The Cool Cow mobile app puts the tools dairy producers need to monitor and address heat stress at their fingertips. Research shows that cows can begin to show the effects of heat stress at a Temperature Humidity Index or THI of 68. Reproduction can be impacted at a THI of 55.[1]
Heat stress and an associated 10 percent to 35 percent milk production loss[2] may cost a dairy producer $1.60 to $5.60 per cow per day.[3] These losses can continue to mount when reductions in reproductive performance and increased days open are added into the equation.
The mobile app features an easy to use heat stress calculator for inputting the current temperature and humidity readings. The temperature and humidity is then translated into a THI reading that shows the severity of heat stress, ranging from mild to extreme risk; providing dairy producers insight on the current conditions inside their barn. In addition to the heat stress calculator, the mobile app offers tips on mitigating heat stress from management to nutrition.
One lucky dairy farm family in Tennessee had the morning of a lifetime when weather personality, Al Roker, came to their farm to forecast the weather!
America’s favorite weather guru visited the Hatcher Family Dairy today as part of a “Wake Up with Al” contest in which three families across the country were selected to host the weatherman in their hometown.
So what did Roker learn during his visit?
For one thing, that cows aren’t necessarily the only animals on a dairy farm. Of course, there are plenty of cows around the farm. During his visit, Roker met three Today Show mini-mes: dairy calves named Al, Matt and Savannah. But he also got to sample fresh eggs from farm hens and feed two enthusiastic sheep.
Roker’s take: “This is just like when we bring pizza in for the crew!”
Dairy farming is a family business. The Hatcher farm has been in the family for generations. In fact, five different families all live on the farm and work to keep the business going.
Roker’s take: “It’s fantastic. This is truly a family farm.”
There’s nothing better than a home-cooked dairy breakfast. During his visit, the Hatchers treated Al to a traditional, farm-fresh breakfast that included eggs, bacon, rolls and of course milk.
Roker’s take: “If this is what I got every day, I’d be working on the farm, sure enough.”
Dairy farming takes a lot of hard work. While in Tennessee, Al got just a taste of the exhausting work on a dairy farm, including feeding the animals and working in the creamery.
When the Cornell dairy plant was demolished last year to make way for a new, improved Stocking Hall facility, Akron, N.Y.-based ice cream company Perry’s was the immediate choice to supply the Cornell campus with the frosty treat.
The Perry family connection to Cornell goes back generations, when Marlo Perry ’35 took knowledge acquired in his dairy science classes back to the family dairy to help his father, Morton, expand the ice cream business he had started in 1932.
Marlo was the first Perry to turn to Cornell for its dairy expertise. Since then, Perry’s has relied on Cornell to provide its employees with regular training and certification in dairy foods processing, high-temperature, short-time (HTST) pasteurization, sanitation and food safety. Perry’s also is supporting Cornell’s development of a food processing technology degree program in partnership with Genesee Community College to further develop the New York dairy workforce.
The first phase of the $105 million renovation of Stocking Hall will be complete by late spring, with dairy plant personnel expected to move back into Stocking Hall around May 20; ice cream will begin to be produced in the new dairy plant sometime in June. Cornell Ice Cream won’t be served, though, until the Dairy Bar’s grand opening event, set for the beginning of the fall 2013 semester, Huck says, which will give the new facility the chance to build up its inventory.
The Cornell Dairy Plant therefore will continue to partner with Perry’s Ice Cream throughout the summer to supply premium New York state ice cream to the Dairy Bar scoop shop.
Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “How many generations are you removed from the farm?”
Our poll results: Thirty percent say they are “One Generation, My Parents are Farmers,” 23% are Two, My Grandparents Were Farmers, 22% say None, I’m a Farmer, nine percent are not farmers but work in the ag industry, seven percent have No Direct Farm Connection, and three percent say Three, My Great-Grandparents Were Farmers, More Than Three, or Other. It is safe to say that most of our followers are not far removed from the farm, if at all!
Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “Are so-called “ag gag” bills fair?” In the wake of undercover videos at animal agriculture operations that have shown abuse, and especially those that were compiled over a period of time, edited and then released to the public without doing anything to stop the abuse or take it to the proper authorities, several states have passed legislation making that illegal. Most of the laws simply require mandatory reporting of animal cruelty when it happens but opponents have labeled them “ag gag” laws that would suppress efforts to document and publicize animal abuse. Those in favor prefer to call them “See Something, Say Something” bills. Do you feel that the so-called “ag gag” bills are prohibitive? Will these laws hamper efforts to stop animal cruelty? Does this impede our efforts for transparency in the food systems? Let us know.
Posted: May 8, 2013 at 12:26 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
We are so pleased with the response to our new agri-blogging internship program. It was tough to choose just one for the summer semester, but we finally decided on Maggie Seiler – a sophomore at Kansas State University dual majoring in agricultural communications and journalism and animal sciences and industry.
Maggie grew up on a dairy operation outside of Wichita and has worked for the Kansas Dairy Association and the Kansas Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Alternative Crops, as well as serving as an Agricultural Ambassador and an officer for the Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow. She is very interested in the agriculture use of social media.
“Blogging and the use of social media platforms is becoming an increasingly important part of journalism and the agricultural industry,” Maggie said in her application. “I really appreciate the ability of online platforms and blogs to provide the vital information from agriculture industry meeting to members of the community that cannot physically travel to events. ZimmComm is a company that stays on the cutting-edge of industry developments sharing them with producers. I would really like to be a part of this movement and especially focus on increasing my knowledge of using online platforms to reach out to agriculturists.”
We are not wasting any time getting Maggie on the agri-blogging highway. She will be joining Chuck next week for the 2013 Alltech Symposium in Lexington, Kentucky and you can expect to meet her at other events this summer.
Dairy Farmers of America owned Southwest Cheese Co. LLC plant in Clovis, N.M. will soon undergo a $100 million expansion.
The expansion will allow for more production of curds and whey proteins, which are used in ice cream, processed cheese sauces and sports drinks and energy bars.
Southwest Cheese is one of the world’s largest cheese plants and produces thousands of pounds of Monterey Jack, cheddar, American and other varieties of cheese. Southwest Cheese processes more than 3.8 billion pounds of milk, and produces in excess of 388 million pounds of block cheese and 29.1 million pounds of whey protein powders each year.
Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted 6 requests for export assistance from Bongards and Darigold to sell 1.896 million pounds (860 metric tons) of Cheddar, Gouda and Monterey Jack cheese to customers in Asia, North Africa and the Middle East. The product will be delivered May through November 2013.
Year-to-date CWT has assisted member cooperatives in selling 52.877 million pounds of cheese, 51.727 million pounds of butter, 44,092 pounds of AMF, and 218,258 pounds of whole milk powder to 31 countries on six continents. These sales are the equivalent of 1.617 billion pounds of milk on a milkfat basis. That is more than USDA’s projected increase in milk marketings for all of 2013.
Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program positively impacts producer milk prices in the short-term by helping to maintain inventories of cheese and butter at desirable levels. In the long-term, CWT’s Export Assistance program helps member cooperatives gain and maintain market share, thus expanding the demand for U.S. dairy products and the farm milk that produces them.
CWT will pay export assistance to the bidders only when delivery of the product is verified by the submission of the required documentation.
Canada is changing the rules used to classify milk that goes into making mozzarella cheese.
The new milk class, to take effect June 1, is expected to result in lower costs for Canadian-made mozzarella for restaurants that prepare and cook pizzas on site.
The battle to cut the cost of mozzarella for pizza restaurants has been fought for nearly 15 years, ever since frozen pizza makers — including frozen-food giant McCain — won an exemption from Ottawa that allowed them to buy cheese at the cheaper world market price.
It remains to be seen whether dairy processors will pass the savings from the new ‘3d’ classification on to restaurant owners.
A number of restaurant chains recently began circumventing hefty cheese tariffs by importing their mozzarella by way of pizza topping kits.
The case is currently before the Canadian International Trade Tribunal, and is seen as a serious threat to Canada’s farm supply management system.
Congratulations to Taylor Anne Holterman, the recipient of the 2013 Dairy Calf & Heifer Association Scholarship!
Taylor is a sophomore studying Life Sciences Communication at University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Besides maintaining her studies and working part-time, Holterman manages social media efforts for her family’s dairy operation, Rosy-Lane Holsteins in Watertown, Wisc. She is the daughter of DCHA members Lloyd and Daphne Holterman.
The $1,000 DCHA Scholarship is awarded annually to the child or legal dependent of a DCHA member currently enrolled in an agricultural program at an accredited college or university.
The award will help Holterman towards achieving her goal to be a conduit for advocating about food and farming.
Perry’s Ice Cream Co. Inc. is introducing a lactose-free ice cream.
The Lactose-Free Vanilla, which is available at ice cream stands and retail locations throughout New York, Western Pennsylvania, Northeastern Ohio, Vermont and Virginia.
Perry’s Lactose Free Vanilla was unveiled with new flavors revealed at company headquarters on March 22 as part of a panel taste test. On that date, the company also unveiled other new flavors to be sold at area ice cream stands: Movie Time, Oh My, Cherry Pie!, Queen of Hearts and Sponge Candy. New retail products include All-Natural Black Cherry and 6-pack Party Sandwiches.
Congratulations to Scott Bentley, the new General Manager at World Dairy Expo!
Bentley brings a wealth of industry experience to Expo. Most recently he was the Global Supply Manager at ABS Global, DeForest, Wis., and previously held positions as Global Dairy Product Manager, District Sales Manager and in Dairy Sire Acquisition. Prior to that, Bentley was Field Service Manager at the American Jersey Cattle Association.
In his new role, Bentley will lead World Dairy Expo staff in the strategic planning and implementation of the largest dairy-focused event in the world. He will be responsible for developing innovative initiatives and cultivating partner relationships. As General Manager, Bentley will oversee the responsibilities of WDE Management, including the North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge, Purebred Dairy Cattle Association, The Dane County Fair and Wisconsin Rural Opportunities Foundation.
Bentley possesses a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Purdue University. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Dairy Science from Iowa State University. Bentley grew up on a Guernsey farm in Ames, Iowa and now resides in Madison, Wis.
Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Does celebrity media attention sway your purchasing/listening/watching decisions? (e.g. Carrie Underwood supporting HSUS)”
Our poll results: Sixty-four percent said No, sixteen percent said Yes, eleven percent said Carrie Underwood Who, seven percent said Depends on the Celebrity, and two percent said Other. It looks like our audience doesn’t make decisions based on what media coverage of so called “celebrities.” How about you? Do you think differently? Let us know.
Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “How many generations are you removed from the farm?” With fewer and larger farms in the United States, not as many people are involved in production agriculture as 40 years ago. What is your family connection to farming? Let us know.
In recognition of exceptional commitment to quality and customer service, employees at Dairy Farmers of America’s Schulenburg, Texas, facility have been awarded the PepsiCo North American Foods 2012 Service Award for Contract Manufacturing. The award recognizes the Schulenburg team as leaders among 41 contract manufacturing suppliers at 63 locations across the country.
The Schulenburg facility performed at or above target on all service metrics throughout 2012. Among key initiatives that earned this prestigious recognition was a flawless introduction of nine new products. This included gaining certification by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for these new products and managing complex capacity needs. During the transition, the team also flawlessly executed a new line installation and service for multi-packing Frito-Lay products.
The Schulenburg facility is one of five DFA Contract Manufacturing plants across the nation. Through the Contract Manufacturing Division, DFA develops and tests new food products for customers throughout the country.
DFA plants utilize state-of-the-art retort technology to make shelf-stable consumer products, including sport drinks, coffee-based flavored drinks, cheese powders and flavors, infant formula, sour cream and cheese dips for well-known brands.
At DFA’s state-of-the-art Innovation Center in Springfield, Mo., food scientists and engineers work closely with DFA customers as they develop and test new food products and create innovative packaging. In addition, flexible manufacturing capabilities allow DFA to produce products in packaging such as steel, aluminum, glass and plastic.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is asking dairy producer and importer organizations to nominate candidates to serve on the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board. Nominations must be submitted by May 30, 2013.
The Secretary of Agriculture will appoint 14 individuals to serve on the board. The appointees will replace 12 board members whose terms expire Oct. 31, 2013, and fill two currently vacant positions.
USDA will accept dairy producer nominations from the following regions: Region 2 (California and Hawaii); Region 3 (Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming); Region 4 (Arkansas, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas); Region 6 (Wisconsin); Region 9 (Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia); Region 10 (Alabama, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia); Region 11 (Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania); and Region 12 (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont). The Secretary will appoint five members for Region 2, two for Region 9, and one for each of the remaining regions and the dairy importer position
Twelve dairy producer nominees will be appointed to serve 3 year terms beginning Nov. 1, 2013, and ending Oct. 31, 2016. One dairy producer nominee will be appointed to fill a shortened term, for Region 9, beginning immediately and ending Oct. 31, 2015. The dairy importer nomination will be for a 3-year term beginning Nov. 1, 2013, and ending Oct. 31, 2016.
Iowa State University is conducting a survey of livestock producers use of feed-related co-products from ethanol production (distillers grains). The survey is focused on the beef, dairy, swine and poultry sectors. It is being funded by a coalition consisting of the Renewable Fuels Association, the Distillers Grains Technology Council and the Corn Utilization Councils from Iowa, Illinois and Nebraska.
“The feedback gained from the survey will be used to help improve co-product quality, which can help livestock producers with their feed costs and livestock performance,” said Kurt Rosentrater, a professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering, who is leading the effort.
Wells, makers of Blue Bunny ice cream, is celebrating 100 years through their relationship with Make-A-Wish®, by helping to grant 100 wishes to 100 children with life-threatening medical conditions. Help them!
Year-to-date, CWT has assisted member cooperatives in selling 50.982 million pounds of cheese, 51.727 million pounds of butter, 44,092 pounds of anhydrous milk fat and 218,258 pounds of whole milk powder to 31 countries on six continents. These sales are the equivalent of 1.599 billion pounds of milk on a milkfat basis. That is more than USDA’s projected increase in milk marketings for all of 2013.
Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program positively impacts producer milk prices in the short-term by helping to maintain inventories of cheese and butter at desirable levels. In the long-term, CWT’s Export Assistance program helps member cooperatives gain and maintain market share, thus expanding the demand for U.S. dairy products and the farm milk that produces them.
CWT will pay export assistance to the bidders only when delivery of the product is verified by the submission of the required documentation.
The leadership at Minnesota Milk Producers Association has voted unanimously to support a six-month window between the deadline for making the annual signup decision and the beginning of a coverage period for any margin insurance program to be included in the Farm Bill.
“We are looking for the best policy to provide catastrophic risk insurance for dairy farmers and encourage liquidity in the current futures market, allowing us better opportunities in the long-term,” stated Pat Lunemann, President of Minnesota Milk and dairy producer from Clarissa, Minn. “And we believe including this clause in any future margin insurance program is the right thing to do.”
The meeting and decision was a result of information provided by John Newton, Cameron S. Thraen, Marin Bozic, Mark Stephenson, Christopher Wolf and Brian W. Gould in a recently submitted briefing paper entitled, “Goodlatte-Scott vs. the Dairy Security Act: Shared Potential, Shared concerns and Open Questions.” The direct proposal Minnesota Milk is supporting is outlined at the bottom of page 13.
“An insurance plan is there to help us with potential risk and should not be used as a tool to make money,” stated Greg Jans, chair of Minnesota Milk’s Policy committee and producer from Grove City, Minn. “That’s why Minnesota Milk supports the sign-up period in March with coverage effective in October.”
The leadership at Minnesota Milk will be meeting with Congressional Delegates to encourage the inclusion of this proposal in any margin insurance program included in the Farm Bill.
Applications are now available for the Arthur W. Nesbitt All-American Dairy Foundation Award, which seeks to recognize an individual who has exhibited cattle or participated in youth activities at the All-American Dairy Show.
The award is named for Arthur Nesbitt, honorary chairman of the All-American Dairy Foundation. Nesbitt is the former NASCO Chief Operating Officer and past secretary of the Pennsylvania Holstein Association.
Applicants for the scholarship must have participated in one or more activities at the All-American Dairy Show and must currently be enrolled in an undergraduate degree or certification program, regardless of type of major or program of interest, at a post-secondary educational institution.
The application is available online and is due by July 15, 2013 to All-American Dairy Foundation, P.O. Box 11211, Richmond, VA 23230.
The National Mastitis Council (NMC) will host its upcoming regional meeting July 23-24, at the DoubleTree Hotel in Portland, Maine.
Along with networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities, this two-day conference will consist of educational seminars in addition to specialized, interactive short courses. Individuals will be able to select specific topics of interest to them.
“This year’s regional meeting is shaping up to be a fun-filled educational event, with a little something for everyone,” says Anne Lichtenwalner, the 2013 NMC regional program chair and extension veterinarian with the University of Maine. “Portland Maine is a great place for excellent food, sight-seeing and outdoor activities. It is home to both biotechnology and agriculture, and we plan to integrate all of the above into this summer’s meeting.”
Professionals with a vested interest in high quality milk production including, but not limited to, milk quality specialists, veterinarians, milk plant field staff, dairy suppliers, dairy producers, university researchers, extension specialists and students are encouraged to attend.
The Cool Cow mobile app puts the tools dairy producers need to monitor and address heat stress at their fingertips. Research shows that cows can begin to show the effects of heat stress at a Temperature Humidity Index or THI of 68. Reproduction can be impacted at a THI of 55.[1]
