March 2010
Equipment Notebook - ATV's
Spring chores generally go much smoother with a little help from an ATV. Here are some auction prices from 2009 that will give you an idea of the value of several different brands and types.
Planning And Managing Anaerobic Lagoons for Dairy Waste Treatment
Anaerobic lagoons look like farm ponds at first glance. They are larger than manure storage basins, which do not provide significant biological treatment or long storage periods, but smaller than aerobic lagoons. Even though aerobic lagoons are designed to provide a higher degree of treatment with less odor, anaerobic lagoons decompose more organic matter per unit volume. Because of their treatment and storage capabilities anaerobic lagoons are a good compromise between storage basins and aerobic lagoons.
Wet Spring Forage Planting Considerations
Stephen K. Barnhart, Department of Agronomy
Spring hay and pasture seedings are normally done from late February through late April in Iowa. The extended period of wet weather and possible flooding in 2010 has many producers wondering when they can get their forages planted.
Can spring forage stands still successfully be planted?
The short answer is – yes, into the first ten days to two weeks of May.
DFA Reports Profit Jump
Dairy Farmers of America, Inc., the largest U.S. dairy cooperative, said profit rose 6.3 percent
in 2009 as reduced costs and the sale of a business offset slumping milk prices.
Net income rose to $65.6 million from $61.7 million in 2008, the Kansas City, Mo.-based
cooperative said in a statement today. Sales fell 31 percent to $8.1 billion from $11.7 billion. For more detail click here.
CWT Reactivating Export Assistance
Cooperatives Working Together announced Thursday that it is reactivating its
Export Assistance program, effective immediately, to boost sales of U.S.-made cheddar cheese. The Export Assistance program was last used in 2008.
Advanced April Class I Price is Released
The April
Advanced Class I price is $13.22 which represents a drop of $1.12 from the March level.
Alleviate Stress - A Day and Life Of a Cow
Chronic stress on farm animals, including dairy cattle can have harmful effects on their health, productivity and welfare. We, as dairy producers, try to reduce the amount of stress cattle receive by the way we conduct our animal routines and care, as well as diminishing environmental stress—so our dairy cattle can be healthy and productive as possible.
Gypsoil
Posted on 08 March 2010
Earth-friendly, in more ways than one.
Gypsoil is made from recycled gypsum products and synthetic gypsum from the eco-friendly process of producing electricity.
So it not only helps rebuild your soil, it reuses byproducts that would otherwise go to waste. For best results, apply every one to two years using conventional lime or litter spreading equipment.
