The Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Dairy Team monthly webinar series continues Tuesday, April 2, from 12 noon to 1 p.m. The program will help Holstein breeders understand the muscle weakness genetic defect in Holstein calves.
Author: nwiadairyoutlook
Slaughter Cow Market Soars
Slaughter cow prices are driven by the price of 90 percent lean beef trimmings (90s), which posted a price of $317.36/cwt. the first week of March. This is a record high price for 90s in data back to 1978 and undoubtedly an all-time record weekly price. Dairy cow slaughter is down 15.0 percent and beef cow slaughter is down 11.4 percent year over year according to a recent report from Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Ag Economist.
I-29 Moo University to Dairy Pest Control: Fun With Flies On April 17
The I-29 Moo University 2024 Dairy Webinar Series continues Wednesday, April 17 from 12 noon to 1 p.m. CST. The webinar will feature a discussion on fly control with Dr. Phillip Jardon, Iowa State Extension Dairy Veterinarian.
This webinar will cover the four main flies that are considered pests on dairies (house flies, stable flies, horn flies, and face flies). These flies all have some things in common but there are big differences in where they reproduce and where they eat that guide our the control methods used for each. Come learn how can we use facts about flies to help us limit their populations.
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Heifer Field Days to be Offered in Three Locations in March
Topics will include reproduction and growth management, facilities and economics
AMES, Iowa – Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host three heifer field days in late March, focused on reproduction and growth management, facilities and economics.
The field days will be held March 26 in Kalona, March 27 in Postville and March 28 in Sioux Center.
“Nearly 25 percent of a dairy’s production costs are in raising heifer replacements, thus a considerable amount of feed, time and facilities must be invested to optimize growth for heifers to calve at an appropriate age,” said Fred Hall, dairy specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach. “That is why this topic of raising your ‘dairy best’ heifers can have significant financial and herd benefits.”
Field Day Details:
- March 26 at the Taylor Bontrager dairy, located at 1881 Johnson Washington Road SW, Kalona, from 1-3:30 p.m. Topics will include facilities and ventilation presented by Kris Kohl, northwest Iowa ag engineer, and heifer reproduction programs presented by Victor Gomez, assistant professor and extension dairy specialist with Kansas State University, and will conclude with a group discussion and facility tour.
- March 27 at the Brian and Monica Enyart dairy, located at 630 Highway 51 South, Postville, from 1-3:30 p.m. Topics will include facilities and ventilation, presented by Kris Kohl, northwest Iowa ag engineer; heifer reproduction programs presented by Victor Gomez; and a group discussion and facility tour.
- March 28 at Dordt Agricultural Fellowship Center and heifer barn, 3648 US-75, Sioux Center, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with lunch provided. Topics will include facilities and ventilation, presented by Kris Kohl, northwest Iowa ag engineer; economics of raising heifers presented by Larry Tranel, dairy field specialist; and a foreign animal disease presentation by Lisa Hindle with USDA-Veterinary Services and Dr. Greg Schmitt with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. From 1-4 p.m., a Spanish and English reproduction training will take place for those wanting a better understanding of best management practices when working with artificial insemination programs. Victor Gomez will lead the training.
Those interested in attending one or more field days should register online by March 20 at https://go.iastate.edu/DAIRYHEIFER2024 or call ISU Extension and Outreach in Sioux County at 712-737-4230; Allamakee County at 563-568-6345; or Washington County at 319-653-4811. There is no fee to attend, but an RSVP is requested for meals and materials.
For more information, contact dairy specialist Fred Hall at 712-737-4230 or fredhall@iastate.edu, Jennifer Bentley at 563-382-2949 or jbentley@iastate.edu, or Larry Tranel at 563-583-6496 or tranel@iastate.edu.
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USDA Opens DMC Registration
Last week the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced dairy producers can enroll in DMC between February 28 and April 29, 2024. Payments may begin as soon as March 4, if payments are triggered for January 2024.
USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has revised the regulations for DMC to allow eligible dairy operations to make a one-time adjustment to established production history. This adjustment will be accomplished by combining previously established supplemental production history with DMC production history for those dairy operations that participated in Supplemental Dairy Margin Coverage during a prior coverage year. DMC has also been authorized through calendar year 2024. Congress passed a 2018 Farm Bill extension requiring these regulatory changes to the program.
“FSA is announcing the sign up for 2024 Dairy Margin Coverage. We encourage producers to enroll in this important safety net program. In reviewing 2023 margins and the more than $1.2 billion in Dairy Margin Coverage payments issued to producers, Dairy Margin Coverage is proven to be a program to reduce risk for our dairy producers,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “If 2023 taught us anything, it’s that we honestly have no idea what will happen in the market in any given year. Producers who took advantage of this affordable risk management tool for the 2023 program year, were able to mitigate some financial impacts on their operations. At $0.15 per hundredweight for $9.50 coverage, risk protection through Dairy Margin Coverage is a relatively inexpensive investment in a true sense of security and peace of mind.”
Iowa Milk Production Down 1 Percent YOY
Milk production in Iowa during January 2024 totaled 498 million pounds, down 1 percent from the previous January according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Milk Production report. The average number of milk cows during January, at 239,000 head, was unchanged from last month but down 1,000 from January 2023. Monthly production per cow averaged 2,085 pounds, down 10 pounds from last January.
Global Dairy Trade Event 350 concluded with the GDT Price Index up 0.5 Percent
Key Results*
AMF index up 8.6%, average price US$6,552/MT (€6,080/MT)
Butter index up 0.1%, average price US$6,526/MT (€6,056/MT)
BMP index not available, average price not available
Ched index down 7.6%, average price US$4,143/MT (€3,845/MT)
LAC index down 1.0%, average price US$785/MT (€728/MT)
MOZZ index up 5.3%, average price US$3,960/MT (€3,675/MT)
SMP index up 1.3%, average price US$2,788/MT (€2,587/MT)
WMP index down 1.8%, average price US$3,388/MT (€3,144/MT)
Full results have been published on www.globaldairytrade.info/en/product-results/.
Application Deadline Extended for Choose Iowa Dairy Innovation Grants
Two-week extension will allow more Iowa dairies to complete application for cost-share grants that are aimed at increasing on-farm dairy processing and incorporating labor saving technology.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship announced today that the deadline to apply for Choose Iowa Dairy Innovation Grant Program has been extended by two weeks, from February 9 at 12:00 p.m. to February 23 at 12:00 p.m. Initial interest in the grant program has been strong, however industry feedback expressed that a two week extension will provide more dairies with additional time to gather information to complete the application on ChooseIowa.com
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GDT Price Index up 4.2 Percent
AMF index up 3.3%, average price US$6,033/MT (€5,616/MT)
Butter index up 10.3%, average price US$6,516/MT (€6,065/MT)
BMP index up 1.2%, average price US$2,412/MT (€2,245/MT)
Ched index up 6.3%, average price US$4,469/MT (€4,160/MT)
LAC index up 2.6%, average price US$785/MT (€731/MT)
MOZZ index down 1.8%, average price US$3,760/MT (€3,500/MT)
SMP index up 4.6%, average price US$2,758/MT (€2,567/MT)
WMP index up 3.4%, average price US$3,463/MT (€3,223/MT)
Full results have been published on www.globaldairytrade.info/en/product-results/.
2023 Average Milk Price Down From 2022
The weighted average statistical uniform price for the Central Order #32, which includes most of Iowa and the I-29 corridor, decreased this year to $18.27 per cwt., a 26.60 percent decrease from 2022’s $23.13 average. Since implementation of Federal Order reform in 2000, the annual statistical uniform price in the Central Order has ranged from a low of $11.24 in 2002 to an all-time high of $23.13 last year. The 2023 weighted average Producer Price Differential (PPD) of $1.18 per cwt. is $0.04 more than the 2022 average. Producer marketings in the Central Order averaged 1.338 billion pounds per month during 2023, for a total of 16.053 billion pounds. This total is up 2.65 percent from 2022 and is 14.16 percent less than the record 18.700 billion pounds marketed during 2002.