University of Maine reminds farmers to dress like an onion in winter: yes, dress in layers. That includes wearing two layers of gloves or mittens: one for insulation and one for waterproofing. Another tip is to pace yourself, being reasonable about the duration and difficulty of a task. While the task might be a cinch in warmer weather, ice or snow can change the work. Also consider access around your farm and equipment. Because the sun sets much earlier in winter months, you should plan accordingly to finish your work before dark to avoid having an accident. University personnel also advise farmers to carry a few basic items in case of an emergency: PPE, a first-aid kit, a pocket knife or multi-tool, a headlamp and a cell phone. You should also tell someone where you'll be working and when you'll be done. That way, if you don't show up, someone can start looking for you.