Corn Silage Harvest- It's a Team Sport

There, beyond the free stall barn of content Holsteins munching on last year’s crop, I begin to hear a familiar sound.  A kind of metal clinking, engine humming, and corn stalks whirring and crunching as the chopper works through the field and his ever constant companion of a wagon or truck works to keep up.  Silage chopping is a team sport- in this case the whole family is working to get feed put away for their herd for the next year.  I can sense the urgency in the air as I am warmly greeted on to the farm.  One of the two brothers, Mike, met me and we chatted quickly about why I was there.  But I knew I was not very high on the priority list for today- Corn silage was top priority today.  At Aspirin Acres I am sure when each of them woke up this morning that is exactly what they thought.  So after the cows were checked, fed, milked and moved; the heifers and calves were fed; machines were fixed, all the people were rounded up…finally they can start in the field.  Mike pointed over the hill to the next field where his son Joe was chopping and his wife and younger son were running wagons and invited me to ride in the chopper; this man had some bunker packing to do today and I am slowing him down.  I had never been in a self-propelled chopper before, and I thanked my lucky stars I don’t have motion sickness.  Joe and I chatted in the cab about the crop this year and how their silage was two weeks behind last.  We also talked about how they work with their agronomist and nutritionist to make a plan from seed to feed.

Jacob Miller, Landmark Agronomist and Rio Location manager was good enough to introduce me to the Benish family and work with me to tell me how an agronomist is involved in the silage process.  He said that “an agronomist starts to set the stage for chopping in January when he works to select hybrids to plant.”  This is when you ask the questions like: How much starch are you looking for? How many acres did you plant last year? Was that many acres right for your silage needs?  Should we use a multipurpose hybrid on some for you to have some flexibility with your grain acres? Asking the right questions will put you on track for a successful season.

 Jacob is excellent at placement and you can tell his knowledge is highly valued on farm.   He helps to create a plan with the grower so that you have a pretty good idea what field will need to be harvested first.  A great way to spread out your silage season is to use multiple maturity hybrids.  That way you can have a greater window of opportunity for when you corn will be ready to chop. 

NIR Gun

Jim Stelse introduced me to the Animal Nutrition world of silage…and all the acronyms that come with.  We talked about CCP (Critical Control Points), DM (Dry Matter), NIR (Near Inferred) Gun for checking moisture, TLOC (Total Length of Cut), KPS (Kernel Processing)…I really could go on and on.  You should see all the tools and testing equipment that an animal nutritionist carries on the farm! It’s quite the carload.  Animal nutritionist use these “on farm tools”, along with lab testing to help make decisions like increasing the kernel processing, moisture and nutrition needs of the animal. 

For an animal nutritionist getting the highest forage quality is very important.  Jim uses CCP to have a guide for his growers to go through the season with a plan for success.  The CCP includes decision making as to when the harvest of the silage starts or is altered.  When determining when to start silage, a number of factors go into this decision making- such as finding a maturity optimization for yield quantity and quality. The silage harvest season is very highly influenced by moisture.  This makes the window for harvesting very narrow and can make for a stressful event.  During the chopping season conditions change, but you have control over a few things…and weather is certainly not one! If your chopper is equipped with a kernel processor, you can alter processed taking into consideration their moisture and starches. Use a shaker box to see length of cut and how the plant in processing.  Another way to insure you are working for the best forage is to have excellent packing and then seal it.  In silage oxygen is the enemy.  A bunker must be packed to protect the feed from spoiling and to increase storage.

I also asked with Matt Solymossy from our Safety Manager about silage gas safety.  He warned “Silo Gas is very dangerous gas made up of primarily Carbon Dioxide and Nitrogen Dioxide that are released during the early stages of the fermentation process.  Silo gas hazards exist anytime farmers or employees enter silo storage structures, but there is increased risk in the days immediately following filling the silo.  Silo gas can typically be detected by its bleach like odor and faint red or yellow haze.   Never enter a silo if you detect the presence of silo gas.” 

No one would argue the fact that dairy farmers are hard workers… but to think that they work to get the everyday chores done- then get to the field to chop between chores (which itself is a full time job). 

I think it is good to remind ourselves and others that farming can be very dangerous…especially during silage season.  As I left Aspirin Acres and I watched the wagons coming and going to the bunker area, I was reminded of all those familiar yellow signs on the road portraying a tractor and a farmer.  Having so much farm equipment frequenting the road during silage season working feverishly to get a job done is stressful enough, having another person on the farm, I know from experience can make you very nervous.  So I want to extend a sincere thanks to the Benish Family of Aspirin Acres for allowing me onto their farm.  Whether you are packing a bunker, filling a bag or blowing it up a silo have a safe productive silage season! Thank you!

Grain Exchange: Morning Grain Commentary

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The Grain Exchange

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The Grain Exchange

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Agronomy: From the Field Update

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Meet our 2015 Summer Interns!

Tips to stay cool this summer!

Believe it or not, the summer of 2015 is coming up fast and prior to the long days of summer it is important to remember to perform a simple maintenance checklist that can save you time, money and perhaps a bout with heat exhaustion too!

Check your air filter:  It is essential to make sure your filter is clean, of the proper size and manufactured correctly to help your equipment operate at its peak. Many one-inch thick filters on the market are said to “clean the air” but have so much air flow restriction they can cause cooling problems.  This can cause your blower motor to work harder and possibly fail.

Remove vegetation: Any vegetation or plants growing near your outdoor air conditioner unit should be removed to prevent air flow issues.

Program for $$ Savings: If you have a programmable thermostat, setting a consistent temperature on it can save you a lot of cash. Landmark Heating and Cooling does not recommend more than a 5-degree setback on temperature. Remember, turning down the thermostat to 64 degrees will not make the house cool any faster. Today there are thermostats that will learn your lifestyle and can even have your home at the correct temperature when you arrive home or wake up.

Turn off those heat makers! Look around the house for appliances that generate heat, such as computers or lamps, and when not in use, shut them off! Simple changes such as closing your blinds when the sun is shining in the window and sealing air leaks around windows can keep the summer heat from robbing your home of your cool air and help your AC unit from having to work so hard!

Replacement may actually save dollars: If your unit is over 10 years old and it fails, it may be worth investigating how much a new system could save you in operating costs. In years past, people only replaced their furnace or air conditioner “as needed”, but today’s new energy efficient models and government and manufacturers incentives may mean that replacing these units sooner rather than later is the best option!

If you do decide to make a major change to your unit, there are several items to consider: the costs of the investment, payback and warranty are all major factors in deciding to repair or replace. It is often to best to work through this process with trained professionals, such as Landmark’s Heating and Cooling staff, that can help you weigh all the options and decide the best path for you. 

Don’t hesitate to contact Landmark Heating and Cooling today to find out how we can help you save money and keep cool this summer!

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Grain Exchange: Morning Grain Commentary

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The Dirt: Weekly Crop and Field Report

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Feed for the Future

“As dairy farmers, you feed a properly balanced ration to your cows designed to optimize health and productivity.  So do you do the same for your calves?”  Todd McDonough from Land O’Lakes Animal Milk posed this question during one of the recent Calf Roundtable Discussion meetings hosted by Landmark Services Cooperative.  When considering how a calf utilizes the nutrients they are fed, McDonough encourages both farmers and nutritionists to remember the acronym “M.I.G.”, which stands for Maintenance, Immune System, and Growth.  This is the order in which a calf partitions nutrients within their small bodies.  Young calves have such a high nutrient demand just for maintenance simply to keep themselves alive, many calves are fed a diet deficient in vitamins, protein, and fat.  This compromises a calf’s ability to develop a strong immune system, let alone partition any nutrients for growth of the calf.  In addition, the maintenance requirement can increase significantly based on stress, weather, environment, or health challenges.  Such challenges partition even more nutrients to maintenance, leaving less to be used for immune system development or meeting the farmer’s growth goals.

 

When considering how to feed the animals that will dictate the future profitability of your dairy farm, make sure you are balancing a proper diet for them.  Tools exist for balancing a diet of milk and calf starter for young calves, and a representative from the Animal Nutrition Division at Landmark Services Cooperative can help you do this. 

Ag Day 2015

Ag Day 2015

Real Life Farm Summit: Strategies to make your Farm Team Champions

Henry Ford once said this about this success of teamwork, "Coming together is a beginning.  Keeping together is progress.  Working together is success."

 

The 2015 Real Life Farm Summit focused on just that, teamwork, more specifically "Strategies to make your Farm Team Champions."  With an all-star line-up of speakers, attendees were filled with valuable information and solutions to take back to their farms and their teams. 

 

Dr. Jay Lehr, kicked off the day with his discussion on risk management, changes we are currently seeing in agriculture and shared his insight on the future of the industry.  He also showed attendees his true advocacy for agriculture in this video, when he took to the streets of San Francisco to educate them on what fertilizer is and the positive impact it has in our country.

 

 

 

Following Dr. Lehr's keynote address attendees had the opportunity to attend two out of the three breakout sessions, that relate directly to their farm operations.  They included:

 

Matt Solymossy, Landmark Safety Manager, presented "Don't get Sidelined by Regulatory Agencies," with a focus on Wisconsin act 377--changes to Implements of Husbandry laws and OSHA reportable injuries. 

 



"Creating and Maintaining a Winning Team," presented by Executive Vice President of Human Resources, Jeremy Henkels, with an emphasis on finding good employees and keeping them and I-9 compliance. 

 

Hans Pflieger and Bob Panzer of Verity Business Solutions, LLC, shared with attendees how to "Do the Lambeau Leap when you look at your Financial Statement" as they took an in-depth look at farm financial health. 

To close out the day attendees gave a super bowl welcome to William Henderson, formerly of the Green Bay Packers.  He took to the stage with an outstanding message on the hard work and dedication of farmers, and the fact that what they do isn't always easy, but it is worth it!

Real Life Farm Summit

National Ag Day is March 18th

Help us celebrate and recognize the most hardworking, noble and dedicated industry that is agriculture.  Submit your favorite photos of all things agriculture and they will be highlighted in a video for National Ag Day, thanking America’s hardworking men and women for all they do in our industry. 

The video will be posted on March 18^th, National Ag Day, and will be available for you to share and spread the message about this great industry. 

Email your photos to Kristi Olson (kristi.olson@landmark.coop) by March 17^h.  Submitting photos will enter you in a drawing for Landmark apparel.    

 

Have your calves been starving this winter?

Why do calves struggle to grow and survive in the winter?  Much of the answer comes from the fact that calves have a lot of surface area relative to their mass.  This means that calves need a lot of energy to keep warm due to the amount of body heat they can lose.  An excellent tool to predict performance of calves in different temperature scenarios exists in the 2001 Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle (NRC, 7^th edition, 2001).  Simulations of calf performance can be made using diets with various levels of nutrition fed at various temperatures.  A calf's energy requirement increases as ambient temperature decreases.

Table 1 shows a comparison of three milk replacer feeding programs for a 100 pound calf one week of age that is not consuming any starter.  In other words, the baby calf relies on milk replacer for all nutrients.  The three milk replacer feeding programs are a 20% protein, 20% fat (20/20) all milk, calf milk replacer fed at 1.0 pounds/day (conventional) or 1.25 pounds/day (increased gain).  The third program uses a high protein (28%) milk replacer fed at 2.5 pounds/day using an intensified calf-feeding program. Using the NRC program, daily gains on calves were predicted for each program at 0, 20, 40, and 60° F.

The table shows that at an average temperature of 60° F, the calves gained weight on all programs, although the calves fed the higher protein milk replacer gain 6 times as much weight as the calves on the conventional feeding program.  When average temperatures drop to 40° F, calves fed a conventional program do not have enough nutrients to gain weight and the gain on the increased gain program drops by two thirds while the calves fed the intensified program continued to gain, but at a slightly slower rate.  As average temperatures drop to 0° F and 20° F, calves fed the 20/20 milk replacer on either the conventional or increased gain program either stop gaining weight or lose weight.  Only the calves on the intensified feeding program continue to gain weight, even at colder temperatures.  In extreme cold temperatures where calves are kept in cold housing, traditional milk replacer programs do not provide enough nutrients to maintain a healthy calf.  The calf will lose weight, the immunity may be compromised and some calves may die of starvation if they do not increase their starter consumption dramatically.  Many calves are not able to increase their starter intake rapidly enough to compensate for the energy shortfall.  The result is that the calf may become weakened and ultimately dies of malnutrition or starvation.

 

Table 1.  Comparison of average daily gains for a 100 pound calf, one week of age, fed different amounts of milk replacer at different temperatures (Based on 2001 NRC predictions)
	Conventional	Increased Gain	Intensified Management
Milk replacer (protein/fat)	20/20	20/20	28/20
Pounds powder (#/d)	1.0	1.25	2.50
Average Temperature	Average Daily gain (#/day)
60° F	.39	.79	2.48
40° F	.01	.26	2.11
20° F	Weight loss	0	1.83
0° F	Weight loss	Weight loss	1.56

 

 

What are the options to prevent starvation of calves during cold stress?  Some producers will attempt to improve the energy status of calves during cold weather.  When average temperatures are 0° F, it will take .3 pounds of fat to prevent the calf from losing weight.  However, additional fat will result in up to .4 pounds of gain when temperatures average 20° F.    Another option is to feed an additional feeding of milk replacer.  Feeding 1.5 pounds/day (in 3 feedings/day) of 20/20 milk replacer at an average temperature of 0° F will maintain body weight and result in gains of  .30 pounds/day when temperatures average 20° F.   However, the best option for cold weather feeding is an intensified feeding program, as it will maintain the nutrients a calf needs to maintain body heat and continue to grow. 

 

Some producers will argue that an intensified feeding program is too expensive to implement.  Table 2 shows an economic comparison of the three scenarios presented in Table 1 at 40° F.  On a cost/day basis, the conventional program is the lowest cost at $.84/calf/day, with the higher feeding rate of the 20/20 milk replacer costing $1.05/calf/day and the intensified management program costing $2.70/calf/day.  Purely from a cost standpoint, the conventional program makes the most sense.  However, if you factor in calf performance and evaluate cost in terms of pounds of gain, the results reverse themselves.  With virtually no gain the conventional program costs $84/pound of gain, the increased gain program costs $4.04/pound of gain and the intensified feeding program costs $1.08/pound of gain.  Clearly, the returns are improved when the nutrition of baby calves is improved.  If your calves have not performed very well this winter, consider providing them with the nutrients they need to achieve acceptable gains. 

 

Table 2.  Economic comparison of average daily gains for a 100-pound calf, one week of age, fed different amounts of milk replacer at 40° F.
	Conventional	Increased Gain	Intensified Management
Milk replacer (protein/fat)	20/20	20/20	28/20
Pounds powder (#/d)	1.0	1.25	2.50
Average Daily gain (#/day)	.01	.26	2.11
Cost ($/bag)	42	42	54
Cost ($/pound)	.84	.84	1.08
Cost ($/day)	.84	1.05	2.70
Cost($/pound of gain)	84	4.04	1.08

 

When is the best time to market your grain?