Dairy New Products

Farm Journal Announces 365-Day Extension of Farm Journal Field Days

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 00:57:31 GMT

The success of Farm Journal’s inaugural Farm Journal Field Days TM has led to a 365-day expansion of the event, giving agricultural suppliers and service providers timely access to target audiences while also providing farmers, ranchers and growers with the critical information they need for upcoming seasons.

“When we looked back at the opportunities we were able to create for both Farm Journal Field Days attendees and industry partners who engaged with the event, the direction we needed to go was clear — we needed to expand it,” said Andy Weber, CEO of Farm Journal.

In a post-event survey, more than 87 percent of farmers, ranchers and growers that attended said the event met or exceeded their expectations, and 85 percent planned to participate in another Farm Journal online event.

“At the same time, we provided higher quality leads at a fraction of the cost of other farm shows to exhibitors, and we will continue to deliver valuable leads to those that continue to engage in this 365-day approach,” said Weber. “Bringing these groups together in the Farm Journal Field Days platform is a win-win for the industry.”

The 365-day approach will include seasonal “special edition” events delivering what farmers, ranchers and growers need to know right now, including a Harvest Edition kicking off October 19, followed by an Equipment Edition starting in December and going through February 2021. In March, a Planting Edition will launch followed by a Hay, Forage & Cattle Handling Edition in June. Then in August, the 2021 Pro Farmer Crop Tour TM, Farm Journal Field Days Summer Showcase and another #FarmONTM Benefit Concert will round out the summer. Each edition will feature live and on-demand content, networking, new pavilions and featured products and resources in exhibitor booths as well as in-person events and programming.

(Farm Journal)

Farm Journal Field Days Harvest Edition will kick off with new stories, videos and other resources being added to the platform every day while pavilion hosts and exhibitors will be updating content around harvest topics. A new Harvest Pavilion will feature content relevant to farmers during the harvest season, and new exhibitors are expected to join as well. The search for farm locations to host in-person events is ongoing through Farm Journal’s Top Producer Network with plans to cover multiple geographies across the country.

“The landscape of agriculture events is changing, and Farm Journal is excited to offer a marketing alternative that allows our industry partners to get in front of their key accounts and prospects,” said Charlene Finck, president of Farm Journal. “We have built a successful platform, and farmer response is positive, as they see the value of online education and ag industry networking. Farm Journal Field Days is a celebration of learning and entertainment for all of agriculture, and we are proud to be leading the industry in these efforts.”

Farm Journal launched the New American Farm ShowTM experience in August with the 2020 Pro Farmer Crop Tour, the launch of Farm Journal Field Days and its first #FarmON Benefit Concert. All content from these events is still available for on-demand viewing, plus Farm Journal editors are continually pushing new content to the platform. All pavilions are still open as well as exhibitor booths and the networking lounge.

Registration for Farm Journal Field Days is free. To learn more or register, go to www.farmjournalfielddays.com .

Merck Animal Health Announces AROVYN™ Is Available

Tue, 24 May 2022 17:18:44 GMT

Merck Animal Health announces that AROVYN™ (tulathromycin injection) is now available to veterinarians prescribing tulathromycin, which is used to control and treat bovine respiratory disease (BRD), plus treat foot rot and pinkeye. The prescription antibiotic, recently approved by the FDA , is the latest addition to the comprehensive antimicrobial portfolio and BRD solutions from Merck Animal Health.
“AROVYN offers veterinarians and producers a new, cost-effective option for tulathromycin from an animal health company they know and trust,” said John Champagne, D.V.M., dairy technical services, Merck Animal Health.
In beef and non-lactating dairy cattle, AROVYN is indicated for the treatment of BRD and control of respiratory disease in animals at high risk of developing BRD associated with Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, Histophilus somni and Mycoplasma bovis. It also is approved for treatment of pinkeye or infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) associated with Moraxella bovis, plus treatment of foot rot associated with Fusobacterium necrophorum and Porphyromonas levii. In suckling calves, dairy calves and veal calves, AROVYN is indicated for treatment of BRD associated with M. haemolytica, P. multocida, H. somni and M. bovis.
“AROVYN is backed by Merck Animal Health’s technical service and sales team with extensive expertise in managing BRD, cattle health and well-being,” explained Dr. Champagne. “The Merck Animal Health dairy portfolio offers multiple options to help producers manage BRD in calves, including a first-of-its-kind intranasal vaccine, BOVILIS® NASALGEN® 3-PMH.”
AROVYN is approved for cattle and swine and comes in 50-, 100-, 250- and 500-mL vials. It is manufactured in the same facility as other Merck Animal Health antimicrobials, such as ZUPREVO® (tildipirosin), with the same high quality assurance guidelines. To learn more, contact your veterinarian or www.ArovynforBRD.com .

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

CATTLE: AROVYN has a pre-slaughter withdrawal time of 18 days in cattle. Do not use in female dairy cattle 20 months of age or older. Do not use in animals known to be hypersensitive to the product. See full Prescribing Information.

SWINE: The pre-slaughter withdrawal time for AROVYN in swine is five days. AROVYN should not be used in animals known to be hypersensitive to the product.

New Oral Mineral Bolus helps Cows Dry Off more Comfortably

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 16:05:37 GMT

The dry period can be a stressful time for cows, especially when they’re dried off while still producing large amounts of milk. These animals can experience udder engorgement and milk leakage — resulting in less rest time and a higher risk of mastitis infections.

Now there is a new way to help cows transition into the dry period more comfortably with Bovikalc Dry — an oral mineral bolus designed to decrease dry matter intake and reduce milk production.

“Research has shown that cows should be producing 33 pounds or less at dry off to improve udder health,¹ but the herds I work with have several cows giving closer to 50 or 60 pounds,” observed Luciano Caixeta, DVM, PhD, assistant professor, University of Minnesota. “Until now, if producers wanted to reduce production, they needed to go through the work of manipulating the diet or reduce the number of milkings prior to dry off.”

Bovikalc Dry quickly and efficiently decreases milk production with the simple administration of two boluses at – or eight to 12 hours before – the last milking. “When we reduce milk production and udder engorgement, cows can focus on rest and prepare for their next lactation,” said Linda Tikofsky, DVM, Boehringer Ingelheim.

Bovikalc Dry is a complement to the Boehringer Ingelheim Bovikalc calcium supplement.

Reference:
¹Vilar MJ, Rajala-Schultz PJ. Dry-off and dairy cow udder health and welfare: effects of different milk cessation methods. Vet J 2020; doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2020.105503.

Estrus Detection Made Easy with Breeding Indicator Patches

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 17:43:21 GMT

Reproductive decisions, determining heifer cyclicity and breeding problem cows are just a few reasons to detect estrus with breeding indicator patches.

Knowing when cattle are in estrus is the first step to reproductive success on dairies. Effective reproductive programs keep cows on schedule for breeding while efficiently developing heifers.

“Visual estrus detection using an aid, like a breeding indicator patch, has real value to detect cows that come into estrus early or anticipate breeding for timed artificial insemination (AI) protocols,” says Jeffrey Stevenson, bovine reproductive physiology specialist for Kansas State University.

When estrus isn’t detected promptly, it can result in poorer first service conception rates, longer intervals between inseminations and reduction in overall profitability.^[1],[2],[3]

In research studies, breeding indicator patches have shown to be as effective as activity monitoring systems to determine estrus. A study conducted by Kansas State University showed patches detected estrus 74.7% of the time compared to 72.2% for activity monitors in cows whose estrus was synchronized.^[4]

Here are four ways breeding indicator patches can help improve your reproductive program:
Make breeding decisions easier

Not only is breeding on estrus intensity a good way to manage the value of genetics, but you can also use it to make reproductive decisions. Breeding indicator patches help better show when cattle are in a higher estrus intensity. As mounting activity occurs, the patch surface ink rubs off to expose a bright indicator color.

“Herds using sexed semen can inseminate cows expressing more intense estrus by patch scoring, while the less intense estrus cows can be bred to beef semen,” says Stevenson.

Should a patch have less than 50% of surface ink rubbed off, you can decide to use cheaper straws of semen because there is a reduced likelihood of pregnancy. If 50% or more surface ink is rubbed off, then more valuable genetics can be used.

Visual estrus detection made easy
Visual heat detection aids like breeding indicator patches, tail paint and chalk are simple, affordable options to monitor estrus, especially in large groups of cattle. Although cows and heifers don’t need to be watched 24/7 when using visual aids, they still need to be observed at least once a day if you are only AI breeding once daily.
With breeding indicator patches, you can easily monitor estrus activity by quickly observing the patch to determine when cattle are coming to estrus before the scheduled timed AI.

Open cows? No problem.
If you’re currently using tail paint or chalk to visually identify estrus, applying breeding indicator patches following routine pregnancy checks can help you pinpoint problem cows and improve breeding efficiency.

Breeding technicians can walk the pens as they normally do to read paint or chalk rubs for the first breeding cycle. Then, after pregnancy checks have determined which cows are open, apply breeding indicator patches to open cows to detect estrus more accurately in the next cycle.

“When cows are open on pregnancy check day, putting patches on those cows is a great way to make sure they are bred as soon as possible,” says Stevenson. “There will be fewer of these open cows that are typically difficult to get bred. If you want to get her bred in a 365-day breeding season, you need to use all the tools available.”

Pinpoint when heifers cycle
When breeding heifers in an open lot or pasture, it can take a few cycles of observing estrus before a whole group will be bred. Some heifers will show heat more readily, while others might take longer to become pubertal.

“The most common heifer breeding protocol I see in herds with open lots is to administer prostaglandin and then breed when a heifer shows estrus,” says Stevenson. “Heifers are then estrus detected visually for heat, and when not inseminated, they receive prostaglandin two weeks after the first prostaglandin dose followed by heat detection.”
Stevenson says a breeding indicator patch would be ideal when breeding heifers because those heifers with less intense or more subtle estrus activity (fewer standing to be mounted events) may be detected using the patch.

BMR and Conventional Hybrids Allow for Greater Flexibility

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:51:46 GMT

DuPont Pioneer announced its 2015 corn silage hybrid offerings for dairy producers.

Source: DuPont Pioneer

DuPont Pioneer today announced its 2015 corn silage hybrid offerings, including the addition of its first integrated refuge brown midrib (BMR) product and three non-BMR products.

Whether growers use BMR or non-BMR corn silage hybrids, the Pioneer® brand corn silage hybrid line offers significant advantages, which have been carefully evaluated. Pioneer has developed BMR hybrids with solid resistance to Northern Corn Leaf Blight and other diseases. In addition, these new BMR hybrids offer improved agronomics and greatly improved forage and starch yield potential.

The new integrated refuge BMR product, Pioneer® P1449AMX™ brand, offers Optimum® AcreMax® Xtra Insect Protection, which is a single-bag refuge product for areas in the Corn Belt needing above- and below-ground insect protection. Pioneer on-farm trials have shown Optimum® AcreMax® Xtra products yield equivalent to pure stands of products with Herculex® XTRA insect protection, allowing growers opportunities to maximize their overall farm yields. This product, a 114 silage comparative relative maturity (CRM), will complement the current BMR lineup from Pioneer with four hybrids ranging from 102-114 silage CRM.

Pioneer also will offer three new non-BMR silage-specific products. These three new platforms range from 102-115 silage CRM and include:

•Pioneer® P0242AMXT™ brand providing excellent tonnage and starch content.

•Pioneer® P0921AMXT™ brand providing outstanding silage yield and fiber digestibility with above average northern corn leaf blight resistance.

•Pioneer® hybrid P1582CHR, providing above average tonnage yields and is well suited to dryland, limited irrigation and drought prone environments in the western U.S.

These hybrids were advanced specifically for silage performance both in terms of starch and tonnage yield. Additionally, they offer herbicide and insect resistance packages for growers.

“With the addition of these new hybrids, we continue to provide conventional and BMR silage opportunities to help growers determine the best silage options for their needs,” said Dave Whitaker, DuPont Pioneer product developer. “We understand that growers today want the flexibility to plant different ratios of BMR and conventional silage to achieve maximum silage yields, starch content and fiber digestibility.”

For more information about Pioneer corn silage products, visit www.pioneer.com/cornsilage , or contact your local Pioneer sales professional.

Koffman To Lead Allflex Livestock Intelligence in North America

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 02:12:05 GMT

Allflex Livestock Intelligence announces the appointment of Paul Koffman to North America Lead, with responsibility for the company’s livestock identification, monitoring and traceability businesses in the United States and Canada. In his new role, Koffman will continue the legacy of customer focus and innovation that symbolizes Allflex Livestock Intelligence with the goal to continue to improve dairy and beef productivity, profitability and animal well-being.

Paul Koffman

“As a leading provider of identification and monitoring systems, Allflex is well-equipped to build the future of animal health. By identifying animals at birth and tracking data throughout their lives, we gain knowledge that will lead to better management decisions and earlier, more effective health interventions,” Koffman says. “I’m excited to be a part of this incredible opportunity.”

Koffman adds that Allflex Livestock Intelligence is positioned to help secure broad adoption of individual animal identification and traceability systems. “With our robust, data-driven products, Allflex Livestock Intelligence looks forward to working with industry partners to help provide traceability solutions for cattle producers and the supply chain,” he says.

Koffman previously led the company’s North American monitoring business after Merck Animal Health acquired Antelliq, former parent company of Allflex Livestock Intelligence, in 2018. He has a 28-year career in the animal health industry, with experience in sales, marketing, distribution and technology in domestic and global markets for Merck Animal Health and several predecessor companies.

“Paul’s extensive background in the animal health business, and strong focus on the customer will serve him well in this new role,” says Jeroen van de Ven, Chief Operating Officer, Antelliq.“Paul will continue the legacy of bringing data driven solutions and animal well-being to lead our North America team.”

Koffman grew up on a cow-calf operation in Iowa and is a graduate of Iowa State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science.