It takes 1,000 years to naturally create 1 inch of topsoil. Now consider that over 20 percent of soils worldwide have been degraded through agricultural practices.   

Resting the land for thousands of years is not a realistic response to soil degradation. However, a viable solution may be found in agricultural management practices that are focused on retaining and repopulating the soil with beneficial microorganisms that improve soil health and quality.

“It is paramount for the grower to understand the intricacies of the soil-plant relationship,” explains Ney Ibrahim, director of Alltech Crop Science Brazil. 

Reestablishing soil health

Plant health starts from the ground up. When growers use practices that promote the reestablishment of the biological balance in the soil, such as cover crops, crop rotation and natural fertilizers, this improves the interactions between soil and plant. These practices can help decrease negative plant response to environmental stressors and increase productivity. 

Microbiological management gives life to the soil and increases nutrient availability that the plant can then use to enhance its root growth and possibly increase immunity and disease suppression. 

Meanwhile, organic matter is returned to the soil, creating a positive cycle for future crops and leaving a legacy of sustainability for the new generation of growers.    

I want to learn more about improving soil health. 

EuroTier, the world’s leading trade fair for animal production, is expected to attract more than 2,500 trade exhibitors from 54 countries around the globe and will be held Nov. 15–18, 2016, in Hanover, Germany. Alltech (stand G29 in hall 21) will showcase its primacy in science in three key areas: feed efficiency, protein management and mycotoxin management.    

“As feed costs often account for up to 70 percent of production costs on-farm, it is essential to ensure farmers are getting the most from their feed,” said Michael Rjasanowski, country manager for Alltech Germany.

Alltech wishes to work with farmers to help them become more efficient, profitable and sustainable.

"Through Alltech’s latest innovative programs, which are scientifically proven, we believe we can help farmers achieve consistent performance, profitability and efficiency,” said Rjasanowski.   

KEENAN, global Irish agri-manufacturer, which is now part of the Alltech family, will also have representatives at the Alltech stand during EuroTier.

“Through KEENAN’s manufacturing strengths and technological know-how and Alltech’s primacy in science, farmers all over the world are improving their farm profitability,” said Rjasanowski. “We want to ensure German farmers are reaching their full potential.”

To find out more about Alltech’s nutritional programs and KEENAN’s manufacturing know-how, visit stand G29 in hall 21 at EuroTier or read the full press release. To stay up-to-date with the latest Alltech EuroTier information follow us on Facebook and Twitter. 

With the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) on the horizon and going into full effect Jan. 1, 2017, producers from all livestock sectors will be required to conform to these new regulations. For some, this will only require a little more paperwork; for others, a whole new business plan will be required.

A healthy start for calves begins with colostrum

With producers looking for ways to operate within the new law, the answer may be found in a fresh look at their management practices, beginning with calving. The first day of a calf’s life, especially the first few hours, is critical to its health and survival, setting the stage for lifetime performance.

The most crucial time is shortly after birth when the calf receives colostrum, which is naturally high in the nutrients necessary to increase the calf’s metabolism and stimulate the digestive system. Most importantly, it is the only source of immunoglobulins (IgG), or antibodies, which provide the passive immune protection essential for keeping the calf healthy.

Antibodies are absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract during the first 24 hours of life and provide the basis of the calf’s immune system for the first three to six months of age. Not only does colostrum provide the necessary antibodies needed for survival, but it provides a source of fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals.

Ensuring passive transfer of antibodies in colostrum feeding 

Colostrum feeding is the most important practice for getting the calf off to the right start. However, just because a calf receives the amount needed at the desired time does not guarantee the calf will remain healthy. A study by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) showed that almost 20 percent of dairy calf heifers had failure of passive transfer, or a concentration of IgG in the serum less than 10 grams per liter (2007).

When the topic of colostrum quality comes up in conversation, one can hear “No, I do not test my colostrum, I can tell by physical appearance” or “I do not have issues with my calves, so the quality must be good.” However, there are many factors that affect colostrum quality that cannot be seen by observation only. It is recommended that a calf receive at least 100 grams of IgG, ideally 150 grams, from a minimum of 4 quarts of colostrum to help ensure passive transfer (USDA, NAHMS, 2007).

Factors affecting colostrum quality

What defines “good” quality colostrum? Research suggests that the concentration of IgG in the colostrum should be at least 50 grams per liter, with many factors affecting that level (USDA, NAHMS, 2007). There are other factors that contribute to and affect colostrum quality that are imperative to consider in your calves’ first feedings:

• Breed plays a big role in affecting the concentration level of IgG. Jerseys average 66 grams per liter of IgG compared to Holsteins at 48 grams per liter (BAMN, 2001). As a cow produces more colostrum, we tend to see dilution affecting the concentration level of IgG.

• Production of more than 18 pounds of colostrum at first milking (BAMN, 2001). Again, the tendency is to see a reduction in quality due to dilution of antibodies.

• The age of the cow. Typically, the younger the cow, the less quality colostrum she produces. Younger animals have not been exposed to pathogens as the older animals have. Therefore, the concentration of antibodies in the colostrum is much lower compared to older animals.

• The exposure a cow has to pathogens, whether young or old, varies from operation to operation. Each operation deals with its own issues when it comes to diseases. This is why a sound vaccination protocol needs to be in place not only to help promote animal health, but also to aide in producing good quality colostrum that has the needed antibodies for the calf to fight disease.

• The management of the cow during the dry period. A minimum of a three- to four-week dry period is needed to help ensure antibodies in the blood stream eventually concentrate in the colostrum.

• Along with length of dry period, nutrition can have an effect. If a dry cow is deficient in protein and energy, there will be a decrease in quality compared to cows with adequate nutrition.

• Cows that have colostrum removed by milking or leaking before calving will produce poor quality colostrum due to the removal of antibodies and the dilution of what colostrum is left.

• Colostrum that has a low concentration of bacterial contaminants (<100,000 cfu/ml total bacteria count, <10,000 cfu/ml coliform count) (Godden, 2008). To keep counts low, be sure proper handling of colostrum after milking is practiced to ensure a clean product.

• Seasons that impact the cow, causing cold stress or heat stress and affecting forage quality. Stress from environmental temperature not only has a direct effect on the cow, but also affects the quality of forages that are fed.

Tools for quality colostrum

To help ensure a good quality colostrum, it is beneficial to get into the habit of using either a colostrometer or Brix refractometer. The colostrometer measures specific gravity using a color coded scale that converts the measurement to determine the concentration of IgG. Lately, the use of a Brix refractometer has shown to be useful in testing colostrum. Normally used to measure the amount of sucrose in a solution, the Brix refractometer can use the values to determine IgG levels in colostrum.

There are many ways to help improve the quality of colostrum that is fed to newborn calves. Ensuring that colostrum quality is high improves calf mortality and morbidity rates and provides additional insurance when producers are faced with reduced use of antibiotics.

¹Bovine Alliance on Management and Nutrition. Rev 2001. A Guide to Colostrum and Colostrum Management for Dairy Calves.

²Godden, S. 2008. Colostrum Management for Dairy Calves. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract. Mar, 24 (1): 19-39.

³United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). 2007. National Animal Health Monitoring System  (NAHMS) Dairy 2007, Heifer Calf Health and Management on U.S. Dairy Operations, 2007. USDA-APHIS-VS, CEAH. Fort Collins, CO.
 

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This story on agricultural journalism is a guest post by Caroline Stocks. Be sure to visit her bio by clicking above on the author link for more information. Thanks, Caroline!

Whenever I tell people I’m an agricultural journalist, I always brace myself for the barrage of questions that invariably follow.

“Do you just write about cows all day?” is a common place to start, usually followed by: “Are there enough farmers in the U.K. that they need their own newspaper?”

If the person I’m speaking to is a bit rude (which, sadly, happens quite often), they’ll even ask: “You write about farming? Didn’t you want to be a proper journalist?”

For the majority of people who live and work in a city, agriculture is a little-known industry. As long as the shelves are stocked when they nip to Sainsbury’s after work, few people think about where their food comes from, let alone how it’s produced.

From urban life to an unexpected career in agricultural journalism

It’s an issue I can speak on from experience. I grew up in a city, studied journalism at university and ended up writing about farming purely by accident.

Before I became a farming journalist, the closest I’d come to agriculture was once buying eggs from a farm shop and hearing The Wurzels on the radio.

But once I got into the industry, I was fascinated by all the stories there were to tell, and I became determined that I was going to share them with as many people as possible.

From covering government policies, environmental issues, and business and economics to livestock production and crop science, I love the breadth of what I get to write about.

I also love the chance I have to tell people about the work and passion that goes into producing the food we eat.

For too long, the focus has been on getting our food to be as cheap as possible without really thinking about the consequences, not just to farmers’ businesses, but also to the environment and the public’s health.

I see my job as being not only to inform farmers about the developments in their industry to help them drive more efficient, profitable businesses, but also to help build that lost connection between farmers and their customers.

Critical questions represent an opportunity to “agvocate”

It’s a belief that I know many agricultural journalists around the world share.

Over the past decade, my job has taken me across Europe and further afield to countries including India, Australia, Canada, Tanzania and the United States to report on farming issues and meet other agri-journalists.

Without fail, I’m always struck by the fact that not only does every country’s farming industry have similar concerns and issues, but every single producer and agri-journalist shares the same passion for what they do.

So, yes, it may not seem like a quirky job to an outsider, but I see every one of the daft questions they ask as an opportunity to tell them about how great the industry is.

And if I can say I spent this past summer travelling through Germany, Italy and France meeting some fascinating people and learning about some incredible businesses, then I’m happy I decided against being a “proper journalist.”

Five mycotoxin minutes with Randy Asher, Alltech regional sales manager (and overall mycotoxin expert)

As the 2016 crop rolls in, now is the time to get the scoop on this year’s harvest and what that means for your operation. We grabbed Randy Asher, Alltech’s regional sales manager, with a host of consulting experience on mycotoxin issues for beef and dairy operations, for a little Q and A. 

What’s made the conditions for mycotoxins particularly unique this year?

The weather was a huge factor this summer. Regionally, weather conditions varied a lot, with Kansas having heavy rainfall and a large crop, whereas other areas, like West Texas and New Mexico, were historically dry and production was down.

The overall amount of stress was pretty high, too, because of the weather. Even the regions that got rain had long dry periods in the middle of the growing season and then lots of rain right before harvest, especially in the Corn Belt. This created an inconsistent environment, with both wet and dry patches in the crop, which, unfortunately, is perfect for mold and mycotoxin growth. Producers should really be on the lookout this year, just as Dr. Max Hawkins described in his Animal AgWired interview.  

What have you heard about the 2016 crop so far? What does it mean for feeding cattle?

DON will be the story this year. DON, also known as vomitoxin or deoxynivalenol, is one of an array of trichothecene mycotoxins produced by Fusarium graminearum and looks to be at much higher levels than normal. Aflatoxin levels also look to be high in this year’s crop. What DON and aflatoxins are known to do is inhibit the synthesis of protein in cattle and alter the immune system. As a result, feed conversion, particularly in lightweight feedlot cattle, is really affected and overall performance goes down. 

To combat this, everyone needs to be diligent in testing their corn and corn silages. Producers should have their feedstuffs and forages tested at laboratories, such as the Alltech 37+^® mycotoxin analytical services laboratory, to determine if any of their silages or hay has a mycotoxin prevalence before feeding. It’s really important to discard any feed ingredients you can tell are already moldy and musty smelling and use a sequestering agent in feed to prevent and/or offset the negative effects of molds and mycotoxins. 

How can producers tell if there’s a high mycotoxin load? Are there any early indication signs?

The big challenge when it comes to mycotoxins is that everything is dosage-dependent. Meaning, both the volume and duration of mycotoxins have a compounding effect over time. As a result, producers might not see any impact at all on day one, but don’t confuse that with thinking there isn’t an issue. It’s easy to blame a drop in performance on management or breed influences when the real problem could be right in the feed itself. 

Testing for mycotoxins is critical, but also let your cattle tell you what’s going on. Visually, there are a few cues: 
•    Rough or dull hair coats
•    Stiff joints and/or lameness 
•    Increases in respiratory-related incidents
•    Gut irritation that causes inconsistent or loose stool samples 

This year in particular is the right time to focus on nutrition to boost the immune system to combat the varied mycotoxin load cattle will face.  

Lastly, what’s the one thing the farming public needs to know about mycotoxins that they might not already know?

For me, I hear lots of producers worrying about aflatoxins and testing for them, which is good, but we know there are as many 1,200 different mycotoxins overall that can potentially be in feedstuffs. What I think farmers need to know is that testing for aflatoxins alone isn’t enough. 

I’ve said it before, but it’s the additive or synergistic effect of mycotoxins that really causes the issue. It takes a comprehensive management strategy, including testing and feed application, to drive the health and performance of cattle. That’s what’s best for cattle and supports profitable production at the end of the day.

To learn more about the Alltech® Mycotoxin Management program, visit www.knowmycotoxins.com.

The countdown to 2017 began for many producers back in 2015 when it was announced that new regulations limiting the use of antibiotics, called the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD), would go into effect Jan. 1, 2017. Since then, many questions have been top of mind for producers and feed suppliers: Do I need a VFD for my feed? Is there anything I need to change? How do I get prepared for the new regulations? Dr. Chris Rademacher, senior clinician at Iowa State University, explored these questions and more in the webinar “The VFD. What does it mean for me?”

“One of my jobs in extension is to work with and educate how producers get programs implemented,” said Rademacher when opening the webinar. “This is probably one of the bigger ones we have had from a regulatory standpoint in my 20 years in professional practice…the focus now is to help get producers, veterinarians and feed suppliers ready for these new regulations.”

In the webinar, Rademacher covered the following topics:

• What exactly the Veterinary Feed Directive means
• What changes will have to occur with your feed company
• A list of antibiotics that this new regulation affects
• The necessary actions that producers will need to take as a result of this new regulation

Rademacher emphasized that in order to make sure we get things done right, producers need to be having these conversations with their veterinarians right now. To learn more, click the link below and view the webinar.

http://go.alltech.com/vfd-webinar-signup-pig

Spain’s old-world charm is infused with music, food and wine. The Alltech Crop Science (ACS) Spain Crop Tour 2016 certainly enjoyed these Spanish delights, but attendees were there for something else: Spain’s agriculture.
 
Seventy-two tour participants representing Brazil, the United States, Canada, Morocco, Algeria, Greece and northern Spain commenced their week-long journey in southeastern Spain. They began with a visit to Primaflor, a producer of ready-to-eat salads that specializes in leafy vegetables. Primaflor farms over 14,000 acres and has been using ACS products for four years, resulting in increased quality and quantity. Inside a 7.5-acre, fully automated greenhouse, the group viewed the systems that allow the greenhouse to produce the equivalent of 22 acres’ worth of greens!
 
The lack of water throughout eastern Spain means that producers have to be more creative in their usage and make every drop count. From Plantiagro, a seeds and seedling producer in Murcia, to Daramezas and Castrejón Alto in Toledo, which produce grapes for cognac and olives, respectively, challenges include not only overcoming issues with scarcity, but also with salinity and poor water quality. Growers are constantly looking for ways to make their farms more efficient while maintaining and increasing productivity levels, something many of the tour participants found relatable.
 
Before ending with a day at Fruit Attraction, the largest agronomic trade show in Europe, the tour included a visit to the research fields and laboratory of Ideagro, an independent research group that has been working with ACS for years, as well as touring the table grape variety fields of ITUM and sightseeing in Murcia, Toledo and Madrid
 
After spending a week together, the group felt like a large family.
 
“The trip was wonderful in networking, fun and learning, but what truly makes a difference are the people we share the experience with,” noted Sebastião Rodovalho from Trisolo.
 
“In one word, I would describe the tour as wonderful, because it makes me want to do more, learn more,” said João Garcia, who represents Casa do Adubo. “I came back excited and full of knowledge to share.” 
 
A few days later, Garcia shared his experiences from the tour with friends who were “amazed with all the information I was able to bring back,” he said. “With all that we learned during the week, Brazil and the world gained more experienced people when we returned home.” 

The following is an excerpt from a post by Chief Innovation Officer Aidan Connolly on LinkedIn.

The year is 2050. 

The global population has now reached 9.6 billion people and is increasing every day. You turn on the television, and once again the news turns to how we need the equivalent of three planets in order to feed this unprecedented population. 

Is the world ready for this type of reality? Through the use of sustainable practices and precision agriculture, the answer could be a resounding “yes!”

In October 1945, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations was created, with one of the key goals being to effectively manage the global food system. To celebrate the founding of the organization, World Food Day was created, and this year, the 71^st anniversary, the theme is “Climate is changing. Food and agriculture must, too.”

Dr. Steven Borst, general manager of Alltech Crop Science, believes that biotechnology, as an evolving science, is paramount to tackling the challenges of sustainable development. In 1987, The United Nations defined sustainability as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” 

“Having the ability to understand, influence and obtain immediate feedback on how we can assist and maintain the maximum potential inherent to each crop could unlock the keys to yield increases as well as abiotic and biotic stress resistance in ways that we could not imagine,” said Borst. 

In order to feed this growing population, we will have to work together at every level: global, local and individual.

“Regardless of which category you fall under, utilizing sustainable approaches to maximize yields and quality will assist with ensuring that we maintain the successes we have already gained in this battle,” continued Borst. 

To bring the goal of sustainably and feeding 9.6 billion people one step closer to reality, new tools and management practices will be needed. We must be able to do more with less, while improving and maintaining food quality.

Alltech Crop Science utilizes unique technologies that stem from research. By strengthening natural plant processes and providing precise micronutrient availability, crops are better able to withstand environmental stresses and reach their maximum genetic potential in yield and quality.

The increasing use of precision agriculture also enables today’s growers to pinpoint areas under stress. By targeting fertilizer and other input applications only to the affected areas, growers can improve their environmental footprint and even their bottom line.

These new technologies could lead to a 2050 that’s more sustainable for our world, our food production and the operations of the modern grower.

Have a question or comment?