🌡️ Estimating thermal stress 📍 Traceability revisited 🧑‍💻 Management webinars in Spanish

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Series of dairy management webinars, in Spanish (1 minute read)

The University of Wisconsin, with various industry sponsors, has planned a series of webinars, to be presented in Spanish (only), on a variety of dairy management and technology topics. The webinars will be on Wednesdays from 12:00–1:00 pm CST, from September 4 through November 6. See the linked article for the full list of topics. The webinars are free but require registration.

Dairy a key ingredient in many viral social media recipes (9 minute read)

People are not only searching for recipes online, they’re looking on social media. To the benefit of the industry, dairy has been a featured product in many viral recipes of the last year. Recipes such as fried feta egg and baked feta pasta have driven much of the consumer demand for this cheese, with the latter increasing Instacart orders for its ingredients by nearly 500%. Social media can be a double-edged sword, prone to spreading information not based in fact, and dairy is no exception; it’s important for those in the industry to stay engaged, sharing their story and the facts about dairy.

Expect strong margins to close 2024 (4 minute read)

Ever.Ag analysts are predicting strong margins for the remainder of 2024, thanks to lower feed costs and good milk prices. Corn and soybean farmers are expecting good yields this year, which may push corn prices below $4/bushel for the first time since 2020. At the same time, Class I, II, and II milk prices are all near or above $20 and milk production forecasts are lower for 2024 and 2025. Keep in mind, high margins tend to stimulate production, which could put negative pressure on milk prices.

Evaluation of thermal indices for estimating cold and heat stress (>30 minute read)

There are numerous thermal indices available, but their ability to estimate production impacts has not been well documented. The temperature-humidity index (THI), adjusted temperature-humidity index (THIadj), black globe humidity index (BGHI), and comprehensive climate index (CCI) were compared with state-level milk production records to assess their ability to estimate the effect of heat and cold stress. The CCI and THIadj are more comprehensive and better explain production differences. Both heat and cold stress have similar production impacts, but milk yield losses accumulate more rapidly with heat stress, while those from cold stress increase gradually and consistently. Because of this complexity, a simple threshold for thermal stress is not adequate. While all of the thermal indices correlated with milk production, to a greater or lesser extent, none of them were designed to predict milk production; if we wish to have a thermal index that will accurately predict production impacts, a new one will need to be designed. Lesser responses to thermal stress in the past two decades suggest management of these stressors is improving.

Shipping firm considers using biomethane as fuel source (1 minute read)

Japanese shipping firm Mitsui OSK Lines plans to work with Takanashi Milk Products Company to evaluate the suitability and feasibility of using biomethane produced from the manure of dairy cows as a fuel source for their ships. Using biomethane is seen as a way of “decarbonizing” while using existing infrastructure and technologies.

HPAI cases likely undercounted due to reluctant reporting (4 minute read)

The current count of HPAI-affected U.S. dairy farms stands at 190 in 13 states, but many within the industry suspect the actual count is as much as five times higher. Reluctance by dairy farmers to report suspected cases is attributed to concerns about the economic consequences, perceptions that the virus is not of serious concern, and distrust of government officials. While some states have enacted more thorough surveillance and import requirements, the USDA’s testing guidelines remain voluntary, except lactating dairy cows moving across state lines. Farmers and veterinarians in states without any reported cases are concerned that when it does arrive, there will be insufficient testing to be able to track and control its spread.

This is unlikely to be a revelation for those involved in dairy, but it is worth noting that it’s making its way into the mainstream news channels.

It’s time to upgrade cattle traceability(3 minute read)

The president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) says the current system of cattle traceability in the U.S. is insufficient for a rapid response to a disease outbreak. The metal ear tags currently in use become illegible over time, are prone to transcription errors, and the transfer of the data to a database is slow. The USDA has proposed new rules (again) to transition from the metal tags to EID tags. As in previous attempts, there has been significant industry pushback. Privacy and cost are two concerns; the NCBA has been working on solutions for both.

Idaho outbreak linked to raw milk (1 minute read)

Idaho officials are investigating a campylobacteriosis outbreak that has affected 18 people since July 24. All 18 people reported drinking raw milk, 17 of them from Paradise Grove Dairy. The dairy voluntarily temporarily halted production from August 2–12 to inspect and repair equipment and increase testing frequency.

Wegmans recalls half-and-half for insufficient testing (1 minute read)

Wegmans, a grocery chain with stores in several northeastern and mid-Atlantic states, has recalled one-quart cartons of their ultra-pasteurized half-and-half over concern that the milk used in the product may not have been properly tested for antibiotic residues.

Planned Riverview, LLP expansion into North Dakota would quintuple state’s dairy cow numbers (17 minute read)

Riverview, LLP, based out of Morris, MN, is looking to expand via two dairies in North Dakota, one 12,500-head and the other 25,000-head. The state currently has 24 dairy farms, totaling less than 10,000 cows. The state’s department of agriculture has been working with Riverview on the logistics of developing dairies of this scale. There has been a positive response from crop farmers in the areas surrounding the two proposed sites; they find the prospect of selling grain directly to Riverview appealing and would welcome having manure to use for fertilizer.

Fewer cows are going to the fair (10 minute read)

Across the country, state and county fairs are in full swing, but with fewer cows. Many fairs have scaled back popular exhibits, including cow birthing centers and milking demonstrations, in an effor to limit the risk of spreading HPAI between cows and/or people; at the very least additional testing requirements have been added. For many fairs and families, the experience is much different with the reduced cow numbers and not all farmers agree with the caution. For those that have elected to bring their cows to the fair, the show goes on. The article includes several photos and short video clips of a dairy and the dairy show.

Massachusetts unveils Ice Cream Trail (4 minute read)

The Massachusetts Dairy Promotion Board, the Mass. Dept. of Agricultural Resources, and the Mass. Office of Travel and Tourism have unveiled an Ice Cream Trail, featuring more than 100 ice cream shops across the state. The map highlights both the ice cream and the dairy farms that produce the milk for it with many facts and trivia. The map can be found here.