Livestock

Ohio is fortunate to be home to many outstanding leaders who work selflessly to make a difference in the pork industry. At yesterday’s Ohio Pork Congress Luncheon some of those individuals were recognized for their service with the presentation of the Swine Manager of the Year, Ohio Pork Council Service, Pork Promoter of the Year, Friends of Ohio Pork and Ohio Pork Industry Excellence awards.

Swine Manager of the Year Award: Nathan Isler, Prospect

Nathan oversees the sows and three full time employees in the sow barn for Isler Genetics.

“Commercially raising hogs for market is the way we are going and our future as I see it today,” Nathan said. “The vast majority of our hogs go to market, but we also sell breeding stock, show pigs, and pigs for medical research. We sell commercial semen as well. We also have three contract barns. Through the progression of things we are 70% pure York sows.… Continue reading

Rain falls, and that might make some farmers happy, depending on the time of year.

Then, a lot of rain falls, off and on, for months, and not only do fields fill up with water, but so do manure ponds and lagoons, and that might make some farmers a bit nervous.

Ohio had the third wettest year ever in 2018, and there’s been little letup since then, leaving farm fields across the state saturated. For farmers with a lot of livestock, spreading manure onto wet land as fertilizer is not an option right now, and manure ponds are filling up fast.

Because manure ponds and lagoons are outdoors and uncovered, they collect not only animal waste from livestock housed inside, but they also collect rainwater. Indoor pits located under livestock holding facilities, such as hog barns, also collect manure; those are also reaching capacity.

“Week after week and month after month have gone by, and there have been very few opportunities to get the manure applied,” said Glen Arnold, a manure management specialist with The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES).… Continue reading

By Matt Reese

As all aspects of the hog industry have evolved, Isler Genetics has changed accordingly. This incredible Marion County family tradition in the Ohio pork industry is now in the capable hands of another generation, including Nathan Isler, who is the Ohio Pork Council swine manager of the year.

“We’re working on six generations farming here. My grandfather had a little bit of everything. My Dad and uncle really grew with the hog industry. Our farm was built off of breeding stock. We’ve been a closed herd since the 70s,” Nathan said. “My Uncle Don and my Dad, Bill, built and grew the farm. Uncle Gene had a hand in it too. Dad came back in ‘68 to the farm. At that time we had Durocs, Yorks, Landrace, Hamps and large Whites. When Dad’s generation came back they started raising more breeding stock. There were maybe 50 sows before Dad and Don came back and grew it into what it is today.… Continue reading

By Rory Lewandowski, Extension Educator Wayne County, Ohio State University Extension

Cold winter weather presents some additional challenges to keeping dairy calves healthy, comfortable and growing. The biggest challenge is the increased nutritional requirement for body maintenance, especially for dairy calves in unheated facilities. Nutritional maintenance is what is required to keep all body systems functioning normally while maintaining a healthy body temperature and neither gaining nor losing weight. Cold weather nutrition requires understanding the concept of lower critical temperature. Lower critical temperature is the lower boundary below which the animal needs additional nutrients, primarily energy, to meet maintenance requirements. If the nutrient level is not increased, then the animal must burn fat reserves to meet the need. The lower critical temperature for calves from birth to 7 days of age is 55 degrees F. Between 7 and 30 days of age, the lower critical temperature is in the 48- to 50-degree F range.… Continue reading

Legislation sponsored by Reps. Glenn Thompson (R-PA) and Collin Peterson (D-MN), chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, would allow whole milk in school nutrition programs. The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2019 (H.R. 832) has eight other co-sponsors, including Rep. Mike Conaway (R-TX), ranking Republican on the House Agriculture Committee. Adding whole milk to school menus reflects research showing that such products benefit children and gives school administrators one more tool with which to develop healthy eating habits. Read More…

Stuck in the mud, some cows across the state might not be putting on enough weight.

Cattle have been getting pretty muddy as a result of Ohio’s extremely heavy rainfall in 2018 and precipitation so far this year. The mud can lead to thinner cows because it takes a lot of energy for cattle to trudge through mud and to keep their bodies warm when cold mud sticks to them, said John Grimes, beef coordinator for Ohio State University Extension. OSU Extension is the outreach arm of The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES).

Pregnant cows that don’t gain enough weight are at risk of having weak or stillborn calves and of not being able to produce enough milk for their offspring, Grimes said.

“When it’s cold and wet, you and I can be inside and set the thermostat at 70 degrees, but cows have to adapt,” Grimes said.… Continue reading

With lambing season right around the corner, shepherds need to start preparing now. The CDT vaccine is yet another management tool found in the shepherd’s toolbox that is used to protect small ruminants against clostridium perfringens types C and D as well as clostridium tetani (tetanus). Appropriate use of this vaccine is a safe, cheap, and an effective method used to control for clostridial diseases in your flock. Commonly referred to in the industry as the ‘overeating disease,’ clostridium perfringens types C and D are associated with feedstuffs and can lead to enterotoxemia. The bacteria that cause enterotoxemia are present in all animals, just at low population levels. Issues arise when these bacterial populations experience a rapid period of growth and proliferation due to an increase in actual bacterial numbers or due to a rapid change in the diet. As a result, the bacteria grow rapidly, toxins accumulate, and are then distributed throughout the body resulting in serious health issues or death.

The goal is to have a winter feeding program meets the cow’s requirements and is economical. There is a biological priority for nutrients. The needs for maintenance, growth and milk production must be met before we can optimize reproduction.

The period from approximately 60 to 90 days prior to calving is affects the calf and the subsequent reproductive performance. Fetal growth is at its maximum and fat stores will be used for lactation. Nutrition during this time also affect colostrums quality. Underfeeding during this time period include:

1. Lighter calf birth weights (although calving difficulty won’t be reduced).
2. Lower calf survival.
3. Lower milk production and calf growth.
4. A longer period for cattle coming back into heat.

Cold temperatures

The only adjustment in cow rations necessitated by weather is to increase maintenance energy. Protein, mineral and vitamin requirements are not changed by weather stress. The general rule of thumb is to increase winter ration energy 1% for each degree (F) below the lower critical temperature.… Continue reading

By Michelle Arnold, DVM, Ruminant Extension Veterinarian, University of Kentucky

Record rainfall in 2018 has had major impacts on cattle health. Submissions at the UKVDL and telephone conversations with veterinarians and producers confirm cattle are losing body condition and some are dying of malnutrition. The very prolonged cloudy, wet weather with regular bouts of rain has resulted in muddy conditions that require substantially more energy in feeds just to maintain body heat. In addition, the hay quality is exceptionally poor this year as much of it was cut very ripe (late stage of maturity), rained on while curing, and baled with enough moisture to support mold growth. Many cows presented to the laboratory for necropsy (an animal “autopsy”) revealed a total absence of fat and few, if any, other problems. This indicates winter feeding programs on many farms this year are not adequate to support cattle, especially cows in late pregnancy or early lactation, or their newborn calves, even though bitter cold has not been a factor.… Continue reading

A new bill — the PACT Act — has been introduced in Congress that looks to make animal abuse a felony — a more serious punishment than the current state-by-state laws. Livestock farmers in general continue to be at the forefront of animal welfare, but this latest federal legislation is drawing some questions. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is pushing for the measure. Hannah Thompson-Weeman, vice president of communications for the non-profit Animal Agriculture Alliance, said the PACT Act seems to have animal agriculture as a target. Read More…

With only days to go before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) comment period on fake milks ends, new consumer research shows Americans widely disapprove of dairy terms being appropriated by fake-milk producers, as well as confusion on the nutritional content of milk versus plant-based imitators, offering further evidence that FDA must enforce long-existing standards of identity on dairy imposters.

The national survey conducted by IPSOS, a global market research and consulting firm, found:

• Only 20% of all consumers said plant-based beverages should be labeled milk, as U.S. dietary guidelines do not recommend imitators as a substitute for dairy milk; even when limited to buyers of plant-based drinks, support for mislabeling rose to only 41%.
• About 50% of consumers mistakenly perceive that the main ingredient of a plant-based beverage is the plant itself; such drinks are mostly flavored water.
• More than one-third of consumers erroneously believe plant-based beverages have the same or more protein than dairy milk.… Continue reading

By Glen Arnold, CCA, Ohio State University Extension

The 2019 Certified Livestock Manager (CLM) training will be on Wednesday Feb. 6 and Thursday Feb. 7 at the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s (ODA) Reynoldsburg campus.

A Certified Livestock Manager (CLM) certification is required for any of the following:

• For a Major Concentrated Animal Feeding Facility (MCAFF) with 10,000 or more cattle; 7,000 or more mature dairy cattle; 10,000 or more veal calves; 25,000 swine over 55 lbs. or 100,000 swine under 55 lbs.; 550,000 or more turkeys, or 820,000 laying hens with other than a liquid manure system. Other requirements for a CLM are in Section 903.07 of the Oho Revised Code (ORC) and Rule 901:10-1-06 of the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC).

• For a person who is a livestock manure broker that buys, sells or land applies more than 4,500 dry tons per year or 25 million gallons of liquid manure, or its equivalent.… Continue reading

By Hannah Thompson-Weeman, vice president of communications at the Animal Agriculture Alliance

A recent report published in the Lancet medical journal claims that people must drastically reduce their meat and dairy consumption to be healthy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. While the report may make for sensational headlines, it ignores evidence about meat and dairy foods’ positive role in healthy diets and environmental sustainability.

The EAT Forum, the organization behind the report, is a privately funded think tank based in Oslo, Norway, and the Lancet is a UK-based medical journal. Their prescriptive global diet severely limits meat and dairy consumption, drastically departing from U.S. dietary guidance. Quantity and calorie caps apply to staple foods, including:

• Beef (or lamb): one-quarter ounce per day (7g)
• Pork: one-quarter ounce per day (7g)
• Dairy: 250 grams per day — about one glass of milk
• Chicken: one ounce per day (29g)
• Eggs: less than half an ounce per day — about 1/5 of an egg
• Fish: about one ounce per day – limited to 40 calories

The EAT-Lancet Commission comprises a small group of researchers and does not represent a global consensus of scientific experts in animal agriculture, nutrition or sustainability.… Continue reading

By Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension

A major winter storm this past week extended in a belt across the middle of the country from Denver east to the mid-Atlantic coast. Heavy snow hit parts of feedlot country across eastern Colorado, Kansas, southeastern Nebraska, southern Iowa and the eastern Corn Belt. Much of Nebraska and the northern Plains along with the Texas panhandle were spared the worst of the snow but rain has created wet, sloppy conditions in many places that will impact cattle performance in feedlots and in the country. Recent weather may delay fed cattle marketing enough to help support fed cattle prices or push prices higher. Whether or not weather impacts are widespread enough to noticeably impact overall market conditions, cattle producers in many areas face significant management headaches due to the weather.

Winter weather often impacts feedlot performance and efficiency. Feedlots typically post the lowest seasonal average daily gains (ADG) for cattle marketed in March to May, which reflects cattle fed over the previous four to six months.… Continue reading

Ohio beef producers and industry leaders met to develop policy, learn about consumer preferences and beef demand and to celebrate the many achievements of cattlemen at the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet, Jan. 12, 2019, at the Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center in Lewis Center.

More than 250 people attended the event. In addition to the annual meeting and evening banquet, there were educational breakout sessions and several youth opportunities throughout the day. Sponsors who contributed to the event’s success include Ag Credit, Alltech, COBA/Select Sires, Columbiana/Mahoning/Trumbull Cattlemen’s Association, Farm Credit Mid-America, Murphy Tractor & Equipment Company, Ohio Association of Meat Processors and the Stark County Cattlemen’s Association.

The day featured youth opportunities sponsored by Farm Credit Mid-America, including the Youth Beef Quiz Bowl and a beef quality assurance session. Nearly 30 youth participated in this two-part contest, consisting of written and verbal rounds. The winners were as follows: Junior Division: Lara Rittenhouse, Clark County, first place individual; Emma Yochum, Highland County, second place individual; and Tatumn Poff, Geauga County, third place individual.… Continue reading

More than 50,000 cattle producers have been certified through the Beef Quality Assurance program’s new online learning system since it was first offered in February 2017. Throughout the country hundreds of thousands have now become BQA-certified through in-person and online training, with an estimated 80% of the U.S. fed beef supply now touched by BQA-certified operations.

The beef checkoff-funded BQA program is a nationally coordinated, state implemented program that provides systematic information to U.S. beef producers and beef consumers of how commonsense husbandry techniques can be coupled with accepted scientific knowledge to raise cattle under optimum management and environmental conditions. BQA guidelines are designed to make certain all beef consumers can take pride in what they purchase — and can trust and have confidence in the entire beef industry.

Online BQA training provides 24/7 access to the program through a series of videos and animation. While in-person training is still available through numerous sessions conducted by in-state BQA coordinators throughout the country, online certification provides a chance for certification at any time.… Continue reading

Whether it is called fake meat or clean meat, products containing alternative sources of protein have been appearing in supermarkets and restaurants around the country, and are competing with traditionally raised animal agriculture products. Attendees at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 100th Annual Convention engaged with experts on what alternative sources of protein are, who backs them and how to get the message out about the products they produce.

Plant-based “meats” (Impossible Foods, Inc. and Beyond Meat) and cell-based meats (Memphis Meats and Mosa Meat) are two types of products that have been receiving national attention over the past few years according to Eric Mittenthal, vice president of public affairs for the North American Meat Institute. Though very different in how they are produced, both groups are targeting the marketing demographic dominated by animal agriculture.

“Their audience is not the traditional vegan or vegetarian looking for new products,” Mittenthal said. “They want to compete in the meat case for meat eaters.”… Continue reading

By Matt Reese

The 2019 installment of the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet featured a wide array of topics and a great crop of award winners.

The Outstanding County Affiliate Award was presented to Clark County Cattle Producers; the Environmental Stewardship Award was presented to Andy, Erin and Brian Stickel of Wood County; the Young Cattleman of the Year Award was presented to Brad Thornburg of Belmont County; the Commercial Producer of the Year Award was presented to Allan and Kelly Robison and Thad and Amanda Robison of Champaign County; the Seedstock Producer of the Year Award was presented to the Lee Miller family of Paint Valley Farms in Holmes County; the Industry Service Award was presented to Tom Price of Delaware County; and the Industry Excellence Award was presented to Bob Agle of Clark County.

Among the discussion topics was the fair amount of criticism recently regarding sustainability in the beef industry.… Continue reading

By Joel Penhorwood

The busy interchange at I-70 West and I-75 North near Dayton was put on hold Monday afternoon shortly after 4 o’clock when a semi hauling feeder pigs overturned.

As originally reported by WHIO in this article, troopers said about 2,000 animals were involved in the incident. Several perished as the result of the crash. The many surviving pigs were transported to another trailer.

WHIO also reported the semi driver was not injured in the accident.

The Dayton Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol told Ohio Ag Net that troopers continued to be on scene just before 9 o’clock Monday evening.

A similar accident on the same interchange happened in October, also involving thousands of pigs.… Continue reading