According to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Agricultural Prices report the All hay prices in Iowa averaged $147.00 per ton in June. This was $12.00 below the May price and $22.00 below
the June 2023 price. The June 2024 alfalfa hay price, at $153.00, was $10.00 below the previous month and
$20.00 below June 2023. The average price received for other hay during June was $129.00 per ton. This was
$24.00 below the May price and $30.00 below June last year.
The average price for milk was $22.70 per cwt, 50 cents above the May price and $7.40 above June 2023. Prices received for milk cows for dairy herd replacement averaged $2,470 per head as of July 1, 2024
Month: July 2024
I-29 Moo University webinar On August 22 To focus On Advances in Colostrum Management For Dairy Farms
The I-29 Moo University Dairy Webinar Series continues Thursday, August 22 from 12 noon to 1 p.m. CDT.
In this webinar Dr. Sandra Godden will review the basic tenants of a successful colostrum management program, as well as discuss recent advancements. Topics discussed will include but not be limited to, harvesting high quality colostrum and quality testing on farm, strategies to reduce bacterial contamination including heat-treating colostrum, proper storage to maintain quality, managing colostrum inventory during seasonal changes, and benefits of extended feeding of colostrum or transition milk.
FINAL REMINDER: I-29 Moo University webinar on July 25 to focus on Biosecurity Guidance for Dairy Operations
The I-29 Moo University Dairy Webinar Series continues Thursday, July 25 from 12 noon to 1 p.m. CDT.
Dr. Molly Lee and Dr. Delaine Quaresma of the Center for Food Security and Public Health (CFSPH) at Iowa State University will describe the guidance and resources available for planning and implementing daily and enhanced biosecurity practices on dairy operations.
Special emphasis will be placed on measures to prevent the introduction and/or spread of two diseases of current concern in the dairy industry – highly pathogenic avian influenza and foot and mouth disease.
Heifer Prices Soar
Sarina Sharp from Daily Dairy Report note that at the monthly auction in Pipestone, Minnesota, this week, the top 25 springers brought $3,150, on average. Meanwhile, cull rates continue to drop. In the week ending July 6, dairy cow slaughter plunged to 40,189 head, the lowest total in any week since Christmas 2009. The Independence Day holiday obviously contributed to the unusually depressed kill rate, but this is still an astoundingly low number. It is 20.6% lower than the same week in 2023, when the holiday was also a factor.
With cull rates in the basement, dairy cow head counts are likely to climb, and milk output could too. But milk yields will probably suffer as producers retain lower-production cows that they would have culled if there were more heifers available to replace them.
ISU Extension and Outreach Dairy Team webinar on August 21 will be an alfalfa update and late-season expectation with Amber Friedrichsen
The Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Dairy Team monthly webinar series continues Wednesday, August 21, from 12 noon to 1 p.m.
In this webinar, Amber Friedrichsen with Hay & Forage Grower will give an overview of growing conditions, harvest conditions, and forage test results for alfalfa so far this year. She will discuss how rainfall, temperatures, and pest management have affected alfalfa yield and quality throughout the growing season and summarize accounts from area farmers, custom forage harvesters, and forage consultants.
New Dairy Goat Website Offers Timely Resources
A collaborative website between Iowa State University and the University of California-Davis has been created to educate dairy goat producers and veterinarians about the science behind producing high-quality goat milk.
The Dairy Goat Extension and Education website provides modules and templates for health and reproductive records, with the goal of providing resources that will launch the American dairy goat industry forward in the areas of animal and udder health, milk quality and antimicrobial stewardship.
Continue reading “New Dairy Goat Website Offers Timely Resources”
Receptors make dairy cows a prime target for influenza, ISU team finds
AMES, Iowa – As highly pathogenic avian influenza has spread in dairy herds across the U.S., the virus is being detected in raw milk. A new study by a broad team of researchers at Iowa State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine helps explain why.
Sialic acid, a sugar molecule found on the surface of some animal cells, acts as a receptor for influenza. Without sialic acid providing an entry point to attach, invade and infect, a flu virus is unlikely to find a potential host hospitable.
Before the recent HPAI outbreak in dairy herds, there was scant research into sialic acid levels in the mammary glands of cattle. Scientists had no reason to suspect the milk-producing organs would be a good target for influenza.
“In livestock, we hadn’t usually looked in milk for viruses. Bacteria, sure. But not so much viruses,” said Dr. Eric Burrough, professor of veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine.
A team of Iowa State researchers who examined mammary gland samples from two infected cows found a rich supply of sialic acid, which could shed light on how the virus attaches to hosts and help develop measures to slow the illness’ spread.
Continue reading “Receptors make dairy cows a prime target for influenza, ISU team finds”
Forage Field Day Set For August 6
I-29 Moo University, SDSU Extension, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, and the Northern Plains Forage Association will co-host a field day for forage producers. I-29 Moo University includes dairy specialist from Iowa State University Extension, Minnesota Extension and South Dakota Extension.
Forage Field Day is a regional event that brings together experts, producers, and industry professionals to provide field tours, panel discussions and presentations on forage-related topics.
The 2024 Forage Field Day is from 9:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 6 at the Haskell Ag Lab in Concord, Nebraska. Check-in begins at 8:45 a.m. Registration is required. To register, click HERE.