INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Foreword:

The Game that Never Ends
Normand St-Pierre, Editor
st-pierre.8@osu.edu

Record high corn prices; record high soybean prices; record rain fall last spring; drought in the summer; record corn and soybean price drops; high milk prices; low milk prices… it just never ends!  When you think that you have it figured out, the game changes on you.  But the advice found in this issue of Buckeye Dairy News remains sound and solid across all sorts of physical and economic conditions.  Enjoy!

Nutrition:

Keeping an Eye on Feed Costs: Protein Supplements
Dr. Bill Weiss, Dairy Extension Specialist,
Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University

Protein supplements represent a significant portion of most feed bills.  This article provides information on how to compare common protein sources that are often fed to dairy cows in Ohio.

October 2008 Corn Silage Crop
Dr. Maurice L. Eastridge, Dairy Extension Specialist,
Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University

The 2008 corn growing season has presented some challenges that may impact the nutritional composition of the corn silage resulting from this year’s crop.  This article provides suggestions on managing this year’s corn silage.

Frost Damage and Prussic Acid Poisoning
Dr. Bill Weiss, Dairy Extension Specialist,
Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University

Frost damaged sorghums and sudangrasses can be toxic to cattle.  This is a short review of the problem and how to avoid it.

Economics:

The Ride is Getting Wilder by the Minute: The Costs of Nutrients and Comparison of Feedstuffs Prices
Dr. Normand St-Pierre, Dairy Management Specialist,
Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio StateUniversity

Currently, feed costs account for close to 60% of milk revenues on the average Ohio farm.  The Cow-Jones Index, a measure of profitability in the dairy sector, has been under the $8 profitability threshold for 3 months in a row.  Careful selection of feeds can help in these times of tight margins.

Milk Price Outlook
Dr. Cameron Thraen, State Specialist, Dairy Markets and Policy,
The Ohio State University Extension, Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics

Summary of projected production and price information issued by the USDA-Economic Research Service in its Livestock, Dairy, & Poultry Outlook report issued on September 19.

Cows and Credit: How Much Debt Can a Cow Carry?
Dianne Shoemaker, Extension Dairy Specialist,
Ohio State University Extension

Credit issues are making headlines, but on-going, responsible management of credit plays a key role in successful dairy businesses.  How much income do your cows have to generate to cover scheduled principal, interest, and capital lease payments each year?  What can we reasonably expect cows to do?  Measure 10: Scheduled debt payment, of the 15 Measures of Dairy Farm Competitiveness gives guidance about competitive levels and what to do if you are asking your cows to do too much.

Dairy Risk Management Programs in the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act 2008:
Milk Income Loss Contract Program and Livestock Gross Margin-Dairy Insurance
Dr. Cameron Thraen, State Specialist, Dairy Markets and Policy,
The Ohio State University Extension, Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics

Learn the significant changes made by the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 Dairy Title to the 2002 Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program.  A summary of the new Livestock Gross Margin-Dairy insurance product is also provided.

Health and Animal Well-Being:

Johne’s Disease:  What Have we Learned from our Demonstration Herd Project?
Dr. William Shulaw, Extension Veterinarian, Cattle and Sheep
Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, The Ohio State University

Learn about the National Johne’s Disease Demonstration Herd Project and the findings so far.

Protecting Consumer Trust and Confidence in the Dairy Industry:
National Dairy Animal Well-Being Coalition Launches Principles and Guidelines
Dr. Naomi Botheras, Program Specialist
Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University

On October 2, 2008, the National Dairy Animal Well-Being Initiative, a producer-led Coalition that includes members from every sector of the dairy industry, introduced the Initiative's Principles and Guidelines -- a uniform umbrella of assurance that the dairy industry is meeting its ethical obligations for dairy animal well-being.  The goal of the Principles and Guidelines is to protect consumer trust and confidence in the dairy industry by demonstrating dairy producers’ commitment to animal well-being.

Judging:

Dairy Judging: What you Should Know
Bonnie Ayars, Dairy Judging Coach and Program Specialist
Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University

Learn how to train and try out for the Ohio 4-H or OSU college dairy judging teams.

Dairy Judging Teams Update
Bonnie Ayars, Dairy Judging Coach and Program Specialist
Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University

Learn the most recent accomplishments of our 4-H and OSU collegiate dairy judging teams.

Position Announcements:

Applications for Wayne and Holmes County Extension Educator Positions Accepted until November 9th

Two of Ohio's top agricultural counties have openings and are accepting applications for Extension Educator positions.  Both positions include a major emphasis on dairy and animal agriculture production and support of profitable, sustainable industries.  Access position and application information in the above link.

Web links to Milk Marketing Information: Ohio Dairy Web - http://aede.osu.edu/programs/OhioDairy/; eDairy, Inc. - http://www.dairy.nu/