⛽ Ethanol from dairy 📝 NY adds to HPAI requirements 🪙 Ag is new ransomware target

Increasing airflow reduces variation in cow lying times during periods of heat stress (>30 minute read)

During periods of heat stress, cows spend more time standing; lying times have been documented to decrease by as much as 3.3 hours per day. Cows’ body temperature increases while lying (0.40-0.48°C per lying bout) and decreases while standing (0.25°C per hour). It is postulated that increases in claw lesions and lameness seen in late summer may be a result of the increased standing. Research shows that using fans to deliver air speeds of at least 1 m/s at cow level (0.5 meters above the bed) increased lying times by 1 hour per day when compared to using only prevailing wind and shade. Fans reduced core body temperature and respiration rates, while increasing DMI and milk production. As facility average airspeed increased, there was less variation in lying bouts between cows in the facility.

University of Calgary finds effective Johne’s protection (3 minute read)

Johne’s disease, caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), presents a health and management challenge for the majority of dairy farms. Researchers at the University of Calgary recently released new research showing a novel bacteriophage therapy is almost entirely effective against contracting the illness. The bacteriophages remained in calves’ intestines for several weeks, attacking MAP bacteria before they could infect the tissue. The therapy was also shown to reduce fecal shedding of the pathogen.

Milk byproducts to be converted to ethanol in southern Michigan (2 minute read)

A new ethanol plant is being built in southern Michigan in a joint venture between the Michigan Milk Producer's Association and Dairy Distillery. The plant will distill milk permeate, a byproduct of other dairy goods production, to produce ethanol. The plant is expected to be completed in 2025 and process 14,000 tons of milk permeate per year, converting it to 2.2 million gallons of ethanol.

Expect competition for US milk supply (2 minute read)

In the first six months of 2024, US milk production decreased 0.9% from the previous year, a four-year low. At the same time, butterfat production rose 1.8%, a result of US producers’ focus on increasing the butterfat content of their milk. Other components have risen steadily but at a slower pace, with overall protein production up only 0.1%. Unless US production increases, it is likely that dry milk production will lag behind butter and cheese, as these processors rely on cheap milk during periods of surplus, whereas butter and cheese makers will pay a premium to fill their capacity. As more processing plant capacity comes online, it is expected that competition will increase as processors look farther for milk.

Ag businesses the new ransomware target (8 minute read)

Ransomware attacks, where hackers encrypt valuable data, making it inaccessible until a ransom is paid, have been common in the finance, energy, and healthcare industries for several years; those behind the attacks now consider food and agriculture to be the low-hanging fruit. There have been 13 documented cyberattacks this year (in Canada), but the number is likely higher due to lack of reporting. Recent attack targets have ranged from Sobeys (a Canadian grocer) to dairy data firms to an individual veterinarian. As more technology is introduced and more devices become “connected,” awareness and mitigation of the risks becomes more important.
[See Iowa State hosts series on cybersecurity for farmers, here, for a resource on protecting yourself and your business, whether or not you’re a farmer.]

New test for IgG in milk replacer (3 minute read)

The IgG content of milk replacers (yes, even milk replacer carries some antibodies) varies both in its concentration and it's specificity for binding enteric pathogens. A team at Arkion Life Sciences has developed a test that will allow milk replacer (and other antibody-containing products, like colostrum replacer, whey protein and serum/plasma) to be tested for IgG levels and pathogen specificity as an indicator of the products' ability to contribute to passive immunity. The team also released an example data set comprised of five commercial milk replacers, demonstrating the variability in IgG content and specificity between the products. Arkion's ELISA test is expected to be available later this year.

New York modifies HPAI testing requirements (3 minute read)

Since April, New York’s Department of Agriculture and Markets has required testing of lactating dairy cattle moving into the state, in keeping with the USDA’s guidance. Effective August 8, New York has expanded its importation requirements to include non-lactating dairy cattle. New York requirements now include: 1) cattle from farms with a confirmed HPAI detection or ongoing HPAI investigation will not be accepted; 2) lactating dairy cattle coming from states with confirmed cases of HPAI must be inspected by a USDA-accredited veterinarian within ten days of arrival, and the inspecting veterinarian must attest that the origin farm has not had a confirmed case of HPAI and is not under investigation for a case of HPAI; 3) Non-lactating dairy cattle over 18 months of age from states with confirmed HPAI cases in the previous 30 days must have a negative HPAI test within 10 days of arrival.

John Deere plans to lay off 600, move production to Mexico (2 minute read)

Earlier this summer, John Deere announced plans to lay off more than 600 employees from three US production plants, lay off an undisclosed number of salaried corporate employees, and relocate production of its skid steer loaders and compact track loaders to Mexico by the end of 2026. The layoffs will affect employees at plants in East Moline, IL (280), Davenport, IA (230), and Dubuque, IA (100). The layoffs come despite $10.2 billion in profits and $26.7 million in compensation for its CEO in 2023.

Invasive tick found in Oklahoma (3 minute read)

The invasive Asian Longhorned Tick has been found in Oklahoma, making it the 20th state to confirm the ticks’ presence. The tick can carry the parasite that causes babesiosis and can cause anemia in heavily infested animals. The tick was first found in New Jersey in 2017.