Dr. Larry Chase and the ProDairy team at Cornell have put together several fact sheets to help dairy farmers make decisions on feed management, dealing with 2012 crop year.

Dairy Herd Forage Needs Worksheet
Dairy Herd Forage Inventory Worksheet
Dairy Herd Forage Needs and Inventory Balance Worksheet
Determining Your Forage Inventory
Drought Forage Decision Guide
Estimating Corn Grain and Corn Silage Yields
How Do I Price Corn Silage Worksheet
What Tools are Available to Price Corn Silage?
Ten Key Herd Management Opportunities

Some additional Fact Sheets are in preparation. All of these will be available on the Dairy Extension web page http://ansci.cornell.edu/dm/index.html

Whether you currently notill and are looking to pick up a few pointers to do it better, or you are new to notill and wonder if it's for you, participating in this tour and demonstration should be time well spent.

August 21, 2012, 11:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Angel Rose Dairy, Bainbridge, New York

Angel Rose dairy is a 90-cow farm owned and operated by Dianne and John Kemmeren, their daughter Katy and son Peter. The farm has made a commitment to the notill planting of crops to minimize soil loss, improve soil health and reduce machinery costs and labor.

The day will include 10:30 a.m. registration and refreshments; 11:00 a.m. presentation by John Kemmeren; 12:00-12:45 p.m. lunch - bring your own lunch, beverages provided; 12:45-2:30 p.m. off-site field tour;

The program is free of charge. See directions below:

Harvesting Opportunities: Growing Local Food Economies and Protecting Farmland is a day-long conference sponsored by the American Farmland Trust that promises to "Inspire and Educate New Yorkers to Support Agriculture, Strengthen Local Farm and Food Economies and Get Involved in Protecting Farmland."

The event will be held on November 15th, 2012 at the Hotel Albany in downtown Albany. Download more information below.

In the early 1940’s, the first antibiotic, penicillin, was used to successfully treat bacterial infections.  This saved thousands of lives, including those of wounded World War II soldiers.  Today, antibiotics, which target microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, and parasites, are essential for human and animal health.  They continue to save lives as well as increase animal production and efficiency.

However, exploration of alternative strategies to reduce the use of antibiotics is needed due to the growing concerns about antibiotic resistance developing for certain strains of bacteria which is leading to restrictions in their use in animals.  Some of the latest scientific breakthroughs and technologies, which provide new options and alternative strategies for enhancing production and improving animal health and well-being will be presented at an international symposium this coming fall.  This article is a preview of some research that will be presented.  “A number of the new technologies have direct applications as medical interventions for human health, but the focus of the symposium is animal production, animal health, and food safety.”  Says Cyril Gay, national program leader for animal health with the Agricultural Research Service in Beltsville, MD.  “The results of this symposium will be an assessment of new technologies for treating and preventing diseases of animals and recommendations that will advance strategies for growth promotion and health in livestock, poultry, and aquaculture.”

Over the years, ARS scientists have developed and patented new technologies that could aid in reducing antibiotic use.  Some of those tools have been shown to be effective in treating mastitis in cattle, controlling foodborne bacterial pathogens, creating antimicrobials that kill disease-causing bacteria, and protecting poultry against parasites.

Our days of crying over spoiled milk could be over, thanks to Cornell food scientists.

Milk undergoes heat treatment -- pasteurization -- to kill off microbes that can cause food spoilage and disease, but certain bacterial strains can survive this heat shock as spores and cause milk to curdle in storage.

Researchers in the Milk Quality Improvement Program at Cornell's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences have identified the predominant spore-forming bacteria in milk and their unique enzyme activity, knowledge that can now be used to protect the quality and shelf life of dairy products.

"Control of food spoilage is critical in a world that needs to feed 7 billion people," said Martin Wiedmann, food science professor and study co-author. "Approximately 25 percent of post-harvest food is spoiled by microbes before it is consumed."

The study, published in the March issue of Applied Environmental Microbiology by the lab of Wiedmann and Kathryn Boor, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, identified the predominant strains of spore-forming bacteria, which can foul milk and other food products. The culprits, Paenibacillus bacteria, are ubiquitous in nature and cause off-flavors in a variety of foods and curdling in dairy products.

According to a news release from USDA, New York dairy herds produced 1,095 million pounds of milk during June. Milk cows were unchanged but production per cow was up from the previous year resulting in a 1.4 percent increase in milk production compared to June 2011. The number of milk cows averaged 610,000 head, unchanged from June of the previous year. Milk per cow averaged 1,795 pounds, up 25 pounds from the June 2011 rate.

Dairy farmers in the Empire State received an average of $16.80 per hundredweight of milk sold during June, down 50 cents from May and $5.60 less than June a year ago.

Milk production in the 23 major States during June totaled 15.5 billion pounds, up 1.0 percent from June 2011. May revised production at 16.4 billion pounds, was up 1.9 percent from May 2011. Production per cow in the 23 major States averaged 1,827 pounds for June, 7 pounds above June 2011. The number of milk cows on farms in the 23 major States was 8.51 million head, 57,000 head more than June 2011, and 14,000 head less than May 2012.

SUNY Adirondack in Queensbury, NY has developed a new course called "Introduction to Sustainable Agriculture" that will begin with this fall's semester and enrollment is now open. The classes will be held on Tuesdays, 9:00-11:00 a.m. and Thursdays 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon. Lectures, readings, discussions, and outdoor labs in gardens, farms and orchards will all be part of the coursework.

According to a printed announcement, the course description includes: Scientific concepts of sustainability will be developed and applied to agriculture on the homestead or small farm. Using the College’s farmland, orchard and gardens, students will learn to manage crops and animals as an ecosystem, develop and analyze natural and low-energy management strategies, adapt crops to climate change, and create sound economic market plans. Hands-on fieldwork and individual research complement classroom lectures and discussions. Students interested in sustainable agriculture will transfer these skills directly into further study or work.

Download full details below.

Area dairy nutritionists and dairy producer-participants in CNY's Precision Feeding Program will gain insight into a cutting-edge technique that could help reduce feed protein prices.

The Central NY Dairy & Field Crops Program will present "Taking Precision Feeding to the Next Level" on Wednesday, July 25th in Norwich, NY.

The seminar will bring the most up-to-date research-based information with speakers Dr, Chuck Schwab, Dr. Larry Chase, and Ryan J. Higgs. Dr. Schwab is a recently retired researcher on Amino Acid Nutrition in Dairy Cattle whose work is recognized worldwide. Dr. Chase is a renowned member of Cornell University's Animal Science faculty specializing in dairy nutrition. Higgs is a graduate student in protein nutrition. Learn the ins and outs of how to make lower protein rations work. Learning and applying the technology presented could bring economic benefits into the future.

For more details contact Area dairy Specialist David Balbian at drb23@cornell.edu.

July 11, 2012

Join Dr. Tom Zitter and the team as we visit two Capital District farms. We will discuss diseases that we have seen this season and controls for problems that we anticipate arriving later in the summer.   

Please bring your questions, and even your samples, which must be brought in sealed Zip-Loc bags!

10:00 am to 12:00 Noon— Korona Korn and Veg Farm, 1979 County Highway 107, Amsterdam, NY  12010, Fulton County. The Korona’s are dairy farmers that have transitioned into fresh market vegetables—primarily sweet corn and cucurbits, but they are diversifying rapidly.

6:00 to 8:00pm—Engel’s Acres, 445 Brunswick Road, Troy, NY  12180, Rensselaer County. Tour Ed Engels brand new farm.  He and his family look forward to showcasing the farm stand.

2 NYS DEC credits are available. For more information call Chuck Bornt (518-859-6213) or Crystal Stewart (518-773-0018).

Meet Abby Foster, the new research technician for CCE's Capital District Vegetable and Small Fruit Program.

As a graduate of SUNY Oneonta, Abby's academic background is in Natural Resources and Environmental Education and she says that agriculture has played a significant role in her life.

Abby grew up on a small family farm in eastern NY, not far from here. While her family's farm now raises livestock, when she was younger it was a lively vegetable and fruit producer of melons, asparagus, and had a pick-your-own strawberry business.

In addition to her own farming experience, she has worked for area farmers both in the field and at local farmers' markets.

Abby joins the current CDVSF team of Chuck Bornt, Laura McDermott and Crystal Stewart serving the research and educational needs of commerical vegetable and small fruit growers in 11 counties, including Fulton and Montgomery.

Welcome, Abby!