There’s a tremendous amount of money invested in silage, from growing the crop to storing it. Yet shrink on dairies ranges from 15 to 25 percent, if not more! This level of shrink can equate to a loss of 15 to 25 cents for every dollar invested in putting the silage up.

Where silage shrink occurs

The largest amount of shrink and reduction in quality seems to occur at the top of the silage pile. This part of the pile is the worst in terms of packing density. It’s also exposed to the most oxygen. This enables oxygen to easily penetrate the silage, creating an environment for molds and yeast to replicate, which will lead to deteriorated silage (aka, top spoilage).

Generally, top spoilage represents about one-third of what was once good silage. For example, 4 inches of top spoilage was originally 12 inches or 1 foot of quality silage. It is best not to feed the spoiled portion of the silage in order to minimize the risk of costly health and production challenges. This part of the pile, therefore, should be a major focus in terms of management.

Making silage is easier said than done and is much like piecing a puzzle together. Since there are so many pieces to the silage puzzle, it can be difficult. The key factors include making sure forages are harvested at the correct maturity and moisture, proper packing, excluding oxygen and managing the face at feed out. In terms of top spoilage, all these areas can be a factor, with packing density and excluding oxygen being most important.

Cost-effective ways to improve silage management:

• Silage packing density should be 15 lbs. DM/ft³ or more.
• Typically, a ratio of one pack tractor to one harvester will achieve 15 lbs. DM/ft³.
• Design piles to allow for more packing on the side or shoulder of the pile.
• Use a temporary cover overnight or in between any breaks in harvest.
• Utilize a mold inhibitor on the silage surface prior to covering.
• Cover the pile as quickly as possible once harvest is complete.
• Seal plastic edges and seams with gravel bags or dirt to prevent airflow under the plastic.
• Only unseal what you need for the day to limit the oxygen exposure of the silage.

Higher quality silage with lower shrink will benefit your bottom line. Given that silage is a major component of the cow’s diet and impacts the types and amounts of other ingredients in the diet, taking steps to improve silage management practices and specifically focusing on reducing top spoilage can have a big impact on reducing silage shrink and improving quality. There is a lot of money invested in putting up silage, so it is crucial to make sure that it is put up correctly to minimize shrink, retain nutrients and ultimately preserve that investment.

During mid-February in many areas of the United States, children could be heard laughing and playing outside, but instead of sledding down hills and building snowmen, they were playing baseball. Cherry trees and dogwoods were beginning to bud, and the grass would soon need to be mowed.    

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has decreed this winter (December 2016–February 2017) as the sixth warmest on record. While the conditions have been warm and dry in the Midwest, California and the western part of the U.S. have experienced a very wet winter that has resulted in widespread flooding, a mixed blessing for an area that has been under drought conditions for several years.    

What does this wild weather mean for growers? 

Early warm weather can increase pressure from various sources:

• Diseases that may survive the season if the ground does not freeze
• Insects that can find a ready food source in early emerging crops
• Early weed growth that could mean an increase in weed population, decreasing the ability of the crop to establish itself
• Cool, wet soil that can hinder seed germination and increase the probability of mold
• Soil compaction caused by machinery being used on wet soils during early planting can decrease nutrient availability and reduce drainage and the ability for adequate rooting
• Possibilities of late-season freezes that can damage new planting and early growth

What should growers do in early warm weather conditions?

Increasing the organic matter and availability of nutrients can help decrease the effects of soil compaction and help the soil bounce back more quickly. Healthier soil will provide a solid foundation for improved plant health, enabling the crop to better resist damage from frost and disease. Frequent scouting and prompt field testing will allow the grower to more effectively manage weed, insect and disease pressure and prevent any issues from becoming widespread.

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In the Middle Ages, farmers would put a bell around the neck of the lead ram (a wether) in a flock of sheep. The movements of the flock could be tracked by hearing the bell, even if the flock was not in sight. More than 1000 years later, we still use the term ‘bellwether’ to refer to an indicator or a predictor of something.

Drawn on data from 130 countries, including visits to more than 30,000 feed mills, Alltech’s annual Global Feed Survey (GFS) report has become a bellwether of global economic trends, sometimes flagging changes before other indicators do. The market for animal feed has a direct impact on food prices, making the relative health of the global feed industry an interesting proxy for the health of the agricultural sector and by extension the overall global economy. Although the U.S. and China are the two biggest markets, and there are lots of interesting nuggets from around the world, this year the big stories from the GFS are found in the Southern Hemisphere.

Discover the eight wonders of the world, according to the Alltech Global Feed Survey, in Aidan Connolly's full Bellwether post on LinkedIn.

How many times have you heard a comment like: “Math is not for me. Music is what I want to do.”?

There’s a common stereotype that the arts and math exist in different realms of talent, or even different parts of the brain. However, historically speaking, arts and math have long been intertwined. The Pythagoreans of ancient Greece were the first researchers known to have investigated the expression of musical scales in terms of numerical ratios.

But, what is music, really?

One of the simplest, yet most accurate, definitions of music is: sound(s) organized with rhythm, melody and harmony, put together in a meaningful way. All three components — rhythm, melody and harmony — can be described by numbers associated with physical properties. You have probably heard of “harmonic frequency,” or “resonance.” These musical qualities are described using numbers with precise meanings.

If you are a casual listener, you’ve probably never realized that the mathematical properties of music have a significant impact on what you favor in terms of style.

That is where Tech Gnar — the undergraduate winning venture of the 2017 Alltech Innovation Competition — comes into play.

Tech Gnar is an application created by Western Kentucky University (WKU) undergraduate students Taylor Wathen, Zachary Wathen and Blake Knott. The app uses an algorithm to break down songs into numbers and correlate them based on which songs have previously been “liked” by the user. It uses this intelligence to then recommend songs with similar characteristics.

“It’s very hard to argue with math,” said Taylor Wathen.

The WKU team therefore believes Tech Gnar can beat (pun intended!) competitors’ recommendations with more fine-tuned suggestions for the user.

They are now on version number 771 of their app, and it is capable of filtering songs by instrument.

According to Taylor Wathen, Tech Gnar’s next steps include launching the website and mobile app as well as working in partnership with some record companies (mainly from Nashville) to come up with “perfect hit songs.” Furthermore, they plan to strengthen their digital presence through enhancements to their algorithm.

Before you know it, you could be listening to your new favorite artist, tapping your toes to the very beat that recommended it to you.

As the undergraduate winners of the 2017 Alltech Innovation Competition in Kentucky, the WKU Tech Gnar team took home $10,000, the same amount with which Dr. Pearse Lyons founded Alltech in 1980.

Why eggs don’t make it to the store shelf 

1. Egg loss: broken eggs that cannot be sold
2. Downgrading: eggs that are given a lower score due to visible defects

Strengthening the shell

Putting the eggshell to the test

In a country of over 1.2 billion people, agriculture is the backbone of the Indian economy. It contributes to the overall economic growth of the country and determines the standard of living for over half of the population of India.   

The state of Karnataka, an agrarian area in the southwest region where much of the state is still dependent on the monsoon season, has experienced substantial growth in food and grain production through the introduction of improved seed varieties, fertilizer applications and the implementation of irrigation practices. However, these advancements have also resulted in depletion of nutrients and a decrease in organic matter in the soil. In order to overcome these challenges, the local government has implemented measures that include soil fertility status reports and then use the results of these tests to advise growers on more sustainable crop management practices.   

Karnataka’s growers face several challenges in terms of maintaining their economic viability:

• Land holdings: Nearly 80 percent of farming families own less than 2 acres of land.
• Irrigation: 70 percent of the arable land is rainfed.
• Crop technology: There is limited distribution of seeds and other primary inputs available to average growers, who find cost to be the most prohibitive factor in attaining new technology.  
• Soil erosion and depletion: Large areas of land are susceptible to soil erosion from wind and water. Soils have also historically been overused and overworked, resulting in deteriorated soil health. 

“The registration of Alltech Crop Science [in Karnataka] is just the beginning,” says Aman Sayed, Alltech’s director of India and South Asia, who is looking forward to giving growers in the region a natural alternative to the traditional fertilizers available.

The use of natural-based fertilizers can help increase nutrient availability in the soil and improve plant defenses to stressors, such as those caused by lack of irrigation, and help plants reach their full genetic potential.  

Have a question or comment?

Have a question or comment?

Antibiotic-free is a hot topic these days, but have you noticed the discussions mainly center on poultry? What about pork, “the other white meat?”

If pork intends to align itself with poultry in the minds and preferences of consumers, it’s time for the industry to pay heed to the consumer demand for protein produced without the use of antibiotics. Many areas around the world, including the European Union and the United States, are already legislating the judicious use of antibiotics, but some consumers have pushed even further for “no antibiotics ever.” While some consumers’ demands may emanate from misinformation, it doesn’t require a crystal ball to understand that change is at hand for traditional production.

According to a recent study by Feed International, 57 percent of respondents report more than half of their company’s production is antibiotic-free. The study was not specific to production animal species, but it’s clear that the antibiotic-free movement isn’t slowing. It’s coming down the pipeline fast, and pork producers would do well to prepare for their customers’ expectations.

It is probable that consumers will soon turn their eyes to pig production with the same scrutiny and expectations they have had for poultry.

Pork’s majority in stomach share

Pork has the greatest stomach share among meats in world consumption. The Alltech Global Feed Survey 2017demonstrated an 8 percent increase in feed for pork production in 2016, and that growth is expected to continue its rise, particularly as the population increases. In the U.S. alone, pork is projected to have a 3 percent growth, according to Rabobank’s 2016 fourth quarter report.

Despite its top position among meats and its growth, pork has not contended with the same level of consumer-driven scrutiny as the poultry industry, which has been pressured to remove antibiotics from production as much as is humanely possible.

The antibiotic-free pork pack leaders

In dealing with the demand for antibiotic-free poultry, some retailers and major restaurant chains have already anticipated the shift in attention to pork.

Here is a list of a few that have made their plans regarding future pork sourcing public:

Chipotle and Panera Bread: Both have made claims to commit to sourcing some of their meat from antibiotic-free livestock.

Subway: Intends to transition to antibiotic-free pork once it completes its chicken and turkey transitions. 2025 is the approximate date.

Walmart and BJ’s: Currently have some antibiotic-free pork meat available.

Whole Foods: Began offering antibiotic-free food products in 2010.

Chick-Fil-A: Aims to be “No antibiotics ever” by 2019, but their commitment has been specific to their chicken. Will the bacon and sausage be next?

As retailers begin to pull from the supply chain, we might see a domino effect toward wider adoption of antibiotic-free production within poultry.

Suppliers such as Country View Family Farms and Niman Ranch provide antibiotic-free pork according to strict standards. Last year, Tyson announced its Open Prairie Natural Pork produced by pigs raised without any added hormones or growth promoting substances, minimal processing, an all-vegetarian diet and no antibiotics ever. Earlier this year, Smithfield launched an antibiotic-free line of fresh pork products under its Pure Farms brand, which designates pork minimally processed with no antibiotics, steroids, hormones or artificial ingredients.  

Where else is the pork label turning “antibiotic-free?”

Antibiotic-free pork production is flourishing in Denmark, for example. In 1995, a program known as DANMAP was established by the Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries and the Danish Ministry of Health for “surveillance of antimicrobial consumption and resistance in bacteria from animals, food and humans.”

For over 15 years, Danish farmers have only relied on antibiotics to treat illness in their herds. The program they follow allows for this therapeutic use and, when combined with other management techniques such as delayed weaning, it has shown to be just as effective as traditional production. Interestingly, according to an article in the New York Times, it would only cost U.S. farmers $4.50 per head to follow a Danish model.

What makes antibiotic-free pork more challenging for producers?

What’s holding pork back from capitalizing on the antibiotic-free movement?  First and foremost on producers’ minds is the risk of decreased profitability. Animals that do not receive antibiotics are more prone to sickness, and, of course, mortality. On several occasions, Dr. Rodger Main from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State University has cited a 2011 study in which the cost of producing an antibiotic-free pig was $11 per pig, increasing to more than $15 if one incorporates the overall risk that only 70 percent of the herd will survive production. This is significantly higher than the more recent New York Times estimate, but this range illustrates how exact production costs are highly variable and may vary daily based on feed costs.

Another worry is decrease in production weight. This adds to higher production costs and, together with the threat of mortality, can account for the pork industry’s slow adoption of antibiotic-free production, especially given that antibiotic growth promoters have proven their ability to increase animal size and weight.

Additionally, certification of antibiotic-free pork can be costly and time-consuming. Transitioning one’s herd from traditional use of antibiotics requires strategic planning and the implementation of counteractive measures to minimize the effect it can have on the operation’s bottom line.

What has made antibiotic-free poultry successful?

The poultry industry has been finding success in their transition to antibiotic-free production by following practices such as good husbandry, fewer birds in pens, feeding vegetarian diets, increasing downtime between harvesting flocks, etc.

Differences in pig production make implementation more challenging:

1. Pigs live longer, increasing the likelihood of an illness within their lifecycle.
2. There is less time to clean and disinfect between herds.
3. Weaning is particularly stressful for piglets and can impact their immune system.

However, there are some ways these issues can be addressed. There is evidence that pigs can not only be less susceptible to infectious risks, but may in fact thrive when certain natural feeding supplements are added to the diet.

For information on how Alltech can support your swine operation in reducing antibiotics or transitioning to antibiotic-free production, visit www.alltech.com/antibiotic-free or contact your local Alltech representative.

References

http://www.nationalhogfarmer.com/animal-health/us-pig-farmers-celebrate-progress-antibiotic-stewardship

http://www.nationalhogfarmer.com/animal-well-being/transitioning-antibiotic-free-pig-production-change-your-expectations

http://www.nationalhogfarmer.com/animal-well-being/4-factors-consider-when-raising-antibiotic-free-pigs

Little Pig Farm. “Swine Terminology.” 2017. http://littlepigfarm.com/swine-terminology/

Estabrook, Barry. April 3, 2015. “Denmark’s Drug-Free Pigs.” https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/03/opinion/denmarks-drug-free-pigs.html?_r=0

Iowa State University. October 2002. “Minimizing the Use of Antibiotics in Pork Production.” https://www.ipic.iastate.edu/publications/ipic8.pdf

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An interview with Dr. Karl Dawson

The following is an edited transcript of our interview with Dr. Karl Dawson, vice president and chief scientific officer at Alltech. For Karl’s full bio, click here.

Before you joined Alltech, you were head of the University of Kentucky (UK) animal science department for 20 years, and you still serve as an adjunct professor with UK. You have a unique insight from being in the private sector business as well as academia. How do we interest the next generation in ag science?

That’s a real interesting question because there’s been a gap develop between what we call agriculture, particularly animal science, and the technologies that are being developed today. As a scientist, I think the technologies are really exciting, but sometimes it’s kind of hard to get the next generation, particularly the people from rural America and agriculture, to get excited about the same things. We have a lot of unique technologies. We talk about molecular biology and the things we can see with molecular biology; most farmers I talk to, most siblings from farmer’s kids that are coming off the farm, do not have a good understanding of what those things are, so we have this gap that we need to fill.

What we’re finding is that often times just the university education is not enough to give them confidence and the ability to lead in agriculture through using these technologies. One of the things we are doing right now is looking at a lot of outside programs that go beyond their degree and beyond academic training to see how we can interest students in doing those things. It starts at a very young level. We have programs that are set up at the elementary school. On our staff in research, we have two liaisons that do nothing but interact with college, high school and elementary students to get them interested in what we’re doing in terms of science and how that can be incorporated into farm life.

Other programs that are very interesting are those that are competitive. We have an innovation program, where we have students build projects that will become a business plan themselves, taking technology and applying it to specific problems. It’s an outside-of-the-classroom activity that gets students excited. There is nothing like seeing them light up when they win an award for a project.

We have, at a higher level up, a career program. This is built around the idea that students who come out of college need that little extra boost and piece of information. We actually take students and embed them into the business situation and, in some cases, right on the farm so they get to know the animals and what the farm business really looks like. This is before they go out and try to set up their own business or work within a commercial business.

The take-home message is that we really need to give experience, hands-on experience outside of the classroom. That’s really becoming almost a requirement for our people as they move into our business.

That certainly makes sense. As a professor, and on the Alltech side as the head of our research program, are the up-and-comers that you’re seeing from an agriculture background, or do they come into agriculture by chance because of other things they are interested in?

You run into both kinds. I came up through the agricultural school system, so I’m used to land-grant universities and the kids that came from the farm. But I actually looked at the list of students that were competing in our Young Scientist awards, and I asked them: How many of you are from an agriculture background? Of the 15 sitting in the room, only two raised their hands. You know, the kids are gravitating to agriculture because they see some of the applications that can take place.

It’s almost reverse of what we think. We think about children leaving the farm and never coming back. These are students coming in from urban environments, from science environments, and wanting to understand what’s going on on the farm.

That’s encouraging and fascinating.

It really is. You think about that and it really reflects the excitement of agriculture research and application technology. I kind of coined a term I’m going to use in my presentation here talking about the “farmer technologist”; that is the kind of people who will probably be our leaders in the future.

Dr. Karl Dawson spoke at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference. Audio recordings of most talks, including Karl's, are now available on the Alltech Idea Lab. For access, click on the button below.

Beat heat stress

With the European summer only weeks away, it is time to start preparing management strategies for heat stress. This issue has traditionally been associated with the hotter regions in Europe, such as the Mediterranean. However, as climate change continues to impact temperature, European countries deemed to have a more temperate climate must also be aware of and prepare to take action against heat stress.

When cows are suffering from heat stress, there are several indicators that can be observed. Often, the first indicator is a reduction in dry matter intake. This can be followed by a change in behaviour, combined with quickened breathing and excessive panting. This leads to difficulties in maintaining efficient rumen function, which results in decreased milk production and longer periods between conception. The cow’s maintenance needs will also increase, as the animal can be at greater risk of contracting diseases, such as subacute ruminal acidosis and laminitis. All of these negative heat stress effects will lower a farm’s ability to maintain efficiency and profitability.

Don’t let your profits dry up this summer!

Follow these top tips to combat the effects of heat stress on your farm.

1. Water management

As temperatures increases, so does the cow’s water intake. However, a large volume of water is lost through increased urinary excretion, sweating and respiration. Therefore, water requirements for lactating cows can increase by 10 percent as temperatures move from 15 degrees Celsius to 26 degrees Celsius. The need for more water will increase as milk production rises and as temperatures rise above 26 degrees Celsius.

A cow’s water intake can be improved by:

• Locating water troughs in shaded areas.
• Ensuring there is an adequate supply of fresh water at the trough.
• Cleaning water troughs regularly.
• Providing sufficient space for the cow at the water trough; there should be a minimum of two linear feet (0.61 metres) per 15–20 cows.
• Cooling the water trough by adding shade.

2. Forage management

It is very important to identify forages that are highly digestible to use during heat stress. This will help maintain intake and energy levels. Ensure a forage’s quality is not compromised by managing the silage face to minimise secondary fermentation.

When packing the silage, make certain that it is tightly compressed and covered sufficiently to avoid spoilage. Remove 6–12 inches of silage from the exposed face of the silo on a daily basis. This will help to keep the silage fresh and will prevent heating.

3. Feeding management

As the temperature and humidity increase, cows will change the time they feed to a cooler period of the day. A greater proportion of the feed should be provided later in the day, when the temperature has dropped. This will help to avoid secondary fermentation and drive consumption.

Three to four hours after cows feed, they will experience excess heat production due to the digestion process. By moving the feeding time to later in the day, the cow will have the opportunity to digest the food when the temperature is cooler. This allows the increased internal heat production to be more tolerable for the cow.

At the end of each day, it is important to clean out feed bunks. This will help to keep the feed fresh and will reduce the possible effects of heating or spoilage as well as lower the risk of secondary fermentation.

For more information please contact acasey@alltech.com