🍂 Fall brings lower colostrum production 🎳 Port strike impacts dairy trade 🚽 Manure storage methane emissions

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Expect lower colostrum production this fall (2 minute read)

Several studies have documented seasonal fluctuations in colostrum yield. The greatest production is generally in spring and summer, the lowest in fall and winter. The mechanism behind this shift is not well understood, but a shorter photoperiod is a suspected contributor. Although a remedy is not readily available, bolstering frozen colostrum inventory can help dairies to weather the seasonal shortage.

Make planning for water consumption a priority (3 minute read)

As with feed, cows’ social hierarchy impacts their water access. Two recent studies, one from France, one from British Columbia, found that less access to water increased competition, particularly during periods of peak demand. Subordinate animals drank less water than dominant cows and had to shift their drinking times to less busy periods. Grouping cows according to size and lactation can help improve access for subordinate cows that tend to be younger and smaller. When planning new construction or remodeling, consider peak water demands as cows return from the parlor; the old standard of 10% of the herd being able to access water at any given time may be insufficient for today’s higher production animals.

Milk production reports don’t fully capture the market (2 minute read)

For a century, the USDA’s milk production reports have served as the gold standard for estimating milk availability, but their inclusion of only milk volume is becoming limiting. Market forces have pushed component production to increase while fluid volume has decreased: total U.S. milk production has decreased for 14 straight months, but component production has grown in 12 of those 14 months. The USDA’s reports need to be updated to include component data in addition to the fluid milk data they now capture.

Port labor strike could have large impact on agriculture (2 minute read)

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and United States Maratime Alliance (USMX), representing 85,000 longshoremen, are striking, seeking wage increases exceeding 32%, higher starting pay, improved healthcare benefits, increased employer contributions to retirement, and assurances automation won’t replace jobs. The ramifications of this strike are potentially huge for dairy as $1.7 billion in dairy products were shipped through East and Gulf Coast ports in 2023. The National Milk Producers Federation and U.S. Dairy Export Council are calling on the Biden administration to immediately intervene in the strike.

Fewer beef-on-dairy animals possible (1 minute read)

Dairy replacement shortages and softening beef prices may lead to a reduction in beef-on-dairy. We may see producers shift their semen selection to include more sexed semen to increase dairy replacement production, with a resultant decrease in beef semen usage and fewer beef-on-dairy animals in the coming months.

Watch the progression of avian influenza outbreaks over time (1 minute read)

Watch an animated infographic highlighting the timeline of poultry flocks and dairy herds affected by avian influenza over the past two years (scroll down in the linked article to see the graphic; you may need to zoom in on the U.S., if it doesn’t do so automatically).

Methane emissions from manure storage higher than previously thought (3 minute read)

New research from the UK suggests that farm methane emissions may be five times higher than previously thought. Existing models predict cow emissions to be 3-9 times greater than manure storage, but the ratio is close to 50:50. These findings suggest that priorities on research and emission mitigation will need to be reassessed. Emissions from manure storage are readily captured and could be used generate energy to be used by the dairies, saving money and reducing overall GHG emissions.

NZ researchers focus on breeding climate-friendly cattle (4 minute read)

An ongoing genetics trial in New Zealand is using portable accumulation chambers (PAC) to measure the methane production of grazing beef cattle. The results of these efforts will focus on selecting cattle that show the greatest combination of feed efficiency and low methane production, and using these cattle to breed the next generation. The goal is to help meet GHG reduction targets through genetic selection, while also improving the productivity of the animals.

USDA and CDC need to be more aggressive in H5N1 measures (4 minute read)

If the current H5N1 outbreak were happening in China, U.S. officials would be demanding more testing and more transparency about the extent of the disease. Here in the U.S., where the actual outbreak is ongoing, there are many unknowns about the epidemiology of H5N1 in dairy cows, there is relatively limited testing, and limited public disclosure of the results. The potential ramifications of this outbreak are massive, with at least one human case with no known bird or cattle contact and potential spread to close contacts.

MSU Extension dairy heifer management webinar series

Michigan State University Extension will offer a series of six webinars on heifer management practices on Tuesdays between October 22 and November 26. See the linked page for the full schedule. Registration is required. Recordings will be available.

Cows declared to be plants, ending “animal fat” debate (2 minute read)

The Ministry of Milk Welfare is preparing to end the debate on plant vs animal fat by reclassifying cows as plants. The effects of this change in status are expected to be far reaching. See article for more details.