By Leo Timms, Extension Dairy Specialist / Associate Professor

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1 cloth towel. This takes very little time and effort. DO NOT DRY THE TEAT as it removes the dip / conditioners. This has been proven to work! - Never add extra conditioners to dip! It screws up the formulation! What about barrier dips? - Not recommended in very cold weather and exposure situations since they take 20+ minutes to dry, thus increasing risks for teat end problems! By Leo Timms, Extension Dairy Specialist / Associate Professor Barely into fall but a little snow, a few freezing temps, and some crazy wind chills have raised questions and concerns about winter teat problems! We re there again, and the same old question pops up: To dip or not to dip? If so, with what? And what else can we do to stop winter teat problems? Let s start with why dip? The purpose of teat dipping is to provide a germicide that will kill mastitis germs and apply skin conditioners that keep teat skin and ends healthy. These are both essential to minimize mastitis risks! In winter, we want these same things but want to make sure that when we dip, we don t compromise one for another (frozen teats, more germs on teats). So initially (not just winter) you need a dip that has a proven germicide and excellent skin conditioning. We need to start and be here all the time. But now, winter is coming? Here s the choices! Use the same good germicide, skin conditioning dip you ve been using! - Most days, it s not cold enough to freeze the drop on the teat end so tally ho! - In situations (cold wind chills and/or direct exposure post milking), dab or wick the drop off the end with a What about the winter formulation dips? High emollients and/or powder dips? - Designed to be used only during cold weather and high risk situations where teats will freeze or dehydrate quickly (like your fingers cracking)! - Usually cost 2X your regular dip ( but evaluate potential returns, not just investment!) - High emollient dips: (usually > 50% skin conditioners): Minimizes initial freezing risk post milking due to slow evaporation; Make sure germicide is proven!; Teats stay wetter and oily longer so may increase risks with prolonged cold exposure or dirty conditions (sticky teats!) - Powder based dips: Function to keep teats dry (no liquid). New formulations have germicide and skin conditioners. Stalls, etc must be clean / dry, to avoid wicking on teats. Need to get adequate (full teat) coverage so dip properly! What about salves? - NOT THE BEST CHOICE! High risks unless germicide and skin conditioning are proven! - Most germicides can be overcome by contamination! - Greasy hands, greasy teats, greasy equipment! A mess and a great way to spread things! - Can coat / trap infections; grease attracts (dirt, etc.!). - Research shows minimal or no effect ( some detrimental) when more fluid salves are used. - If you decide to use, use sparingly (only on the risky area teat end!)

2 FIELD & FEEDLOT What about quitting dipping /doing nothing else? - POOR CHOICE OR NOT EVEN A CHOICE! - Teats are still wet after milking; teat skin conditioners milked off; increased dehydration and cracking risks; Plus no contagious mastitis germicides! So there s the dip choices! It s a sure thing that winter will come, a sure thing that teat end problems will occur (none of the above can totally stop everything), and a sure thing that the best way to deal with it is manage the risks. Weigh out the options above and pick the one that you can manage the best. Couple this to other management strategies such as minimizing direct wind exposure post milking, clean dry stalls to prevent chilling and organism growth, and excellent milking techniques and properly functioning milking equipment that minimize other teat stressors. Joel DeJong, Crop Specialist The Annual ISU Extension and Outreach Crop Advantage Series is designed to provide the latest information to producers and helping them make profitable decisions for the upcoming growing season. Each location has a variety of topics, including crops, pests, soil fertility, and farm management. Locations and dates of Northwest Iowa sessions include Jan. 5 in Sheldon, Jan. 6 at Okoboji, Jan. 12 in Storm Lake, Jan. 26 at Le Mars, and Jan. 28 in Carroll. Extension and Outreach Economists Chad Hart or Alejandro Plastina will address Managing Margins in 2016 and Beyond as a keynote address at Northwest Iowa conferences. In addition, each location features a full agenda of workshops that attendees can choose from, developing a personalized meeting agenda. Program topics that focus on local needs and production issues are selected by the ISU Extension and Outreach field agronomists for each meeting. Each year I hear from attendees that they wish there were more breakout sessions during the day. They are interested in many of the topics and can t be at every workshop. The topics are in demand. It s a great problem to have. The Crop Advantage Series provides a statewide message on important issues yet retains local input on topics for that specific area. Crop and pest management issues are different for each area of the state and these meetings are tailored to fit the needs of producers in that area. 2 Launched in 2002, the meeting series has impressive attendance numbers. We ve seen tremendous growth in attendance for the series. Response from producers has been very positive. In addition to receiving the latest research information from the university, the meetings have been a valuable way for producers to provide input back to ISU researchers and specialists on what their needs are. I also find it to be a great opportunity to talk with crop producers and agronomists from around northwest Iowa at each of these sessions about how the season affected them, and what issues of concern they have for the next year. Each of the meetings is approved for Certified Crop Adviser continuing education credits. Every location also offers the opportunity for private pesticide applicators to receive continuing education credits, a kind of value added pesticide training day. Early registration for each location is $50 and includes workshop materials, lunch, and refreshments. This year the registration cost includes the price of the Private Pesticide Continuing Education and Certified Crop Advisor credits. Registration less than one week prior or at the meeting increases to $60. Additional program details, registration forms and online registration is available at or from local ISU Extension and Outreach offices. Check out the agenda for each site they do vary! Kris Kohl, Ag Engineer 2015 was a near perfect year for growing crops in Northwest Iowa. With a record crop and low prices some farmers will need to keep this crop beyond July. The 2015 corn crop had excellent quality and should store exceptionally well. Here are 5 Tips for storing corn longer than a year. 1. Test Weight 2. Moisture 3. Level & Core Bin 4. Bugs 5. Temperature Management Test Weight High test weight indicates good storage properties. Most of the kernels will have few or no cracks that provide a place for mold to start, with corn testing above 58 lb. per bushel. Fewer fines and dryer corn are also associated with high test weight. Grain that dried down in the field will often have higher test weight. When choosing a bin of grain to store over a year, choose the highest test weight, exceeding 58lb/bushel.

3 FIELD & FEEDLOT Moisture Dryer grain keeps longer. For corn that is going to be kept over a year we need 14%. Try not to over dry the grain beyond the 14% mark because you are reducing the weight you get to sell. Low moisture prevents mold from starting to work on exposed cracked kernels. Level & Corn Bin By January 1, bins should be cored and leveled so that fans can manage the temperature. Coring should be done to take half of the peak out of the bins and then leveled. This removes the foreign material that will spoil first and reduce air flow through the center of the bin. When the bin is leveled the fan will push a more uniform warming or cooling front through the bin. If the cored loads taken to town are still of high quality, then the rest of the bin is one that will keep. Bugs Corn is food for livestock, people and insects. Long-term storage provides an environment that bugs often exploit. Grain temperatures below 20 degrees will kill insects and eggs. While management of the grain in the bin below freezing is most critical, we would advise chilling the bin below this level in January and February to kill the insects and eggs that may be present in the grain and foreign material below the floor. Choose days with no precipitation to chill the bin completely. Temperature Management Temperature is the most important tool we have to manage and store grain for the long-term. After we have killed any insects by chilling grain to below 20 degrees, we will need to warm it up above freezing in April. For long-term storage we will want to warm it below 40 degrees and try to keep it there through the summer. Covering the fan will help prevent the convection currents that will develop with cool core temperatures and hot outside conditions that will occur in July and August. The bin should be monitored twice a month through winter and spring, and weekly during the summer. Bins should be checked on top to be sure no crust is developing due to moisture migration. Fan covers should be removed and the fan run for a minute to smell the grain, assuring it smells pleasant. This will require two people, one in the bin and one at the fan control. If the corn does not have that clean, pleasant smell then there is a problem. Good luck storing your 2015 high quality corn. 3 Dave Stender, Swine Specialist The Swine industry is in consistent transition and will continue to face several issues. First, the abundance of market hogs this fall pressed prices down. These prices have been relatively poor compared to the past several years. According to the Iowa State University budget, producers have been in negative profit territory. For instance, carcass prices in the summer of 2014 were up to $1.30/lb., this fall prices were just over $.50/lb. The extreme change in the industries profit is due mainly to the new swine disease called PEDv, killing around 8 million pigs in the winter of Fortunately, the disease did not cause a trade issue, U.S. pork products remained the safest in the world. However, record profits from 2014 have turned to losses in 2015 because the pig death loss from the disease in 2015 was dramatically lower. A larger number of pigs reached the market and pressured prices down. Death loss from PEDv was lower in 2015 due to many factors, including the industries implementation of many new procedures and technologies to reduce disease transmission. The vaccine producers are using, especially on herds that once contracted the disease, is very effective. Additionally, one good exposure to PEDV induces immunity in sows. In addition to financial stress, next year producers will be facing FDA s implementation of guidance papers 209 and 213. It states that medically important antibiotics will no longer be used for growth performance, many over the counter medications will transition to prescription or a Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) medication. This will be a relatively complicated change for producers. Upcoming Regional Pork Conferences will address this issue along with other topics. Meetings will be held on February 22 at NCC in Sheldon from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. and February 23 at the Carroll Extension office from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Another issue facing swine producers is The Common Swine Industry Audit (CSIA). Since the official booklet came out in October of 2014 there has been a pilot training for auditors. This pilot training revealed areas in the audit that needed clarification. The committee forwarded the recommendations to the certification board for approval, once approved, the training will begin and the program will be officially rolled out. Until then the packers utilize the tool with their own auditors. The official Professional Animal Certification Organization Inc. (PAACO) certified common swine industry audit will be finalized and implemented sometime during Workshops are being scheduled to help swine producers develop and keep records essential for the audit. The Iowa Pork Producers will be mailing postcards with workshop dates and locations, contact your county Extension or local swine specialist for more information.

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