The Chairman of the Egyptian Buffalo Producer’s Association is Dr. Saad Alhayani (pictured left). He also owns and operates a very new open water buffalo feedlot and dairy. The U.S. Grains Council Corn Mission team I recently traveled with visited. These cute, sweet, little creatures are very different than your average bovine.
Dr. Alhayani says he imports frozen semen to assist in breeding better quality animals which is something relatively new to the country. He’s raising thousands of buffalo and feeding them corn and ddgs as well as other ingredients. We saw lots of bags of ddgs at his feedlot. That looked very positive for American corn growers! He says sometimes they blend as much as 25% ddgs in the feed.
His goal is to produce a few thousand pregnant heifers for local producers and maybe even to export. He appreciates the assistance he’s received from the USGC.
You can listen to my interview with Dr. Alhayani’s below and watch a video clip of him showing us his operation as well:
Posted: November 19, 2009 at 4:07 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
Have you ever wondered where the heat comes from in silage?
This really cool infrared camera can read the temperature of a silage bunker and provide a color picture of the variations in heat levels on the face. The camera has gotten cheaper since it first came out a couple of years ago, but it still retails for several thousand dollars.
A great way to measure silage heat, but not practical for most producers, so Pioneer ruminant microbiologist Scott Dennis suggests using a thermometer to quickly and easily determine whether heat is physiological or microbial.
Dennis explains more about this topic along with management techniques to reduce heating in this edition of Forage Forum, recorded at the Pioneer Forage Media day held in September at the Livestock Nutrition Center in Johnston, IA.
Listen to the podcast here:
Scott Dennis on Silage Heat (5:00 min MP3)
To see all archived Pioneer Forage Forum podcasts, click here.
Posted: October 11, 2009 at 5:29 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
Back in 2001, Dairyland Seed released the world’s first hybrid alfalfa, HybriForce-400. This year, they took that up a notch and introduced the next generation – HybriForce-2400 Gen-2.
“It’s giving us a five percent yield advantage over generation one,” said Dairyland Seed Forage Product Manager Chad Staudinger during an interview at World Dairy Expo. “Through the hybrid breeding system we are able to commercially place F1 generation with 100 percent yield potential on-farm.”
Chad says this provides a definite yield advantage for producers and the hybrid system brings with it a uniformity of crop, which ultimately means more uniformity of feed for the animals.
Dinner time last night at the Global Dairy 500 Conference featured multiple subject discussions. You picked your topic and then participated in a discussion after eating.
I attended the Silage Discussion Dinner led by Matthew Smith, Alltech. You can see Matthew getting his slides ready for the start of the discussion. He works for the company in New Zealand and has focused on silage during his career. When it comes to silage he says he encourages producers to “get excited about it.” He says the important thing to remember is how important it is as a feed ingredient. Deciding what seed to put in the ground is one of the most important decisions to make up front according to Matthew.
Here at the dinner his hope was to present silage as “good news.” He says cutting your way around the corners with silage in your operation is just not the way to go.
You can watch a portion of Matthew’s discussion dinner here.
Posted: September 17, 2009 at 8:39 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
Leo Brown, Pioneer Livestock Information manager, discusses fall alfalfa management and corn hybrid selection for silage at the 2009 Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Ill. Brown says producers should evaluate alfalfa stands in the fall. Depending on stand quality, a producer can look to fertilize for optimum spring growth or apply a herbicide treatment to kill the crop for easier groundwork in the spring. Now is also the time to consider hybrid selection for corn – looking for good starch and fiber digestibility.
Listen to this edition of Forage Forum here:
Leo Brown from Farm Progress Show (5:30 min MP3)
To see all archived Pioneer Forage Forum podcasts, click here.
Posted: August 6, 2009 at 4:05 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
The most important thing a quality inoculant can do is maintain or retain more of the forage that is put in a bunker. Paul Porter, Pioneer dairy specialist, says that improvement in dry matter recovery can add up to some substantial dollars.
Paul Porter on Inoculants (5:30 min MP3)
To see all archived Pioneer Forage Forum podcasts, click here.
Posted: July 8, 2009 at 9:19 am
By Cindy Zimmerman
Chop height can have an impact on silage nutrient composition. Leo Brown, Pioneer livestock information manager, discusses how to determine the optimum harvest window for corn silage and how that time frame can impact its nutritional value.
Leo Brown on High Chop Effect (5:00 min MP3)
To see all archived Pioneer Forage Forum podcasts, click here.
Posted: June 11, 2009 at 11:07 am
By Cindy Zimmerman
Inoculating silage is a standard practice, but have you wondered why or how it works? Pioneer Hi-Bred has the world’s largest collection of lactic acid bacteria, the beneficial organisms used in silage inoculants. Scott Dennis, Pioneer ruminant microbiologist, looks at why inoculates work. Dennis says the purpose of making silage is for year-round feed, and preserving nutrients aids in accomplishing that.
Scott Dennis on Silage Inoculants (5:00 min MP3)
To see all archived Pioneer Forage Forum podcasts, click here.
Posted: May 27, 2009 at 8:04 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
Silage evaluation can be a timely process. Following harvest, a sample needs to be bagged and sent to a lab for evaluation. At Pioneer Hi-Bred, experts are using near-infrared technology (NIR) on research choppers which offers a much faster turnaround time for evaluating the nutritional value of silage hybrids. Kevin Putnam, Pioneer dairy specialist, discusses the benefits of Pioneer using NIR on their research choppers.
Kevin Putnam on Using NIR on Choppers (5:28 min MP3)
To see all archived Pioneer Forage Forum podcasts, click here.
Posted: May 13, 2009 at 1:13 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
High moisture corn offers growers both agronomic and nutritional benefits. Fred Owens, Pioneer senior research scientist, discusses some of these benefits, including, high digestibility, earlier harvest window and increased nutritional energy value.
Fred Owens on Feeding High Moisture Corn (5:00 min MP3)
To see all archived Pioneer Forage Forum podcasts, click here.
Posted: April 30, 2009 at 11:25 am
By Cindy Zimmerman
Growing conditions can vary from year to year and this variance can impact the nutritional value of the silage. In this edition of the Pioneer Forage Forum podcast, Pioneer livestock information manager Jim Smith explains the effects of solar radiation, moisture and heat at different stages of plant growth.
Jim Smith on the Impact of Growing Conditions on Nutritional Value of Silage (5:00 min MP3)
To see all archived Pioneer Forage Forum podcasts, click here.
Posted: April 16, 2009 at 11:07 am
By Cindy Zimmerman
In this edition of the Pioneer Forage Forum podcast, Bill Ramsey, Pioneer livestock information manager, discusses several ways to measure feed quality performance. Ramsey looks at three questions producers should consider when evaluating the nutritional value of their feed. Some ways to measure feed value include, NIR on choppers and the physical makeup of the silage.
Bill Ramsey on Measuring Feed Quality Performance (5:00 min MP3)
To see all archived Pioneer Forage Forum podcasts, click here.
Posted: April 1, 2009 at 10:36 am
By Cindy Zimmerman
Breeding corn for silage is very much like a conventional program for grain. The main difference is the equipment used to measure the end product. Bill Curran, Pioneer research scientist, discusses some of the key traits producers and breeders are looking to achieve. Some key traits include dry matter, tonnage and starch digestibility.
Bill Curran on Breeding Corn Hybrids for Silage (5:00 min MP3)
To see all archived Pioneer Forage Forum podcasts, click here.
Posted: March 18, 2009 at 7:35 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
Now is the time to start assessing the yield potential for alfalfa stands – looking for potential winterkill concerns. There are several factors that affect winter injury, such as stand age, variety, soil conditions, such as pH fertility and fall moisture, timing of the last cut and cutting interval. In some parts of the country, snow cover is also a factor. David Miller, Pioneer alfalfa research director, discusses winterkill concerns, spring growth characteristics and more.
Dave Miller on Assessing Spring Alfalfa Stands (5:20 min MP3)
To see all archived Pioneer Forage Forum podcasts, click here.
Posted: February 4, 2009 at 11:33 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
The recent turn in dairy commodity prices have producers looking for tactics to boost their bottom lines. Jim Smith, Pioneer livestock information manager, discusses some management practices to maximize production and lower input costs. Smith says to group the herd according to production capabilities and feed those animals accordingly, focusing on the most profitable animals in an operation. Smith also recommends continuous evaluation of nutrients and ingredients being fed.
Jim Smith on Feed Efficiences (5:00 min MP3)
To see all archived Pioneer Forage Forum podcasts, click here.
Posted: January 8, 2009 at 1:53 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
More than half of the digested fiber comes from the starch and sugar portion of the corn kernel. Therefore, it is vital for a producer to evaluate the availability of fiber in feed supplies this winter and look at factors such as kernel particles that can make a difference in the nutritional value of their silage. Energy from starch is available only if the material is digested. Smaller kernel particles are digested more easily by the intestines and rumen. Larger particles or whole kernels often are digested without breakdown, resulting in minimal nutritional value and, potentially, acidosis. Fredric Owens, Pioneer senior research scientist talks about starch digestibility and its importance.
Fredric Owens on Starch Digestibility (5:20 min MP3)
To see all archived Pioneer Forage Forum podcasts, click here.
Previous Forage Forum podcasts are also archived at the Pioneer GrowingPoint website. To access them, go to www.pioneer.com/growingpoint and click “Livestock Nutrition” and “Forage Blog.” Those not registered for Pioneer GrowingPoint website can call 800-233-7333 Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT for assistance.
Posted: December 1, 2008 at 5:38 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
Curious as to whether ensiled corn is better for your operation than dry corn? Scott Dennis, Pioneer Hi-Bred technical services manager for forage additives, says it’s not a matter of whether one has more nutritional value but rather how effectively an animal digests the nutrients. Ensiled or high-moisture corn, makes the starch more available to the rumen bacteria. Dennis, however, points out there are pros and cons to feeding both high-moisture and dry corn, and it’s a matter of what works best for each producer’s operation.
Scott Dennis on Ensiled vs Dry Corn (5:00 min MP3)
To see all archived Pioneer Forage Forum podcasts, click here.
Previous Forage Forum podcasts are also archived at the Pioneer GrowingPoint website. To access them, go to www.pioneer.com/growingpoint and click “Livestock Nutrition” and “Forage Blog.” Those not registered for Pioneer GrowingPoint website can call 800-233-7333 Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT for assistance.
Posted: November 15, 2008 at 3:39 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
Have you ever wondered how inoculants work and what job each inoculant strain serves? Scott Dennis, Pioneer Hi-Bred technical services manager for forage additives, sorts through the information, explaining the role for each strain and the impact it has on silages.
Scott Dennis on Inoculant Strains (5:00 min MP3)
To see all archived Pioneer Forage Forum podcasts, click here.
Previous Forage Forum podcasts are also archived at the Pioneer GrowingPoint website. To access them, go to www.pioneer.com/growingpoint and click “Livestock Nutrition” and “Forage Blog.” Those not registered for Pioneer GrowingPoint website can call 800-233-7333 Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT for assistance.
Posted: October 16, 2008 at 7:59 am
By Cindy Zimmerman
Higher feed prices have put a new twist on developing a strategy for winter feeding for dairy producers. Leo Brown, Livestock Information Manager for Pioneer Hi-Bred, discusses steps livestock producers can take to make the transition to new feedstocks as efficient as possible from an economic and production perspective. “Every year is different,” says Brown. “Because a feed ration worked last year and the year before, doesn’t mean a producer shouldn’t look at options. Producers need to be efficient, making the most cost-effective choices while meeting production goals.”
Leo Brown on Winter Inventory Strategies (5:00 min MP3)
To see all archived Pioneer Forage Forum podcasts, click here.
Previous Forage Forum podcasts are also archived at the Pioneer GrowingPoint website. To access them, go to www.pioneer.com/growingpoint and click “Livestock Nutrition” and “Forage Blog.” Those not registered for Pioneer GrowingPoint website can call 800-233-7333 Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT for assistance.
After the virtual farm tour that BASF Plant Science sponsored at World Dairy Expo, I spoke again with Jerry Weigel, Global Nutrition Manager, about their Nutridense silage product.
He says there’s a real distinction between what they’re doing and what other companies are doing. “We are focused in two different directions. We are focused on a grain direction and a silage direction.” He says that other companies develop a hybrid for grain and if it doesn’t make it that way they just plug it into the silage market. He says BASF Plant Science stays focused on each market separately.
Jerry wants producers to know that they’re developing corn silage that’s all about fiber digestibility. He says that’s what they’re going to continue to focus on and that in the future they’re going to have to look at bringing gmo technology into play but that would be years down the road.
You can listen to my interview with Jerry as part of our Milking Parlor Podcast:
To subscribe to the Milking Parlor podcast, here are some instructions.
The Chairman of the Egyptian Buffalo Producer’s Association is Dr. Saad Alhayani (pictured left). He also owns and operates a very new open water buffalo feedlot and dairy. The U.S. Grains Council Corn Mission team I recently traveled with visited. These cute, sweet, little creatures are very different than your average bovine. 
This really cool infrared camera can read the temperature of a silage bunker and provide a color picture of the variations in heat levels on the face. The camera has gotten cheaper since it first came out a couple of years ago, but it still retails for several thousand dollars. 
A great way to measure silage heat, but not practical for most producers, so 
Dennis explains more about this topic along with management techniques to reduce heating in this edition of Forage Forum, recorded at the Pioneer Forage Media day held in September at the Livestock Nutrition Center in Johnston, IA.
Back in 2001, Dairyland Seed released the world’s first hybrid alfalfa, 
“It’s giving us a five percent yield advantage over generation one,” said Dairyland Seed Forage Product Manager Chad Staudinger during an interview at World Dairy Expo. “Through the hybrid breeding system we are able to commercially place F1 generation with 100 percent yield potential on-farm.”
Dinner time last night at the Global Dairy 500 Conference featured multiple subject discussions. You picked your topic and then participated in a discussion after eating.
After the virtual farm tour that BASF Plant Science sponsored at World Dairy Expo, I spoke again with Jerry Weigel, Global Nutrition Manager, about their