World Dairy Diary

Monsanto and UC Promise to Play Nice

On the very day the patent infringement trial was to begin, Monsanto Company announced they had reached a licensing agreement with the University of California resolving a dispute over bovine somatotropin or BST. Monsanto markets BST under the brand name Posilac, but the product was patented by UC back in 2004. BST, of course, is used to enhance milk production and efficiency of dairy operations.

Under the terms of the agreement, Monsanto has exclusive commercial rights to manufacture BST. The University, meanwhile, retains non-commercial rights for research and educational purposes. The University agreed to drop the lawsuit, and in exchange, Monsanto agreed to pay the University $100 million in royalties upfront, with an ongoing royalty of 15 cents per dose of Posilac sold through the expiration of the patent in 2023. The University will be paid a minimum $5 million in those royalties regardless of how many doses Monsanto sells. That means the company will have to sell over 33.3 million doses just to cross that threshold.

Monsanto’s Executive Vice President for North America Commercial Operations Carl Casale pointed out that “this agreement illustrates that we are willing to work jointly to resolve disputes, and it allows us to avoid the expense and inconvenience of protracted litigation.

Move Over Gatorade, Chocolate Milk is the Athletic Drink of Choice

Belive it or not, the next time you go out for a run or hope on the treadmill, you may want to take along a bottle of ice cold chocolate milk. Sure, you love the flavor of chocolate milk, but leading researchers now say it may be a better athletic drink than what you typically see sports stars chugging on television. In a recent study published in the February issue of International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Excercise Metabolism, researchers report that athletes who drank chocolate milk after excercise were able to workout longer during a second workout compared to athletes who drank commercial sports beverages.

Dr. Joel Stager, professor of Kinesiology at Indiana University was the lead author of the study. He notes that “chocolate milk contains an optimal carbohydrate to protein ration, which is critical for helping refuel tired muscles after strenuous excercise.” Dr. Stager and his colleagues studied cyclists who biked until their muscles were spent, then rested and biked again until exhaustion. During their rest period, the cyclists were tested drinking one of three beverages: chocolate milk, a fluid replacement drink, or a carbohydrate replacement drink. The researchers found that the athletes who drank the chocolate milk were able to bike twice as long than those who consumed the carb-replacement drink and as long as those who consumed the fluid replacement drink.

Alongside being a fun and flavorful alternative to commercial sports drinks, the researchers also point out that milk contains seven other essential nutrients; a combination not found in any other sports drink.

Nitrogen Cost Management Tools Are Available

If you raise your own corn, either for grain or silage, you’re probably giving a lot of thought to how much more money you are going to be spending this year on nitrogen. As the cost of all our energy inputs have ebbed and flowed, Nitrogen costs are the one input no expected to soften, even as Natural Gas prices have retreated to more reasonable levels. To assist in planning your application rates, there are two great new tools available. The first is a Nitrogen Energy Estimator available at USDA’s website. This energy consumption tool enables you to calculate the cost of nitrogen product use on your farm. NRCS agronomists have developed these cost estimates based on nitrogen fertilizer management methods for the predominant crops in your state.

The second tool is available from The Ohio State University. They have developed a Nitrogen rate calculator that figures your application rate based on both desired yield AND both the cost of Nitrogen couple with the price of corn at which you will market. The combination provides for maximum efficiency by taking into account the profit potential of the crop and balancing those concerns at the time of application. OSU Extension soil scientist Robert Mullen commented that “Historically, we’ve treated excess nitrogen as cheap crop insurance. While that used to be the case, it’s not true any more.”

Each calculator is customized to your geography, and allows you to input several variables to get the most specific recommendation possible.

Australian Dairy Farmers In South America

A group of dairy farmers from Australia are in South America on a tour to learn more about the challenges their peers face. Here’s a photo, courtesy of tour sponsor, Dairy Australia, of members of the study tour examining forage crops.

The competition for milk supply, the impact of cultural differences and ongoing effects of an unstable economy are some of the issues faced by South America’s dairy farmers. Four farmers and a milk processor representative are visiting factories and meeting government and industry officials in the major dairying regions of Mercosur as part of a 20-day study tour sponsored by the Gardiner Foundation and organised with Dairy Australia.

Mid-way through the tour are farmers Wayne Weller of Longwarry, John Keely of Cohuna, Michelle Whiteside of Terang and Allen van Kuyk of Toora, and Murray Goulburn Rochester production supervisor Andrew Wellington. The tour has given them valuable insights into this potential export market and cultures to which they would not normally have access and could impact the way they operate back on the farm. “We have had many opportunities to observe and discuss farming techniques and issues,” Wayne Weller said. “One of the major issues facing dairy farmers is the rapidly expanding soy industry which is limiting the opportunity for the expansion of dairy production. Although we are also seeing an industry with enormous potential for growth and prosperity.”

Guard Your Cows… The Aliens Are Coming!

I have officially found the coolest website of all time. The California Milk Processor Board, the Got Milk people, has launched cowabduction.com - The official site tracking the alien abduction of dairy cows around the globe. Site features are numerous, including video of victims’ herdowners, pictures of the missing and exploited cows, tips and tricks to ward off the alien abducters, and frequently asked questions about the aliens and the missing cows. There is also a feature where you can warn your friends and neighbors of the dangers of cow abduction. The site is fun, fun, and really really fun. Check it out, and let me know your favorite part.

Learn About Goat/Sheep Business In Italy

Got sheep? Maybe some goats? Want to know more about how to milk them for an income? Plan to attend the 5th International Symposium on the Challenge to Sheep and Goats Milk Sectors, April118-20, 2007, Alghero/Sardinia, Italy. You can’t plan ahead too soon.

The general objective of the symposium is to give a renewed vision of knowledge on husbandry and milk production, technology, chemistry, physics, microbiology, nutrition etc, without losing sight of the significance of markets and appropriate policies, as they have evolved since 2004, to scientists and other professionals involved in the sheep and goats dairy sectors (milk producers, dairy industry, trade associations, academia, research institutes, government).

A Cheesy Story From The Northeast

Here’s an interesting story about making cheese in Maine on The Kindred Times. Sounds like a chore to get cheddar lovers in Maine to adapt to some new tastes.

Franklin Peluso uses his hands to squeeze and press heaping mounds of curds and whey to get the moisture content and texture just right as he makes up a batch of his brie-like cheese in a region best known for its cheddars.

A decade ago, just a handful of people made cheese in Maine. These days, the state has more than 20 cheese makers crafting varieties such as French and Tuscan herbed curd, Camembert, chevre in olive oil, and dill and garlic goat roule, in addition to traditional cheddars and Monterey Jacks.

The story sites a couple of websites you might be interested in, Maine Cheese Guild and The American Cheese Society.

Perennial Lactation - Keeping Cows In Milk Longer

The typical dairy cycle is for a producing cow to enter a dry period from between 45 and 60 days prior to calving. That cycle, however, may not be the most profitable production practice available. Dr. David Zartman, Professor Emeritus at The Ohio State University’s Department of Animal Sciences recently released an article examining the concept of perennial lactation - a lactation lasting over two full years, and in several cases, three and four years without a dry period. I spoke with Dr. Zartman on the subject, and you can listen to his comments here: David Zartman Interview (8:54 mp3 file)

Select Sires Adds Jersey and Milking Shorthorn Firepower

Select Sires of Plain City, Ohio has strengthened its stud with the addition of three top Jersey and one leading Milking Shorthorn bull to its sire string. The Jersey bulls are all graduates of Select’s Program for Genetic Advancement young sire program. The Milking Shorthorn Sire is the Number One bull in the breed according to Jeff Ziegler, manager of protein/specialty sire programs for Select Sires.

Jersey Sire 7JE670 C-Bar Hallmark GERONIMO debuts as the highest milk bull in the breed at +2089 and is #2 for both PTAP and JPI. His production numbers indicate exceptional profit potential, and his data also indicates his cows will be productive in your string for a long, long time.

7JE667 Mason Lemvig JACINTO-ET ranks in the top 20 both for PTAP and JPI with +189. Coming from and Excellent (92) dam, his component scores are outstanding, and his health traits have earned him Herdlife Builder status. His daughters are well regarded for their ligaments and correct feet and legs.

7JE681 Lynvail TELMARK-ET is the #3 JPI bull in the breed at *225, featuring a unique balance of genetics and components. His Cheese Merit score ranks in the breed’s top 5, and he is tied for 5th in PTAP. His daughters are known for their exceptional dairy strength and excellent, well-attached udders.

The Milking Shorthorn 7MS342 Vinra Peerless FROLIC joins the lineup as the breed’s top performer in terms of profitability, featuring a breed toping +132 PTI. With a dam and granddam both scoring Excellent producing over 26,000 pounds of milk, its no wonder FROLIC sires daughters who produce volumes of high-component milk from well-attached udders.

He May Not Be Much To Look At…

… but he thinks he can write!

So Chuck couldn’t make me hot - It’s tough being a broadcaster sometimes - When the camera comes out, usually. In fact, my Dad called me when I got my first radio job and congratulated me on getting a position that really suited me. Looking for some more platitudes, I asked Dad what made him say sucha thing, to which he promptly replied, “You sure have a face for it.” I knew then that I would always have a strong fan base.

I’ve been in farm broadcasting my entire career, starting as a college intern with an early morning studio internship. I was in the office by 4:30 each morning to produce the morning show for our network’s farm broadcaster. I wasn’t on the air much, but I loved the work. While I was there, I was trained by a beautiful young producer whom I later married. To quote one of my fellow farm broadcasters from earlier this week, I really married up. Our network was purchased by a larger radio company at the end of my first year with the company, so I was out of radio and back into fulltime college at Ohio State. That didn’t last long - One of the sales consultants I had worked with at the network moved to a local radio station, WRFD-AM in Columbus. Along with being central Ohio’s strongest signal, WRFD was also Ohio’s only major farm radio station, producing over two hours of agricultural programming each day.

At WRFD I started in the sales arena, learning how to write effective selling messages and how to efficiently serve clients. These experiences were some of my most rewarding, because of the close relationship I built with so many of our sponsors. After a few weeks on the job, our station Program Director learned that I had previous studio experience, and promptly offered me more hours producing commercials and voicing small projects. I was thrilled to be back in the booth. The very next summer, I got my big break: broadcasting from county fairs! Because our sales team had successfully marketed over 35 county fairs across our state, there were more events to broadcast from than there were broadcasters to cover them. That meant I, junior farm broadcaster intern boy, got to head out on the road. Those early broadcasts were rough, but really fun. After a few of those, our afternoon drive talk show host Bob Burney invited me to fill in for him during the state fair - WOW! I was doing cartwheels in the aisles. Hosting a two hour talk show live from the Ohio State Fair was daunting enough, but filling in for our most popular host and previewing our Sale of Champions was enormous. I couldn’t belive my good fortune.

That broadcast is still one of my favorite memories on the radio. I had a great time, wonderful guests, and earned a great deal of respect from listeners and sponsors, as well as station management. Two months later, I was having breakfast with our General Manager. This breakfast started out innocently enough - he picked my brain about how we could improve our programming and marketing. By the time I finished my eggs, he had asked me to take over the Farm Department altogether. I was floored, thrilled, astonished, and blessed all at the same time. I served as host of our farm programming from 2002 through late 2005, and had the time of my life doing it. And then, it all came to an end.

The first Friday of the Ohio State Fair that year was a busy day. My wife was working with me at WRFD by that time, and we were doing everything in the farm department - broadcasting, sales, promotions, marketing, public relations, housekeeping, production, feeding the hogs (just kidding about that last part)… State Fair is one of our busiest times of the year with live broadcasts, shows, and countless stories to cover. So I was naturally a little miffed when the boss called me and told me to get back to the office right away. Assuming something bad was going to happen, I really had no idea what was going on.

Our parent company had decided that farm programming no longer had a place on our hallowed airwaves. After 58 years of providing the best farm radio programming in the state, RFD was no longer going to stand for Rural Free Delivery. While my wife and I were both offered other positions at the station, we both knew that farm broadcasting was our passion and our mission. And so after about three minutes and 37 seconds of discussion, we decided to strike out on our own - We’d be entreprenuers!

October 1st, 2005 I officially became CEO of AdVance Broadcast & Communication, Ltd. and I reported to our Chairman of the board (she’s the wife I mentioned eariler). On November 14th, we launched our broadcast, hailing The Buckeye Ag Radio Network as the Next Generation of Rural Radio accross three great radio stations. Now, nearly four months later, we have grown our listening area to include 11 radio stations in Ohio and Indiana, reaching over 55 counties and thousands of farmers. Our website is one of the premier agricultural news sources in the known universe (I can say that because my wife does 100% of the work) and we have just launched our own blogs and podcasts. You’re more than welcome to join us there.

I’m honored that Chuck and Cindy have asked me to join their stable of contributors, and I am anxiously awaiting your feedback on my thoughts and my stories. I have a great deal of passion for farm news, farm people, and in particular, the cattle industry. I grew up raising beef cows, but have always had a special affinity for the dairy industry. My Dad and his four siblings grew up milking cows, as did my Mother and her three brothers and sisters, so it’s in my blood, even if perhaps the genes ended up being recessive this generation. If you want to learn more about me, read my personal blog, Andy’s Angle. Feel free to email me any information requests or story ideas you come across. Most importantly, God speed and God bless.

Welcome Andy Vance

Let me officially introduce you to Andy Vance, Buckeye Ag Radio Network. You’ve been seeing some of his articles here and (hopefully) listened to a few of his reports.

Well, you’re going to be seeing him even more. I was looking for someone who could help me post current stories here on World Dairy Diary and Andy volunteered. I wanted someone who was blogging and he is. I wanted someone who would be consistent about posting good, up to date information and he does.

As soon as I have a chance to go over the posting procedure with him, Andy will begin posting his own content here and we’d love your feedback.

Andy sent me his photo and was hoping I could use PhotoShop to make him look “hot.” I tried Andy, sorry.

Welcome to the ZimmComm family of farm news blogs!

Colorado Flap Over Organic

The whole organic vs. “regular” milk issue is pretty hot in Colorado according to a story in today’s Denver Post. What do you think of the way their reporter characterizes today’s dairies?

The less stress on the cow, goes the logic, the better the milk. Consumers who pay a premium for organic milk are supposed to feel good about subsidizing this expensive bovine lifestyle.

But Steve Wells, 48, who runs a 32,000- acre ranch east of Greeley, says he didn’t let the so-called organic cows out of his feedlot very often. Wells was a contractor for Boulder-based Aurora Organic Dairy, which supplies milk for private labels in stores such as Safeway, Wild Oats, Target and Costco, and also to Dean Foods’ Horizon Organic.

Rabobank Thinks U. S. Dairy Future is Bright

Rabobank has a report out that paints a very promising future for the dairy business in the U. S. It’s one of their Ag Focus reports called “U.S. Dairy Farming: Facing New Markets and Uses, August 2005.” Here’s the introduction:

The United States dairy sector is entering new markets and product uses as a result of ongoing changes at the demand,production and processing stages. With stocks already at record low levels,world demand for U.S. dairy exports continues to increase, as the supply by traditional exporters is limited and world prices climb higher. Increasing concentration, relocation and larger farms and processors have been ongoing
trends, while the development of the export market, the definite increase in the consumption of cheese, and the resulting decline in the importance of fluid milk in total milk use are reshaping the U.S. dairy sector.

The growth in consumption of dairy products in the U.S.continues to favor cheeses over fluid milk. While per capita consumption of cheese has increased by almost 3 percent per year since 1983, consumption of all fluid milk varieties has declined annually by about 1 percent during the same time period.

You can see the whole report here.

When A Name Causes Problems

Boy, talk about a name problem. An AP story today points out the problems a dairy company in Kuwait is having over the whole Danish cartoon protests and boycotts. It’s the Kuwait Danish Dairy Co. They’re an Arabian gulf company that employs about 1,500 people.

But when Arabs began boycotting all things Danish over the prophet cartoons, it was the company’s name that caused it big problems.

“In other places outside Kuwait, where the company is known, but not as well as it is known locally _ such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates _ that has caused a drop of more than 95 percent in our sales,” KDD chairman Mohammed Jaafar lamented during an interview with The Associated Press.

Krone Forage Equipment Interview

At the recent Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, KY, Andy Vance of Buckeye Ag Radio Network interviewed Brent Raines from Krone North America. They talked about new forage epuipment and the Krone big baler shown here.

You can listent to Andy’s interview with Brent here: Brent Raines Interview (6:29 MP3 Fle)

Low Quality Silage May Turn Your Cow’s Stomachs

From Mr. Buckeye Ag Radio Network himself, Andy Vance.

Animal health experts want you to get poor quality silage out of your cows’ diet. Not only because of the lower nutritive value, but because it could kill them. Literally. Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center microbiologist Dr. Jeffrey LeJeune said this week that listeriosis can be caused by such poor silage. What veterinarians often refer to as circling disease because of a common reaction in affected cows, listeriosis is technically caused by Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium found on plants, in the soil, and in natural waterways. Studies have found the bacterium isolated in manure from dozens of species, and the bacterium is often present without symptom.

Dr. LeJeune says for the most part, exposure to the bacterium is harmless, but “using feed that has been inadequately ensiled and does not reach an acidic pH of less than 5 can pose a problem.” He says that under such conditions, “Listeria naturally present on the feedstuffs can slowly multiply in storage, resulting in a large number of organisms accumulating in feed by late winter and early spring.”

Listeria often presents itself with the symptomatic circling pattern many affected cows walk, but also can lead to late-term abortions, mastitis, and other conditions. Dr. LeJeune suggests that if you experience death loss and suspect listeria, save samples from the deadstock for veterinary analysis and confirmation. To prevent the disease, he suggests taking “precautions when silage is chopped and packed to make sure it reaches the appropriate pH conditions.”

Interview With Accelerated Genetics

One of the sponsors of World Dairy Diary is Accelerated Genetics. I spoke with Janet Keller, VP, Public Relations, Communications and Advertising.

Janet talks about the company and some of the new programs they are involved in.

You can hear my interview with Janet here: Janet Keller Interview (7:48 MP3 File)

Kuka Robot At Dean Foods

When I think of robots I usually think of something like what Will Smith ran into on i,ROBOT. Not what helps a company like Dean Foods with its dairy packing business.

KUKA Robotics Corporation, a leading global manufacturer of industrial robots, today announced its system partner, Forte Automation Systems, has installed a KUKA KR 15 SL stainless steel robot into Dean Foods’ dairy product manufacturing facility. The robot is the first stainless steel robot to be installed in North America. Dean Foods, a division of PET Dairies LLC, is using the KUKA KR 15 SL robot in its dairy case packing process.

Select Sires Has Fourteen New Holstein Graduates

The latest news from Select Sires.

Select Sires introduced an updated lineup of 91 Holstein bulls featuring 14 new graduates - more than any other stud - to dairy producers after reviewing the USDA quarterly release of genetic evaluations Feb. 13. The spectacular lineup features sons of the popular sire fathers 7HO5375 Mara-Thon BW MARSHALL-ET and 7HO5157 Regancrest Elton DURHAM-ET*CV.

“Our new DURHAM*CV sons follow in their sire’s footsteps to produce stylish, hard-working and long-lasting daughters, and Select has the largest group of BW MARSHALL sons available. All of Select’s new graduates offer an outstanding and broad variety of genetic options for our customers,” said Blaine Crosser, vice president of dairy sire product line and sales management for Select Sires.

You Say You Want An Alfalfa Revolution

It looks like you can quite literally liberate your alfalfa from weeds. Some new NK Brand varieties have been announced.

Forage producers now have the opportunity to free their fields from weeds with Liberator and Revolution alfalfa, the first NK Brand alfalfa varieties with Roundup Ready technology. This new alfalfa technology is currently available from NK Brand dealers. In addition to liberating alfalfa fields from weed competition, Liberator combines outstanding genetic potential with very fast recovery and strong persistence to maximize performance in three-, four- and five-cut systems. It is well-suited for all major alfalfa forage production areas where fall dormancy-rated ‘2’ to ‘5’ varieties are planted, which is most of the United States.

Developed especially for alfalfa producers who use top management programs, Liberator and Revolution fit well into the NK Brand Dairy Ration Fit system. Ration Fit helps assess the herd’s nutritional needs and customize forage selection for optimal milk production, milk fat and protein content.