Last Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced final decisions to adopt amendments to the pooling provisions of the Central, Mideast and Upper Midwest Milk Marketing Orders. If producers approve these amendments through a referendum, USDA will issue final rules for each of these marketing orders to implement the changes on a permanent basis.

The amendments to the Central Milk Marketing Order will limit the volume of milk a handler can pool in a month to 125% of the total volume of milk pooled in the previous month. They also will increase supply plan performance standards; amend certain features of the pool qualification provisions; and decrease the diversion limit standards of the order.

Source: International Dairy Foods Association/ News Release, Sept. 11, 2006
Source URL: http://www.idfa.org/news/stories/2006/09/cmmo.cfm

Broiling temperatures and lower milk output may raise California milk prices paid to producers, but not enough to cover rising fuel and feed costs.

Milk prices paid to producers are predicted to jump 8 cents a gallon next month, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture. But continuing below-average milk prices will eat much of that up.

Source: Central Valley Business Times, Sept. 12, 2006
Source URL: http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=2977

Following are some headlines from news articles highlighted this past week:

• Doha Talks to Restart, but No Date Set
• Research: Food Allergies Gone in a Decade
• NY Plant Offers Longer Shelf-Life, Ultrapure Milk
• Danisco Develops Vanilla Ice Cream Using Whey

Click to read more of these and other news stories.

Although good global economic growth is expected to help maintain international demand for butter and nonfat dry milk powders in 2006, competition from other trading partners may remain limited by tight supplies. Milk production in Australia is forecast to decrease slightly during its 2006 marketing year, while New Zealand production likely will increase by about 4 percent. Milk production in the EU, constrained by quotas, is expected to grow less than 1 percent. As global demand for dairy products continues to remain firm, international prices in 2006 are expected to stay at or near last year’s levels. U.S. prices are expected to remain fairly competitive, and exports are expected to remain strong. Increased world supply of nonfat dry milk powders is likely to result in reduced global export demand, lower export levels of U.S. products, and some weakening of prices.

Source: USDA/ ERS/ Keithly Jones, September 2006
Source URL: http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/LDP/2006/08Aug/LDPM14601/ldpm14601.pdf

The Cornbelt farmer in 2007 will be in the middle of a battle for acreage fought among corn, soybean, and conservation interests. There has been a lot said about the market having to buy corn acres to ensure there is enough for ethanol, livestock feed, and exports. But the more acres dedicated to corn means that soybean acreage will decline, unless the soybean market steps in. While that battle has received a lot of attention, there has been little said about conservation acreage, and the USDA may have to increase rental payments to retain CRP acreage in highly erodible land (HEL) areas. For the farmer with expiring CRP acres, how do you decide whether to let your CRP contract expire and shift into crop production? That is the question we’ll help you answer today.

Source: Farmgate/ Stu Ellis/ University of Illinois, Sept. 7, 2006
Source URL: http://www.farmgate.uiuc.edu/archive/2006/09/corn_soybeans_o.html

Following are some headlines from marketing trends and analysis from the past week:

• North American Biofuels to Pressure Livestock Feed
• Expected Corn, Soybeans Mean Little Price Changes
• WASDE: 2006 Milk Production Forecast Raised
• Crop Production: Corn Up 1%, Soybeans Rise 6%
• Prepare Marketing, Risk Strategy for Winter Wheat

Click to read more of these and other market articles.

Barley silages varying in theoretical chop length were used to evaluate the effects of physically effective (pe) neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content of dairy cow diets on nutrient intakes, site and extent of digestion, microbial protein synthesis, and milk production.

These results indicate that increasing the peNDF content of a diet containing barley silage decreases fiber digestibility in the total tract and lowers microbial efficiency. Therefore, the benefits of increasing dietary particle size, expressed as peNDF, on reducing the risk of ruminal acidosis should be weighed against potentially negative effects on efficiency of feed use.

Source: Increasing the physically effective fiber content of dairy cow diets may lower efficiency of feed use. Journal of Dairy Science 89 (7): 2694-2704, 2006. Yang, W.Z.; Beauchemin, K.A.

This study investigated possible relationships between measurements of the somatotrophic axis in pre-pubertal dairy calves and subsequent milk yields.

The usefulness of GH secretagogue challenges in calves as a predictive test for future milk production is thus limited but may have some bearing on nutrient partitioning and longevity.

Source: Pre-pubertal measurements of the somatotrophic axis as predictors of milk production in Holstein-Friesian dairy cows. Domestic Animal Endocrinology 31 (1): 18-Jan, 2006. Taylor, V.J.; Beever, D.E.; Bryant, M.J.; Wathes, D.C.

The objective of the present study was to determine the distribution of subclincial mastitis and intramammary infection (IMI) across udder quarters and to quantify, if any, the level of interdependence between quarters.

Thus, substantial interdependence between quarters exists which should be accounted for when analysing data from experiments across udder quarters. Failure to do so may result in incorrect inferences from statistical tests.

Source: Interdependence and distribution of subclinical mastitis and intramammary infection among udder quarters in dairy cattle. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 75 (2-Jan): 81-91, 2006. Berry, D.P.; Meaney, W.J.

Each compost barn pack was subdivided into 12 equal areas from which 1-quart bedding samples were collected. Bedding samples were taken at two depths in each area with a hand-operated soil auger. Bedding samples were analyzed for moisture, ammonia, pH, total Carbon (C), Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), and electrical conductance (soluble salts) concentrations.

The moisture content of the bedding material ranged from 28.0% to 78.9% across the two depths in all barns. The average moisture content was 54.4%, within the recommended range for composting of 50% to 60% moisture. The moisture content varied based upon time since the last addition of fresh bedding, weather and cow density in the sampling area. The average pH was 8.5, slightly above the recommended pH level for composting of 6.5 to 8.0.

Source: University of Minnesota/ Marcia I. Endres, Sept. 9, 2006
Source URL: http://www.extension.umn.edu/dairy/dairystar/09-09-06-Endres.htm