Buckeye Dairy News: Volume 15 Issue 6

  1. 2013 Forage Production School

    Dr. Bill Weiss, Professor and Extension Dairy Specialist, Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University

    Ohio State University Extension will be presenting a workshop on forage production and utilization this coming January and February.  The course is geared toward both forage  and livestock producers (with an emphasis on dairy cattle). The course will consist of 2 hours of class time on January 30, February 4, and February 11, 2014.  The classes will start promptly at 12:45 pm and conclude at 3:30 pm each of the 3 days.  The course will be offered in Ashtabula, Darke (in combination with Auglaize), Licking, Mahoning, Morrow, and Wayne counties via interactive video feeds and real in-person speakers.  Forage production topics include updates on forage genetics, forage fertilization and optimal manure utilization, weed control, double cropping systems, and precision agricultural technologies.  Forage utilization topics include forage quality evaluation, control of shrink, forage inventory management, production economics, and an update on corn silage production and use.

    The deadline for registering for the $45 course is January 17, 2014 (register through one of the offices listed below).  For additional information download the brochureand contact your local OSU county Extension office or one of the following OSU Extension County Educators:

    Ashtabula County. David Marrison (marrison.2@cfaes.osu.edu) 440-576-9008

    Auglaize County. John Smith (smith.132@cfaes.osu.edu) 419-739-6580

    Darke County.  Sam Custer (custer.2@osu.edu) 937-548-5215

    Licking County. Ted Wiseman (wiseman.15@osu.edu) 740-670-5315

    Mahoning County. Eric Barrett (barrett.90@osu.edu) 330-533-5538

    Morrow County. Jeff McCutcheon (mccutcheon.30@osu.edu) 419-947-1070

    Wayne County. Rory Lewandowski (lewandowski.11@osu.edu) 330-264-8722

  2. Improving Neighbor Relations in the Face of Palmer Amaranth, a New Weed with New Challenges

    Jason Hartschuh, Crawford County OSU Extension ANR Program Coordinator, The Ohio State University

    The agronomic crops team has been working to educate farmers about the different weeds in the Amaranth (pig weed) family. Some people may ask, “Why the focus on pigweeds? We have had them for as long as I can remember.” Well not quite, we have had Redroot Pigweed but not the new, invasive Palmer amaranth. This species has been raising more cane across the south than a wild bull, devastating soybean and cotton farms. It has developed herbicide resistance to Glyphosate and protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO)-inhibiting herbicides, like Cobra. This means that once it shows up in soybean fields, you have lost the battle.

    It has now been found in at least 5 areas of Ohio and has arrived by inadvertant movement of seed. Palmer amaranth seed moved north on equipment from the south, railroad cars, Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) seed, and the biggest source, FEEDSTUFFS!!
    This is where dairy farms come into the picture, especially those that feed any ingredient from the south. In multiple states, cotton seed and forage have been the source for the seed to come in and cause major economic problems. Not only has whole cottonseed been a problem but also cottonseed hulls and cottonseed meal, along with emergency forages from the south. We do not suggest that you eliminate cotton products from your ration, rather we do suggest that you be diligent about managing the risks. Cottonseed can be a good source of protein, fiber, and energy that complements other home grown feeds and helps keep milk fat at respectable levels.  

    The first step is to learn to identify the plant. When Palmer amaranth is still small, it looks like other pig weeds from a distance. Look closer though. First is the petiole, or leaf stem, which is longer than the leaf itself. The leaves are often diamond shaped, with no hairs on the stem or leaves. The seed heads have at least one very large spike, often over 2 feet in length. One other notable characteristic, they can develop a base that measures over 2 inches across and is known for breaking harvesters and mowers.

    Now that you can identify Palmer amaranth, how can it be controlled? Corn is the easiest. Start the year with a clean, weed-free field with tillage or a 2,4-D burn down. Then choose from the large selection of pre-emerge herbicides but be sure to use maximum label rates. Finally, scout for plants any that may emerge when corn is at the V4-V5 stages, and apply one of the numerous clean up herbicides with more residual if necessary to get you through the rest of the season.

    Soybeans are where it gets tricky. THERE IS NO CLEAN UP HERBICIDE ONCE PALMER AMARANTH IS OVER 2 INCHES TALL. First consider applying manure nutrients for soybeans one year in advance, when you are planting corn, to clean up the first flush of seeds and decrease pressure. Second, believe in burn downs and residuals, even if you plan to plant conventionally. Use a spring burn down that includes a full rate of a growth regulating herbicide and one of the many residual products that works on amaranths. Seeds are easy to kill, but once Palmer amaranth can be seen, all bets are off. Finally, scout your fields. If you see even one seedling, apply some more residual herbicide with your glyphosate cleanup for other weeds.

    Now that you have an idea how to identify Palmer amaranth and the control measures for it, do you spread manure on a neighbor’s ground? If so, it is time to go visit them and make sure they know you have fed a product from the south and explain to them how to identify Palmer amaranth. Printing off some of the resources from the following website (http://agcrops.osu.edu/specialists/weeds/palmer-amaranth) can help facilitate the discussion and leave the landowner with some references. Palmer amaranth is controllable if you start in the spring and keep seed counts low by never having an outbreak. One plant can produce 500,000 seeds.

    As you plan feed usage and manure applications, think about the ability to control the weeds in that manure. It may be time to change application strategies if you are applying manure before soybeans. If you believe you may have Palmer Amaranth, contact your local extension office to help you with a positive identification and management strategy. NOW IS THE TIME TO BE PROACTIVE, BEFORE PALMER AMARANTH IS PRESENT AND NEIGHBOR RELATIONS BECOME TENSE IN THE WAKE OF AN INVASION OF THIS WEED.  

  3. Cereal Rye – A Cover Crop with Feed Value?

    Eric Richer, Extension Educator in Agriculture and Natural Resources, Fulton County, Ohio State University Extension

    In recent years, rye (Secale cereale L.), also known as cereal rye or winter rye, has been planted by producers as an entry level or “user friendly” cover crop.  As a cover crop, it is a great nutrient recycler, soil builder, topsoil loosener, and erosion preventer.  For dairy and beef producers, rye can also be considered for additional grazing or forage value.  Based on surveys from several Northwest Ohio producers who have used rye as a spring feed source, it can provide additional feed tonnage on idle acres in a corn-soybeans rotation and with minimal effort or expense. 

    According to the Ohio Agronomy Guide, rye is the most winter hardy and earliest maturing cereal grain grown in Ohio. While spring rye-lage will not have the same feed value as corn silage, producers can evaluate its cost per pound of gain to see if it may fit in their total mixed ration (TMR) feeding systems.  Based on feed analyses from five producers, the ranges for some key feed quality indicators on a dry basis were: yield of 2 to 3 ton/ac, harvested at dry matters (DM) of 21 to 32% (average 27%), crude protein of 8 to 13% (average 12%), total digestible nutrients (TDN) of 53 to 63% (average 61%), net energy for gain of 0.24 to 0.38 Mcal/lb, net energy for lactation of 0.54 to 0.67 Mcal/lb, and relative feed value (RFV) of 71 to 121 (average 101).  These analyses were from rye harvested at the start of the boot stage to all the way to full head, thus the range in quality varies.

    How do you produce rye for rye-lage?  Since many producers no-till soybeans and the planting window for soybeans is a little later than corn, consider planting rye after silage corn or early harvested corn that is going into no-till soybeans in the spring.  This timeframe fits well into many cover crop programs and one of the advantages of rye is that it will germinate up to November 1st during normal years.

    As with all of our crops, starting with a clean seedbed is very important.  Fields with a history of winter annuals (i.e., marestail) need to have a cleanly tilled seedbed or follow Dr. Mark Loux’s “Burndown Suggestions for No-tillage Wheat” (C.O.R.N. 2013-30, Sept. 10-17, 2013).  Rye planted for forage production should be drilled at a rate of 85 to 115 lb/acre (more than typical cover cropping rates) and ideally planted by October 20th.  Fertility for high production rye is similar to wheat, and starter fertilizer should be applied according to soil test results and the Tri-State Fertility Guide (see “Important Wheat Management Guidelines”, Lentz et al. C.O.R.N. 2013-30, Sept. 10-17, 2013).  Producers should be sure to account for full crop and stover removal and consider fertilizing for the subsequent soybean crop.  In livestock situations, manure may be incorporated in the fall in place of starter fertilizer.   Of course, if you are just trying to scavenge nutrients, level of starter fertilizer use is up to the producer.  In the spring, up to 50 lb/acre of nitrogen can be top-dressed to increase production before termination.  

    Mowing of rye at boot stage (mid-May) is most ideal for tonnage, feed quality, and palatability.  Harvesting at this time reduces some of the concerns with rye limiting soil moisture and nitrogen to subsequent crops.  Mowing can be done with a disk-bine or haybine, but drying can be a challenge.  A chopper with a pick up head can be used to harvest the rye-lage at 25 to 30% DM (upper end of range preferred; low DM can result in excessive seepage and undesirable fermentation).   Cut length should be adjusted to 0.75 to 1 inch for best results. Rye-lage should be packed and covered similar to corn silage to maintain its quality (Figure 1).  After rye harvest, soybeans can still be planted and normal yields realized. 

    (Sources: Ohio Agronomy Guide-14th Edition, Midwest Cover Crops Field Guide; 2013 Ohio & Indiana Weed Control Guide-Bulletin 789).

    Tractor

    Figure 1. Similar to methods of ensiling corn for silage, proper
    packing and covering of rye-lage is very important for providing quality feed.

     

  4. The Dairy Industry in Colombia

    Ginna Carolina Reyes, Department of Animal Sciences, Universidad Nacional de Colombia and Visiting Student, Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University

    Colombia is located in the northwest part of South America, and it has an area of 440.831 square miles (1’141.748 km2) and is in a privileged geographical location because of its proximity to the equator line. Colombia is located in the tropical zone of the planet, and its climate is the result of a three branched subdivision of the Andes mountain range and the sea coasts of the Caribbean and Pacific with high humidity and the Alisios winds. The rainy seasons are bimodal, being from April to June and August to November. The country is very pleasant as it enjoys constant sunlight throughout the year, with the same number of hours during the day and night. There are six natural regions, each having unique characteristics; however, the zones with potential for meat and milk production have been classified into five specific regions: Caribbean (beef and dairy), Andina (mostly dairy), Orinoquia (beef), Valles Interandinos (beef and dairy) and Altiplano Cundiboyacence (only dairy).  Each region has characteristic flora and fauna, but it is possible to classify these regions into two major areas having similar conditions such as: temperature, precipitation, altitude, and soil type (Table 1).

    Table 1.  Eco- region classification of Colombia.


    Characteristics

    Hot land
    (Tropic high)

    Cold land
    (Tropical low)

    Temperature

    >22°C (72°F)

    <14°C (57°F)

    Precipitation

    < 800 mm (31 in)

    600-2600 mm (24 to 102 in)

    Altitude

    4 to 1250 msnm

    1750 to 4200 msnm

    Soil type

    Alkali and alkaline sodium

    Acid soils, volcanic slabs

    Land Use and Cattle Inventory

    The majority of the land in Colombia is used for livestock (Figure 1). Within approximately 32.2 million hectares, there are 3 types production distributed: beef cattle (13.7 million head), dual purpose cattle (8.2 million head), and specialized dairy cattle (1.5 million head).  The total number of cattle in Colombia in 2011 was approximately 23.4 million (15.5 female and 7.9 male).  About 90% of the cattle are the Brahman (Cebu) breed and crosses with Brahman, used for milk and meat production. The remaining 10% of the breeds are Holstein, Normando, Brown Swiss, Jersey, Simmental, Angus, and Charolais. 

    Reyes 1
    Figure 1. Soil use in Colombia (right) and use of soil for livestock (left) (DANE, 2011).

    Characterization of the Dairy industry in Colombia

    Colombia is fourth in milk production of the 19 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. Brazil, Argentina and Mexico occupy the top three positions, respectively. Of the total livestock in Colombia, about 41% are dedicated to milk production, 55% are dual purpose, and 45% are specialized dairy. The total production in 2011 was about 14,452 million lb of milk. Of the total milk produced, only 53% is processed in the industry, while the remaining 47% is purchased by intermediaries for bulk sale to industry (26%), processed on farm (10%), consumed on farm (8%), or used for other purposes (3%).  Milk product consumption for Colombians in 2011 was 320 lb per person per year of milk fluid equivalents (Figure 2). Comparatively for the same year in the US, production was 196,245 million lb of milk, equivalent to 58.5 lb per cow and consumption was 604 lb per person per year for all milk products. In 2011, Colombia exported roughly $5.45 million of milk products, while imports for the same year totaled $44.4 million.  Major imports included milk powder (52.9%), whey (36.4%), cheeses (6.2%), and other products, such as yogurt, butter, and fluid milk (4.5%), primarily from Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay.  The price of milk in Colombia in January 2012 was approximately $0.48/Liter ($21.82/cwt) in USD (Figure 3), while the price of milk in the US for the same date was about $0.36/Liter ($16.36/cwt) in USD.

    Reyes 2 
    Figure 2. Consumption vs. production of milk in Colombia from 1999-2011
    (Adapted to memorias foro internacional de la leche, 2011).

    Reyes 3
    Figure 3. The trend of milk prices (cents/Liter) for different countries
    (Adapted to memorias foro internacional de la leche, 2011).


    It is cheaper to produce one liter of milk in the US than in Colombia. With the cost of milk production in Colombia being very high, it is impossible for Colombian producers to compete in international markets.  Even though productivity in Colombia is growing, the producer is constantly seeking other alternatives to increase production in order to enter the global marketplace. However, maximizing production is challenging as the model of production in Colombia is mostly pasture based. In addition, the cost of supplementing concentrates is more expensive than in other countries, as the US is the major producer of corn in the world.  Also, the roads and transportation infrastructure in Columbia are more than 60 years old.

    Dual Purpose System

    Dual purpose animals comprise the majority of the total cattle inventory in Colombia. Most of the cows in this system are for milk production, or produce milk for cheese, as these breeds have a higher content of milk solids over breeds of other production systems.  Dual purpose breeds are type Bos indicus, crosses of Bos Taurus x Bos indicus and native breeds (Figure 4). This system occupies the low tropical regions, such as the Caribbean and Valles Interandinos. The production system can be one of three types: pasture extensive, pasture improved extensive, and pasture extensive with concentrate supplementation. Pasture extensive is the most common type because it is the cheapest system for milk production. In 2011, this system supported an average of 7,949 million lb, equivalent to 15 lb/cow/day.  This low performance is a direct result of poor quality pastures, effects of climate, low utilization of feedstuffs, and a high incidence of diseases and parasites.

    Reyes 4
    Figure 4. Dual purpose distribution per breed (Adapted to MADR, 2003).


    Specialized Dairy Systems

    Specialized dairy systems generally are in the colder climates of the Andina and Altiplano Cundiboyacense regions, but they also exist in some regions of Valles Interandinos where the climate permits this type of production.  These systems (most comparable to conventional US dairy farms) have superior production in comparison to the dual purpose systems. The specialized dairy farms use more supplementation while having different management styles and employ pasture rotation. In 2011, this system supported about 6,426 million lb of milk, resulting in 45 lb/cow/day. This more than doubles the production of dual purpose systems.  In order to achieve this high production, this system has extensively improved pasture, extensive pastures with supplementation, and confined systems (the last two systems are found more frequently; Table 2). The cost (Table 3) and the total solids are different between dual purpose and specialized dairy systems; specialized dairy systems have a higher price per pound of milk with less total solids as compared to a dual purpose system. In this system, the major type of cattle is Bos Taurus with Holstein as the most popular breed, followed by Guernsey, Brown Swiss, and Jersey (Figure 5).

    Reyes 5
    Figure 5. Specialized dairy distribution per breed (Adapted to MADR, 2003).


    Conclusions

    There is considerable opportunity for improvement within the dairy industry in Colombia. As the country continues to develop, there is a greater demand for dairy products. This demand encourages growth and advancement of the current systems. For these reasons, farms are beginning to implement new strategies for increasing production, such as genetic programs, nutritional strategies for improving milk quality, water management, soil test based fertilization programs, intensive pasture management via rotational grazing and forage seeding, record keeping, and enhancement of reproduction programs. As more innovative agricultural practices are introduced to Colombia, the dairy industry will likely improve accordingly.

     Table 2. Grassland and type of supplementation for milk production system (Adapted to Afanador, 2011).

    System

    Characteristics

    Supplementation

    Traditional extensive grazing

    Native grass or some grass introduced

    Mineral salt

    Improved extensive grazing

    Graminae as Angleton (Dichantium aristatum), Colosuana ( Bothriochloa pertusa), Kikuyo (Pennisetum clandestinum), Estrella ( Cynodon nlemfuensis), Brachiarias,  etc usually associated with legumes as Alfalfa (medicago sativa), White clover (trifoliums repens) or Red clover (trifoliums pretense), Leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala),  Matarratón (Gliricidia sepium) inter other.

    Mineral salt
    -In dry season use of harvest sub products (potato, corn, sorghum, cottonseed, rice meal)

    Supplemented extensive grazing

    Improved grassland as Kikuyo (Pennisetum clandestinum), Brachiarias, Rye grass (Lolium hybridum), and cutting grasses.

    Mineral salt
    - Nutritional supplementation with harvest sub products and agro industrial (meal rice, brewer’s yeast, soybean meal etc.), silage, haylage and hay and balanced feed

    Confined system

    Cutting grasses (manages as crops)

    Mineral Salt, silages, haylages, hay and balanced feed, TMR

     
    Table 3
    . Distribution of costs of two systems of production milk in Colombia (Adapted to Santana, 2011).               


    COST

    Dual purpose
    (%)

    Specialized dairy
    (%)

    Labor

    46.0

    42.0

    Supplementation

    3.0

    18.0

    Management soil and pastures

    0.1

    6.0

    Farms

    4.0

    6.0

    Maintenance machinery and equipment

    3.0

    11.0

    Utilities

    5.0

    8.0

    Financial expenses

    4.0

    3.0

    Taxes

    3.0

    4.0

    Others

    31.9

    2.0

     

  5. Coming in 2014: Managing Dairy Employees More Effectively Farm Assessment

    Dianne Shoemaker, Extension Field Specialist, The Ohio State University

    What do your employees like about working for you? Do they know your farm’s goals? Are they comfortable talking to management about problems? Does management treat all employees fairly? How would you as a manager answer questions like these? How would your employees answer the same questions?  Getting work done on dairy farms today is accomplished through people, and more cows per farm means more people are needed to care for those cows.

    How can you do a better job managing people and therefore your cows? A good first step is knowing how employees perceive their job and work environment compared to how you and your management team do.  A unique opportunity to do just that is coming in 2014.  Ohio State University Extension is partnering with Michigan State University on a dairy employee management project which can help dairy farm owners and managers identify strengths and areas of concern in their people management skills and the workplace environment for their employees through a confidential survey of their employees.  This process is designed for farms with more than 10 employees to protect confidentiality of employees.

    All the employee surveys are conducted confidentially over the telephone by one person who is fluent in both English and Spanish.  More information is available by contacting Rory Lewandowski, Wayne County Extension Educator at lewandowski.11@osu.edu, or Dianne Shoemaker at shoemaker.3@osu.edu

  6. New Extension Member Hired to Assist with 4-H Dairy Programs

    Ms. Bonnie Ayars, Dairy Judging Teams Coach and Extension Youth Specialist, The Ohio State University

    The Ohio 4-H Dairy Program has a new team member.  Sherry Smith joined our Extension staff on September 1, 2013.  She needs very little introduction to many of you who have been showing cows or working with the dairy judging program.

    Sherry graduated from The Ohio State University in 1986 and was a member of the dairy judging team.  From that time forward, she has earned an excellent reputation as a judge and also as a volunteer for the Wayne County dairy judging teams.  Much of her professional career has been spent with ration balancing and the evaluation of dairy records.  She also currently works as independent dairy nutrition consultant, but has been previously associated with Moormans, Ohio Holstein Association, and Archer Daniels Midland.

    As an active breeder of Brown Swiss cattle, Sherry has served on many of their committees and also as the State president.  Beyond the dairy coaching, she also volunteers time as a 4-H club advisor and works with Spring Dairy Expo as the Showmanship Coordinator.

    Sherry will be in the office one day per week and she will coordinate 4-H dairy programs with the assistance of Bonnie Ayars. Effective, September 1, 2013 Bonnie has reduced her workload from four to three days. Sherry can be reached at smith.10072@osu.edu or (330) 465-2376 and Bonnie can be reached at ayars.5@osu.edu, (614) 688-3143. Both of them have offices in 222 Animal Science Building. Sherry and her husband, Neil Smith (Executive Secretary, American Jersey Cattle Association), reside in Glenford, Ohio.

  7. Dairy Judging Team and 4-H Dairy Programming Updates

    Ms. Bonnie Ayars, Dairy Judging Teams Coach and Extension Youth Specialist, The Ohio State University

    The 2013 Judging Season is in the books!  It was a remarkable journey with outstanding 4-Hers and OSU students.  Many thanks to all our loyal supporters here at home who have invested their time, farm, and cattle, plus contributions to this educational program.  Perhaps, you will have already met some of the youth, but please make a mental note that they are the next generation of dairy leaders. The Ohio Holstein News covered our results with photos in their current issue.  However, here are the highlights!

    2013 4-H Dairy Judging News Release

    The Ohio 4-H team brought home several honors from the National 4-H Dairy Judging Contest at World Dairy Expo!  Although they did not earn the 1st place award for high team overall, they were the high team in placings beating out the 2nd place group by 25 points.  That was an accomplishment that should be recognized.  Long before reasons, the ability to see cattle is of the upmost importance.

    Team members included Heath Geyer (Shelby County), Colton Harstine (Tuscarawas County), Cody Jodrey, and Cory Jodrey (Brown County). The team was high in Holstein, 3rd in Guernsey, and finished 7th overall out of 26 teams competing. Colton was 8th in placings, and Cory was 2nd in his placings. They finished 14th and 19th, respectively, over all. Heath was 9th in the Jersey division, and Cody was second in Holstein and Colton in 6th place.

    Way to go boys...the only all male team at the contest!

    At the Louisville contest, two contestants were able to participate as other team members were exhibiting at the show.  Hannah Dye (Tuscarawas County) and Ella Jackson (Logan County) were competitive individuals and recognized for their skills.  Hannah placed in the top 10 overall and also for her reasons.  Ella could also talk well and ranked in the top 10.  We have great prospects for 2014!

    2013 Collegiate Dairy Judging News Release 

    Pennsylvania All American

    The Ohio State University Dairy Judging Team brought home a victory at the Pennsylvania All American contest held in September.  The team was composed of Robin Alden, Jared Smith, Lara Staples, and Jacquelyn Sherry.  As a team, they won by 14 points over the second place team, Michigan.  They also earned the second place rank in reasons.

    Individually, Lara finished 7th overall and 3rd in reasons, Jared in 3rd overall, and Robin in 2nd with a 5th place in reasons.
     
    In Ayrshire, Jacquelyn was 3rd and the team was 5th.  For the Brown Swiss breed, Robin was second as was the team.  With Guernsey, the team was second.  Holstein honors went to Robin as the high individual and again the team was in a 2nd place finish.  Rounding out the breeds, Jersey brought Lara a 3rd place, Jared in 4th, and the 2nd high team.

    As the excitement mounted during the results, it was good to look around the room and see so many familiar and supportive faces from Ohio.  You could nearly hear the chant, “Go Bucks!”

    Complete breakdowns on all teams and breeds are available at: http://www.allamerican.state.pa.us/files/2013CollegiateResults.pdf

    World Dairy Expo

    The Dairy Judging Team competed on September 30 in the National Collegiate Dairy Judging Contest at Madison, Wisconsin, during the World Dairy Expo. Team members included Robin Alden, Jared Smith, Lara Staples, and Hillary Hayman.

    Results:

    4th team overall
    3rd high team in Ayrshire
    2nd high team in Red and White
    6th high team in Milking Shorthorn
    6th high team in reasons
    In overall individual reasons, Lara was 7th and Robin finished 10th.

    For the top 25 overall and All American status, Lara was 13th and Robin was 11th. This was the 93rd contest and it was one of the closest on record.

    Detailed results are available at: http://www.worlddairyexpo.com/pages/News-Release---2013---Virginia-Tech-Tops-2013-World-Dairy-Expo-Intercollegiate-Dairy-Cattle-Judging-Contest.php

    North American

    Four young ladies were present for this contest, including Lara Staples, Hillary Hayman, Emily Dudash, and Rachel Townsley.  Once again, these are judges who have also competed previously in the 4-H division.  There were 19 college teams and although they were not in total agreement with the officials as far as placings, they were recognized as the 5th high team in reasons.

    4-H Dairy Programming

    The Dairy 4-H Advisory Committee recently met at the Richland County Extension Office to schedule and plan programming for the 2014 calendar year.  In mid December, a mailing with the dates of all official statewide activities will be sent to over 500 dairy 4-Hers.  This list has expanded and grown due to the overwhelming response to Dairy Palooza, which now includes Quality Assurance Training.  New programming has been added and will be announced in this newsletter, on Facebook, and on the web page.  Hint…it is titled The Dairying Game.

    Early in December, I will be posting the Dairy Achievement Record Form.  This is a means of recognizing outstanding dairy 4-Hers for their participation in organized events.  Adult leaders and volunteers are encouraged to complete the form for their county members.  More details will be available on Facebook and the web page. The due date will be early in January so that awards can be presented at dairy banquets.

    For those of you who follow youth events and Spring Dairy Expo, we are pleased to announce that Ohio F

  8. 2013 Ohio Dairy Challenge Contest – Program Continues to Expand

    Dr. Maurice L. Eastridge, Extension Dairy Specialist, Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University

    The 2013 Ohio Dairy Challenge was held November 15-16 and was again sponsored by Cargill Animal Nutrition. The Dairy Challenge provides the opportunity for students at Ohio State University to experience the process of evaluating management practices on a dairy farm and to interact with representatives in the dairy industry. The program is held in a contest format for undergraduate students whereby they are grouped into teams of three to four individuals. Last year was the first year that veterinary students were invited to attend the farm visit and participate in a meeting later in the evening with the contest judges to discuss observations on the farm. This year, graduate students from Animal Sciences were also invited to participate in the same manner as veterinary students. The farm selected for the contest this year was the Hendren Dairy II in Centerburg, OH (Licking County). The dairy farm is a partnership among Fred Hendren and his two sons. Dale Hendren and his son, Michael, manage the dairy farm. The operation consists of 985 cows milked in a double-14 parallel parlor. There were 56 undergraduate students that participated (15 teams), with 6 students being from the Agricultural Technical Institute. There were 30 veterinary students and 3 graduate students that participated. The undergraduate teams this year were divided into novice and experienced divisions for judging purposes. The contest started by the students and the judges spending about two hours at the farm on Friday afternoon, interviewing the owner and examining the specific areas of the dairy facility.  During Friday evening, the undergraduate teams spent about four hours reviewing their notes and farm records to provide a summary of the strengths and opportunities for the operation in the format of a MS PowerPoint presentation that had to be turned in on Friday evening. On Saturday, the undergraduate students then had 20 minutes to present their results and 10 minutes for questions from the judges. The judges for the novice division were:  Dr. Normand St-Pierre (Professor, Department of Animal Sciences, OSU), Dr. Kristy Daniels (Assistant Professor, Department of Animal Sciences, OSU), Laura Weiss (Cargill Animal Nutrition), and Michelle Burky (Cargill Animal Nutrition); and the judges for the experienced division were: Ryan Aberle (Cargill Animal Nutrition), Dr. Katie Cowles (Cargill Animal Nutrition), Patrick Hart (Cargill Animal Nutrition), and Dr. Maurice Eastridge (Professor, Department of Animal Sciences, OSU). The awards banquet was held on Saturday, November 16 at the Ohio Union. The top teams in the novice division were: First place – Marina Cable, Megan Kelly, Emily Dudash, and Carter Wallinger; and Second Place – Duane Stutzman, Amanda Adkins, Deanne Fredriks, and Lauren Vacchieno. The top teams in the experienced division were:  First Place – Sarah Finney, Rixt Miedema, Kara Uhlenhake, and Kristen Wright; Second Place – Joey Brown, Zekel Dicke, Alex Hohlbein, and Erin Williams; and Third place: Kira Andre, Dan Grim, and Shane Simons. Students will be selected to represent Ohio at the 2014 National Contest and to participate in the Dairy Challenge Academy to be hosted by Ohio State, Michigan State, and Purdue universities during April 3-5 in Ft. Wayne, IN. Students from OSU will also be participating in the Midwest Regional Dairy Challenge hosted by Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, WI to be held February 5-7, 2013. The coach for the Dairy Challenge is Dr. Maurice Eastridge in the Department of Animal Sciences at Ohio State.

    Novice 1
    First Place Team, Novice Division (left to right): Emily Dudash,
    Carter Wallinger, Marina Cable, and Megan Kelly.

    Novice 2
    Second Place Team, Novice Division (left to right): Duane Stutzman,
    Deanna Fredriks, Amanda Adkins, and Lauren Vacchieno.

    Experienced 1
    First Place Team, Experienced Division (left to right):
    Kara Uhlenhake, Kristen Wright, Sarah Finney, and Rixt Miedema.

    Experienced 2
    Second Place Team, Experienced Division (left to right):
    Erin Willimas, Alex Hohlbein, Zekel Dicke, and Joey Brown.

    Experienced 3
    Third Place Team, Experienced Division (left to right):
    Shane Simons, Kira Andre, and Dan Grim.